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The
Silk Road Caravan - Detailed Dossier
For a printable version of this dossier please CLICK HERE
General
profile – This comprehensive tour takes in the
mountains and cultures of the Karakorums, desert life around the Taklamakan
desert and also some of the more important towns in China. There is a fair
amount of travelling involved but also plenty of scope for short walks and
individual exploration.
Itinerary
– (22
nights, 23 days starts Islamabad Sunday 29 July, ends Beijing Monday 20 Aug.)
Day 1.
Setting off
from the Mall, we leave the dust and disorder of Rawalpindi behind us as we
begin our journey along a section of the old imperial Grand Trunk road – a
road that once used to link Calcutta with Kabul. After crossing the low Margalla
Pass we turn off the main road and enter the broad Taxila Valley. The
tranquillity of the area today belies its colourful past when, as Gandhara, it
was home to the greatest flourishing of Buddhist art and philosophy that the
world had ever known. It was here that Xuan Zang (Tripitaka of Monkey fame!) and
Fa Xian arrived after their epic pilgrimages from China in search of Buddhist
scriptures. Here also that Alexander arrived bringing with him the secrets of
Greek sculpture that were to transform the world of Asian art. Today there are
scant remains of the thriving monasteries that once dotted the landscape, but
Taxila museum provides a fascinating glimpse into this long abandoned world.
From Taxila we
join the Karakorum Highway and begin our slow ascent into the forested foothills
that will eventually lead us to the crown of the Karakorums, the Khunjerab Pass.
After lunch in Abbotabad we continue via the ‘Ashokan Rocks’ of Mansehra to
Besham. Our hotel is set amidst towering hills on the banks of the mighty Indus
River – a world away. (Besham)
Day 2. A day of
dramatic scenic intensity as we head deeper into this mountain world with it’s
mosaic of tribal cultures that have, in many cases, changed little in centuries.
Along the road we see reminders of the geological cataclysm that originally lead
to the formation of the Himalayas when the Indian sub-continent collided with
Eurasia. In the fine petroglyphs of Shatila we can also see evidence of the
prehistoric travellers and intrepid early Buddhist pilgrims that preceded us.
There are more petroglyphs in the Sunni Muslim stronghold of Chilas where we
break our journey for lunch. The desolate beauty of the landscape increases as
we continue to Gilgit and en route we receive our first views of Nanga Parbat
(8126m), the ‘Fairy Citadel’, considered to be one of the most difficult
mountains to climb in the world. Leaving the Indus behind us, we carry on to
Gilgit, backdrop for many of the machinations that made up the ‘Great Game’
between imperial Britain and Russia. (Gilgit)
Day 3. A free
morning to explore this bustling, atmospheric market town. The bazaar is a great
place to wander around and to buy, among other things, cloth and silk and also
‘Shalwar Qamiz’ the Pakistani national dress. It might also be possible to
drive out to see the Kargah Buddha, carved on a rockface and then take the two
to three hour walk back to town along the old irrigation channels. There are
also a couple of polo pitches in Gilgit and we may be lucky enough to see a game
in progress. For students of the Great Game there is the ‘British Cemetery’
and also a still active library that used to be the home of the first British
Political Agents. In the afternoon a short but spectacular drive takes us
towards the Hunza Valley. En route we see more geological evidence of the
collision between the Indian subcontinent and Eurasia and are also rewarded with
great views of Mt Rakaposhi (7790m). We also pass monuments to the roadworkers
whose Herculean efforts lead to the construction of the KKH in the first place.
Across the river, clinging precariously to the cliff face, we can see the
remains of the original jeep track built with great difficulty by the British as
part of their campaign against the Mirs of Hunza. As we emerge into the broad
sweep of the Hunza Valley we can easily see why this area is seen as a source
for the legends of Shangri La. (Karimabad)
Day 4. Today we
will visit the two forts of Altit and Baltit. From their prominent positions
overlooking the valley these forts were ideal for taxing or plundering the trade
caravans that passed below and lead to great wealth for the Mirs who were their
occupants. In 1891 Baltit Fort was also the scene of a short siege by the
British Army who finally overran it’s fastness forcing it’s defenders to
flee through secret passages in its base. The fort has recently been restored
and is now deemed a World Heritage site. There will also be time for individual
exploration here and there are plenty of opportunities for short walks in the
area. (Karimabad)
Day
5. A short drive today brings us to the large village of Gulmit, effective
capital of Gojal or Upper Hunza. The people here, famed for their hospitality,
are Persian speaking Wakhi who claim descent from Tajiki nomads in Afghanistan.
Like their neighbours in Lower Hunza they are followers of the Aga Khan, leader
of the Ismaili branch of Islam. Situated on the edge of the old Polo ground,
Gulmit is home to a small but interesting museum. There are also opportunities
for short walks in the area – in particular on a hill behind the town the
ruins of Andra Fort afford good views both up and down the valley. (Gulmit)
Day
6. Driving north to the border the scenery grows ever starker and we pass by
glaciers whose snouts push against the road itself. From the border post at Sust
we enter the Khunjerab National Park and begin our ascent of the Khunjerab pass.
We should be able to see examples of the shaggy wild yaks that graze the
pastures here and also the many marmot who live on the hillsides. The craggy
mountains around us are also said to be home to Marco Polo sheep, brown bears
and snow leopards. At 4730m the Pass is considered to be the highest metalled
border crossing in the world. As we begin our descent to the Chinese border post
at Tashkorgan the scenery changes abruptly as we emerge into
the gentler more rolling landscape of the Pamirs. We pass by the entrance to the
Wakhan corridor that leads to Afghanistan before arriving at the Tajik town of Tashkorgan,
a somewhat windswept place but with its own intrinsic, frontier atmosphere. The
views over the grasslands are lovely at sunset and it’s also possible to visit
the remains of the fort mentioned by the pilgrim Xuan Zang on his Journey to the
West. (Tashkorgan)
Day
7. Leaving Tashkorgan the road
skirts the Tajikistan border and passes through some magnificent mountain
scenery. From the grassy shores of Kara Kul Lake it is possible to look out
across deep blue waters to the beautiful slopes of Mustagh Ata (7546m), Father
of Ice Mountains, and also see the peaks and glaciers of its giant neighbour Mt.
Kongur (7719m). With the thundering
glacial waters of the Ghez River for company we pass through some dramatic,
multi-coloured gorges and the occasional Uighur village as we continue our
descent toward Kashgar. (Kashgar)
Day
8. Kashgar is justifiably famous
for its Sunday Bazaar. On this day tens of thousands of Uighurs, Kazakhs, Tajiks,
Khirgiz and others from all over Central Asia gather by the banks of the Tuman
River to do business. As well as areas selling hats, rugs and decorated knives
there’s also an interesting animal market with a particularly lively horse
testing section. In the streets behind the Id Kah mosque its possible to get a
strong feel for the traditional Uighur culture of this oasis town. The remaining
buildings of the British and Russian consulates also provide a reminder of times
when the town’s strategic position was valued by more than one nation. (Kashgar)
Day 9. There is
more time to look around Kashgar before we take an evening flight over the Takla
Makan Desert to Urumqi. We spend the night here in Xinjiang’s principle city
before continuing the short distance to Turfan in the morning. (Urumqi)
Day 10. Famous
throughout China for its grapes and wine Turfan is another lively oasis town..
There are some good places to sit and relax beneath the towns many grape
trellises and there are worse ways to spend an evening than in the presence of a
bottle of wine, a Hami melon and a group of plaintive Uighur musicians. (Turfan)
Day 11.
Situated in a depression some 80m below sea level Turfan has had a long history
evidenced by its ancient cities of Gaochang and Jiaohe and also in the plundered
caves of Beziklik. We have a day of sightseeing to explore this historic town. (Turfan)
Days 12 and 13.
A journey by rail is one of China’s great travel experiences and after
more time to explore Turfan we board the overnight train to Liuyan. On arrival
at Liuyan we continue by road through desert scenery to Dunhuang. (Overnight
train and Dunhuang)
Day 14. The
Mogao Caves of Dunhuang are one of China’s greatest treasures and contain the
remains of Buddhist artwork spanning over a thousand years. These caves were
once home to Buddhist scholars and artists and were visited by generations of
travellers on the Silk Road who would commission works to give thanks for safe
passage through the desert. We spend the morning exploring some of those caves
still open to the public. Elsewhere in Dunhuang there are the huge Min Sha sand
dunes and also the mysterious Crescent Moon Lake. In the evening the lively
night market makes an atmospheric venue for dinner. (Dunhuang)
Days 15 and 16.
We begin our two-day drive along the Hexi Corridor to Lanzhou. En route we get
our first glimpses of the Great Wall, which, for some of the way, runs parallel
to the road. At Jiayuguan we see the huge fort that has traditionally marked the
western end of the Wall. In its commanding position at the head of the Jiayuguan
Pass the fort was able to control all traffic entering or leaving China proper
and was considered the last outpost of Chinese civilization before travellers
would encounter the forbidding desert wilderness beyond. Further south we spend
the night in the unassuming town of Zhangye. Marco Polo lingered here for a year
on his travels and would have been impressed by the town’s chief attraction,
the huge Sleeping Buddha at Dafosi. At 34m long this is the largest example of a
Sleeping Buddha in China and is housed amidst attractive temple grounds. We
eventually emerge from wind eroded loess scenery typical of Gansu province and
arrive in Lanzhou, a large frontier city stretched out along the banks of the
Yellow River. (Zhangye and Lanzhou)
Day 17. A full
day excursion takes us out to the well-preserved Binglingsi Buddhist Caves.
Although the caves themselves are spectacular enough it is the beautiful journey
down the mountain lined Yellow River that make this trip particularly
worthwhile. At one point the boat makes its way down a dramatic gorge while all
around fishermen and farmers go about their daily life. The caves themselves
were mercifully spared the attentions of both western archaeologists and
rampaging Red Guards and provide an interesting contrast with those at Dunhuang.
(Lanzhou)
Day 18. This
morning we drive out to Lanzhou’s airport and take the flight to Xian.
Formerly known as Changan, Xian was once the most important city in the empire
and traditionally marked the starting point, or end, of a journey along the Silk
Road. It was here in the Great and Little Goose Pagodas that Xuan Zang stored
the scriptures brought back from his journey to Gandhara.
In the town’s formidable city walls and also in its Drum and Bell
Towers there are many reminders of the city’s imperial past, as well as a
longer history to be seen in the prehistoric site of Banpo. (Xian)
Day 19. The
highlight of a trip to Xian is a visit to the awe inspiring Terracotta Warriors.
This army of statues was created to protect the Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di in the
afterlife and was accidentally rediscovered by peasants during the 1970’s.
Each statue was individually modelled on an actual existing soldier and their
details provide a fascinating insight into the culture of the day. The Emperor
Qin was the first to unify the warring states and it is from his name that we
derive the modern word for China. Beneath a nearby hill his tomb lies
unexcavated, surrounded, it is said, by rivers of mercury. (Xian)
Day 20. Today
we fly north to China’s dynamic heart, Beijing.
Here over the centuries some of China’s great historical dramas have
been played out and there is still a strong feel today that this is the capital
of a country in the ascendant. At the city’s heart lies the huge Tiananmen
Square, and leading off from the square through the Gate of Heavenly Peace lies
the vast complex of the Forbidden City. Looking out over the square it was here
that Mao Zedong proclaimed the People’s Republic in 1949 and also here that he
reviewed fanatical Red Guards during the 1960s. The square remains today the
focal point of the Chinese world. (Beijing)
Day 21. We make
a full day excursion to Mutianyu one of the less touristy sections of the Great
Wall. In the evening there should be time to experience some of China’s
burgeoning nightlife. (Beijing)
Day 22. A free
day in Beijing for further individual sightseeing or shopping. There are some
great shops in town and also many interesting historical monuments. Worth a
visit to the northwest are the lake and temple buildings of the Summer Palace
while closer to the centre is the Tibetan style monastery of Yonghegong.
Students of architecture might also like to visit the impressive Temple of
Heaven in the south of the city – it was here in days gone by that the Emperor
would come to pray for the success of the nation’s harvest.
Day 23.
Tour ends
This dossier, and the itinerary it describes, have been carefully compiled and are provided in good faith. As with any such journey to a remote destination unusual and unexpected conditions can at any time occur and such kinds of holidays can be subject to unforeseen changes; to fully enjoy such kind of travel it is on occasion necessary for participants to be prepared to adopt a certain amount of flexibility. Copyright © The Oriental Caravan PJC 04/01
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For a brief history of the Silk Road please CLICK HERE
