The travel guide for northern Xinjiang in October mainly includes weather and clothing suggestions, recommended attractions, and itinerary planning.
I. Weather and Clothing Suggestions
The average temperature in northern Xinjiang in October ranges from 1°C to 23°C, with mostly sunny days but large temperature differences between morning and night.
. It is recommended to bring shirts, long sleeves, windbreakers, jackets, down jackets, and other warm clothing.
. In addition, if your itinerary includes high-altitude or mountainous attractions such as Kanas and Hemu, you also need to prepare thicker cold-proof equipment to cope with possible sudden temperature drops.
II. Recommended Attractions
Kanas: Reputed as the top spot among the "Top Ten Autumn Sceneries", it enters its best viewing period in mid-to-late September. During National Day, it is a sea of gold accompanied by charming snow-capped mountains, making it a heaven for photographers.
Hemu: A village surrounded by colorful forests, with breathtaking morning fog and starry skies. It is recommended to get up early to watch the sunset from the Hemu observation deck.
Koktokay: A heaven for shepherds, it turns golden in autumn, creating a very spectacular scene.
Colorful Beach: Formed by wind erosion and water erosion, it presents typical colorful hill landforms, echoing the valley scenery on the south bank.
Sayram Lake: Known as the last tear of the Atlantic Ocean, it is a relatively large alpine lake in Xinjiang and truly deserves the name of the Eye of Tianshan.
III. Itinerary Planning
Recommend a classic 7-day Northern Xinjiang loop itinerary:
D1: Arrive in Urumqi, airport/station pick-up, stay in Urumqi.
D2: Urumqi – S21 Desert Highway – Colorful Beach – Burqin/Beitun.
D3: Burqin – Kanas – Hemu Village.
D4: Free travel in Hemu Village, where you can enjoy morning fog and sunset.
D5: Hemu – Urho (passing through Urho Populus Euphratica Forest).
D6: Urho – Devil’s City – Jinghe/Bole.
D7: Jinghe/Bole – Sayram Lake – Nalati Grassland (or choose other grassland attractions)
In addition, since the attractions in Xinjiang are scattered and some scenic areas such as Kanas and Nalati may control the number of visitors and implement real-name reservation, it is recommended to plan your itinerary in advance and reserve tickets at least a week in advance.
During the trip, you also need to note that toilets in Xinjiang may be hard to find. It is recommended to bring a vacuum flask to drink more hot water and try to avoid drinking cold water.
. At the same time, it is also essential to bring a camera to record this wonderful time.