As we all know, Xinjiang has a very vast territory, occupying 1/6 of China’s territory. Moreover, Xinjiang is also known as: A pure land left by heaven on earth! Countless travelers want to enter this mysterious, distant, and unfamiliar Xinjiang, but how to play in Xinjiang for the first time? This guide will tell you!
In Xinjiang, there is a magical Tianshan Mountain. This mountain range divides Xinjiang into two distinct styles! North of Tianshan is Northern Xinjiang, and south of Tianshan is Southern Xinjiang. The northern and southern Xinjiang have completely different landscapes!
Northern Xinjiang is dominated by natural scenery. The more famous cities and regions include: Urumqi, Turpan, Yili, Altay, Tacheng, Bortala, etc., all belonging to Northern Xinjiang. The entire Northern Xinjiang possesses a long-standing nomadic culture, alpine grasslands, as well as galloping horses and songs unique to Xinjiang.
Kanas – A fairyland on earth, it is a place with beautiful lakes in China. The lake water is clear to the bottom, winding through the primitive forest. The changing lights and shadows intertwine with the golden and dark green trees on the shore, as if you are in a dreamlike Swiss scenery.
Tianshan Tianchi – The Pearl of Tianshan. The entire lake is crystal clear, surrounded by mountains. The Bogda Peak is reflected in the lake in the distance, and there are tall and verdant spruces on the shore. The scenery is like a fairyland, like a sapphire surrounded by mountains.
Yili – Beauty lies in its vastness. Nowadays, there is a saying: If you haven’t been to Xinjiang, you don’t know how vast China is; if you haven’t been to Yili, you don’t know how beautiful Xinjiang is. The scenery of Yili is distinct in the four seasons and will definitely captivate your heart!
Desert and Gobi Desert – In Xinjiang, what is not lacking are the deserts and Gobi deserts along the way. Driving an off-road vehicle into the desert will let you enjoy the stimulating beauty in the bumps!
Xinjiang is very vast, with numerous places to visit and enjoy. I won’t list them all here. Mainly, I hope everyone can discover the joy and surprises of life on their unique, customized journey!
How to design a reasonable travel route in Xinjiang?
What should we see in Xinjiang? I estimate this is a very troubling and concerning issue for countless first-time travelers to Xinjiang. Here are some commonly used methods:
1. Self-guided Tours:
By searching online, you can find a lot of travel guides and route arrangements, and plan your own route. The advantage of this method is that it can exercise your online search skills and expose you to different scenery and other people’s travel insights. The disadvantage is that it takes a long time to familiarize yourself with everything, wasting time while still only having a superficial understanding, making it difficult to decide on an itinerary and route within an effective timeframe.
2. Group Tours:
As we all know, group tours typically follow the same rhythm: sleep on the bus, take photos when you get off. It’s basically a cursory visit, just to say you’ve been there, without fully appreciating the beauty of the scenery. The advantage is that it’s less stressful~
In summary:
I suggest that if you want to travel around the beautiful scenery of Xinjiang, it’s best to make friends with someone who has been to Xinjiang and ask them many questions. Or there’s a simpler method: find a reputable and experienced travel company specializing in customized tours in Xinjiang and customize your exclusive route according to your needs and time. Customized tours combine the advantages of group tours and self-guided tours, better meeting your personal needs~
For first-time visitors to Xinjiang, what route should you take to have an enjoyable trip?
To enable friends coming to Xinjiang for the first time to have a great experience and see as many rich landscapes as possible within their budgeted time, gaining the most insights from the trip, I have formulated the following routes based on the must-visit attractions in Xinjiang for your reference.
Short Trip 1: One-day trip from Urumqi to Tianshan Tianchi Lake
Tianshan Tianchi Lake is a famous scenic spot near Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. If you only have 1-2 days in Urumqi, I suggest you spend a day visiting Tianshan Tianchi Lake, known as the ‘Jade Pool’.
Compared to the Tianchi Lake in Changbaishan, Tianshan Tianchi Lake in Urumqi is a natural alpine lake with a crescent-shaped lake surface, equally magnificent and captivating countless travelers. The lake water is shimmering, surrounded by snowy mountains, with verdant and towering spruce and pine trees as a backdrop. It looks like a sapphire falling from the sky. Coupled with the snow-capped glaciers on the peaks in the distance, contrasting beautifully with the blue sky and clear water, you will feel like you are in a fairyland, floating with emotion!
Short Trip 2: One-day trip to Turpan, the Fire City of Xinjiang
Turpan is approximately 190 kilometers away from Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. It is a bright pearl on the ancient Silk Road, boasting beautiful scenery, numerous magnificent landscapes, and abundant historic sites. Additionally, Turpan is famous for its grapes from the Grape Valley. The grapes are crystal clear, with thin skin, tender flesh, juicy, and delicious, making people salivate.
Recommended attractions in Turpan include: the Flaming Mountains where Tang Monk and his disciples traveled in their pilgrimage to the West, Supong Tower, Grape Valley, Kanerjing, Gaochang Ancient City, and other unique scenic spots.
Short Route Tour 3: 4-Day Kanas Folk Customs Tour
Every friend who has visited Xinjiang will highly recommend Kanas, which is very famous in Xinjiang and even in China. It is also one of the must-visit attractions for many travelers on a Xinjiang round trip. It concentrates the glaciers, forests, pastures, grasslands, lakes, rivers, and ethnic customs of Xinjiang, making you reluctant to leave.
Day 1: Beitun – Burqin – Colorful Beach – Baihaba, overnight stay in Baihaba Village
Day 2: Baihaba – Kanas (crossing within the scenic area), overnight stay in a cabin within the Kanas scenic area
Day 3: Kanas – Jiadenyu – Hemu, overnight stay in Hemu Village
Day 4: Hemu – Beitun
Short Route Tour 4: 4-Day Yili Valley Tour in the North of the Great Wall
As the saying goes, ‘You don’t know how big China is until you visit Xinjiang, and you don’t know how beautiful Xinjiang is until you visit Yili.’ This itinerary centers around Yili, known as the ‘South of the Great Wall’, and is a golden route. The large grasslands and forests are the biggest features of Yili.
Day 1: Yining → Nalati (about 280 km in total, about 4 hours by car)
Day 2: Yining → Karakul → Zhaosu (about 280 km in total, about 4 hours by car, all first-class roads)
Day 3: Zhaosu → Yining (about 200 km in total, about 3 hours by car, all first-class roads)
Day 4: Yining →霍尔果斯口岸→ Sayram Lake → Yining (about 300 km in total, about 5 hours by car, all first-class roads)
Long Route Tour 1: 10-Day Northern Xinjiang Leisure Tour
Day 1: Urumqi – Burqin (one-way about 680 km, about 9 hours by car)
Day 2: Burqin – Jiadenyu – Kanas (about 180 km, about 3 hours by car)
Day 3: Jiadenyu – Hemu (about 90 km, about 2 hours by car)
Day 4: Hemu – Burqin (about 200 km, about 4 hours by car)
Day 5: Burqin – Bole/Jinghe (590 km, about 10 hours by car)
Day 6: Bole – Nalati (465 km, about 7 hours by car)
Day 7: Nalati Town – Nalati Aerial Grassland – Bayinbrook (86 km, about 2 hours by car)
Day 8: Bayinbrook – Turpan (505 km, about 9 hours by car)
Day 9: Turpan – Shanshan Desert – Urumqi (280 km, about 4 hours by car)
Day 10: Urumqi – Tianshan Tianchi (120 km, about 1.5 hours by car)
For details, please consult: Xinjiang Tourism Xiao Guo: (same) 0991-8585456