The Silk Road of China: Self-Launched Rail Adventure
18 days · China (Northwest Silk Road)
G Adventures charges £2,600
No-markup version: ~£1,180 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, book-it-yourself version of G Adventures' 18-day Beijing-to-Kashgar rail journey across China's northwest. You'll ride hard-sleeper trains and public express buses, stay in budget hotels, guesthouses and a Kazakh yurt at Heavenly Lake, and book the big sights (Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Mogao Grottoes) directly or via GetYourGuide/Klook. Same route, same experiences, roughly half the price of the organised tour. Costs are approximate and exclude international flights; China's 240-hour visa-free transit or a tourist visa may apply depending on nationality — check before booking.
Day-by-day
Arrive Beijing
Beijing
Land at Beijing Capital or Daxing airport and take the Airport Express train (¥25) to Dongzhimen, then subway Line 2 to your hostel near Chongwenmen or the Qianmen hutongs. Pick up a local SIM/eSIM for data (¥100-150) and buy your train tickets on the 12306 app or at the station counter. Evening wander around Qianmen and a cheap jianbing or dumpling dinner.
🚌Airport Express train + subway (~£3.50)
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse near Qianmen/Chongwenmen, private or 4-bed dorm (~£18)
- →Airport Express into the city
- →Airport/subway navigation
- →Evening walk in Qianmen hutongs
- →Set up 12306 train app and SIM
Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City
Beijing
Pre-book Forbidden City tickets online (they sell out — release is 7 days ahead, ¥60) and go early to beat the crowds. Walk Tiananmen Square first (free, ID/passport check), then spend 3-4 hours in the Forbidden City. Afternoon: climb the Drum and Bell Towers (¥30) in the Gulou hutongs, or take a hutong trishaw ride. Optional evening acrobatics show at Chaoyang Theatre (~£15-20 via Klook).
🚌Subway (~£0.50)
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse near Qianmen/Chongwenmen (~£18)
- →Tiananmen Square
- →Forbidden City (¥60, book ahead)
- →Drum & Bell Tower (¥30)
- →Optional Beijing acrobatics show
Mutianyu Great Wall & overnight train to Xi'an
Beijing → Xi'an
Take a public bus 916 Express from Dongzhimen to Huairou (¥12, ~1.5 hrs) then a local minibus to Mutianyu (¥10); entry ¥40 plus optional cable car/toboggan. Spend the afternoon walking the restored ridges between towers. Back to Beijing for the evening and board a hard-sleeper train to Xi'an (Z19 or similar, ~12 hrs, ¥270-300 upper berth). Book on 12306 in advance — bring snacks and a padlock for your bag.
🚌Public bus 916 to Huairou + minibus (¥22 each way); hard-sleeper train Beijing–Xi'an (~£30)
🛏Hard-sleeper train, 6-berth compartment (~included in train fare)
- →Mutianyu Great Wall hike (¥40 entry)
- →Great Wall cable car or toboggan (optional ~¥100)
- →Overnight sleeper train
Xi'an: Terracotta Warriors & old town
Xi'an
Arrive mid-morning, drop bags at a hostel inside the city walls, then take bus 306/游5 from the East Square to the Terracotta Warriors (¥120 entry). Hire an audio guide (~¥40) or join a small-group English tour booked through Klook/GetYourGuide (~£15). Back in the city, do a self-guided walk of the Muslim Quarter for lamb skewers, roujiamo and biangbiang noodles, then see the Great Mosque (¥25).
🚌Local bus 306 to warriors (¥8 each way)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel inside the city walls (~£16)
- →Terracotta Warriors (¥120)
- →Audio guide or GetYourGuide small-group tour
- →Muslim Quarter food walk
- →Great Mosque (¥25)
Xi'an city walls & night train to Jiayuguan
Xi'an → Jiayuguan
Free day: rent a bike on the Ming city wall and cycle the 14 km loop (¥45 bike + ¥54 wall entry), visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (¥50) and the Silk Road monument, or slow down over coffee in the Shaanxi History Museum (free, book ahead). Late evening head to Xi'an station for the overnight train to Jiayuguan (Z/T series, ~15-17 hrs, hard sleeper ~£28).
🚌City bus + overnight train Xi'an–Jiayuguan (~£28)
🛏Hard-sleeper train (~included in train fare)
- →Cycle Xi'an city walls
- →Big Wild Goose Pagoda
- →Shaanxi History Museum (free)
- →Silk Road monument
Jiayuguan: westernmost Great Wall
Jiayuguan
Arrive and check into a budget hotel near the station or old town. In the afternoon visit the Jiayuguan Fort and Overhanging Great Wall (combined ticket ~¥110) — the westernmost fortification of the Ming Great Wall, with desert and snow peaks behind. Cheap noodle dinner in the town centre.
🚌Local taxi/bus to the fort (~£4)
🛏Budget hotel near Jiayuguan station (~£16)
- →Jiayuguan Fort & Overhanging Great Wall (¥110)
- →Desert viewpoint sunset
Express bus to Dunhuang & Mogao Grottoes
Jiayuguan → Dunhuang
Morning express bus to Dunhuang (~4-5 hrs, ¥70-90). Drop bags at a guesthouse in the town centre, then take the shuttle to the Mogao Grottoes (¥238 including mandatory shuttle and timed entry — book on the official WeChat mini-program or via Klook 1-2 weeks ahead). The 90-minute guided cave tour is included with entry. Evening at the Shazhou Night Market.
🚌Long-distance express bus Jiayuguan–Dunhuang (~£9); local shuttle to Mogao (~£3)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Dunhuang town (~£15)
- →Mogao Grottoes UNESCO site (¥238, book ahead)
- →Shazhou Night Market food stalls
Mingsha dunes at sunrise & night train to Turpan
Dunhuang → Turpan
Get up before dawn for a taxi or bike to Mingsha Sand Dunes (entry ¥120) — climb the dune for sunrise over Crescent Moon Lake, then optional camel ride (~¥100) and sand-sledding. Shower, eat, and rest before the evening overnight train to Turpan (~11 hrs, hard sleeper ~£20).
🚌Taxi to dunes (~£4); overnight train Dunhuang–Turpan (~£20)
🛏Hard-sleeper train (~included in train fare)
- →Mingsha dunes sunrise (¥120)
- →Crescent Moon Lake
- →Optional camel ride (~¥100)
Turpan: lowest point in Asia
Turpan
Arrive and check into a guesthouse. Self-guided or locally-guided loop of Turpan's sights: the Karez irrigation system (¥40), the Emin Minaret (¥40) and Gaochang ancient city (¥70). Turpan sits in a basin 154 m below sea level — expect serious heat. Uyghur dinner of laghman noodles and kebabs in the night market.
🚌Shared taxi / local bus between sights (~£8)
🛏Guesthouse in Turpan (~£15)
- →Karez water system (¥40)
- →Emin Minaret (¥40)
- →Gaochang ruins (¥70)
- →Uyghur night market dinner
Flaming Mountains & Jiaohe ruins
Turpan
Free day: hire a local driver for half a day (~£20 split) to the Flaming Mountains (¥50), the Tuyoq Uyghur village (¥30) and the Jiaohe Ruins (¥40), one of the best-preserved earthen Silk Road cities. Pack for tomorrow's mountain night — warm layers for Heavenly Lake.
🚌Shared half-day taxi (~£10 per person)
🛏Guesthouse in Turpan (~£15)
- →Flaming Mountains (¥50)
- →Tuyoq village (¥30)
- →Jiaohe ruins (¥40)
Tian Shan Mountains & Kazakh yurt night
Heavenly Lake
Shared van or bus from Turpan to Urumqi (~2.5 hrs, ¥50) then a local bus/taxi to the Heavenly Lake (Tianchi) gate (¥100 entry + ¥90 shuttle). Book a yurt through a local Kazakh family or a Klook/CTrip stay (~£18-25 including dinner). Afternoon hiking the lakeside trails, optional horseback riding (¥150-300) and a milky-tea dinner in the yurt.
🚌Shared van Turpan–Urumqi (~£6); bus to Tianchi gate (~£4); park shuttle (¥90)
🛏Traditional Kazakh yurt, multi-share (~£22 incl. dinner)
- →Tianchi/Heavenly Lake (¥100 + shuttle)
- →Lakeside hiking
- →Optional horseback riding (¥150-300)
- →Kazakh yurt dinner
Heavenly Lake morning → Urumqi
Urumqi
Sunrise over the lake and a slow morning of walking before heading down to Urumqi. Check into a budget hotel, visit the Xinjiang Regional Museum (free, passport needed — famous mummies) and the Grand Bazaar for dried fruit, spices and naan.
🚌Park shuttle + bus/taxi back to Urumqi (~£8)
🛏Budget hotel in Urumqi (~£18)
- →Sunrise at Heavenly Lake
- →Xinjiang Regional Museum (free)
- →Urumqi Grand Bazaar
Overnight train across the Taklamakan to Kashgar
Urumqi → Kashgar
Day in Urumqi (Erdaoqiao market, Red Hill park) then board the overnight train to Kashgar (~18-20 hrs, hard sleeper ~£30). This is the classic Taklamakan-edge crossing — bring instant noodles, fruit and a book.
🚌Overnight train Urumqi–Kashgar (~£30)
🛏Hard-sleeper train (~included in train fare)
- →Erdaoqiao market
- →Red Hill viewpoint
- →Sleeper train across the Taklamakan edge
Kashgar: old town orientation
Kashgar
Arrive and check into a guesthouse in the old town. Self-guided orientation walk: Id Kah Mosque, the Handicraft Street where coppersmiths and hat-makers work, and the tomb of Abakh Khoja. Evening in the old town for Uyghur music and grilled lamb.
🚌Taxi from station (~£2) + walking
🛏Old-town guesthouse in Kashgar (~£16)
- →Id Kah Mosque
- →Handicraft Street workshops
- →Abakh Khoja tomb
- →Old town evening walk
Kashgar Sunday bazaar & animal market
Kashgar
If your dates land on a Sunday: the famous Sunday Bazaar and the livestock/animal bazaar on the city outskirts (taxi ~£5) — a genuine Central Asian trading scene. Otherwise, visit the covered bazaar and the Sunday-market-adjacent handicraft stalls. Afternoon: Uyghur cooking or naan-baking workshop in the old town (~£12).
🚌Taxi to animal bazaar (~£5)
🛏Old-town guesthouse in Kashgar (~£16)
- →Sunday Bazaar & animal bazaar
- →Handicraft shopping
- →Local naan/cooking workshop (~£12)
Hotan village & donkey-cart day trip
Kashgar / Hotan
Day trip to a Uyghur village outside Kashgar by shared taxi or public bus (~£8), touring workshops by donkey cart (the classic Silk Road experience — atlases, silk and jade workshops). Alternatively take the train east to Hotan for the day and its silk and carpet workshops (free-¥150 entry to Yoktan ruins). Back to Kashgar for dinner.
🚌Shared taxi or bus (~£8)
🛏Old-town guesthouse in Kashgar (~£16)
- →Village workshop tour by donkey cart
- →Optional Yoktan ruins
- →Uyghur village lunch
Kashgar free day & farewell dinner
Kashgar
Slow day: Kashgar's kite-flying square, the tea houses, and the old-town photo walks. Optional trip to the Karakul Lake/Muztagh Ata viewpoint if you have time and a shared jeep (~£25). Farewell dinner of polo rice, samsa and kebabs in the old town.
🚌Walking / local taxi (~£4)
🛏Old-town guesthouse in Kashgar (~£16)
- →Old town tea house
- →Kite square
- →Optional Karakul Lake jeep trip
- →Farewell Uyghur dinner
Depart Kashgar
Kashgar
Fly out from Kashgar (domestic connection via Urumqi to Beijing/Shanghai or onward to Central Asia). Flights are the cheapest independent way out — book on CTrip/Trip.com 4-8 weeks ahead (~£80-150 one way to Urumqi). Check visa validity and onward travel docs before heading to the airport.
🚌Taxi to Kashgar airport (~£3); domestic flight not included in estimate
🛏—
- →Airport transfer
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,180 | £2,600 |
| Duration | 18 days | 18 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,420 per person (55%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,180
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does The Silk Road of China: Self-Launched Rail Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,180 per person for 18 days in China (Northwest Silk Road). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,600 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,180 — a saving of roughly £1,420 (55%) per person.
How long is the China (Northwest Silk Road) trip?+
This itinerary runs 18 days, covering 18 day-by-day stops through China (Northwest Silk Road).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, budget trip through China (Northwest Silk Road), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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