Xinjiang Panoramic Tour

Sincerely welcome you to this magical and exotic city of Xinjiang – Kashgar. Our professional and local guide will meet you at the airport, railway station, or port, then take you to your hotel by a comfortable private vehicle and help you with check-in. In the rest of the day, you can explore nearby as much as possible by your own, and please feel free to get some useful suggestions from your tour guide.  

Meal: No

Altitude: 1298m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Kashgar

In the early morning, after having your buffet breakfast, start a new day which is full of surprises. Driving on the China-Pakistan Highway, enjoy the magnificent Pamir Plateau, pay a quick visit to glamorous White Sand Lake. As a national 5A tourist attraction, White Sand Lake is located in the Karakoram Mountains at an altitude of about 3,300 meters, the sand is as white as snowflakes so that the lake shows more gorgeous, you can take some nice photos as much as you want. Next destination is Karakul Lake, you can see Kirghiz herdsman and their livestock around the lake, if you want to exchange cultures with them and learn about ethnic minorities customs, feel free to communicate. The following day will be spent exploring the enchanting scenery surrounding the highway, and your driver and local tour guide will drive to take you to the Taxkorgan County for overnight stay.

Meal: B

Altitude: 3100m

Traffic: 320kms, 6hrs driving

Hotel: In Taxkorgan

In the morning head to Kashgar, you will visit the Stone Fortress. Located in the north of Taxkorgan, it is 3,100 meters above sea level and also known as a vital ancient site on the ancient Silk Road of Xinjiang. Stone Fortress used to be the intramuros of Puli Garden, it stands at the key, imposing, from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, expansion and garrison constantly, and the highest point of the wall as high as more than 20 meters. Multi-layer or broken or continued walls outside the city, overlapping between the stone mounds, piles of stones, constitute a unique stone fortress scenery.

If you look down to the east of the Stone Fortress, you will see a very beautiful grassland, which is known as Golden Grassland, full of cattle and sheep; when the sun is about to set, the whole stone fortress will reflect a wealth of light, first the whole city is gray black, then brick red and ochre. Standing on this pile of rocks, looking at the grassland at the moment, the distant naked mountain, you’ll forget the existence of time.

Meal: B

Altitude: 1298m

Traffic: 320kms, 6hrs driving

Hotel: In Kashgar

After breakfast, in the early morning your tour guide will take you to visit the majestic Idigar Mosque, it is the biggest mosque in China where you can feel the strong religious atmosphere. Every Eid, a lot of people come here to celebrate the most delightful festival for Muslims and if you are lucky you will enjoy singing and dancing performances. Next, pay a visit to the Kashgar Old Town which has a history of more than 2,000 years and is like a vivid scroll of Xinjiang Uygur folk custom. When you stand in the Old Town, it is like standing in the boundless ancient oil painting, you may think that this is the charm of the Silk Road. Here, you can experience the unique ethnic culture and customs by visiting a local Uygur family.

Then, head to prosperous Sunday Bazaar, when people come here for selling livestock, you can experience the ancient forms of trade of the Silk Road and it’s quite interesting to witness their typical methods of bargain.

Next, your tour guide will take you to the Handicraft Street, hundreds of handicraft workshops and stalls are gathered on both sides of the street, there are textile, gold and silver jewelry, hardware processing, wood processing, hat, clothing, musical instruments, etc. The handicrafts here have a strong national characteristics and good quality, which are loved by many people and enjoyed a high reputation both at home and abroad.

After visiting, say goodbye to Kashgar and you will be transferred to the airport to take the flight to Urumqi.

Meal: B

Altitude:836m

Traffic: Plane

Hotel: In Urumqi

Start a brand new day to drive to the particularly charming city – Turpan. First, go to visit the Tuyoq Village, which is a tourist area with both natural scenery and cultural relics; it is also the most mysterious place in western China, Turpan City, Xinjiang Province, about 55 kilometers to the east of Turpan City. This is the cultural land of the four major civilizations in the world. Various religious cultures such as Islam, Buddhism, Manichaeism and Nestorianism collide and gather here. The scenery of the desert canyon and the ancient Uygur villages complement each other. The Thousand Buddha Caves in Tuyoq Village is the earliest and largest excavation in Turpan area; and the Mazaar ancient village, known as the “living fossil of folk customs of traditional Uygurs”. 
Next, visit the Jiaohe Ancient City, which is an ancient city that was strategically located along the ancient Silk Road. Perching on a plateau, it acted as a natural barrier from the attacking enemies in the old times. Besides, Jiaohe Ruins is a city without city walls; it was once one of the most prosperous cities on the ancient Silk Road. It is an ancient city in the Western Regions as famous as the ancient city of Loulan, known as the “Oriental Pompeii”. And Jiaohe Ruins is currently the largest, oldest and best-preserved city with earthen buildings in the world. It is the only and most complete Han Dynasty city site in China.

Meal: B

Altitude: 36m

Traffic: Car, 200kms, 3hrs

Hotel: In Turpan

Today, after having a quick breakfast, we will go to discover the amazing project of Karez Well system. Together with the Great Wall and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Karez System is regarded as one of China’s Three Greatest Ancient Projects. It is a special kind of irrigation system consisting of vertical wells, underground canals, ground canals and waterlogging pond. The vertically dug wells are linked together to channel the water which occurs during summer rain season, or is melted from snow mountains of Tianshan range to desired farmlands in the desert area. 
Next, we will drive back to the downtown area of Turpan to visit some famous must-see tourist attractions such as the collection house, which is also known as “Turpan’s Grandpa Antique Shop” and the largest Islamic minaret in China built in 1778 – Sugong Minaret. It is the product of a historical event, and is an exquisite national architectural art treasure on the Silk Road in the Western Regions.
In the afternoon, we’ll drive bact to Urumqi and enjoy a walking tour at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, which is located in Tianshan District of Urumqi and is currently the largest Bazaar in China. The Grand Bazaar’s architectural style and scale are magnificent, and the ethnic minority products in the market are rich and exquisite.The entire International Bazaar is the most ethnic-style place in Urumqi. The garden tower about 100 meters high in the center of the square is called the Silk Road Tower. It is the most famous scenic spot in the Grand Bazaar. There are paintings and exhibitions on each floor of the tower to show the historical stories of the Silk Road and you can overlook the surrounding city scenery from the top of the tower. Inside the Grand Bazaar is a huge market, where numerous vendors sell specialty products from Xinjiang. Dried fruits, clothing, essential oils, and handicrafts are dazzling, and the decorations in the market are colorful and very beautiful, so you can have a good visit.

Meal: B

Altitude: 552m

Traffic: Car, 200kms, 3hrs

Hotel: In Urumqi

First, your tour guide will take you to visit the gorgeous Heavenly Lake, which is famous for its stunning view and various tourist resources. In addition, Heavenly Lake, known as “Yao Chi” in ancient times and it is also a World Natural Heritage Site. The spring of Heavenly Lake is quite long; at this time, half of the water in the Heavenly Lake is normal lake water, while the other half is ice crystal like a mirror. You can fully enjoy the Heavenly Lake’s picturesque view and get more close with nature. 40-minute scenic shuttle bus ride that twists though the dramatic mountains. Then you can either walk to the lakeside in 10mins or take the electronic cart. There are 3 options suggested. Boating cruise to take the incredible view of Tianshan Mountains. Trekking along the lake in the fresh air. or you can explore further to the Maya Mountain by the cable car to enjoy the magnificent view of the Mountains. After the visiting, we will drive you to Urumqi train station, and catch an overnight train to Beitun. (Guide will also take the same train with you.)

Meal: B

Altitude: 530m

Traffic: Train, 12hrs

Hotel: Stay on the Train

After enjoy a nice breakfast at your hotel, we’ll pay a visit to the mysterious Hemu Village, where is the major living area of Tuwa People. We need to take a shuttle bus to visit this magical village, it is best known for its intoxicating autumn scenery, which is like a fairyland. On July 28, 2019, Hemu Village was selected into the first batch of national key villages for rural tourism. In October 2019, it was selected into the first “Small Town Aesthetic Model” list.
Hemu Village looks like a fairytale forest scene, there are wooden houses of Tuwa people scattered Here we would like to suggest you leave your big luggage in our coach and take your must stuff. You can enjoy the peaceful village, blue stream, colorful forest, and snowy mountains in the distance. Meet the local ethnic people and their cattle and if you have enough time, you also can walk into a house of the Tuwa people, who are regarded as the descendants of a mysterious old tribe from Mongolia. Meanwhile, discover their lifestyle and culture and chat with them to learn about their daily life. Moreover, you can visit a small museum of Tuwa people’s in a wooden house too. The pictures, the traditional clothes, and the articles of daily use will show you the history and the traditional lifestyle of the Tuwa people. Small wooden huts and Kazakh yurts are scattered along the Hemu River. When the herdsmen return, the quiet villages are like a picture scroll. If you like hiking, you can take your time to enjoy the amazing view around the Hemu river and also can take some nice photos.

Meal: B

Altitude: 1124m

Traffic: Car, 270kms, 5hrs

Hotel: In Hemu

Today, we’ll drive about 2hrs to enjoy the beautiful Kanas Nature Reserve, which is located in the middle of Xinjiang Altai Mountain, is located in the border zone between China and Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia, covering an area of 10030 square kilometers. Here spectacular glaciers set off tranquil lakes and vast grasslands contain deep primitive forests. Besides, it is also regarded as China’s only European-like ecological site, you can appreciate the masterpiece of nature and take some nice photos as much as possible.
Then, after having lunch we’ll head to Kanas Jiadengyu, after that go to the center of park and take the shuttle bus to visit some main attractions including Moon bay, Dragon Bay and Immortal Bay. Next stop is pay a visit to the Fish Pavilion, where you can fully admire the panoramic view of extremely eye-catching Kanas. You can stand on the Fish Pavilion and feel the inner peace of yourself as well as the true value of life. In the late afternoon, back to Jiadengyu district to check into the hotel.

Meal: B

Altitude: 1375m

Traffic: Car, 200kms, 3hrs

Hotel: In Kanas

Today we will head to Burqin, enjoy the scenery of Five-Colored Beach, Walk into the colorful Beach, you will feel as if in a dream world. Five-colored Beach is located on the first and second steps on the north bank of the Irtysh River, which is the only one in China that flows into the Arctic Ocean. The Five-Colored Beach is popular with its spectacular and beautiful scenery especially the sunset here is gorgeous and the view of the two side is totally different but very special. If you like nature and beach and like to take pictures of beautiful sunset, then its a nice place to visit.
In the evening, you can walk around the bustling streets of Burqin, enjoy your leisure time and taste delicious food and local snacks. We’ll spend the night in Burqin.

Meal: B

Altitude: 1463m

Traffic: Car, 350kms, 5.5hrs

Hotel: In Burqin

Today we will travel along the Gurbantunggut Desert to the Urho Ghost City, The Ghost Town is popular with its mysterious legend and spectacular Yadan landform. If you like historical legends and nature, it is an amazing place to explore and visit. The hills were blown into various “buildings” by the wind, some like the Liuhe Pagoda by the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, some like the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, some like the pyramids in Egypt, and some like the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, some like eagles spread their wings. Due to the unique scenery here, many movies have used Ghost Town as a location, such as the Oscar-winning film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. Therefore, more and more tourists come to Ghost Town to travel and explore. The landform was selected as the first place in the “Three Most Beautiful Yadans in China” in the “Beauty China” event of China National Geographic.

Legend has it that this place was originally a majestic castle. From a distance, you will admire Ghost Town’s splendor, majesty, and marvel at the ingenious workmanship of nature. Overlooking the Wind City, it looks like a large castle in medieval Europe. There are many large and small castles, high and low. When we arrive at the entrance, you can take a scenic train and then take your time to explore the Ghost Town.
Thereafter, we will drive to Dushanzi and pay a visit to the amazing Dushanzi Grand Canyon, which is the hidden attraction in Xinjiang, formed by the snow and rain of Tianshan Mountain in dry years, like a group of bamboo poles rising up.

Meal: B

Altitude: 1463m

Traffic: Car, 250kms, 3hrs

Hotel: In Dushanzi

Today we’ll go to visit the exceedingly charming and far-famed Sayram Lake, it is the last place where the warm and humid air of the Atlantic Ocean favors, so there is a saying of “the last tear of the Atlantic Ocean”. Sayram Lake integrates the aesthetic characteristics of magnificent, strange, secluded, beautiful and open. For a long time, legends such as lake monsters, wind tunnels in the center of the lake, whirlpools and submarine magnetic fields have been circulated in Sayram Lake, which cast a layer of imaginative mystery on the beautiful Sayram Lake. In addition, there are a lot of historical remains of grassland ancestors on the shore of Sayram Lake: rock paintings, Wusun ancient tombs, temple sites, stone inscriptions, ancient post sites, etc. In a word, visitors can fully appreciate the romantic feelings of returning to nature and the unique ethnic culture. If you like nature and photography, it is a good place to visit.
Then, driving on the spectacular Guozigou Bridge, the largest and most important bridge in Xinjiang. After driving about 2hrs, arrive in Yining. Have a good rest in the hotel.

Meal: B

Altitude: 660m

Traffic: Car, 450kms, 6hrs

Hotel: In Yining

Driving about 3hrs to Tekes, you’ll start an amazing trip from the pristine and vast Kalajun Prairie.
Kalajun Grassland is one of the most famous grasslands in Xinjiang; it is in the shape of rolling hills, backed by the towering snow-capped mountains, and there are forests, flowers and other landscapes on the grassland. “Kalajun” means “black wilderness” in Kazakh language, it is not only the northern route of China’s ancient Silk Road, but also the location of Wusun, the largest nomadic country in the western regions of China. Kazakh people traditionally live in yurts and some of them earn money as shepherds and ranchers or by hosting tourists. Some yurts are beautiful inside, with lots of brightly colored and decorated rugs, quilts and wall hangings; it would be an unforgettable and amazing cultural experience to stay in an authentic Kazakh yurt.
Then, we’ll go to visit the mysterious Bagua City, which is a city without traffic lights and it’s famous for 8 diagrams layout that is exactly looks like a maze with intricate roads and streets.

Meal: B

Altitude: 1208m

Traffic: Car, 130kms, 2-3hrs

Hotel: In Tekes

In the morning, we’ll go to visit breathtakingly beautiful and relaxing pasture Naraty Air Grassland. Naraty Grassland has natural landforms with beautiful scenery, elegant environment and rich vegetation. Besides, the mountains here are lush and green, like an endless green ocean. The blue sky, white clouds, snow-capped mountains, dark green fir forests, light cyan grasslands and colorful flowers, with distinct layers and harmonious tones, are like a bright picture. Listening to the long melodious pastoral tune from a distance, the grassland makes you feel that the world is vast and the years are far away.
Besides, the grassland tribe is a night tour area on the Naraty Grassland. It is based on the Wusun tribe as the theme. It is the first comprehensive tourist attraction in the world that reflects the history, culture and folk customs of the Kazakh people. What you see and touch here is the reproduction of history, as if you have entered a time-space tunnel and back to the year of history. What can’t be missed here is the singing and dancing performance that represents the highest level of Kazakh. Whenever night falls, King Wusun will bring the Prince, Princess Jieyou and Ministers of Wusun to participate in the grand bonfire party.
Afterwards, we will transfer you to check in your hotel. Have a good rest.

Meal: B

Altitude: 1388m

Traffic: Car, 270kms, 3-4hrs

Hotel: In Naraty or Xinyuan

Say farewell to beautiful Naraty and back to Yining. we will go to Kazanqi Folk Village, a blue fairy tale town in the city. This village in the hinterland of the Tianshan Mountains is full of colorful Uygur dwellings. It is a Soviet style with sky blue Color-based, colorful spire houses with wood-carved windows are like walking into Chefchaouen in Morocco. Next, pay a visit to the Accordion Museum on Liuxing Street. According to reports, the museum has a collection of more than 800 accordions from more than 20 countries, attracting many tourists to take pictures here, and even music lovers come here.

Meal: B

Altitude: 660m

Traffic: Car, 270kms, 3hrs

Hotel: In Yining

Today you will be transferred to the airport and back to your sweet home, wish you have a pleasant home journey.

Meal: B

Altitude: 660m

Traffic: Plane

Hotel: No