The name “Silk Road,” introduced to the intrepid traveler’s vocabulary over a century ago by the German geographer and geologist, Ferdinand von Richtofen, conjures up images of desert caravans, lush oases, snow-capped mountains, and colorful markets where exotic goods change hands amid the cacophony of even more exotic languages. Where many destinations promise enchantment and adventure, travel on the Silk Road through China is one of the few that really delivers.

A total eclipse of the sun will take place on August 1, 2008, and will pass diagonally through Russia and western China along the border with Mongolia. Few phenomena have so inspired and humbled humans throughout the ages as a total solar eclipse. Standing under the shadow of the moon as it races across the face of our planet is a rare and breathtaking experience. With fewer than 70 total eclipses per century, the chance to see one is a memorable event.

Join us for an exciting 22-day tour along this most ancient of Eurasian trade routes that will include viewing the solar eclipse. Traveling by plane, train, bus, jeep, and camel, we will visit such legendary sites as the Thousand Buddha Caves of Dunhuang, where Chinese, Tibetan, Indian, and Mediterranean religion and art met and mixed in the first millennium AD; the oasis town of Turpan, with the ruined city of Gaochang and the spectacular murals at the Bezeklik caves nearby; Kashgar, home of Central Asia’s most fabulous bazaar; and archaeological ruins from 2,200 years ago at Kucha and Khotan, remote outposts of the Han dynasty keeping lonely vigil still on the rim of the formidable Taklamakan desert. It’s sure to be the trip of a lifetime.

ITINERARY: (B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner

Day 1 (Tuesday): Depart USA. (Meals onboard)

Day 2 (Wednesday): Arrive Shanghai. Overnight in the Grand Mercure Hotel. Dinner is on your own.

Day 3 (Thursday): This morning’s flight takes us to the western city of Urumqi. Gather this evening for our gala welcome dinner party. Overnight at the Hoi Tak Hotel. (B/L/D)

Day 4 (Friday): Today we take a late morning flight to Khotan. On the southern part of the Silk Road, Khotan was an early center for the spread of Buddhism from India into China. It fell to the Arabs in the 8th century, and grew wealthy on the proceeds of the caravan trade that traveled the route between China and the West until conquered by Genghis Khan in the early 13th century. Visit a paper-making artisan family and a silk workshop in the afternoon. Overnight tonight in the Hotel Khotan. (B/L/D)

Day 5 (Saturday): Today will be a trip highlight as we journey deep into the endless desert. First, travel by 4-wheel drive jeeps to the edge of the cultivated area followed by a two-mile camel ride to Rawak, the ruins of the earliest pagoda of China. As we ride through the glorious silent desert on the back of our Bactrian camel, we will gain a momentary glimpse into the ancient caravan journeys. Drive to Kashgar, with dinner en route, and overnight for four nights at the International Hotel. (B/L/D)

Day 6 (Sunday): Kashgar’s Sunday bazaar is well known as one of the great markets of Central Asia. A cacophony of sounds, sights, and smells awaits us in this ancient marketplace. Here colorful Uighurs hawk their wares in an exotic scene of handicrafts, fabrics and rugs, and food and spices. Over the centuries, Islamic scholars have contributed thousands of books and manuscripts, turning the site into a remarkable library. This afternoon visit the 15th century Id Kah Mosque, in typical Uighur architectural style, located in the center of Kashgar and considered the biggest mosque in China. (B/L/D)

Day 7 (Monday): Our all day drive through breathtaking scenery takes us to Karakul Lake, a glorious highland lake in the shadow of the Pamirs, the gateway to the Ferghana Valley (in modern Uzbekistan) and the rest of Central Asia. Here we are likely to observe nomadic Kirghiz families as well as a range of flora and fauna distinct from those of the oases towns far below. En route, we will visit Upal to see the tomb of Mahmud Kashgari. Born into an aristocratic family of the Karakhnid Dynasty in the eleventh century, and an outstanding Uighur scholar and linguist, Mahmud compiled the first Turkish dictionary. His tomb is highly respected by the Uighur people and the entire Turkish world. (B/L/D)

Day 8 (Tuesday): Today’s drive will take us through memorable countryside to Markit Village, the center of musical heritage for the Tarim Basin. The Uyghur Muqam is a form of music which is unique to Xinjiang province. Muqam refers to the traditional and grand Uygur classical music suites, incorporating song, music, poetry and folk culture. The Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang is listed on the UNESCO of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. We will have the opportunity to enjoy a specially arranged musical performance of the Dolam Muqam, a regional style of the Uyghur Muqam. (B/L/D)

Day 9 (Wednesday): Today’s exploration of Kashgar begins with a walk around the street of arts and crafts. Then it's on to the Kashgar City Traditional Minority Handicraft and Souvenir Shop, and the old town, with its typical Uighur-styled homes. Visit the stunning Apaq Hoja Tomb, a complex of buildings covered with elegant glazed tiles in beautiful patterns built about 1640 by the descendants of a famous missionary of Islam. Their own heirs would one day become loyal subjects of the Manchu emperors of Qing China. In the afternoon, we journey by ‘soft berth’ train to Kucha, an oasis town lying at the foot of the Tien Shan (“Celestial Mountains”), and an important center on the northern branch of the Silk Road. Many of the monks who introduced Buddhist teachings into China from the 3rd to the 7th century AD were from Kucha. Overnight for three nights at the Hotel Kucha. (B/L/D)

Day 10 (Thursday): During the 2nd century AD, Buddhism came to eastern Turkestan (present-day Xinjiang) via the Silk Road. Ancient Guici (Kucha) was a crossroads of the great cultures of India, Persia, Greece and China, and local painters selected elements of each and combined them to make a distinct Guici painting style. The area is full of Buddhist cave sites and ancient ruins. We will visit the huge Kizil Grotto Temples, containing 236 caves from the Wei and Jin Dynasties (4th-5th centuries AD), among some of the largest and the oldest in China. Kizil was actually a monastery made up of different kinds of caves, some for meditation and residence, others for religious teaching and worship, and yet others for the burial of the relics of eminent monks. Here, we have made special arrangements to open one of the caves that is closed to the public in order to see the spectacular murals. This afternoon we will visit the Kucha Museum followed by and exploration of the ruins of Subashi, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Guici, where we will see two Buddhist temples from the Sui and Tang dynasties. (B/L/D)

Day 11 (Friday): Today we will drive into the valleys of Kucha to visit Kizil Katha Grottoes created in the 5th century. The murals we will see are typical Qiuci (Kucha) style and depict the life of Buddha. These grottoes were used by the royal families during the Qiuci Kingdom period. As we explore the area we will pass a beacon tower built during the Han dynasty. When we arrive back in Kucha we will visit the Grand Mosque as well as the old town and the Kuqa market. (B/L/D)

Day 12 (Saturday): This morning we fly from Kucha to Urumqi. Following lunch at a local restaurant in Urumqi, we will experience a complete change of scenery as we ascend to Lake Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) in the foothills of the Tien Shan. We will observe herds of sheep and horses pastured here by nomadic Kirghiz and Kazakh herdsmen and their families, who dwell in nearby yurts. A cruise on the sapphire-blue Heavenly Lake, rimmed by snow-capped mountains, will be followed by an al fresco dinner before we return to Urumqi where we will stay for two nights. (B/L/D)

Day 13 (Sunday): After breakfast we will depart for our three hour drive to the Hanas area with its picturesque grassland scenery to visit the site of the renowned Kanjia rock art. These petroglyphs were carved some 3000 years ago by Scythians and depict their veneration of fertility. Some of the carvings of human figures are as much as six feet tall and the petroglyphs cover a total area of approximately 600 square feet. Upon our return to Urumqi, we will visit the Xinjiang Regional Museum to view the fine collection of relics from Astana. (B/L/D)

Day 14 (Monday): Before we depart for Turpan, we will visit Grand Bazaar at the Erdaoqiao Market. The Silk Route was dependent for its existence and survival upon a line of oases strategically situated along the edge of the forbidding Taklamakan Desert. We shall drive to one of these desert oases – Turpan, located almost 500 feet below sea level, the second lowest spot on earth. This sleepy desert town is shaded by poplar trees and grape arbors, populated by the Turkic-speaking Uighurs, and irrigated by a vast system of hand-dug underground channels (karezes) that funnel the melting snow of the Heavenly Mountains into Turpan. It is this 2,000-year-old irrigation system that has kept the city alive while other desert boomtowns have withered and died. End the day at the Turpan Museum with its many artifacts from Gaochang, an ancient Uighur capital and a citadel on the Silk Road. Overnight for two nights in the simple Hotel Oasis in Turpan. (B/L/D)

Day 15 (Tuesday): Begin with a short tour of the Sugong Minaret, built in the mid-eighteenth century by the chief of Turpan Prefecture as a memorial to his father. Then it’s on to the Tuyuq Valley caves, at the far end of the Turpan Depression, with murals that have only recently been opened to the public. Continue to the natural fortress of Jiaohe, built with rammed earth and bricks 2300 years ago. Sited on top of a high plateau formed by two rivers, the beautiful city that existed here was destroyed by Genghis Khan. The size of the existing ruins indicates its great prosperity during the Tang dynasty and its significant role in the economic development of Western and Eastern countries. Tonight, with special permission, we will dine under the stars within Jiaohe, one of the largest, oldest and best-preserved earthen cities in the world. (B/L/D)

Day 16 (Wednesday): Today’s all-day exploration takes us to several memorable sites. Begin the day in Gaochang, impressive ruins lying through a pass in the Flaming Mountains. Built in the first century B.C. and originally called Gaochangbi, it began as a garrison town and later became a key point along the ancient trade route. It was a large metropolis built of tamped earth and adobe and defended by nine city gates. The Astana Tombs is a Tang-era cemetery where the royalty of the old kingdom of Gaochang were interred. Of the more than 1000 tombs, only three are open. We will walk down a steep, narrow passage at the bottom of which lies a small chamber with perfectly preserved mummies still on display. The walls of one chamber display murals depicting Jade Man, Gold Man, Stone Man and Wooden Man, said to symbolize Confucian virtues. Our next stop is Bezeklik, one of the earliest points of arrival of Buddhism in China. The Bezeklik Thousand-Buddha Caves contain 67 caves, noted for their exquisite murals dating from the Northern and Southern dynasties (AD 317 - 589) to the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368). Continue to Hami and overnight for three nights. (B/L/D)

Day 17 (Thursday): Today we will enjoy the sights and sounds of Hami including the Hami Museum and Geys’ Tomb. Geys (Qays) was an Islamic sage and missionary who came to China during the Tang Dynasty and was known among Muslims as one of the Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. We will also visit the ruins of the village of Lapchuk. We will tour a red date, also known as a Chinese date or jujube, farm. The red date has been cultivated for over 4,000 years. The fruits are used in traditional medicine and are thought to calm the nerves and purify the blood. We will enjoy lunch at a local farmhouse. (B/L/D)

Day 18 (Friday): This is the eclipse day! Today will be devoted to this solar event. We will depart after breakfast to wend our way to the centerline viewing point for the late afternoon solar eclipse with nearly two minutes of totality. (B/L/D)

Day 19 (Saturday): As protection from ongoing invasions by Xiongnu forces in the western region, Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty (114 BC) had formidable walls and beacon towers built. Remnants still stand and we will travel to Yangguan Pass and Yumenguan Pass to see these military strongholds. Begin at Yumenguan, or Jade Gate Pass, where a new museum has been recently built that contains beautifully displayed artifacts of the era. Then it's on to Yumenguan Pass where a huge gate in the fortifications is still visible that was built when the emperor opened the areas west of the Yellow River in Gansu. This was a vital strategic point through which passed heavily-laden camel caravans transporting rich fabrics, aromatic spices, and prized jade when traveling westward from Dunhuang to follow the southern route of the Silk Road in Central Asia. Overnight in the Hotel Silk Road Dunhuang for two nights. (B/L/D)

Day 20 (Sunday): Spend today at the Mogao Caves, one of the most perfectly preserved of the world's great religious sanctuaries and listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Here we are guests of the Dunhuang Academy (the recipient of our donations). The director of the Academy and her staff will host us for lunch and open caves that are closed to the public and allow us to examine up close the spectacular murals lovingly painted on the walls and ceilings, most of which date from the 7th to the 11th centuries. Filled with one of the most extensive and exquisite collections of Buddhist paintings and sculptures in the world, every surface of the walls and ceilings is covered with decorated stucco, meant to bless those departing on the next stage of their journey or to celebrate a successful return. (B/L/D)

Day 21 (Monday): Fly to Shanghai. Our final memorable dinner party will be in a locally renowned seafood restaurant. Overnight for one night at the Ramada Airport Hotel. (B/L/D)

Day 22 (Tuesday): Fly back to the USA. (B)

(B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner

NOTE ABOUT ITINERARY CHANGES: Changes in our itinerary, accommodations, and transportation schedules may occur. A good book to read as well as a flexible attitude and a sense of humor are essential.

STUDY LEADER: Anthony DeBlasi is a specialist in Chinese history and has traveled extensively in China. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in East Asian Languages and Civilizations in 1996. He is now an Associate Professor at the University at Albany (SUNY), where he has taught since 1996. He is currently the Chair of the Department of East Asian Studies. He was a Fulbright Research Scholar in China from January to July of 2005.

Professor DeBlasi’s research interests include Chinese intellectual culture, monasticism in China, and the institutional experiences of the Chinese medieval elite. His book Reform in the Balance: The Defense of Literary Culture in Mid-Tang China was published in 2002 by the State University of New York Press.

Dr. DeBlasi is an ideal study leader as he is not only enthusiastic and knowledgeable but engaging and will easily make the sites you visit come alive.

TRIP DATES: July 15 - August 5, 2008

TRIP COST: $7,695.00
(per person, double occupancy)
Includes five domestic flights in China; all hotels, meals as noted in the brochure, entry fees, and land transportation.

COST DOES NOT INCLUDE: International flights to/from Shanghai, a tax-deductible check for $150.00 written to the “British Library/International Dunhuang Project”; passport or visa fees; airport taxes; food, alcoholic beverages and other drinks not on the regular menu; laundry; excess baggage charges; personal tips; telephone, fax or email charges; or other items of a personal nature.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $1,395.00

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS: The cost of the trip does not include the international flights to/from Shanghai from the departure city. However, a group flight will be designated as soon as possible. Should you choose not to go on the designated group flight and arrive or depart at a different time from the group flight, we are happy to arrange any transfers that you may require for an additional charge.

REGISTRATION: A deposit of $500.00, per person, along with a separate check made out to the “British Library/International Dunhuang Project” in the amount of $150.00, per person, is required along with your registration form. Final payment is due 75 days before departure. Cancellations received in writing at least 75 days before departure will result in an administrative fee of $250.00.