Recommended Travel Routes in Xinjiang
Xinjiang Travel Consultation Hotline: (Same) 0991-8585456
Recommended Travel Routes in Xinjiang
In Xinjiang, the distances between attractions are measured in hundreds of kilometers, and the beautiful scenery is not limited to within the scenic areas. Many people may only think about ‘I want to go to Xinjiang’ before coming here, but they may not have a clear idea of where exactly in Xinjiang they want to go. In fact, Xinjiang is so vast that it is unlikely for one to visit the entire region in one trip. We should be targeted and purposeful, selecting only 1-2 directions based on our preferences and time. Fortunately, the overall tourism style in various directions of Xinjiang is relatively clear, and there is always one direction that meets your needs.
10 Highlights of Xinjiang for Your Reference ↓
1. Kanas – The Last Pure Land on Earth
2. Sayram Lake – The Last Tear of the Atlantic Ocean
3. Hemu – China’s Most Enchanting Village
4. Kumtag Desert – The Only Desert in the World Connected to a City
5. Bayinbuluke – An Abundant Spring
6. Nalati – A Stunning Alpine Grassland
7. Urho Magic City – The World’s Magic City
8. Tianshan Tianchi – A Mysterious and Enchanting Haven
9. Colorful Beach – The Most Famous Beach Under Heaven
10. Baihaba – The First Village in the Northwest
Recommended Classic Routes for 1-20 Days
1-Day Tour of Tianshan Tianchi
Day 1: Urumqi – Tianshan Tianchi – Urumqi
Recommended Reason: Known as the Jade Pool, Tianshan Tianchi is located in the hinterland of the Tianshan Mountains and is a landmark attraction in Xinjiang. The best time to visit Tianshan is from May to September, with charming spring, leisurely summer, and colorful autumn.
1-Day Tour of Turpan – Kumtag Desert
Day 1: Urumqi – Turpan – Kanerjing – Flaming Mountain – Kumtag Desert – Urumqi
Recommended Reason: If you haven’t been to Turpan and Shanshan, you probably can’t imagine their beauty no matter how hard you try. These places are not just tourist attractions; they are places where you will willingly pause, immersing yourself in the human history of the Western Regions and experiencing something unique. The dunes have clear contours and distinct layers; the ridge lines are smooth and flowing, with sand slopes on the windward side resembling water and flowing sand on the leeward side. Standing atop the杉山 (a specific mountain) deep in the desert, you can calmly observe the magnificent sunrise over the desert and witness the colorful sunset casting its hues on the sand.
3-Day Tour of Grasslands and Deserts in Southern Xinjiang
Day 1: Urumqi – Jiangbulake
Day 2: Jiangbulake – Kumtag Desert – Turpan
Day 3: Turpan – Grape Valley – Urumqi
Recommended Reason: Yellow sand accompanied by an oasis, coupled with the scorching heat of the Flaming Mountain next door, 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 Tour of the Mysterious Kanas
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 Magic City – Karamay – Urumqi
Recommendation Reason: 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 the midsummer of August, it is snow-capped. In Xinjiang, there is a lake called Kanas Lake, known as God’s private reserve, a photographer’s paradise, the last pure land in the world, and a place with mysterious lake monsters. It is a place you must visit in your lifetime.
Kanas-Hemu Legend – 6-Day Tour of Tianshan, Turpan, and Kanas
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 Reason: Most people’s longing for Xinjiang stems from Kanas. Many travelers call it the most primitive and naturally beautiful Kanas among the four seas and eight wildernesses. It is praised as "God’s Backyard" and it is not an exaggeration to call it the ultimate visual feast of your life. From the moment you step in, you will be surrounded by the beauty of mountains, deserts, sacred lakes, grasslands, Gobi deserts, and birch forests. Once you encounter it, you cannot forget it; once you’ve been there, you never truly leave.
7-Day Classic Small Loop Tour of 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 – Bayinbrook
Day 7: Bayinbrook – Gongnais – Urumqi
Recommendation Reason: 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 ride horses, hike, watch sunrises and sunsets, and observe the starry sky, allowing your trip to slow down and truly experience the beauty of Northern Xinjiang. The World’s Devil City features naturally formed Yadan landforms, where hills have been windswept into various "buildings", resembling the Six Harmony 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 Tour of Xinjiang
Day 1: Urumqi – Sayram Lake – Lavender – 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
Day 5: Bayanbulak — Anjihai Grand Canyon/Dushanzi Grand Canyon — Kuitun
Day 6: Kuitun — Kumtag Desert — Shanshan
Day 7: Shanshan — Turpan — Urumqi
Recommendation: This route is ideal for photography enthusiasts. “You won’t understand Xinjiang’s beauty until you visit Ili.” Historically a strategic location on the Northern Silk Road, Ili is today a gateway to the west, known as the “Jiangnan Beyond the Great Wall” and the “Hometown of Fruits and Melons.” With relatively abundant rainfall and mild weather, it is called the “Island of Moisture in the Desert,” with a vegetation coverage rate of 67.7% on grasslands and forests. It boasts the famous Sayram Lake, a pearl of the grasslands; every June, you can also see large lavender fields here.
10-Day Xinjiang Panoramic 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 — Turpan
Day 10: Turpan — Shanshan Kumtag Desert — Urumqi
Recommendation: Only by taking the Xinjiang North-South Loop can you truly appreciate the vastness of China. This 10-day itinerary allows you to traverse Xinjiang from north to south, experiencing the immense beauty of this region. If you have a long enough holiday, this route should definitely be your top choice. We avoid superficial sightseeing, adhering to in-depth tourism and perfect experiences as our standards: Enjoying mutton eaten with hands while watching the sunset change by the minute inside a yurt by the lake; staying in a characteristic wooden cabin within the Kanas scenic area’s core, where 90% of tourists leave in the afternoon, giving you a private experience; the most beautiful route changes with the seasons.
12-Day Southern Xinjiang Loop Tour
Day 1: Urumqi (Airport or Train Station) Gathering
Day 2: Urumqi — Lop Nur Village — Korla
Day 3: Korla — Hulugou Poplar Forest — Tazhong
Day 4: Tazhong — Taklamakan Desert — Hotan
Day 5: Hotan — Kashgar
Day 6: 1-Day Tour in Kashgar
Day 7: Kashgar — Karakul Lake — Taxkorgan County
Day 8: Taxkorgan County — 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 as Mansion) – Kuqa Grand Mosque – Heyi
Day 12: Heyi – Bosten Lake – Urumqi
Recommendation: Northern Xinjiang’s natural scenery is deeply impressed upon people’s minds, while Southern Xinjiang is a perfect combination of nature and humanity. The Pamir Plateau, separated from Tibet by only a mountain range, boasts breathtaking landscapes of snowy mountains, lakes, and grasslands. Southern Xinjiang is home to 80% of Xinjiang’s ethnic minorities, and its unsophisticated customs and folkways are unmatched by the sinicized Northern Xinjiang. Experience Silk Road culture; the southern and middle routes of the ancient Silk Road have left hundreds of ancient cities in Southern Xinjiang. Dreaming of the Western Regions, retracing the ancient trade routes, and listening attentively to the timeless Buddhist chants of Xuanzang’s transcendence. Here lies plateau scenery that encapsulates the essence of Tibet, as well as mysterious canyons pretending to be in the western United States. Separated from Tibet by only a mountain range, with grasslands, glaciers, and blue skies, Southern Xinjiang also boasts pure and pristine plateau scenery. If you think Southern Xinjiang only has ordinary deserts and Gobi, you are greatly mistaken. A desert highway leading to freedom will take you to explore the wild charm comparable to the western United States.
14-day Northern Xinjiang Adventure
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 – Karakjun 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: The Ili River is one of the few international rivers in China, known for its scenic beauty, rich vegetation, and being praised as the Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River) beyond the Great Wall. It is commonly said that one cannot fully appreciate the vastness of China without visiting Xinjiang, and one cannot fully appreciate the beauty of Xinjiang without visiting Ili. Known as the "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall", Ili is one of the most fertile lands in western China. With abundant rainfall, a pleasant climate, stunning scenery, abundant resources, and rich produce, it boasts majestic snowy peaks and glaciers, as well as charming rivers. It has serene, fertile, and vast grasslands, as well as farmland woven by both humans and gods.
20-day Grand Crossing of Xinjiang
Day 1: Urumqi – Tianchi Lake – Fukang
Day 2: Fukang – Five-Colored City – Huoshao Mountain – Fuyun
Day 3: Fuyun – Koktokay – Burqin
Day 4: Burqin – Baihaba – Kanas
Day 5: Kanas – Hemu
Day 6: Hemu – Five-Colored Beach – Karamay – Jinghe
Day 7: Jinghe – Sayram Lake -霍尔果斯口岸 – Yining
Day 8: Yining – Nalati Grassland – Nalati Town
Day 9: Nalati – Swan Lake Nine-Bend and Eighteen-Turn Scenic Spot – Bayanbulak
Day 10: Bayanbulak – 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, Aitiqaer Mosque
Day 14: Kashgar – Tianmen Mountain Grand Canyon – Kashgar
Day 15: Kashgar – Pamir Plateau – Taxkorgan County
Day 16: Taxkorgan County – Khunjerab Pass – Kashgar
Day 17: Kashgar – Hotan – Minfeng
Day 18: Minfeng – Desert Highway – Luntai Populus Euphratica Forest – Luntai
Day 19: Luntai County – Bosten Lake – Turpan
Day 20: Turpan – Karez Well – Flaming Mountain – Grape Valley – Urumqi
Recommendation Reason: Experience the breathtaking scenery 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". Marvel at the magical Kanas Lake, the mysterious lake monster, the primitive Tuwa people, the changing lake water, and the spectacular glaciers reflecting on the tranquil lake water. The vast grasslands embrace the deep primitive forest. Dive into the Urho Devil’s City with Yardang landforms and marvel at the incredible workmanship of nature, experiencing the thrilling scenes within the Devil’s City. Circle the Sayram Lake and enjoy the alpine lake known as the "Last Tear of the Atlantic". Witness the beautiful scenery of Yili Prefecture, which embodies the saying, "You don’t know how vast China is until you visit Xinjiang, and you don’t know how beautiful Xinjiang is until you visit Yili." Explore the photographer’s paradise of Bayanbulak, take a close look at the beauty of Swan Lake, admire the sunset and evening glow at the Nine-Bend and Eighteen-Turn Scenic Spot, and feel the magnificent view of 19 suns. Step into the Pamir Plateau, one of the most beautiful plateaus in the world, walk on top of the Pamirs, appreciate the beauty of the guests from the glacier, and feel the soul of the Kunlun Mountains.
Recommended Travel Routes in Xinjiang
Xinjiang Travel Consultation Hotline: (Same) 0991-8585456