The – Tuorgart Pass –
Kashgar – Aksu - Tarim River - Taklamakan Desert – Khotan – Kashgar
- Tuogart Pass
 Day
01 You will
be met and picked up at the Tuogart Pass. Because this district
between the border and the main customs build is the forbidden
area. Foreigners are not allowed to stop in this district. In
this case, you may have to Keep your riding but not stop until
you arrive at the main Chinese main customs building. After the
normal customs checking, you will have to move southwards Kashgar.
The road between the border and the customs is sand road. The
rest is good highway. Check in your hotel when you arrive at Kashgar.
Day
02. Free day in Kashgar. The old city, once known as
Kashi, is an exotic Central Asian trading oasis unrivalled anywhere
in the Chinese and Soviet Empires. Despite its situation between
the awesome physical barriers of the Tien Shen, Pamir and Karakoram
Mountain ranges, this town was the meeting point of at least four
of the main Silk Road arteries. Over the years, the collision
of cultures between the Pakistani's, Kirghiz, Soviet and Chinese
has helped Kashgar to flourish. Even today, a stroll around one
of Kashgar's numerous bazaars will take you back in time, as you
mix with the throngs of traders and their livestock. Muslim Uighurs,
who account for 90 percent of Kashgar's population, are the dominant
ethnic group that you will encounter in Kashgar's thriving town
centre. At the same time, the Chinese continue their efforts to
change Kashgar into a modern town with an airport, ring road and
numerous bars and nightclubs. To spend a day in Kashgar is a not
only a delight but a wonderful insight into the color ful way
of life of the peoples of Central Asia. Altitude at Kashgar: 1205
metres.
 Day
03 It must be Sunday today. As you know, people will
spend all day in the famous Sunday-market. Sunday is bazaar day
in Kashgar, site of perhaps the largest and longest running bazaar
in Central Asia. As many as 100,000 people come in
from surrounding areas to buy and sell animals and goods. Early
in the morning you can see streams of people in donkey carts coming
in to market. There are separate areas for animals, furniture,
fabric, clothing, shish kebobs, shaves with a straight razor (including
scalp), fruits and vegetables, and much more. In the animal bazaar
care needs to be exhibited as horses and donkeys are being "test-driven".
Also in the animal bazaar you can find cattle, sheep, goats, and
camels - all in a fairly small, walled-in area. When you are in
the midst of all this, you may feel like you have stepped back
in time several hundred years. After breakfast you will be free
to roam
Day
04 You may move eastwards Aksu where is 500 kilometers
far away. You may camp for night on the way because the distance
of 500 kilometers is not convenient distance to drive by motorcycle.
Day
05 You may arrive at Aksu city before your lunch time.
After checking in your
hotel,
do your last checking and short visiting in this town.
Day
06 Your adventure starts today. Leave this city behind
and move southwards the famous Tarim River by your motor bike.
Just before your lunch, you may reach at the junction of these
two rivers, which is the Tarim River and Khotan River.Then you
will cross the Tarim River very quickly enter into the Taklamakan
desert along the Khotan River Bed. Then it is time to find a good
spot for your camp. The distance today is about 200 kilometers.
Day
07 It is difficult to drive your motorcycles in this
river bed. That is because of soft sand and wet river bed. So
you should have to follow your guiding jeep very carefully and
try to move forward as quick as possible. The maximum distance
you could do is about 150 kilometers. Camp for night
Day
08 It is another hard day because you should have to
do longer distance sometimes in the wet river bed and sometimes
in the soft sand. Through it is very difficult to move, you may
arrive at the foot of Mt Mazatagh for your third camp in the worst
desert on earth. The distance today is about 170 kilometers.
Day
09 This is a relaxing and tour day. It is easy for you
to climb on the top of this mountains to get bird views of a part
of this golden color desert, bird views of your camping place
where is surrounded by beautiful golden color trees. You may do
some hiking, too in these big sand dunes.
Day
10 Keep your exploring cycling to the South. The route
condition in this day is getting worse because the river bed is
much wetter and it is difficult to find a right way. So you should
have another night in this desert
Day
11 Continue your cycling and finally arrive at Khotan
city. Check in your
hotel
Day
12 Do sightseeing in this famous old town, visit Mailikwat,
Shuppla in the morning, share your lunch with a local family.
Then do visit a fabric work studio which the technique looks as
if it have been used for thousands of years
Day
13 This is an easy day. Departure your cycling at 10:00
Beijing time and following this good highway to approach to Yarkand,
a main town on the ancient Silk Road. Your cycling will take you
5 hours to finish the distance of 320 kilometers. You should do
a short tour in this old town before reach at your camp site.
Day
14 This day is your last day for cycling in China. Continue
your moving until arrive at Kashgar, one of the ancient Silk Road
Bazaar towns. Check in your hotel
Day
15 It is Sunday today. A free tour day to visit the Sunday
Bazaar. Sunday is bazaar day in Kashgar, site of perhaps the largest
and longest running bazaar in Central Asia. As many as 100,000
people come in from surrounding areas to buy and sell animals
and goods. Early in the morning you can see streams of people
in donkey carts coming in to market. There are separate areas
for animals, furniture, fabric, clothing, shish kebobs, shaves
with a straight razor (including scalp), fruits and vegetables,
and much more. In the animal bazaar care needs to be exhibited
as
horses
and donkeys are being "test-driven". Also in the animal
bazaar you can find cattle, sheep, goats, and camels - all in
a fairly small, walled-in area. When you are in the midst of all
this, you may feel like you have stepped back in time several
hundred years. After breakfast you will be free to roam the bazaar
or to go along with a guide who will translate Uighur for you.
Stay in your Hotel
Day
16 Leave for the Tuogart Pass by your private transportation
until arrive at the border and it is time to say Good Bye to your
Chinese agency, GAE and exit China. ITMC Tien Shan will take a
good care of you in the rest part of themiddle Asia.
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