Grand Xinjiang Tour: Kashgar, Turpan, Kanas, Yili

Today is the first day of your tour. Welcome to Kashgar! Upon arrival, you will be met  transferred to the hotel to have check-in. After some rest, you can either explore the city by yourself freely or just stay in the hotel.

After enjoy your breakfast, we will leave for Taxkorgan county. Driving on the famed Karakoram Highway is really enjoyable! You eyes will always be filled with the stunning scenery on the way. It is one of the most important highways in China as it directly connects Pakistan with China. Driving about 3 hours, you will meet the White Sand Lake, which is just in the right side of your window. Get off the car and have a rest there. The gentle wave of the lake sparkles under the sunshine, and the lake is always in milky blue regardless of the weather. 

Enjoy your lunch beside the Karakul Lake. The lake is highest alpine lake in the world. Not like the white sand lake, this lake changes color according to the angles of sunlight. It is an ideal place to know the life style of the Kirghiz herdsmen, who have been settled down and had nomadic life here for more than a thousand of years. The famed Muztagh Ata is just in front of you when you are facing to the Karakul Lake.

You will see lost of stunning scenes on the way to Taxkorgan. The dream-like milky blue aquamarine streams alongside the highway will accompany you till the end of today's trip!

You must have had a nice dream last night! The lovely morning on the Pamir Plateau is very enjoyable especially when the morning gentle sunlight falls on your face. We will head directly to the Stone Fortress where to see the historic relics that has been existed for over 2000 years. The outskirt of the city is protected by the firm stone walls and that is where the city gets its name. There is no conclusion about who built this city, but the wisdom of the designer is well presented by the solid fortress. In front of the city is a meadow named Golden Wetland. The grass on the wetland is always golden, which makes it different from the other wetland. There is a newly constructed pathway where you can have an excellent view of the stone fortress to take great pictures.

After visiting, we will drive back to Kashgar and you will renew your sweet experience of Karakul lake and white sand lake. Upon arrival, have hotel check-in and have a good rest.

Today we will have a day tour in Kashgar. Go to the Id Kah Mosque. It is in the city center of Kashgar and also the landmark of it. As the largest Mosque in China, you will learn many things about Islam and how it developed in China here by the interpretation of your guide. Then just crossing the road and walking for a while, we will arrive at the Kashgar Old City. We should be there before 10:30 to attend the interesting opening ceremony. Appreciating the performance of the Uygur girls and boys, you will feel the passion and hospitality of local people. At the crossroad inside the old city, there is a old tea house that has been there for more than 100 years. Have a cup of tea and enjoy the Uygur dance and songs with Uygur elders playing Uygur traditional instrument in the second floor. Listening to the locals chatting and laughing, even with no idea what they are talking about, you will suddenly have a nostalgia of old days.

In the afternoon, it is just the busiest time of Sunday Bazaar. There were 2 bazaar befoe, one in the outside selling the items for daily use, the other in the inside for livestock transaction. Now for the construction of that area, the outside bazaar is temporarily closed while the livestock bazaar is still in its original appearance. People are still doing business as what their ancestors did thousands of years ago. You can have your lunch in this interesting place and having the freshest lamb and beef for barbecue is also an excellent idea.

The last spot we will visit today is the Handicraft Street. You will find numerous amazing stores and shops on the street. Buying some souvenirs for your friends and family there and looking for some local specialties like shoes, instruments or decorations, you will have a leisure afternoon in the lively place!

Later in the day, you will be escorted to the airport to catch the flight to Urumqi based on the schedule. Upon arrival, have a good rest in the hotel.

We will head to Turpan today. It is a well-known city in China for its history, legends and special landform. All most all Chinese know Turpan even if a few of they have no idea where Xinjiang is. Because the novel and the drama adapted from the novel Tuyoq Village. It is the oldest Uygur village in existence. The village in at the foot of the Flaming Mountain which is famous for its hot summer and the stories depicted in

We then will drive to a UNESCO World Heritage site - Jiaohe Ruins. It is know as the “Oriental Pompeii” for its remaining marvelous ruins that has been there for over 2300 years. The mysterious relics has witness the vicissitudes of Turpan city and its charms attracts millions of visitors every year.

Turpan adventure is going on today! We will drive to Karez Well in the morning after breakfast. It shows the wisdom of the ancestors of local people as it is one of the most complicated irrigation system of the world. Although thousands of years have past, it is still playing a vital roles in the daily life of Turpan natives by providing the cleanest drinking water. Have a close look at the marvelous program and enjoy the cool breeze there.

After Karez Well visiting, let us go to visit the Sugong Minaret. As the largest minaret in China, it was built in 1778 and has the most precious relics to research the Islamic artworks. Strolling around the minaret, you will feel in the remote central Asia. Everything around you is just like walking out from the history book.

We will drive back to Urumqi after finishing our Turpan tour. Then go to visit the famed International Grand Bazaar. It is the biggest bazaar in the world which was built in 2003. Not like the Kashgar Sunday bazaar, this one is more exquisite and well-constructed with more cosmopolitan appearance. You will be overwhelmed by the dazzling items in the various shops and stores. There is a big square in the bazaar where gathers hundreds of local Uygur girls and boy and travelers from all over the world dancing and singing together. Lost yourself in the music and dance!

Freshen yourself up in the Heavenly Lake in the morning. It is a picturesque alpine lake, with snow mountains surrounded and meadows dotted around. We will change to the shuttle bus of the scenic area and you will be amazed by the lush forest and magnificent mountains on the way. Find a place to sit down and feel the gentle breeze under the blue sky.

Afterwards, we will head to Fuyun to have overnight stay. We will encounter the beautiful Ulungur Lake on the way. It is the inhabit place of vaious birds and some of them could only be seen in Xinjiang. It is an ideal place for taking wonderful photos of these birds and it attracts thousands of photographers here every year. Full of natural beauty and wilderness, the lake will impress you as the first sight to the very north Xinjiang.

Exciting day! Today we will drive to Hemu Village, which is regarded as one of the most beautiful villages in China. It is the biggest Tuva village in China, where to see the unique settled nomadic life style of Tuvas. Not like the other tribes, Tuvas settle down in the village and live in the wooden houses. The singing streams with small bridges over them and the beautiful meadows with lush forest accompanied forms a picturesque scenery of the tranquil village. 

Have a nice dream in this fairyland!

Another day to be amazed! We will drive along the mountain road into the Kanas Nature Reserve. Kanas is regarded as the only European-like place in China as the lush pine forest and continuous meadows looks very like the scenery in Switzerland. It is awarded as the "Pure Land of the World" because of its unparalleled scenery.

We will take the shuttle bus to get to the hinterland of the park. By visiting the famous three bays, you will know why there are so many people addicted to Kanas. 

In Moon bay, Dragon Bay and Immortal Bay, close your eyes and listen to the voice of river and forest. And when you come to the Fish Pavilion, you will again be surrounded by the voice of nature with the best view of Kanas Lake. You can even experience the cruise on the lake if you would like to.

Be waked up by the breeze and bird's singing in the morning. You must have had a nice dream last night! We will spend a wonderful morning in Kanas by strolling around the area. Take as many beautiful photos as possible. The color of the lake is also changing following the change of sunlight, weather and seasons. Sometimes it is crystal blue, sometimes milky blue and sometimes dark green or even gray.

Drive to Urho in the afternoon. We will enjoy the stunning scenery of sunset of Five-Colored Beach on the way. You will feel like in another planet when you enter the beach. The unique lava landscape is made up of colorful mudstone, sandstone and gravel in purplish red, vandyke red, yellow and light green. You will be filled with the wonder at the sight of the scenery. It is the real masterpiece of nature.

On the way we will also visit the Urho Ghost City, which is also known as wind city. You will see many strange stones like planted from the ground with all types of shape. Mushrooms, warriors, castles… That are all the masterpieces of nature that caused by the wind erosion. In the evening, if you stand in the draught, you will hear the howl of the wind and feel its power so as to know how the city is formed.

We will head to Jinghe today. On the way visit the majestic Anjihai Grand Canyon for sightseeing. The canyon looks quite magnificent as it is on average 800 meters wide and 600 to 1000 meters high. Very steep and magnificent! Not like the ghost city, the canyon is formed by the power of water. As water is softer than the wind, the stones were polished more sophisticated to have millions of small holes and alluvial gullies under the erosion of snow and rainwater flowing down from the Tianshan mountains for billions of years. The terraces on both sides are cut by the river into at least 9 levels. Feel the power of nature by appreciating the magnificent scenery by your own eyes!

Afterwards, drive to Jinghe to have overnight stay.

We will head to Yining in the morning. The first stop is our hightlight today – Sayram Lake! It is known as the last drop of tears of the Atlantic. It is the largest alpine lake in Xinjiang and also the most ocean-like lake. The lovely wildflowers surrounding the lake almost change their type every week by themselves. The unique blue of the lake cannot be seen elsewhere, so people call “Sayram Blue”. 

Then we will pass by a famous bridge – Guozigou Bridge. It is the most important and expensive bridge in Xinjiang with a cost of 45 million dollars for 1 meter's construction! The picturesque Guozigou valley will bring you the epitome of the best scenery of northern Xinjiang.

You will suddenly smell the pleasant scent of flower and that means you have arrived in the Lavender Farm. Immersing in the dream-like flower sea and the scent will linger in your clothes for a very long time.

End you day in Liuxing Street. It gets its name from the hexagonal structure. It was built in 1930s and after a hundred years of development, the street has become a sharp scenery line in Yining. Walking into the street, you will feel like in a beautiful canvas and surrounded by endless blue. 

You will be picked by your local guide and driver at the hotel lobby in the morning. Today we will leave for the fascinating Karajun Prairie. Different from Naraty, Karajun is more wild and wet. Streams are interwoven on the carpet-like grassland and springs are densely distributed. Karajun in Kazak means “dark wildness”, which truly lives up to its name. Release yourself in the interminable wilderness and experience the nomadic life style! 

Another day for grassland scenery! Today we will start our exciting day from visiting Naraty Air Grassland. It is the essential part of Naraty grassland. It is called air grassland because of its altitude of more than 2200 meters above sea level. The grass on the land looks like green velvet and the wildflowers dotted is like the scattered little gems set on it. It has been the best pasture of local Kazakh people for thousands of years. The tranquil river valley, lush mountains and the deep gorges together formed the stunning scenery of the heaven on earth.

Say goodbye to the lovely grassland, we will head to Yining and spend your day at Kazanqi Folk Village, which is the only large-scale cultural senic spot in Northern Xinjiang. It is one of the best places to experience the unique culture of Uygur and Kazakh people. Learn their folklores and stories and spend your time with the lovely kids living nearby. Then pay a visit again to Liuxing Street to discover the hidden surprises of the street by yourself and you get to know some knowladge about accordion and the history of Yining in the Alexander Accordion Museum.

Note: If there are less than five guests, we will dirve across Duku Rode to Urumqi.

Duku Road is located at the foot of Tianshan Mountain and is regarded as the Top Road trip in China. It is also a veritable landscape avenue, starting from Dushanzi Grand Canyon, to Narati, Bayinbuluk grassland, and then ending in Kuqa Tianshan Grand Canyon. Driving along the single road for a day, you seems to feel the changes of the four seasons, which really shows a special and magnificent scenery to self-drive tourists.

Today is the last day of your trip. You will be transferred to the airport based on the schedule. Wish you a pleasant journey home and hope to see you again in your next China trip!