Private Customized Xian Muslim Heritage Tour

Tour Itinerary

Pick-Up: Hotel or Train Station

Pick-up is arranged from your hotel lobby or from Xi'an train station, where your guide greets you with a welcome sign reading "Xi'an Private Tour". From there a private car and guide take the day at your own pace, with no fixed group timetable to keep.

Our Xi'an Pick Up Sign "Xi'an Private Tour"

Terracotta Warriors

Your first stop is the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, counted among the great archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century. Thousands of life-size clay soldiers and horses stand in battle formations, recreating the imperial guard of Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC), the first emperor of a unified China. The figures were found on 29 March 1974 by farmers digging a well about 1.5 kilometres east of the Qin tomb mound at Mount Li, and the tomb's construction is described by the historian Sima Qian in his Shiji.

A Local Lunch

You break for lunch at a local restaurant serving Xi'an and Shaanxi home cooking. Tell your guide about any dietary preference and they will help you order; halal eating is easy to find in this part of the city.

Great Mosque of Xi'an

After lunch the tour continues to the Great Mosque at 30 Huajue Lane in the old city, one of the oldest and most significant mosques in China. Built in the early Ming Dynasty, it sets Islamic purpose inside a Chinese courtyard plan, its decoration a blend of carving and traditional craft. A wooden archway in the front courtyard, raised in the seventeenth century and some nine metres high, stands beside a screen wall with upturned eaves and painted rafters; the Prayer Hall, Worship Hall, Shengxin Lou, and Phoenix Pavilion are among its highlights.

Like the old mosques at Hangzhou, Quanzhou, and Guangzhou, the mosque at Xi'an is thought to have origins as early as the seventh century, though the building you see today was begun in 1392, in the twenty-fifth year of the Ming Dynasty. Local tradition credits its founding to the Muslim admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho), who came from a prominent Muslim family.

Muslim Quarter

The final stop is the Muslim Quarter, a busy lane just beside the Bell Tower, some 500 metres long and about five metres wide. Its shopfronts sell silk scarves, carved name seals, colourful folk paintings, and traditional Shaanxi handicrafts such as paper-cuts, and nearby run Xiyangshi Street, Beiyuanmen Street, and Dongxingjie Street. The food stalls are halal, so grilled meat, grilled fish, and pancakes are easy to find at everyday prices.

Xi'an was the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road in the Western Han Dynasty, more than two thousand years ago. Arab and Persian merchants and envoys came to trade and settled in the city, marrying local families; their descendants, who grew into the community known today as the Hui people, are why this quarter keeps its Muslim character.

Return to Your Hotel or Station

When the tour ends, your driver takes you back to your Xi'an hotel or to Xi'an train station. Your guide is glad to answer any last questions and to point you to more places to eat or explore in the city.

Questions Before You Book

Is this a private tour or a group tour?

It is a private tour with your own guide and car, so the start time each day follows your schedule rather than a fixed group departure.

What is included in the price?

Your local guide and a private car with driver (6-7 hours), plus hotel pick-up and drop-off. Entrance tickets, meals and any performances are not included and are arranged on request.

Where does the guide pick us up?

Your guide collects you from Xian train station or your Xian hotel (based on your requirement). Share your hotel name in advance and we confirm the exact pick-up time with you.

Which sights will we cover?

The main stops are Terra-cotta Warriors, Great Mosque and Muslim Quarter.

Can we change the sights or the pace?

Yes. Tell us what you would like more time on and your guide will reshuffle the plan; this tour can also be extended into a wider Xi'an itinerary.

Do I need a visa for Xi'an?

Most travellers need a Chinese visa, but some international transits qualify for a 24 or 144-hour visa-free stay in Xi'an. We can point you to the option that fits your route.

Price Per Person in US Dollars