Xinjiang travel guide: Must-visit attractions in Xinjiang, Xinjiang travel routes
Xinjiang chartered tour group consultation: (same as above)
Xinjiang is rich in tourism resources. On this vast land, glaciers and snowy mountains coexist with Gobi deserts. The plateau landscape is embedded in world-famous mountains such as the Tianshan, Altai, and Kunlun mountains, featuring numerous snowy regions, glaciers, towering peaks, cascading waterfalls, and rare animals. Here stands the world’s second-highest peak at 8,600 meters above sea level, and also China’s lowest depression at 154 meters below sea level. It boasts roaring rivers, vast grasslands, fantastic Gobi landscapes, mysterious desert wonders, and well-preserved primitive flora and fauna, highlighting the unique charm of nature.
[Xinjiang Travel Guide] Must-visit attractions in Xinjiang Tourism Routes in Xinjiang
Tourist attractions in various regions of Xinjiang
Urumqi in Xinjiang Tourism
Urumqi’s openness and boldness are endearing, attracting countless tourists to experience its unique cultural connotations. Urumqi has numerous beautiful sceneries worth visiting and appreciating. The magical Tianshan Tianchi has the nickname of "Jade Pool," resembling a fairyland place, like a dream. Shuimogou Park Scenic Area gathers a large number of natural landscapes and various cultural relics. These landscapes are the park’s unique natural gifts. Xinjiang Salt Lake, Bogda Peak, and Hongshan Park are all must-visit attractions in Urumqi.
Turpan in Xinjiang Tourism
Turpan is a basin area in Xinjiang, with numerous classic rainy landscapes. Turpan has left us a large number of Silk Road sites, providing a wealth of reference materials for us to understand the Silk Road. The unique ethnic atmosphere of Turpan is also a major highlight here. Special music, dances, and costumes amaze visitors who come here. Grape Valley is the place where Turpan produces grapes and is therefore famous worldwide. The rolling heat rising in the summer from Flaming Mountain in the middle of Turpan, coupled with the surrounding red mountains, resembles an impending volcanic eruption. Jiaohe Ancient City, Kumtag Desert, Kanerjing Folk Customs Park, and the Silk Road are all very worthwhile places to visit here.
Yili in Xinjiang Tourism
Yili is an autonomous prefecture in the northwest of Xinjiang and is inhabited by a considerable number of ethnic minorities. Yili’s unique mountain landforms and landscapes are fascinating, and the点缀 of green trees and red flowers make Yili a fairyland on earth. The unique mountain shapes and lush forests in Kuerdining Scenic Area attract a large number of tourists to stop and admire. The scenery of Nalati Grassland is the most beautiful scenery in Yili. The openness of the grassland makes people instantly open-minded and able to sweep away all their troubles. Sayram Lake, Yili River, Nalati National Forest Park, and Wild Walnut Valley are all great scenic spots in Yili.
Kashgar in Xinjiang Tourism
Kashgar means a place like jade. Its stunning natural scenery and rich cultural landscapes are the highlights of tourism here. Kashgar has a unique climate, coupled with abundant rainfall, making the local produce rich and the fruits fragrant. In autumn, the leaves of the poplar trees in Jinhuyang National Forest Park turn yellow, providing a great visual enjoyment from both near and far. Xiangfei Tomb, Kashgar Bazaar, and Kashgar Old Town are all worthwhile cultural landscapes to appreciate here.
Must-visit attractions in Xinjiang
Balikun Grassland – Situated in a basin
Surrounding attractions: Huiwang Tomb, Gaisi Tomb, Mingshashan, Baishitou, etc.
Driving along National Highway 312 on the Silk Road into Xinjiang, the first place you will arrive at is the Hami region, yes, the place where Hami melons are produced. Balikun Grassland is located in Hami. It is not as boundless as the Inner Mongolia Grassland, but sits in a basin surrounded by continuous mountain peaks. The tops of the mountains are covered with white glaciers, and the middle sections are green. Another peculiarity is that amidst the vast grassland, there suddenly appears a unique desert mountain, Mingshashan; and suddenly a white stone mountain, Baishitou.
Flaming Mountains – You can make a “fried egg” on the hood of a car
Nearby attractions: Kaner Well, Su Gongta Pagoda, Aiding Lake, Grape Valley, Jiaohe Ancient City, Tuyugou, etc.
The “Eight Hundred Li Flaming Mountains” mentioned in “Journey to the West” are located here. Locals call the Flaming Mountains the “Red Mountains”. They are composed of medium-red sand, conglomerate, and mudstone. Every summer, the intense sunlight shining on the red mountains creates rolling heatwaves. How hot is the Flaming Mountains? According to locals, if you break a raw egg and spread it on the hood of a car, it will become a “fried egg”. There is also a 12-meter-tall thermometer standing there, resembling Sun Wukong’s golden-hooped staff.
International Bazaar – A place where you can buy all the local specialties of Xinjiang
Nearby attractions: Xinjiang Museum, Red Hill, May 1st Night Market, Baiyanggou, etc.
Tianchi Lake – A condensed view of the essence of the Tianshan Mountains
In Urumqi, if the weather is clear, you can see the majestic Bogda Peak of the Tianshan Mountains. Tianchi Lake is located on the mountainside of Bogda Peak, 110 kilometers away from Urumqi City. Tianchi Lake is a high-mountain lake located at an altitude of over 1980 meters. Its crystal-clear waters resemble jade. In mythology, Tianchi Lake is said to be the magical mirror on the dressing table of the Western Queen Mother. It integrates high-mountain lakes, spruce forests, and snow-capped mountains,浓缩了天山的精华景致, and is hailed as the “Bright Pearl of the Tianshan Mountains”.
Colorful City – Wild asses and gazelles by the roadside
Nearby attractions: Kalamaili Hoofed Wildlife Reserve, Gurbantünggüt Desert, etc.
Colorful City is located in the Gurbantünggüt Desert, the second largest desert in China. Over billions of years, coal seams, sand layers, and mineral layers have formed there. After being eroded by wind and rain, and exposed to sun and lightning, it has formed “Yardang landforms” dominated by reddish-brown hues mixed with yellow, white, black, green, and other colors. From afar or nearby, it resembles a castle. Near Colorful City is the Kalamaili Hoofed Wildlife Reserve, which has received considerable attention in recent years. On a self-drive journey, you can see wild animals such as wild asses, argali sheep, and goitered gazelles along the way.
Kanas Lake – Eastern Switzerland
Nearby attractions: Wulungu Lake, Irtysh River, Alashan Hot Springs, Baihaba, etc.
Xinjiang boasts countless beautiful sceneries. If one must choose the most beautiful place, many people would believe it to be Kanas Lake. Kanas is known as the “Eastern Switzerland”. Due to its special geographical location, the vegetation there resembles the European Alps. Different plant communities are well-layered and colorful. Kanas Lake is like a colorful gem, making it a paradise for photographers. Visiting Kanas also allows one to see the oldest indigenous people, the Tuwa people.
Devil’s City – "Castles" formed by the wind
Surrounding attractions: Karamay No.1 Oilfield
Both in Mongolian and Kazakh, the place is unanimously called the "Devil’s City." The Devil’s City is not a castle but a rare wind erosion landform in China, featuring various "buildings" formed by the wind. Some resemble the Liuhe Pagoda in Hangzhou; some resemble the Temple of Heaven in Beijing; some resemble the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt; and some resemble Angkor Wat in Cambodia… The scariest time at the Devil’s City is when a strong wind blows at night, creating a eerie atmosphere with flying sand and stones. However, during the day, you might find beautiful, crystalline agate stones there.
Saimu Lake – Visibility of the lakebed up to 10 meters deep
Surrounding attractions: Guishi Valley, Alataw Pass, etc.
Saimu Lake is known as the "Pure Sea," allowing visibility of the lakebed up to 10 meters deep. The most beautiful time at Saimu Lake is during the transition from spring to summer, when the lakeside is covered with alpine wildflowers. Every July, local Mongolians hold the traditional "Nadam" festival on the grassland by the lake.
Nalati Grassland
Surrounding attractions: Ili River, Fruit Valley, Gongnais Grassland, Tangbula Grassland, etc.
The grass on the Nalati Grassland grows to more than half a meter tall. The area receives plenty of rainfall, making the cattle and sheep there fatter. Historically, Nalati Grassland was known as the "Deer Park" and is also called the "Aerial Grassland" due to its high altitude.
Mount Muztagata – Father of Glaciers
Surrounding attractions: Id Kah Mosque, Xiangfei Tomb, Tashkurgan Stone City, etc.
Starting from Kashgar, the largest city in southern Xinjiang, and driving towards Khunjerab Pass on the China-Pakistan border, the journey presents breathtaking views of snowy mountains and grasslands. Before realizing it, you have already reached an altitude of over 3,000 meters. The huge glacier-capped mountain beside you is Mount Muztagata, known as the "Father of Glaciers," resembling a creamy cake. Mount Muztagata faces the world’s second-highest peak, K2 (at 8,611 meters), from afar.
Desert Highway – Drive freely through the desert
Surrounding attractions: Tarim River, Populus Euphratica Natural Reserve
The Desert Highway runs through China’s largest Taklimakan Desert, spanning over 330,000 square kilometers. The Taklimakan Desert has long been considered a "forbidden zone for life," making it difficult for tourists to visit its hinterland. However, with the opening of the Desert Highway, self-driving tourists can now traverse it. The Desert Highway is 446 kilometers long and is currently the longest highway built in a mobile desert in the world. It generally takes five to six hours to drive, so it is essential to prepare sufficient water before setting out.
Xinjiang chartered tour group consultation: (same as above)