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Xi'an was the eastern terminus of the Silk Road, and this programme studies what that actually meant in practice — not the romance but the mechanics: what was traded, how it was paid for, who guaranteed it, and how a city of a million people fed and governed itself as a result. The Great Tang West Market Museum, built over the excavated commercial district, is the anchor.
The teaching is active. Students carry a 'Hu merchant shopping list' through the museum, identify spices by scent and origin, run a structured trade-negotiation simulation with exchange rates and trust mechanisms to design, and field-survey the Hui street food economy as a living Silk Road descendant. The week closes with a formal debate: ancient Silk Road versus modern Belt and Road.
The programme runs on a 16/20/30-student basis with two accompanying teachers hosted free. Study base accommodation, materials, entrances and insurance included; certificates and project exhibitions close the week.
Morning — Arrival and Check-in
Fly into Xi'an and transfer by private vehicle to the study base for check-in.
Afternoon — Opening Ceremony and Silk Road Lecture
Opening ceremony and the lecture 'The Silk Road: A Road of Civilizations', covering the historical background of the programme and the framework you will use.
Evening — Icebreakers
Silk Road themed team games so that everyone meets their classmates and the group starts working as a study team.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Accommodation
Study base: standard twin room with private bathroom, air conditioning and hot water
Morning — The Great Tang West Market
Explore the Great Tang West Market Museum, built on the original Silk Road trading site. You receive a 'Hu merchant shopping list' mission card and work out the stories behind the tea, silk, spices and jewels that moved through here.
Afternoon — Silk Road Spice Identification
Identify the signature spices of the Silk Road — pepper, cinnamon, cloves, frankincense — then blend and package your own mix to take home.
Evening — Documentary
Watch a Silk Road documentary and see how the ancient east-west trade networks changed the world.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Accommodation
Study base: standard twin room with private bathroom, air conditioning and hot water
Morning — Standardisation at the Terracotta Army
Visit the Terracotta Warriors to understand how Qin's unification of weights, measures and writing laid the groundwork for Silk Road commerce, and analyse what standardisation does to the cost of trade.
Afternoon — The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
Climb the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda as your instructors explain the real historical journey of Xuanzang, and the connection between the transmission of Buddhism and Silk Road exchange.
Evening — Trade Negotiation Simulation
Role-play eastern and western merchants in a simulated Silk Road trade negotiation: price, risk, language, trust — and the diplomacy that made it work.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Accommodation
Study base: standard twin room with private bathroom, air conditioning and hot water
Morning — Silk Road Artefacts at the Xi'an Museum
Study the Silk Road holdings at the Xi'an Museum: Tang objects from abroad, the evidence of cultural fusion, and Xi'an's position as the road's starting point.
Afternoon — Hui Muslim Street Survey
Run a cultural survey on Hui Muslim Street: investigate the relationship between halal food culture and Silk Road trade, and interview merchants about how the old spice routes are still alive in their shops.
Evening — The Belt and Road Debate
A structured debate: 'Ancient Silk Road vs. Modern Belt and Road', exploring how historical experience informs contemporary international cooperation.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Accommodation
Study base: standard twin room with private bathroom, air conditioning and hot water
Morning — Presentations and Closing Ceremony
Each research group delivers its presentation and shows its results. Instructors give feedback and distribute the study tour completion certificates.
Afternoon — Transfer to the Airport
Private transfer to Xi'an Xianyang International Airport for your departure flight.
Evening — Departure
Fly home with the notes, the rubbings and the certificates.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch included.
| Group Size | Adult(Age:8-80) Price/p.p | Child(Age:4-7) Price/p.p | Infant(Age:0-3) Price/p.p |
| 16 PAX | from $932 | / | / |
| 20 PAX | from $879 | / | / |
| 30 PAX | from $808 | / | / |
Published: 13 September 2026 — prices and itinerary reviewed on this date; later updates are shown in the revision note below.
Please read the notes below before you book. They cover entry formalities, pace, weather and what to bring.
Q: Is this tour private or shared?
A: It is a private tour for your own party, with a dedicated English-speaking guide and vehicle.
Q: Are airport transfers included?
A: Yes. Arrival and departure transfers in Xi'an, Shaanxi are included, and your guide meets you with a name sign at the airport or rail station.
Q: Can the itinerary be customised?
A: Yes. Days can be added, removed or swapped, hotel categories upgraded, and business or school visits arranged, all before you confirm.
Q: How do we book and pay?
A: Send us your dates and group size for a same-day quotation. A deposit confirms the booking, the balance is due before arrival, and prices are guaranteed for 7 days.
