August 21 (Monday; Urumqi Holiday Inn ‡ Tel: 011-86-991-281-8788):

Beijing -> Urumqi (Wulumuqi), Flight XO 9102, 14:40-18:25

August 22 (Tuesday; yurts):

One-day tour of Tianchi (Lake of Heaven); sunset

August 23 (Wednesday; Urumqi Holiday Inn ‡ Tel: 011-86-991-281-8788):

Sunrise at Tianchi; Xinjiang Autonomous Region Museum; Hongshan Park. Free

time in the evening.

August 24 (Thursday; Luzhou Binguan/Oasis Hotel ‡ Tel: None available yet):

Urumqi -> Turpan (Tulufan): Karez Underground Irrigation Channels, Jiaohe Ruins

August 25 (Friday; soft sleeper):

Turpan: Ancient tombs/graves, Flaming Mountains, Thousand Buddha Caves,

Gaochang Ruins, Grape Valley, and Emin Minaret

T70 (soft sleeper), 23:40-10:48 to Liuyuan (then bus to Dunhuang) OR

54 (hard sleeper), 22:44 - 12:07 to Liuyuan (then bus to Dunhuang)

August 26 (Saturday; Dunhuang International Hotel ‡ Tel: 011-86-937-882-8678):

Crescent Moon Lake and Singing Sand Mountains

August 27 (Sunday; Dunhuang International Hotel ‡ Tel: 011-86-937-882-8678):

Mogao Caves, Yang Pass (?), local museum

August 28 (Monday; Grand New World Hotel ‡ Tel: 011-86-029-721-6868):

Dunhuang -> Xi'an, Flight WH 2228, 18:15 - 21:45

August 29 (Tuesday; Grand New World Hotel ‡ Tel: 011-86-029-721-6868):

Army of Terracotta Warriors, Huaqing Pool (hot spring shower??), Banpo

Neolithic Village (?), etc.

August 30 (Wednesday; Grand New World Hotel):

City Walls, Shaanxi Provincial Museum. PM free time. Grand Fire-pot dinner

August 31 (Thursday):

Xi'an -> Beijing, Flight WH 2109, 11:05-12:30