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Top The Silk Road Attractions
- Hanging out in Xi’an with the vast terra cotta army, one of the most remarkable and memorable sights in the world.
- Meeting and mingling with people in remote western China who look and dress differently than the great majority of their fellow countrymen.
- Experiencing highlights of far-flung cities and towns along the route, many of which once served as caravan stops.
- Venturing beyond China to legendary Silk Road cities such as Tashkent , Samarkand and Bukhara and central Asian countries such as Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
The Silk Road Tours & Travel Guide
The Silk Road Attractions & Landmarks Guide
The Silk Road in China
The three main fabled Silk Road routes first gained importance during the early Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), as traders began the westward journey from the ancient Chinese capital of Chang'an (present day Xi'an).
The Silk Road then lasted as a major trading thoroughfare for some 1,600 years, until the collapse of the Yuan Dynasty that had been established by Kublai Khan in the 14th century.
While the name was derived from the lucrative trade in Chinese silk which was highly prized by people in the west, many other goods flowed in both directions. From China came tea, porcelain, lacquer ware, jade, bronze objects and iron. The camel caravans returning from the West carried fruit and seeds, glass bottles, gold, ivory, and carpets and other woven items.
Culturally, the Silk Road spread Buddhism to western China and centuries later helped spread Islam throughout central Asia.
Today’s Travelers
Travelers who follow the legendary route through China today are introduced to parts of the country that are far different from the attractions of major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, and from people who for the most part share the same ethnic background.
While about 93 percent of Chinese belong to the Han ethnic group, most of the rest are members of 56 separate minorities. The western region of China through which the Silk Road passes (Xinjiang Province) is home to 13 of them, and introductions to their lifestyles can be a high point of a visit there.
The path of the Silk Road leads to and through small oasis towns and villages and crosses rolling grasslands and sparsely inhabited sun-baked deserts punctuated by high mountains. Today’s travelers find themselves in a world of onion-domed mosques, bazaars, embroidered caps and languages far different from Mandarin or Cantonese.
The Uyghur (pronounced wee-grr) minority group is the largest in western China. It consists of mostly Sunni Muslim Turkic-speaking people.
Xi’an
Xi’an (formerly Chang’an) was the capital of China for nearly 1,200 years, and is the burial place of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC). His mausoleum, which took 38 years to complete, is home to a virtual army of more than 7,000 terra cotta warriors, along with horses, chariots and weapons, which were buried to accompany the emperor and guard him in the next life.
Arranged in battle formations much as the imperial guard would be during the ruler's lifetime, this vast underground army represents one of the most significant archeological finds of modern times.
In 2014, the Chang’an-Tianshan corridor of the Silk Road was designated as a World Heritage Site.
Other Attractions in Xi’an
The collections at the Provincial History Museum are as beautiful as they are intriguing. Fragments of silk from the Han Dynasty serve as reminders of how the trade route got its name. Gold, silver and bronze artifacts represent items that were carried back to China from the west.
Of special interest are black-faced figures that demonstrate early contact with the African continent.
More Sights along China’s Silk Road
The Mogao Caves near Dunhuang, which were dug into limestone cliffs over a period of 1,000 years beginning in 366 AD, contain one of the most outstanding collections of Buddhist art in the world.
Despite its location in a stretch of barren terrain, Turpan (also known as Turfan) is known for an underground irrigation system built 20 centuries ago that provided water for growing grain, cotton, grapes and Hami melons, which still are prized for their fragrance and flavor.
In Kashgar, tucked into the extreme western end of China, colorful bazaars serve as reminders of its past as a transportation and trading center. As they have for many centuries, weekly markets still teem with people selling and buying everything from sheep and donkeys to barbequed meat and steamed dumplings.
Beyond China
The Silk Road actually developed into many routes, including northern routes that passed through several of the “Stans” – most notably Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan -- and some southern routes that passed through Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, the Caucuses, and Arabia.
The major northern route includes the legendary Uzbek cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Tashkent. Deserts, caves replete with Buddhist art, ancient villages and streets, mosques and madrasahs mark the route.
Adventurous travelers may continue through Iran into Turkey, which leads to Europe and the western end of the route.
The Silk Road Reviews & Ratings
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Amazing, Extensive, Exhausting Trip
If you want to see classic Silk Road architecture then go to Uzbekistan. If you want to see amazing mountain scenery then go to Kyrgyzstan. If you want to see both o...
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Fantastic trips
This is a really fascinating, busy, exhausting and quite unique trip across 5 countries in just over 3 weeks. Go with an open mind and you will enjoy the most ama...
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Leave the West Behind
If you want to leave the west behind until the last city on this incredible journey, then welcome to the former Soviet States that make up the silk road. This tr...
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The Five Stans - A journey through history and the Central Asian Republice
A great holiday with plenty of superb sites and stunning scenery. One reason for calling this the Silk Road was that silk was used to pay people. It started with...
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The 5 Stans
A great trip covering a wide range of experiences - from Turkmenistan [Ashgabat with its somewhat bizarre architecture (the Wedding Palace being a particularly goo...
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