Xinjiang China Tours
Xinjiang Tours South & North
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Embark on a 16-day journey through Xinjiang’s most iconic landscapes, blending North Xinjiang’s alpine lakes and grasslands with South Xinjiang’s Silk Road history and Pamir peaks. Traverse deserts, nomadic villages, and UNESCO sites while immersing in Uyghur, Kazakh, and Tuvan traditions.
What's included
Destination
Xinjiang Discover Xinjiang
Departure Location
Urumqi
Return Location
Urumqi
Additional Information
What Makes This Tour Special?: Dual Xinjiang Experience: Combine North Xinjiang’s Kanas Lake and Narat Grassland with South Xinjiang’s Kashgar Old Town and Karakoram Highway. UNESCO & History: Explore Bezeklik Caves’ Buddhist murals, Jiaohe Ruins’ 2,000-year-old adobe city, and Kezil Caves’ Hellenistic-Buddhist art. Cultural Encounters: Sip tea in Tuyuq Village, haggle at Kashgar Livestock Market, and ride horses with Kazakh herders in Bayinbulak. Scenic Drives: Conquer the Duku Highway’s mountain passes and the S21 Desert Highway’s dunes.
What to Prepare? : Clothing: Lightweight layers (desert days exceed 35°C), warm jacket (mountain nights near 5°C), sun hat/scarf. Footwear: Hiking boots (canyons, grasslands) + sandals (oasis towns). Documents: Passport + border permits (arranged for Tashkorgan). Essentials: Reusable water bottle, sunscreen, power bank (long drives).Best Time to Visit
Best Time to Visit: May–October ,May–June: Wildflowers bloom in Narat Grassland; mild desert temps. September–October: Golden poplars along Duku Highway; fewer crowds. Avoid July–August: Peak tourist season and extreme Turpan heat.
Price includes
- Accommodation （Breakfast included）
- Licensed English-speaking tour guide
- Private air-conditioned vehicle/bus
- Train tickets
Price does not include
- Entrance fees to monuments/attractions(can be arranged if needed)
- International/domestic flights(can be arranged if needed)
- Meals (can be arranged if needed)
- Optional excursions not listed in the itinerary
- Personal expenses (e.g., souvenirs, laundry)
- Tips for guide/driver
- Day 1: Arrive in Urumqi
- Day 2: Urumqi → Turpan (200 km, 3 hrs)
- Day 3: Turpan → Urumqi (200 km, 3 hrs)
- Day 4: Urumqi → Burqin via S21 Desert Highway (500 km, 6 hrs)
- Day 5: Burqin → Hemu → Jiadengyu (120 km, 3 hrs)
- Day 6: Jiadengyu → Burqin (120 km, 3 hrs)
- Day 7: Burqin → Jinghe (350 km, 5 hrs)
- Day 8: Jinghe → Yining (400 km, 6 hrs)
- Day 9: Yining → Narat (250 km, 4 hrs)
- Day 10: Narat → Bayinbulak (150 km, 3 hrs)
- Day 11: Bayinbulak → Kuqa (400 km, 7 hrs)
- Day 12: Kuqa → Kashgar (Overnight Train/Flight)
- Day 13: Kashgar City Tour
- Day 14: Kashgar → Tashkorgan (300 km, 6 hrs)
- Day 15: Tashkorgan → Kashgar (290 km, 6 hrs)
- Day 16
Day 1: Arrive in Urumqi
Highlights: Urumqi Grand Bazaar.
After airport pickup, dive into the Urumqi Grand Bazaar, a labyrinth of Uyghur culture. Browse stalls selling Hotan jade, hand-forged knives, and embroidered doppa hats. Savor dapanji (spicy chicken stew) at food stalls and watch artisans carve walnut wood. Evening folk dances on the rooftop terrace to the rawap (Uyghur lute).
Overnight: Urumqi
Day 2: Urumqi → Turpan (200 km, 3 hrs)
Highlights: Xinjiang Museum, Flaming Mountain, Tuyuq Village, Bezeklik Caves.
Begin at the Xinjiang Museum to see the 3,800-year-old “Loulan Beauty” mummy, a Caucasian woman preserved by the Tarim Basin’s dryness. Drive to the Flaming Mountains, crimson sandstone ridges where summer ground temps hit 80°C. Continue to Tuyuq Village, a 1,700-year-old Uyghur oasis with grape-drying houses and a sacred 600-year-old mulberry tree. Explore Bezeklik Caves’ 7th-century Buddhist murals of Sogdian merchants.
Overnight: Turpan
Day 3: Turpan → Urumqi (200 km, 3 hrs)
Highlights: Jiaohe Ruins, Karez Wells, Emin Minaret.
Wander Jiaohe Ruins, a 2,000-year-old adobe city carved into a cliff between two rivers. Descend into Karez Wells, an underground irrigation system channeling Tianshan snowmelt to vineyards. Admire Emin Minaret’s 44m brick tower with 14 geometric Quranic patterns. Return to Urumqi.
Overnight: Urumqi
Day 4: Urumqi → Burqin via S21 Desert Highway (500 km, 6 hrs)
Highlights: Ulungur Lake, Colorful Beach.
Drive the S21 Desert Highway to Ulungur Lake, a freshwater haven for herons and fishermen hauling huangyu fish. Optional boat ride to Bird Island (spring/summer). At sunset, visit Colorful Beach, where the Irtysh River reflects ochre cliffs. Evening at Burqin Night Market for laghman noodles and Kazakh honey.
Overnight: Burqin
Day 5: Burqin → Hemu → Jiadengyu (120 km, 3 hrs)
Highlights: Hemu Village.
Drive to Hemu Village, a Tuvan settlement of log cabins surrounded by birch forests. Cross wooden bridges and hike to the Hemu Viewing Platform for panoramas of the Kanas River valley. Learn about Tuvan eagle-hunting traditions.
Overnight: Jiadengyu
Day 6: Jiadengyu → Burqin (120 km, 3 hrs)
Highlights: Kanas Lake.
Explore Kanas Lake, nicknamed “China’s Switzerland” for its turquoise glacial waters. Cruise the lake to spot the legendary “monster” (likely giant trout) and hike the Fish Viewing Pavilion Trail for alpine vistas. Return to Burqin.
Overnight: Burqin
Day 7: Burqin → Jinghe (350 km, 5 hrs)
Highlights: Ghost City, Dushanzi Grand Canyon.
Visit Ghost City, a desertscape of wind-carved sandstone pillars resembling warriors and beasts. Best photographed at dusk for dramatic shadows. Continue to Dushanzi Grand Canyon, hiking cliffside paths above 200m red-and-gray striped cliffs.
Overnight: Jinghe
Day 8: Jinghe → Yining (400 km, 6 hrs)
Highlights: Sayram Lake, Fruit Valley Bridge, Kazanqi Street.
Stop at Sayram Lake, Xinjiang’s highest alpine lake (2,070m), framed by wildflowers (June–July). Cross Fruit Valley Bridge for photos of orchards and the Ili River. In Yining, stroll Kazanqi Street’s blue-and-white Uyghur architecture and buy copper teapots.
Overnight: Yining
Day 9: Yining → Narat (250 km, 4 hrs)
Highlights: Narat Grassland.
Drive to Narat Grassland, a summer pasture where Kazakh herders pitch yurts. Ride horses across rolling hills, watch eagle hunting demos, and feast on beshbarmak (hand-ripped noodles with lamb).
Overnight: Narat
Day 10: Narat → Bayinbulak (150 km, 3 hrs)
Highlights: Bayinbulak Grassland.
Traverse Bayinbulak Grassland, China’s second-largest grassland. Photograph the Kaidu River’s “Nine Bends” and visit Swan Lake Reserve (May–June) for migrating swans.
Overnight: Bayinbulak
Day 11: Bayinbulak → Kuqa (400 km, 7 hrs)
Highlights: Duku Highway, Kuqa Bazaar, Kuqa Old Town
Drive the Duku Highway through Tianshan’s snow peaks and meadows. Arrive in Kuqa to explore Kuqa Bazaar for fragrant nang bread and knives. Wander Kuqa Old Town’s mud-brick lanes, remnants of the Buddhist Kucha Kingdom.
Overnight: Kuqa
Day 12: Kuqa → Kashgar (Overnight Train/Flight)
Highlights: Tianshan Grand Canyon, Kezil Caves.
Hike Tianshan Grand Canyon’s red sandstone cliffs, seeking ancient ibex petroglyphs. Explore Kezil Caves’ 4th-century Buddhist murals of celestial musicians. Evening transfer to Kashgar.
Overnight: Train/Kashgar
Day 13: Kashgar City Tour
Highlights: Livestock Market, Apak Hoja Tomb, Kashgar Old Town, Idkah Mosque.
Start at the Livestock Market (Sunday only), where Uyghur herders trade sheep via secret handshakes. Visit Apak Hoja Tomb, a blue-tiled mausoleum housing a Sufi saint and the Fragrant Concubine. Wander Kashgar Old Town’s apricot-hued alleys and woodcarving workshops. End at Idkah Mosque, China’s largest mosque.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 14: Kashgar → Tashkorgan (300 km, 6 hrs)
Highlights: Opal Village, Oytagh Valley, Karakul Lake, Muztagh Ata.
Drive the Karakoram Highway, stopping at Opal Village for walnut-stuffed nan bread. Traverse Oytagh Valley’s Mars-like cliffs and circle Karakul Lake, where Muztagh Ata (7,546m) reflects in glacial waters.
Overnight: Tashkorgan
Day 15: Tashkorgan → Kashgar (290 km, 6 hrs)
Highlights: Golden Grassland, Stone City.
Explore Stone City, a 2,000-year-old Silk Road fortress with views of the China-Pakistan border. Visit Golden Grassland, where autumn turns Pamir meadows amber with grazing yaks. Return to Kashgar.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 16
Kashgar Departure
Transfer to Kashgar Airport. Farewell gift of dried apricots or rose tea.
More about Xinjiang
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Customizable Itineraries
Your Journey, Your Way
Craft the perfect adventure with our fully flexible tours! Add or remove days, swap activities, or request unique experiences—we’ll tailor every detail to match your interests. Simply share your vision via email, and our experts will design a bespoke itinerary just for you.
Accommodation Options
Stay Your Way
Choose from a curated selection of lodgings to suit your style:
Luxury: 5-star international hotels in major cities.
Comfort: 4-star hotels with modern amenities.
Authentic: Charming 3-star stays for a local vibe.
All bookings include daily breakfast.
Private Transportation
Travel in Comfort and Style
Enjoy seamless journeys with our private vehicle fleet, tailored to your group size and route:
SUVs (1–2 guests)
MPVs (2–4 guests)
Vans (4–8 guests)
Coaches (9+ guests)
Need special requests? Just ask—we prioritize your safety and comfort.
Dining Flexibility
Savor Local Flavors, Your Way
Included: Daily breakfast at your hotel.
Lunch & Dinner: Explore freely! Our guides will recommend top restaurants based on your preferences
Let us know dietary needs or must-try dishes—we’ll ensure every meal delights.
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