the Ancient Silk Road of China

This ancient trade route starts in the old capitals of Luoyang and Xian, and reaches the Yellow River at Lanzhou, follows along the "Gansu Corridor" and stretches along the edge of deserts and mountains. Before the discovery of the sea route to India, the Silk Road was the most important connection between the Orient and the West. The Silk Road experienced its last great era during the time of Mongols,when the entire route from China to the Mediterranean was part of one empire. At that time, Nicolo and Marco Polo traveled from Kashgar to the Far East along the southern route. The overland link quickly lost its importance as trade across the seas developed.Today it has been replaced in China with the railway line Lanzhou-Hami-Urumqi.The last part, to Alma-Ata in Kazatchstan was completed in 1992. The trade route was never known as the Silk Road historically. It was given the name by a German geographer Ferdinand Freiherr von Richthofen. Silk Road tours allow you to step back into the 13th century as you visit the cities of the legendary silk traders and monks. Travel through deserts where silk traders have traveled for thousands of years. You can discover the ancient mysteries of the Silk Road including bazaars where merchants haggle over camels and carpets,where you can meet the nomadic minorities of China, and attend music, dance and artistic performances. These tours are often combined with stops to Beijing, Xian, and Dunhuang to make your China travel adventure vacation complete.