The Rhubarb Road (Moscow to Beijing)(Trip #59890)

Tour Overview

Travelling overland from Moscow to Beijing we follow “The Rhubarb Road”, a less well known sister route to the Silk Road of old. We pass through little visited parts of Russia and Kazakhstan on the way to Central Asia. The ancient cities of Uzbekistan are a highlight and we spend time in Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand. We visit the little-known country of Kyrgyzstan. And on to China, stopping at Kashgar and the various oases dotted along the edge of the Taklamakan desert before our journey culminates in Beijing.

Day by Day Itinerary

Days 1-2, MOSCOW
Arrive in Moscow. Time to see the sights.

Days 3-5, RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN
Take an overnight train south towards the Caspian Sea. Continue through Kazakhstan to the edge of the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan.

Days 6-9, UZBEKISTAN
We explore the ruins of the Khorezm empire, once one of the great centres of learning before it was destroyed by Genghis Khan.

Days 10-11, BUKHARA
We cross the Kyzyl Kum desert and head for Bukhara with its stunning mosques and mausoleums.

Days 12-14, SAMARKAND
Another drive takes us to Samarkand, probably the most famous of the great Silk Road cities. We have ample time to enjoy the splendid sites before moving on to Shakhrisabz, Tamerlane’s birthplace, afterwards we drive back to Samarkand and spend a night with a local family.

Days 15-19, TRAVEL TO KYRGYZSTAN
Travel from Tashkent to Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, via the Aksu-Dzhabagly nature reserve. We have time to explore this reserve by foot or on horseback.

Days 20-23, KYRGYZSTAN
We make a circuit of the huge alpine lake Issyk Kul where there are superb trekking opportunities. We also meet local nomads who still practice hunting using golden eagles.

Days 24-25, KYRGYZSTAN to CHINA
We stay at the ancient caravanserai at Tash Rabat before continuing through the spectacular Torugart Pass into China.

Days 26-29, KASHGAR TO TURPAN
Free time to explore this remote corner of China by foot or by bicycle. On Sunday we spend the whole day enjoying the magnificent spectacle of the Kashgar market. Tens of thousands of exotic locals meet to exchange their goods and to socialise. The following day we take the train north with the Tian Shan (Heavenly Mountains) on one side and the Taklamakan Desert on the other.

Days 30-32, TURPAN AND URUMQI
We arrive in Daheyan and transfer to the delightful oasis town of Turpan where we visit the ruins of ancient cities. We continue to Urumqi where we will have time for a visit to the museum with its extraordinary collection of mummies before catching the next of our trains.

Day 33, DUNHUANG
Stop in Dunhuang for a visit to the famous Mogao Grottoes. These caves form one of the most extensive and exquisite collections of Buddhist paintings and sculptures in the world - every surface of the walls and ceilings are covered with painted clay stucco, some 45,000 square metres in all.

Days 34-35, JIAYUGUAN
See the dramatic Jiayuguan Fort which marks the western end of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. Visit other dramatic sections of the wall nearby - China's first defence against barbarians of old.

Day 36, TRAIN TO XI'AN
Our journey follows the Gansu Corridor between mountain and desert.

Days 37-39, XI'AN
Time to explore this ancient Chinese capital and to visit the world famous Terracotta Warriors before one last overnight train to Beijing.

Days 40-41, BEIJING
Enjoy the fabulous imperial sites of the capital, culminating in a hike along the Great Wall of China.

Day 42, BEIJING
Tour ends.

Notes
NOTE: This is an approximate itinerary and is subject to change according to local conditions. Please be flexible and expect some variations!