2-week itinerary on the Silk Road – China

🇨🇳 You want to follow the Silk Road ? Discover Beijing and Shanghai but also the extreme Nort-West of China ? You want to visit the Yangzi region and stop by the Tibetan border ? You have a 2 week vacation to plan ?
This itinerary is made for you ! Go for a trip following China’as borders by plane and train and discover the country’s hidden gems ! 😍

Do not take what Google Maps calculated in account : plane, bus and train trip length are not correct. To book and estimate your itinerary on : https://fr.ctrip.com. 

Itinerary of this 2 weeks on the Silk Road

Beijing > Mogao Caves > Xiahe > Xi’an > Hangzhou > Suzhou > Shanghai

🗺 Need a road map to prepare your itinerary ? We recommend this one, the most detailed and the most pleasant to read !

📗 You want to buy a paper travel guide ? We recommend this one ! In our opinion, it is the most complete, the most visual and the most up to date !

The itinerary : step by step

What to do in Beijing ?

Historic capital of China. 

• Explore Beijing’s Hutong, the geographical and cultural center of the traditional city. Stroll around the streets with low buildings, houses with square backyards and siheyuan were built by the Ming and Qing dynasties. Enjoy the shade of these narrow streets.
• Get to know about Chinese history when visiting the Forbidden City, home to two dynasties of emperors. Discover a monument with a true character and rich past.
• Visit the Tibetan Buddhist temps : Yonghe Temple, asso called Lama Temple. Appreciate the unique roofs, beautiful decorative arches, wall paintings, Tibetan prayer wheels, carpentry, Tantric statues and walk through a cloud of sacred incense. A must-see !
• Climb up the Great Wall of China in Badaling, most accessible part from Beijing (the subway stops nearby). The wall is in great condition but there is always a lot of people. If you plan on staying longer in the city, you should rather go to Jiankou and Zhuangdaokou, where there will be much less people.
• Visit the Summer Palace, a beautiful historical site with lakes, gardens and incredible architecture and art work.

What to do in Mogao Caves ?

A treasure of Buddhist art at the extreme North-West of China.

• Explore this historical site built in year 366. It now has 492 caves, 45 000 sq.m/484 375 sq.ft of wall paintings and over 2000 painted statues. Get to go explore 10 caves with a guide on a 2 hour tour. You will get your breath taken away when discovering the two Grand Buddhas (they are huge !).

What to do in Xiahe ?

The Tibetan life up 2920 m / 9580 ft high. 

• Walk through the city and discover an incredibly serene atmosphere. As soon as sun rises, observe the Tibetans walking on the dora (pilgrimage path) leading to the monastery while the monks are going to the temple for their morning prayer.
• Get a real feel of the Tibetan Buddhism when visiting Labrang Monastery lit up by yak butter lamps, enhancing the intense spiritual atmosphere. Listen to the uninterrupted grinding of prayer wheel and the echo of the Tibetan horns coming from the surrounding mountains. Just enjoy the moment.

What to do in Xi’an ?

Former starting point of the Silk Road. 

• Do not miss the city’s bulwark. One of the rare cites to have kept its bulwark built in 1370 under the Ming dynasty. You can walk the whole bulwark on a 4 hour walk, a unique experience !
• Stroll through the Muslim neighbourhood cher the Hui (Muslim Chinese) lived for centuries. Discover the small streets North of the Drum Tower : butcher shops, small hidden mosques and sesame oil factories.
• Head East of Xi’an to discover the most famous archeological discovery in the world : the Terracotta Army. These buried human-size soldiers have been watching over China’s first Emperor for thousands of years.

What to do in Hangzhou ?

The stunning West Lake : a sight of the Old China. 

• Do not miss this lake created in the 8th century. Discover the hills and their Padogas overlooking the shaded riverside and observe the slowly cruising boats.
• Head to the largest island : Gushan Issland where you will find Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Zhongshan Park and Xiling Seal Art Society.
• North-West of the city, explore the lovely Quyuan gardens spreading over several islands and known for their lotus flowers during Spring.
• End your tour by the small Xiaoying island and discover the Three Pools where the moon reflects as well as the Red Carp Pond with thousands of fish.

What to do in Suzhou ?

The city of culture and sophistication. 

• Visit Suzhou Museum, a very impressive architecture. Discover this modern interpretation of a garden blending water, bamboos and perfect geometry. Observe the remarkable jade, wood or fabric sculptures and poetry collections. Don’t worry about not reading Chinese, everything has been translated in english !
• Be sure to walk through the city’s gardens : Humble Administrator’s Garden, the most impressive with its ponds, fountains, museums, pavilions … and the Master of the Nets Garden, the smaller one (but in better condition) : a peaceful heaven.
• Do not forget to step in the fascinating temples : like the North Temple or Temple of Mystery.
• If you like to float around, go for a night cruise on the canal and admire historic sceneries.

What to do in Shanghai ?

One of the largest and busiest city in China. 

• Get to know the city walking along « Bund », the city’s former Wall Street. Admire the gorgeous historic building’s facades and visit the buildings that are open to the public.
• Do not miss one of the most beautiful places in Shanghai : Yu Garden. Discover the shaded nooks, the pavilions, pine trees and ponds home to many carps. Right next to the garden, visit the Huxinting tea house. End you walk at the City God Temple.
• If you need to take a break from the huge malls and sky scrapers, head to Tianzifang, a neighbourhood with designer workshops, cybercafés and shops. In this street maze (longtang), you will get a charming and authentic atmosphere.
• If you are an art lover, M50 is for you ! Discover the underground culture of Shanghai’s art galeries clustered in this industrial block with graffitied streets.

Learn more…

• Check out all the practical informations you need to know about the country,  by clicking here.
• To book a flight at the best price, we recommend you this website.

If you have more information, good deals, or any advice to share about this itinerary, leave a comment bellow ! Our team will be happy to hear about your experiences !