Day 1 – Arrival in Kashgar
Arrive in Kashgar and check into your group assembly hotel. Attend a pre-trip orientation meeting where your tour leader will guide you through obtaining your Border Travel Permit (Frontier Pass) and briefing you on high-altitude safety. Spend the rest of the day exploring Kashgar at your leisure.
Overnight: Kashgar Boutique Hotel
Meals: —
Day 2 – Kashgar Livestock Market & Old Town Citywalk
Visit the lively Sunday Livestock Market in the morning to experience a bustling, traditional Silk Road trading atmosphere. In the afternoon, embark on a Citywalk through Kashgar Old Town, exploring the ancient Gaotai Ancient Homes, sipping tea at the Centennial Tea House, and wandering through vibrant historic alleys.
Overnight: Kashgar Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 – Kashgar – Dawakun Desert – Yarkand (Shache)
Travel to the Dawakun Desert for a leisurely stroll among rolling sand dunes. Continue driving to Yarkand (Shache Ancient City), where you will explore the Amannisa Khan Mausoleum, the historic Jiaman Mosque, and the charming streets of the old royal capital.
Overnight: Yarkand (Shache) Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 – Yarkand – Yingisar Pottery Workshop – Oytagh Red Canyon Hike – Oytagh Town
Drive to Yingisar County to participate in a hands-on workshop crafting traditional Uyghur pottery, an Intangible Cultural Heritage technique. Afterward, head into Oytagh Red Canyon for a light hike, winding through vivid red sandstone gorges and valley forests before arriving at Oytagh Town.
Overnight: Oytagh Town Boutique Homestay
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 – Oytagh – Baisha Lake South Shore – Muztagh Ata Glacier No. 2 Trek – Tashkurgan
Drive up the Karakoram Highway to admire the turquoise waters and chalk-white dunes from the south shore of Baisha (White Sands) Lake. Continue to Muztagh Ata Glacier Park for a high-altitude trek alongside giant ice towers and seracs. In the late afternoon, visit the hidden Tuogelunxia Tree Tunnel Village before arriving in Tashkurgan.
Overnight: Tashkurgan Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 – Tashkurgan – Panlong Ancient Road – Bandir Lake – Lake Karakul – Subashi Village
Drive along the famous Panlong Ancient Road, navigating its hundreds of famous hairpin turns across the plateau. Visit the vibrant blue waters of Bandir Lake and scenic Lake Karakul. In the evening, check into an authentic Kyrgyz homestay in Subashi Village and watch a spectacular sunset over the high-altitude wetlands.
Overnight: Subashi Village Kyrgyz Homestay
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 – Subashi Village – Lake Karakul – Baisha Lake North Shore Trek – Muji Volcano – Kashgar
Take in the peaceful morning views over Lake Karakul before heading to the north shore of Baisha Lake for a scenic lakeside light trek. Drive to Muji Volcano to explore its ancient volcanic crater basin and mineral springs. Return to Kashgar in the evening for a festive celebratory completion dinner.
Overnight: Kashgar Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Celebratory Completion Dinner
Day 8 – Kashgar Departure
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. Spend your remaining time at leisure before receiving a dedicated transfer to Kashgar Laining International Airport (KHG) or Kashgar Railway Station for departure, concluding your Southern Xinjiang & Pamir Plateau trekking journey.
Meals: Breakfast
