18 Days Silk Road & Northern Xinjiang Tour

Tour Overview

Xinjiang is vast — larger than France and Germany combined. This 18-day grand tour does it justice, combining the classic Silk Road route with the breathtaking landscapes of Northern Xinjiang. From the turquoise waters of Kanas Lake in autumn to the rainbow mountains of Zhangye, from the grasslands of Ili to the Sunday Bazaar in Kashgar — this is Xinjiang at its most magnificent.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

• 1Day

  Arrive in Urumqi

  Welcome to Xinjiang's capital. Airport transfer, hotel check-in. Evening visit to Hongshan Park for city views, followed by Uyghur welcome dinner.

  🏨 Urumqi 4★🍴 D
• 2Day

  Urumqi ✈ Kanas

  Morning flight to Kanas Airport. Transfer to Kanas Lake Nature Reserve — one of China's most beautiful alpine lakes. Afternoon hike along the lake trail, photographing the famous "Moon Bay" and "Dragon Bay."

  🏨 Jiadengyu 4★🍴 B/L/D
• 3Day

  Kanas — Hemu Village

  Drive to Hemu Village, a remote Tuwa settlement tucked in a valley of birch forests. Horse trek to Beauty Peak for panoramic views. Stay in a cozy wooden lodge.

  🏨 Hemu Lodge🍴 B/L/D
• 4Day

  Hemu → Altay → Urumqi

  Sunrise photography at Hemu — the morning mist rising over wooden cabins is iconic. Drive to Altay, visit the Altay Museum, afternoon flight back to Urumqi.

  🏨 Urumqi 4★🍴 B/L
• 5Day

  Urumqi → Sayram Lake

  Morning departure to Sayram Lake (6 hrs). This high-altitude lake is the largest in the Tianshan range, known as the "Last Teardrop of the Atlantic." Afternoon hike around the lake.

  🏨 Sayram Lake Resort🍴 B/L/D
• 6Day

  Sayram → Naraty Grasslands

  Cross the spectacular Guozigou Bridge en route to Naraty. Spend the afternoon on horseback across the vast alpine grasslands, visiting Kazakh yurt camps.

  🏨 Naraty Lodge🍴 B/L/D
• 7Day

  Naraty → Ili River Valley

  Drive through the Ili River Valley. Visit lavender fields (Jun-Jul) and local Uyghur villages. Evening arrival in Yining for dinner and rest.

  🏨 Yining 4★🍴 B/L/D
• 8Day

  Yining ✈ Urumqi → Turpan

  Morning flight to Urumqi, then drive to Turpan (3 hrs). Visit the ancient Jiaohe Ruins — a Silk Road city carved from raw earth. Evening grape harvest experience at Grape Valley.

  🏨 Turpan 4★🍴 B/L/D
• 9Day

  Turpan — Flaming Mountains & Karez

  Visit the Flaming Mountains, made famous in Journey to the West. Tour the ingenious Karez underground irrigation system. Afternoon at the Emin Minaret and local bazaar.

  🏨 Turpan 4★🍴 B/L
• 10Day

  Turpan → Dunhuang (High-speed train)

  High-speed train to Dunhuang (4 hrs). Evening at Shazhou Night Market for local snacks — try donkey meat noodles and apricot tea.

  🏨 Dunhuang 4★🍴 B
• 11Day

  Dunhuang — Mogao Caves

  Full morning at the UNESCO Mogao Caves — 492 cave temples with 45,000 sqm of Buddhist murals. Afternoon camel ride at Singing Sand Dunes and sunset at Crescent Moon Spring.

  🏨 Dunhuang 4★🍴 B/L/D
• 12Day

  Dunhuang — Yumen Pass & Yardang Ghost City

  Drive to Yumen Pass, the ancient frontier gate of the Han Dynasty. Continue to Yardang Ghost City — surreal wind-carved formations in the Gobi Desert.

  🏨 Dunhuang 4★🍴 B/L/D
• 13Day

  Dunhuang → Jiayuguan → Zhangye

  Drive to Jiayuguan (5 hrs). Visit the Jiayuguan Fortress at the western end of the Ming Great Wall. Continue to Zhangye for overnight.

  🏨 Zhangye 4★🍴 B/L/D
• 14Day

  Zhangye — Danxia Rainbow Mountains

  Morning at the Giant Buddha Temple. Afternoon at Zhangye Danxia National Geopark — the multicolored rock formations are at their most vivid in the late afternoon sun.

  🏨 Zhangye 4★🍴 B/L
• 15Day

  Zhangye ✈ Kashgar

  Flight to Kashgar via Urumqi. Afternoon exploring Kashgar Old City's maze of alleyways. Evening tea at a 100-year-old teahouse with live Uyghur music.

  🏨 Kashgar 4★🍴 B
• 16Day

  Kashgar — Sunday Bazaar & Karakoram Highway

  Sunday Market — the ultimate Silk Road experience. Thousands of traders, livestock, spices, and carpets. Afternoon drive along the Karakoram Highway to Karakul Lake.

  🏨 Kashgar 4★🍴 B/L
• 17Day

  Kashgar — Id Kah Mosque & Abakh Khoja Tomb

  Visit Id Kah Mosque, China's largest. Tour Abakh Khoja Tomb — the "Fragrant Concubine's" mausoleum. Farewell dinner with Uyghur dance performance.

  🏨 Kashgar 4★🍴 B/L/D
• 18Day

  Depart Kashgar

  Airport transfer for departure. Your grand Xinjiang odyssey concludes. 再见!

  🍴 B

What's Included

What's Excluded