8 Days Xinjiang Travel to Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar with Taxkorgan Adventure

Welcome to Urumqi, means the most beautiful grassland in Mongolian Language. Our nice guide will greet you at the airport/trains station and be transferred to the hotel for rest.

You will be informed the next day programme and meeting time in the hotel when you meet the guide. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city and our hotel is 1kms from the Red Hill Park, you may visit the park on your own seeing the our people doing exercises. Dinner can will be arranged on your own in the hotel which price is reasonable and dishes are nice. You must be eager to the next days, Have a good sleep and the most exciting trip is waiting for you!

Breakfast time in the hotel is from 7am to 11am, enjoy your delighted buffet breakfast and our nice and driver will meet you at the hotel lobby around 08:30, then we will drive 1hr to the entrance of the park. 40 minutes shuttle bus driving in the mountains, you will visit the Kazakh village en route. After the shuttle bus, 10mins walking up to the lakeside. You will have 2hrs to do some trekking around the Heavenly lake, either enjoy the boating cruise,or even take the cable cart to the top of the mountain so that close to Bogda Peak-the highest peak in the east part of Tian Shan Mountain, which is capped by glacier and snow glistening in the sun, finely contrasted with blue lake water, forming a fabulous scenery.

Lunch (15usd/pax pay on your own) will be arranged in the local Kazakh yurt by the side of the lake. Afterwards back to Urumqi to visit the Xinjiang Regional Museum which is the main institution to collect and investigate the unearthed cultural relics and specimens in Xinjiang.

Optional: if time permit, you can do free shopping in the International bazaar, and upgrade your service to Enjoy the Xinjiang Culture show with Banquette (fr. 50USD)

Breakfast time in the hotel is from 7am to 11am, enjoy your delighted buffet breakfast and our nice and driver will meet you at the hotel lobby around 08:30. Then drive about 3hrs to Turpan, we will pass by the Wind power station at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains in 1hr, stop 10 minutes here for photo and rest. We can visit the Salt lake, Flaming Mountain en route. Continue our driving to the first stop Bezkilk Grottoes which is located in the middle of the Flaming mountain, 1hrs visiting to the Buddhist Center of Gaochang Kingdom in 5 Century.

Then 20 minutes driving to Tuyoq Village which is the saint site for the Muslim and also called Mecca in Xinjiang. Walking in this old and relaxing village surrounded by the grapes and mountains, you get to know the story of the famous adventurers Von Lacoq from German. The lunch will be arrange in the local Uighur family (the expenses will be on your own 10-15usd/person)

After lunch, we will head to Turpan, the oasis in the desert holding the hottest,lowest,sweetest and driest features. 1 hour's driving to visit the Jiaohe Ruins which is better reserved and resembles Pompei, but it is 300years older.Tonight we will overnight in Shanshan, the peaceful county. 

Today we will start our journey from the Sugong Minaret, it was built in 1777 to commemorate and praise Turpans ruler, Emin Khoja, who had achieved brilliant military success in suppressing the armed rebellion. After the ONE hours visiting, the weather getting hotter and now we will head to Karez underground irrigation system that people produce the best grapes and melons from it in China. Cool yourselves when walking under the ground by the side of the well.

Thereafter, go to the local market to know more about the authentic life of Turpan people, buy some fruits and snacks here for your overnight train to Kashgar. Having dinner in the local Uighur family in the grape trellises. Be transferred to the train station, our guide will try to say goodbye in the platform. Have a pleasant train ride journey. 

Our nice guide and driver will meet you at the train station and then we will drive along the Karakom Highway which is twisting in the valley of the mountain to visit the Karakul Lake. In the next 2 hours thrilling journey, we will have stunning views of the great Pamir Plateau as we drive across the vast plain, you'll pass by sand dunes, mountains, and sandstone valleys before we reach the Karakul Lake that Kirghiz herdsmen usually settle down and graze their herds. You can pay to visit the yurt of local nomadic Kirghiz tasting the milk tea and snack when talking with them. In the afternoon, we will head to Taxkorgan County with about 6 hours driving. Upon your arrival, have a good rest.

In the morning, we are going to today's first site Stone Fortress, which is located on a tableland northeast of the county seat of Taxkorgan. The city is a strategic castle on the ancient Silk Road and now has been designated as a key cultural relic protection unit in the autonomous region. There are snow peaks, grass beaches, rivers around the castle, as welll as the Tajik Ethnic customs. You can also stroll around the local pasture, to explore the lifestyle of Tajik.

After the visiting, you will say goodbye with Taxkorgan, and bus transfer to Kashgar with the beautiful scenery along the way. 

After breakfast, around 9am, our guide will bring you to visit the Idigar Mosque which is an architectural treasure built in 1442. As the largest mosque in Xinjiang，It is not only the holiest mosque for the Muslims to pray, but also the center of religious activities. Then it is the time to visit the Kashgar Old Town that the ceremony of welcoming the tourist held at 10:30am, come on join the Maxilap show to dance with performers. Afterwords, walking in the street to explore the special culture,art character and the customer of their daily life. You are suggested to pay the visiting to the local Uighur family and having lunch is also highly recommended. 

Highlight of Kashgar visiting is to experience the livestock trades of the farmers in the Sunday bazaar which is the biggest one in the World. Continue the visiting to the Central Asia market displayed numerous varieties of the goods from neighbouring countries.

After visiting the famous livestock market, We are going to start our Kashgar city tour with the 1hr visiting to Apak Hoja Tombs, which is an architectural and artistic treasure Built in 1640. Then enjoy the easy walking in the Handicraft street where displayed not only the various products,handicraft etc, but also the fruits, vegetables and food of the daily life resources. Hundred years of the Tea House will be our special arrangement for you, Tea and nang bread will be served, Musical instrument performance of the local Uighur might be enjoyed if lucky. 

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel, then we will meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer you to the airport to catch your international flihgt. If there is an early flight, we will prepare a packed breakfast for you.