Day 1 Arrive at Beijing (-/-/-)
Transfer via: International arranged by you
Welcome to Beijing, where the capital, political, and cultural center of China lies. We meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. After check-in, you have free time to relax.
Day 2 Beijing (B/L/-)
 Begin the photographic tour through some of Beijing's oldest and best preserved Hutongs. This will provide an in-depth opportunity to meet locals and become more familiar with their culture. It will be finished near the Forbidden City and allow free time that afternoon to explore.
Day 3
Beijing (B/L/D)
Drive to a section of the Great Wall called Simatai. We stay late into the afternoon to catch some of the late light and will have dinner at a village near the Great Wall.
Day 4 Beijing / Xian (B/L/-)
Transfer via: Overnight train
The early morning is free to revisit locations in Beiing. At midday, we head to the Summer Palace to capture the beautiful gardens and museums. Evening, transfer to the railway station and take the overnight train to Xian.
Day 5 Xian (B/L/D)
 Following our arrival in Xi'an we enjoy breakfast and then take the short journey into the country-side to visit the Terra-cotta Warriors.
In the afternoon we will have an orientation of Xi'an to discover the Muslim Quarter and its laneways. Evening dinner is included but expect to shoot further into the night and capture some of the street ambience.
Day 6 Xian / Jiayuguan (B/-/D)
Transfer via: Internal Flight arranged by us
Today we'll take a short flight west to Jiayuguan and then have the remainder of the day free to relax and review our work.
Day 7
Jiayuguan (B/L/D)
 The stark ochre ramparts of the Ming dynasty Great Wall Fort afford commanding views over the surrounding desert to the mountains in the distance and we start the day here. Later we head into the desert to a crumbling outlying section of wall dramatically perched on the edge of a gorge.
Day 8
Jiayuguan / Dunhuang (B/L/D)
We set off early for the long drive through the desert to Dunhuang. During the journey we'll have the chance to review our work, and then we'll have the rest of the day at leisure in this laid-back oasis town.
Day 9
Dunhuang / Turpan (B/L/D)
Transfer via: overnight train
Visit the stunning cave art at the Mogao Grottoes. No photography is allowed inside the complex so we'll have the chance to rest our tired trigger fingers. Take overnight train to Turpan.
Day 10 Arrive / Turpan (B/L/-)
Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. After a free morning we'll explore the outlying desert, taking in the fiery Flaming Mountains, a hidden valley oasis vineyard and the graceful domes of an 18th century mosque.
Day 11 Turpan (B/L/-)
 Today we'll visit the nearby ruins of an ancient desert settlement and have a chance to explore the dusty lanes which surround the town. The lanes are lined with grape trellises and are popular thoroughfares for farmers and their donkey carts.
Day 12 Turpan / Urumqi / Kashgar (B/L/-)
Transfer via: Internal Flight arranged by us
Drive to Urumqi to catch a flight to Kashgar, the quintessential Silk Road desert trading town. Its proximity to a host of other Central Asian countries lends the town a unique blend of cultures. Kazaks, Kyrgyz, Tajiks and Uighurs are all represented in the region and a stroll along one of Kashgar's bustling alleys will reveal market traders, traditional artisans and daily life. Our explorations are landmarked by mosques and beautifully carved gates.
Day 13 Kashgar / Lake Karakul (B/L/-)
Today we'll make the long, steep drive along the Karakoram Highway from the desert to the 7000m plus mountains that border Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and northern India. We'll overnight in a simple Kyrgyz yurt on the edge of breathtaking Lake Karakul at 3600m.
Day 14
Lake Karakul / Kashgar (B/L/-)
Get up early to enjoy the best of the light as it catches the ever-changing hues of the lake, backed by huge snowcapped mountains. After a simple breakfast and some time to explore the lake, drive back to Kashgar where we'll have a free afternoon.
Day 15 Kashgar (B/-/-)
 Kashgar's Sunday Bazaar has to be seen to be believed and affords a kaleidoscope of people, produce and photographic potential. We spend the morning here and then the afternoon at the former site of the Sunday Bazaar, now a huge covered market selling trash and treasure, new and old. This evening we head out for a traditional Uighur banquet to celebrate the end of our Silk Road journey.
Day 16
Kashgar / Urumqi / Beijing (B/-/-)
Transfer via: Internal Flight arranged by us
Drive to the airport for the flight to Urumqi then take the connect flight to Beijing. Arrive in Beijing, be met and drive to the hotel.
Day 17 Beijing / Departure (B/-/-)
Transfer via: International / Internal Flight arranged by you
Transfer to the airport for the flight to your next destination.
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