Eventually, he got an opportunity to run away with his subordinates from his capturers. They continued to go westward, enduring all the hardships of an arduous journey with little food. They had to kill wild animals to allay their hunger. Sometimes they lost their direction and Zhang Qian had to judge the directions on the basis of the stars of heaven.They encountered untold difficulties and hazards before they saw a very large salt-water lake, which was situated at the present Lop Nor in Xinjiang.

Just by the lake was the capital of a country called Lolan. There was Hun army, stationed in the country. The convoy dared not to enter into it and just took rest by the lake. They inquired about the where abouts Of Dayuezhi and continued their trek along the northern edge of Tarim Basin.

At that time, there were dozens of small regimes in the region. In some places, an oasis accommodated a country in isolation. Zhang Qian and his company traveled through 8 countries, including Kizil (the present eastern suburb of Kuqa County in Xinjiang), climbed over mountains, and arrived at Dawan, a country with a population of 200,000 (in present Uzbekstan). The king of Dawan had long admired the affluence and civilization of Han Dynasty Therefore, he was very friendly to Zhang Qian and his company Zhang Qian had carrots, garlic  and sesames for the first time, which were not available in Han territory He also came across very strong horses, and exotic plants of garlic and grape, which he never saw in his motherland. The king of Dawan ordered his men to escort Zhang Qian and his company to the kingdom of Kangju, which in turn escorted them to Dayuezhi, the country they set to reach many years ago. Zhang Qian thought to himself that he had accomplished his mission at long last.

 However, he found the king of Dayuezhi was dejected and had no ambition to revenge against the Hun. In Dayuezhi the land was fertile and its people enjoyed a good and prosperous life. The king was afraid of Hun and had no intention of fighting against it. Zhang Qian had no choice but to leave Dayuezhi for Daxia.

He stayed in Daxia for one year, making a comprehensive exploration of the places they went through. Unfortunately, on his way home,he was again captured by Hun and had to do slave labor for more than a year.

He thought, he was sure to die in this faraway alien land and would never see China again. But the fortune came to his way eventually and the aged Hun Chanyu died in 126 BC The prince and his younger brother scrabbled for the throne, resulting in a civil war. Zhang Qian seized the opportunity and escaped from Hun with his wife and Ganfu. He left

Chang'an on a diplomatic mission with more than 100 men for 13 years and returned the capital of Han Dynasty with only 2 men remaining:One was himself and the other was Ganfu.

In the intervening years, despite various difficulties and dangers,Zhang Qian always carefully kept the bamboo rod with ox hairs... the symbol of royal credential. When Zhang Qian handed the bamboo rod to Han Emperor Wu, the latter was deeply moved.