I. About Northern Xinjiang
Northern Xinjiang refers to the northern part of Xinjiang, separated into two major parts by the Tianshan Mountains, with the area north of the mountains being called Northern Xinjiang. The geographical feature of Xinjiang is ‘three mountains sandwiching two basins’. Northern Xinjiang is bordered by the Altay Mountains in the north, the Tianshan Mountains in the middle, and the Kunlun Mountains in the south. The Junggar Basin lies between the Altay Mountains and the Tianshan Mountains, while the Tarim Basin is between the Tianshan Mountains and the Kunlun Mountain system.
Northern Xinjiang is also the only region with a European ecosystem, featuring snowy peaks and glaciers, blue skies and white clouds, green waters and grass, and Birch forests, resembling the scenery of Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
Beautiful and fertile grasslands, pure and serene lakes with glittering waves and a spotless blue color, villages that are leisurely and seem like a haven away from the hustle and bustle of the world, flocks of cattle and sheep, patches of houses, all exist peacefully under the blazing sunshine. There are also magnificent large oil fields and eerie Ghost Cities. On the desolate Gobi Desert filled with wind and sand, they display the great power of both humanity and nature. This is Northern Xinjiang!
II. Introduction to the Northern Xinjiang Route
The Northern Xinjiang Circular Route is about 2,000 kilometers long, and the itinerary can be arranged for 4-10 days depending on the time. The direction of travel can be selectively clockwise or counterclockwise according to the season.
Attractions include: Tianshan Tianchi, Ancient Sea Hot Spring, Wucai City (closed), Junggar Basin scenery, Keketohai Scenic Area, Wucai Beach, Baisha Lake, Baihaba, Kanas Lake, Hemu, Urho Devil’s City, Anjihai Grand Canyon
July-August: The peak season for tourism in Xinjiang. Although it lacks the mountain flowers of June and the colorful scenery of September, the fairyland-like Kanas will not disappoint you.
September: After mid-September, northern Xinjiang will usher in the golden autumn season. This is also the time when northern Xinjiang is full of vibrant colors, and the colorful scenery will leave you with a sense of fulfillment.
Itinerary Arrangement:
D1: Urumqi – Tianshan Tianchi – Wucaiwan Ancient Sea Hot Spring
It takes an hour’s drive from Urumqi to reach Tianshan Tianchi.
If time is sufficient, we recommend taking the plank road up to the top of Tianchi. The hiking distance is about 4 kilometers, but the scenery along the way is beautiful, allowing you to experience the Tianshan Gorge and forest scenery.
Departing from Urumqi and heading towards Keketohai via Tianchi, we usually call this the eastern route to Kanas. There are basically no accommodation options along the route from Tianchi to Fuyun. It is too rushed to travel from Tianchi to Fuyun County for accommodation. The only place to stay is the Wucaiwan Ancient Sea Hot Spring, where you can stay for a night and, if interested, soak in the hot springs.
D2: Wucaiwan Ancient Sea Hot Spring – Kekesuli Lake – Erqishi Grand Canyon – Keketohai Town
On the way from Wucaiwan Ancient Sea Hot Spring to Keketohai, you will pass through the Kalamai Hooved Animal Nature Reserve. In the past, you could see Przewalski’s horse, gazelles, etc., but now due to industrial construction and road construction activities on both sides of the road, these animals are basically no longer visible. Upon arriving at Keketohai, Kekesuli Lake is the first attraction. Because of the wild ducks that inhabit it, Kekesuli Lake is also called "Wild Duck Lake". It is actually a wetland lake with a small area. The reeds in the lake are lush, making it a good spot for photography.
Keketohai Scenic Area and Xinjiang Keketohai National Geopark consist of the Erqishi Grand Canyon, Kekesuli Lake, and the Third Ore Vein. The Erqishi Grand Canyon is our main destination for the tour.
From the entrance of the Erqishi Grand Canyon scenic area, you need to take a shuttle bus for about 30 minutes to reach the Shenzhong Mountain parking lot, and then cross the bridge to explore the canyon.
Shenzhong Mountain is a landmark attraction of the entire Grand Canyon. The best photography spot is from the wooden plank road opposite Shenzhong Mountain to the top of the mountain. If you are physically fit, you can also climb higher for a better angle.
If the morning light for photography is backlight, it is better to arrange this itinerary in the afternoon, as the lighting will be relatively better.
After coming down from the plank road, you can continue along the scenic route of the gorge for about 7 kilometers to reach Pubugou. Reaching Pubugou is also the end of the gorge tour. It is not recommended to hike, as the round trip would be 14 kilometers and take five to six hours. The scenery along the way is similar, so there is not much significance. For this part of the journey, you can take the shuttle bus to Pubugou and take a look around. During peak seasons, this shuttle bus may be requisitioned to go to the gate, so you may need to hike. It is recommended to hike for a while and then return.
The No. 3 Mine Pit is very famous and is renowned at home and abroad as the
Hedi Night Market is a 10-minute walk from the Food Street Night Market. You can use navigation to get there. The Food Street Night Market is relatively more affordable. A must-try at the night market is grilled fish. Grilled fish is a cold-water fish called乔尔泰 with few bones. It tastes good after grilling. There are also grilled meat and lamb chops.
D4: Burqin – Kanas
D5: Kanas – Hemu
The scenery is beautiful along the way from Burqin to the Kanas ticket station, and you can stop to take photos. The road condition is good, but there is a speed limit!
At the Jiadengyu ticket station, surprisingly, I didn’t see any tour groups during peak season. This is because we arranged our time to avoid the tour groups. We quickly bought tickets and took the shuttle bus into the scenic area without wasting time.
There are many hotels in Jiadengyu, which are mainly occupied by tour groups. The next day, you can take a shuttle bus to Kanas or directly go to Hemu from Jiadengyu. Our small group is arranged to stay within the scenic area for more sufficient playing time.
D6: Hemu – Urho Devil’s City – Urho
The best photo spot in Hemu is on the hillside to the north of the village. A plank path has been built, and it takes about 40 minutes to walk from the village to the viewing platform, which requires some physical effort.
The viewing platform is crowded in the morning, especially during peak season, with several thousand people. Hemu is mainly known for its morning fog, especially when the sun shines and the scenery becomes beautiful. Hemu is surrounded by mountains, and the sun rises after 9 am. Many guides say to arrive at five or six in the morning to occupy a position and wait for sunrise, but that’s simply torturous. The viewing platform in Hemu is large with many positions, so there’s no need to rush to occupy a spot early. It’s not too late to arrive after 8 am. If you arrive too early, you might freeze before sunrise.
Usually, groups arrive in Hemu in the afternoon. If you arrive early, you can first go up to the viewing platform to take some photos. The weather in Hemu changes quickly, so take photos when the weather is good. Don’t listen to some leaders or guides who say to come back in the morning to take photos; it might rain in the morning. If the weather is good in the morning, coming back to take more photos would be perfect.
D7: Urho – Anjihai Grand Canyon – Urumqi
This itinerary is a classic 7-day design for Northern Xinjiang, applicable from June to September. The itinerary can also be traveled in reverse! The Northern Xinjiang loop can also be combined with the Ili loop, Turpan, and Southern Xinjiang loop to create different routes.
Expected arrival in Urumqi around 6 pm. End of itinerary!
If you have any questions about the itinerary or attractions, please leave a message.
For customized itinerary and chartered car services, please contact Xiao Guo: (same) 0991-8585456