The travel route strategies for Northern Xinjiang are as follows:
Recommended Route 1 (6 days 5 nights):
Day 1: Arrive in Altay, check in at the hotel after being picked up, and take a leisurely walk around Altay City to feel its charm.
Day 2: Altay City → The Lonely Tree → Baihaba Village. Depart for ‘The Lonely Tree’ in the morning to feel the tranquility and grandeur of nature, then proceed to Baihaba Village to experience the primitiveness and quietness of this border village.
Day 3: Baihaba Village → Kanas. Get up early to see the morning fog in Baihaba Village, then proceed to Kanas, take a walk along Kanas Lake, and climb up to the Fish Viewing Platform to overlook the magnificent scenery.
Day 4: Kanas → Hemu. Bid farewell to Kanas and head to Hemu. Take a walk along the Hemu River and climb up to the observation deck to wait for the sunset in the evening.
Day 5: Hemu → Altay City. Wake up in the morning in Hemu, feel the tranquility of the village again, then return to Altay City to buy specialty souvenirs.
Day 6: Transfer from Altay City and end the pleasant trip.
This route covers classic attractions in Northern Xinjiang, such as Altay, Kanas, and Hemu, allowing you to fully experience the natural scenery and ethnic customs of Northern Xinjiang.
Recommended Route 2 (7 days 6 nights):
Day 1: Depart from Urumqi, embark on the S21 Desert Highway, enjoy the unique landscape of the desert intertwined with the highway, arrive at Colorful Beach in the evening, and stay in Burqin at night.
Day 2: Burqin → Kanas. After breakfast, head to Kanas. In the afternoon, take a walk along Kanas Lake and stay in a log cabin within the Kanas scenic area at night.
Day 3: Kanas hiking at the Three Bays (Wolong Bay, Moon Bay, Shenxian Bay) → Hemu. Get up early to see the morning fog at Shenxian Bay, then proceed to Hemu Village to stay in a log cabin.
Day 4: In-depth tour of Hemu Village, experiencing the primitive village culture of the Tuvans.
Day 5: Hemu → Burqin/Jinghe. Leave Hemu and head to Burqin or Jinghe to prepare for the next day’s itinerary.
Day 6: Burqin/Jinghe → Circumnavigate Sayram Lake → Guozigou Bridge → Yining. Circumnavigate Sayram Lake, admire the spectacular view of Guozigou Bridge, and arrive in Yining in the evening.
Day 7: Transfer to Yining and end the trip.
This route not only includes classic attractions such as Kanas and Hemu, but also adds attractions such as Sayram Lake and Guozigou Bridge, making the journey more diverse and colorful.
Recommended Route 3 (14-day Northern Xinjiang Circuit):
From Day 1 to Day 14: Visit Urumqi, the Gurbantünggüt Desert, Colorful Beach, Kanas, Hemu, Wuerhe Devil City, Sayram Lake, Guozigou Valley, Karajun Grassland, Nalati Grassland, Duku Highway, and many other attractions in sequence. Every day brings new surprises and experiences.
This route is a panoramic route of Northern Xinjiang, covering many famous attractions and unique cultures of Xinjiang. It is suitable for tourists who have enough time and want to deeply experience Xinjiang.
The above three routes are all classic tourist routes in Northern Xinjiang. You can choose a suitable route to visit according to your personal time and preferences.