Stretch your imagination: tales of exotic riches, wars and heroics; camel caravans crossing the inhospitable Gobi desert of western China bringing Cathays's gossamer silk, tea, and porcelain treasures all the way to the Roman Empire. For centuries this sacred trade route witnessed the flow of missionaries, monks, scholars, and merchants spreading cultures from the East to the West, while at the same time Buddhism traveled from the West to the East, altering cultural, artistic, and religious life in China.

Following the footprints of Marco Polo, crossing China from far west Urumqi to coastal metropolitan Shanghai, this 18-day adventure offers the most splendid highlights of ancient Silk Road:

• The Great Wall and the Forbidden City in Beijing
• The Terracotta Warriors in Xian, where the legendary Silk Road set off
• The Shanghai Museum recommended as “New Louvre” by Forbes magazine for its world class exhibits of bronze, jade and Ming Dynasty furniture
• The Mogao Caves Murals in Dunhuang, shining the most exquisite heritage of Buddhist culture
• The Jiayuguang Pass, where the mighty Great Wall ends
• Turpan, in the middle of Gobi desert, famed for its legends and archaeology discoveries
• Explore the alpine Heavenly Lake near Urumqi
• Special local gourmet dinners and evening cultural performances
• Standard five-star or best local hotels throughout