Xinjiang boasts various landscapes such as deserts, gobies, canyons, grasslands, forests, lakes, and snow-capped mountains, making it a popular destination for domestic self-driving tours. Here are several classic tourist routes in Xinjiang:
Northern Xinjiang Grand Circle Self-driving Tour Route
Self-driving Route: Urumqi – Qinggeda Lake – Jiangbuke – Jimusar – No. 3 Mine Pit – Koktokay – Colorful Beach – Kanas – Jiadengyu – Hemu Village – World Devil City – Ulhor – Dushanzi – Sayram Lake – Huocheng Princess Jieyou Lavender Garden – Zhaosu Grassland – Tekes Eight Trigrams City – Kalajun Grassland – Nalati Grassland – Duku Highway – Bayanbulak Grassland – Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon – Kuci Devil City – Kuqa – Luntai Populus Euphratica Forest – Bosten Lake – Turpan Grape Valley – Urumqi. The entire journey is 4,800 kilometers, and self-driving takes about 15 days.
Highlight: This route covers most of the well-known scenic spots in northern Xinjiang, such as Kanas, Hemu Village, Sayram Lake, etc., allowing visitors to enjoy the magnificent autumn scenery and diverse landforms of northern Xinjiang.
Kanas 4-day Tour
Itinerary Arrangement:
Beitun – Burqin – Colorful Beach – Baihaba
Baihaba – Kanas (crossing within the scenic area)
Kanas – Jiadengyu – Hemu
Hemu – Beitun
Highlight: Kanas is a very well-known scenic spot in Xinjiang and even in China, integrating glaciers, forests, pastures, grasslands, lakes, rivers, and other features.
Ili River Valley 4-day Tour
Itinerary Arrangement:
Yining → Nalati (approx. 280 km, approximately 4 hours by car)
Yining City → Kalajun → Zhaosu (approx. 280 km, approximately 4 hours by car)
Zhaosu → Yining City (approx. 200 km, approximately 3 hours by car)
Yining City → Khorgos Port → Sayram Lake → Yining City (approx. 300 km, approximately 5 hours by car)
Highlight: The Ili River Valley is known as the "Jiangnan of the Frontier", with beautiful grasslands, lakes, and border crossings among its attractions.
Southern Xinjiang – Kashgar In-depth 6-day Tour
Itinerary Overview: Departing from Urumqi, passing through罗布人村寨 (Luobu People’s Village), Korla, Luntai Populus Euphratica Forest, and other places, ultimately arriving in Kashgar to deeply explore the customs and natural scenery of southern Xinjiang.
Altay Golden Ring Tour
Itinerary: Starting from Altay, visit Baihaba Village, Kanas, Hemu Village, and other places. The entire journey is six days.
Highlight: Deeply explore the natural scenery and folk customs of the Altay region in northern Xinjiang.
These routes are only a part of the numerous tourist routes in Xinjiang. The specific route to choose depends on comprehensive considerations such as personal interests, time, and budget. When planning your trip, it is recommended to learn about the local weather, transportation, and accommodation in advance to ensure a smooth journey.