2020 Xinjiang Tourism Routes – 1-20 Day Tour Route Recommendations
Xinjiang Tourism Consultation Hotline: 0991-8585456 (same)
1-20 Day Classic Itinerary Recommendations
1-Day Tian Chi Tour
Day 1: Urumqi — Tian Chi — Urumqi
Recommendation Reason: Known as the Jade Pool, Tian Chi in the Tianshan Mountains is a landmark attraction in Xinjiang. The best time to visit Tianshan is from May to September, with enchanting spring, leisurely summer, and colorful autumn.
1-Day Turpan-Kumtag Desert Tour
Day 1: Urumqi — Turpan — Kanerjing — Flaming Mountain — Kumtag Desert — Urumqi
Recommendation Reason: If you haven’t been to Turpan, Shanshan, you probably can’t imagine their beauty no matter how hard you try. This place is not just a tourist attraction; it’s somewhere you’ll happily stop and immerse yourself in the cultural history of the Western Regions, bringing you a unique experience. The sand dunes have clear contours and distinct layers; the crest lines are smooth and flowing, with the windward slope resembling water and the leeward slope like flowing sand. Standing atop杉山 in the depths of the desert, you can calmly observe the magnificent sunrise over the desert and witness the colorful sunset staining the sand.
3-Day Grassland-Desert Southern Xinjiang Tour
Day 1: Urumqi — Jiangbulake
Day 2: Jiangbulake — Kumtag Desert — Turpan
Day 3: Turpan — Grape Valley — Urumqi
Recommendation Reason: Yellow sand accompanied by an oasis, along with the scorching heat of the nearby Flaming Mountain, can you bear such temperatures? Don’t worry, we can escape the sweltering heat at the Grape Valley in Turpan. Here, you can not only experience the amazing landscapes of nature but also taste the sweetest grapes in the world. It will definitely be your best choice.
5-Day Mysterious Kanas Tour
Day 1: Urumqi – Tianchi Lake – Fuyun
Day 2: Fuyun – Koktokay – Colorful Beach – Burqin
Day 3: Burqin – Kanas
Day 4: Kanas – Hemu – Burqin
Day 5: Burqin – Urho Devil City – Karamay – Urumqi
Recommendation reasons: This route starts from Urumqi, entering via G216 and exiting via G217, with non-repeating scenery along the Kanas route. In Xinjiang, there is a mountain called Tianshan; in midsummer August, the Tianshan Mountains are snow-capped. In Xinjiang, there is a lake called Kanas Lake, known as God’s own land, a photographer’s paradise, the last pure land in the world, and home to mysterious lake monsters. It is a place you must visit once in your lifetime.
Kahe Legend – 6-Day Tian, Tu, and Ka Route
Day 1: Urumqi – Karamay – Burqin
Day 2: Burqin – Kanas – Hemu
Day 3: Hemu – Burqin – Fuhai
Day 4: Fuhai – Tianshan Tianchi – Fukang
Day 5: Tianshan Tianchi – Urumqi
Day 6: Urumqi – Turpan – Urumqi
Recommendation reasons: Most people’s longing for Xinjiang stems from Kanas. Many travelers call it the most primitive natural beauty among the four seas and eight wildernesses, and it is praised as "the God’s Backyard". Calling it the highest visual enjoyment in your life is not an exaggeration. From the moment you enter, you will be surrounded by all the beauty of mountains, deserts, sacred lakes, grasslands, Gobi deserts, and birch forests. Once you encounter it, you cannot forget it, and once you come, you never leave.
7-Day Classic Small Loop Route in Xinjiang
Day 1: Urumqi – Huoshao Mountain – Burqin
Day 2: Burqin – Kanas
Day 3: Kanas – Hemu – Burqin
Day 4: Burqin – Urho Devil City – Jinghe
Day 5: Jinghe – Nalati
Day 6: Nalati – Bayinbuluk
Day 7: Bayinbuluk – Gongnais – Urumqi
Recommendation reasons: This is a classic small loop route, starting from Urumqi and covering most of the scenic spots in Northern Xinjiang. Along the way, you can experience snow-capped mountains, lakes, grasslands, Gobi deserts, and Yadan landforms. Kanas is known as the Little Switzerland of the East and a photographer’s paradise. In the Kanas scenic area, you can go horseback riding, hiking, watch sunrises and sunsets, observe the starry sky, and slow down your travel to experience the beauty of Northern Xinjiang with your heart. The World Devil City features naturally formed Yadan landforms, with hills blown into various shapes of "buildings", resembling the Liuhe Pagoda by the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, the Pyramids of Egypt, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and an eagle spreading its wings.
7-day In-depth Xinjiang Tour
Day 1: Urumqi – Sayram Lake – Lavender Field – Yining
Day 2: Yining – Akeyazi Jade Lake – Tianma Culture Park – Zhaosu Grassland – Zhaosu
Day 3: Zhaosu – Karakjun Grassland – Tekes
Day 4: Tekes – Nine-Bend and Eighteen-Turn River – Bayanbulak Grassland
Day 5: Bayanbulak Grassland – Anjihai Grand Canyon/Dushanzi Grand Canyon – Kuitun
Day 6: Kuitun – Kumtag Desert – Shanshan
Day 7: Shanshan – Turpan – Urumqi
Recommendation reason: This route is ideal for photography enthusiasts. “You won’t understand the beauty of Xinjiang until you visit Ili.” Historically, Ili was a strategic location on the ancient Silk Road’s Northern Route and today, it is a gateway to the west, known as the “South of the Great Wall” and the “Hometown of Fruits and Melons.” Relatively abundant rainfall and mild weather have earned it the nickname “Island of Moisture in the Sea of Desert,” with a vegetation coverage rate of 67.7% in grasslands and forests. It is home to the famous Sayram Lake, a pearl of the grasslands, and every June, you can see large fields of lavender here.
10-day Xinjiang Grand Loop Tour
Day 1: Urumqi – Tianchi Lake – Fuyun
Day 2: Fuyun – Colorful Beach – Burqin
Day 3: Burqin – Kanas
Day 4: Kanas – Hemu – Burqin
Day 5: Burqin – Urho Magic City – Jinghe
Day 6: Jinghe – Sayram Lake – Lavender Field – Yining
Day 7: Yining – Nalati Grassland
Day 8: Nalati Grassland – Bayanbulak Grassland
Day 9: Bayanbulak Grassland – Turpan
Day 10: Turpan – Kumtag Desert, Shanshan – Urumqi
Recommendation reason: Only by taking a trip along the northern and southern Xinjiang loop can you truly appreciate the saying, “You won’t understand how vast China is until you visit Xinjiang.” This 10-day itinerary allows you to travel from north to south through Xinjiang, experiencing the “grandness” and “beauty” of this magnificent region. If you have a long enough holiday, this route should definitely be your top choice. We avoid superficial tourism; in-depth tourism with a perfect experience is our standard: Enjoy every minute of the sunset by the lake while munching on mutton in a felt tent; stay in a unique wooden cabin within the Kanas scenic area. At around 3 PM, 90% of tourists will leave the scenic area, giving you an exclusive experience; the most beautiful route changes with the seasons.
12-Day Southern Xinjiang Circuit Tour
Day 1: Urumqi (airport or train station) Gathering
Day 2: Urumqi – Lop Nur Village – Korla
Day 3: Korla – Hu Yanglin Forest in Luntai – Tazhong
Day 4: Tazhong – Taklimakan Desert – Hotan
Day 5: Hotan – Kashgar
Day 6: Kashgar 1-Day Tour
Day 7: Kashgar – Karakul Lake – Taxkorgan
Day 8: Taxkorgan – Stone City – Hongqilapu – Kashgar
Day 9: Kashgar – Wensu
Day 10: Wensu – Tomur Grand Canyon – Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves – Kuqa
Day 11: Kuqa – Kuqa王府 (王府 should be translated based on context, here kept as is) – Kuqa Grand Mosque – Heyi
Day 12: Heyi – Bosten Lake – Urumqi
14-Day Northern Xinjiang Tour
Day 1: Urumqi – Tianshan Tianchi Lake – Fuyun
Day 2: Fuyun – Koktokay – Burqin
Day 3: Burqin – Baihaba
Day 4: Baihaba – Kanas – Hemu
Day 5: Kanas – Burqin
Day 6: Burqin – Ghost City – Kuitun
Day 7: Kuitun – Sayram Lake – Yining
Day 8: Yining – Xiata Scenic Area – Zhaosu
Day 9: Zhaosu – Karakul Scenic Area – Tekes
Day 10: Tekes – Nalati
Day 11: Nalati – Bayanbulak – Hejing
Day 12: Hejing – Turpan
Day 13: Turpan – Shanshan – Turpan
Day 14: Turpan – Urumqi
Recommendation Reason: The Ili River is one of the few international rivers in China, known for its beautiful scenery and rich vegetation. It is praised as the Jiangnan (south of the Great Wall) beyond the border. It is commonly said that one won’t understand how vast China is until they visit Xinjiang, and won’t understand how beautiful Xinjiang is until they visit Ili. Ili, known as the "Jiangnan beyond the border", is one of the most fertile lands in western China. It has abundant rainfall, a pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, rich resources, and abundant produce. There are both magnificent snowy peaks and glaciers, as well as charming rivers; there are both serene and fertile grasslands, and also farmland woven by both humans and gods.
20-Day Crossing Tour of Xinjiang
Day 1: Urumqi – Tianchi Lake – Fukang
Day 2: Fukang – Colorful City – Huoshao Mountain – Fuyun
Day 3: Fuyun – Koktokay – Burqin
Day 4: Burqin – Baihaba – Kanas
Day 5: Kanas – Hemu
Day 6: Hemu – Colorful Beach – Karamay – Jinghe
Day 7: Jinghe – Sayram Lake – Horgos Port – Yining
Day 8: Yining – Nalati Grassland – Nalati Town
Day 9: Nalati – Swan Lake Nine-Bend Eighteen-Turn – Bayinbuluke
Day 10: Bayinbuluke – Big and Small Dragon Lakes – Mysterious Tianshan Grand Canyon – Kuqa
Day 11: Kuqa – Aksu Shenmu Kingdom – Aksu
Day 12: Aksu – Kashgar
Day 13: 1-Day Tour in Kashgar City (Rest): Xiangfei Tomb, Gaotai Residential Area, Id Kah Mosque
Day 14: Kashgar – Tianmen Mountain Grand Canyon – Kashgar
Day 15: Kashgar – Pamir Plateau – Tajik Autonomous County
Day 16: Tajik Autonomous County – Khunjerab Pass – Kashgar
Day 17: Kashgar – Hotan – Minfeng
Day 18: Minfeng – Desert Highway – Luntai Poplar Forest – Luntai
Day 19: Luntai County – Bosten Lake – Turpan
Day 20: Turpan – Kanerjing – Flaming Mountain – Grape Valley – Urumqi
Recommendation Reason: Experience the scenic beauty of Kanas, which integrates glaciers, lakes, forests, grasslands, pastures, rivers, ethnic customs, and rare animals and plants, and is known as the "Eastern Switzerland, Photographer’s Paradise". Admire the magical Kanas Lake, the mysterious lake monster, the primitive Tuwa people, the changing lake water, and the spectacular glaciers reflecting the serene lake water. The vast grasslands encompass the deep primitive forest. Delve into the Urho Magic City with Yardang landform, marvel at the wonders of nature, and experience the thrilling scenes inside the Magic City. Circle the Sayram Lake and enjoy to your heart’s content the alpine lake known as the "Last Tear of the Atlantic". Experience the scenic beauty of Ili Prefecture, where "One doesn’t know how vast China is until they visit Xinjiang, and one doesn’t know how beautiful Xinjiang is until they visit Ili". Explore Bayinbuluke, a photographer’s paradise, take a close look at the beauty of Swan Lake, admire the sunset and evening glow at Nine-Bend Eighteen-Turn, and feel the grandeur of 19 suns. Enter the Pamir Plateau, one of the most beautiful plateaus in the world, walk on top of Pamir, appreciate the beauty of guests from the iceberg, and feel the soul of Kunlun Mountain.
2020 Xinjiang Tourism Routes – 1-20 Day Tour Route Recommendations
Xinjiang Tourism Consultation Hotline: 0991-8585456 (same)