Eleven-day Northern Xinjiang Tour

    Urumqi is the capital city of Xinjiang Uighur’s Autonomous Region. It is the most easily accessible city to travelers in Xinjiang. Your guide and driver will meet you at Urumqi Diwopu International Airport(URC), and then escort you to your hotel in downtown Urumqi.

    You will spend a whole day to tour in the Heavenly Mountain and the Heavenly Lake Scenic Area. The scenic area lies 97 kilometers(60 miles) to the east of downtown Urumqi. It is a five-star scenic area and a national geo-park. The park was added to the list of world natural heritage sites by UNESCO in 2013. Its wonders are the snow-capped mountains, the mirror-like lake, and the folk custom of Uyghur. The view of the mountain and the lake is very gorgeous.

    In the morning, you will travel to Karamay. The distance between Urumqi and Karamay is about 390 kilometers(242 miles). It takes about 5 hours to get to Karamay from Urumqi by car. When you reach Karamay, you will go to visit Heiyou Hill Scenic Area. Heiyou means black oil in English. There are many natural bitumen hills in the scenic area. The hills are the places where crude oil gushes out from the ground. You will spend the night in a hotel in downtown Karamay.

    After breakfast, you will leave your hotel for Burqin. Burqin is a county where the world famous Kanas Lake lies. It is located about 320 kilometers(200 miles) to the northeast of Karamay. On the way to Burqin, you will pass through the Hundred-Mile Oilfield which is the largest viscous crude oil reservoir in Mainland China. You will also pay a visit to Wuerhe Yadang National Geo-park. You will stay overnight in a hotel in Burqin.

    Wuerhe Yadang National Geo-park is also called the City of Devils. It covers an area of 10 square kilometers(3.81 sq.mi). The word “Yadang” originated from the Uighur language which means steep hills. It refers to a special landform in the Gobi Desert of China of which the formation is a result of wind erosion. The park features the absolutely unique Gobi Desert Landscape and the odd-shaped hills.

    In the morning, you will ride your private car to Kanas Lake National Geo-park. The scenic area is located in the north part of Burqin, about 130 kilometers(81 miles) to the county seat. The ride takes about three hours. You will spend the night in a hotel near the entrance of the scenic area.

    Kanas Lake lies at the border region between China, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. It is a national geo-park and a five-star scenic area. The geo-park covers an area of 10,030 square kilometers(3,873 sq.mi). Well-known as the Wonderland on the Earth, Kanas Scenic Area attracts photographers with its stunning glacial landscape. Set in the U-shaped valleys, Kanas Lake is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, creating a breathtaking scene that seems unreal. Its waters are the most amazing color, a rich shade of turquoise that changes in intensity through summer as the glaciers melt. The lake measures about 45 square kilometers(17 sq.mi) and 188.5 meters(618 feet) in depth. It is the deepest moraine lake in Mainland China. The must-see sightseeing spots in the park are the Crouching-Dragon Bay, the Moon Bay, the Fairy Bay and the Fish-watching Pavilion.

    In the morning, you will go to visit the Fish-watching Pavilion. The pavilion is situated on a mountain peak overlooking the huge Lake. The mountain is called Halakaite which originated from Mongolian, meaning a camel in English. The attitude of the peak is 2,030 meters(6,660 feet) above sea level. It provides a panoramic view of Kanas Lake.

    After having lunch, you will ride your private car to visit the Multi-colored Beach Scenic Area. The scenic area lies about 120 kilometers(75 miles) to the south of Kanas Lake National Geo-park. It covers an area of 300 hectares(741 acres). As a result of erosion, many gullies have been sculpted on the surface of rock strata by both wind and water. The gullies vary in color and in depth. The landscape of the Multi-colored Beach is amazingly gorgeous. The distance between the Multi-colored Beach and the county seat of Burqin is 24 kilometers(15 miles). By the evening, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel in Burqin.

    You will leave Burqin for Fuyun in the morning, be guided to Koktokay National Geo-park and be transferred to your hotel in Fuyun County in the late afternoon. The distance between Burqin and Fuyun is about 260 kilometers(162 miles). It takes about 4 hours to drive between the two towns. Koktokay is rich in mineral and sightseeing resources. The geo-park is 57 kilometers(35 miles) from the county seat of Fuyun. It has a huge spread of 788 square kilometers(304 sq.mi). The Irtysh River flows through the park, creating a dramatic canyon. As a five-star scenic area, the landscape of Koktokay features rolling mountains, murmuring streams, beautiful glacial lakes, virgin forests and verdant pastures. Natural attractions in Koktokay Geo-park include the Irtysh Grand Canyon, the Grove of Birch Trees, the Bell-shaped Hill, etc.

    You will set off for Urumqi after breakfast. Fuyun County is located about 470 kilometers(292 miles) to the north of Urumqi. It takes about six hours to get to Urumqi from Fuyun by car. On the way, you will pass through the Ungulate Nature Reserve and Huoshao Mountain.

    In the morning, you will travel to Turpan and pay a visit to the Ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City, the Karez Irrigation Project and the Grape Valley. You will spent the night in a hotel in Turpan. Turpan lies in the east part of Xinjiang Uighur’s Autonomous Region, about 200 kilometers(124 miles) to southeast of Urumqi. It used to be a very important point on the Ancient Silk Road. Turpan is a beautiful oasis in the Gobi Desert. It has abundant sightseeing resources, such as the Ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City, the Karez Irrigation Project, the Grape Valley, the Flaming Mountain, etc.

    The Ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City is located 12 kilometer(7.5 miles) from downtown Turpan. The site could be traced back to the second century. It was founded by the ancient Jushi people. In 2014, the assemblage of the ruins was added to the list of world cultural heritage sites by UNESCO.

    The Karez Irrigation Project was completed by the ancient Uighur people. It is a great achievement that the ancient Uighur people harnessed the scarce water resource in the Gobi desert. The project consists of wells, canals and small-sized reservoirs.

    The Grape Valley is about 4 kilometers(2.5 miles) to the northeast of the city. It is a five-star scenic area, is a place where visitors can experience the authentic Uighur’s daily life and culture.

    You will ride your car to visit the Flaming Mountain in the morning, and travel to Urumqi in the afternoon. The Flaming Mountain lies 29 kilometers(18 miles) to the east of downtown Turpan. The ridge of Flaming Mountain stretches for over 100 kilometers(62 miles) and is covered with a layer of reddish sandstone which looks like raging fire.

    In the morning, you may go to visit Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar. It is the largest bazaar in the world, covering an area of 3.98 hectares(9.9 acres). The bazaar consists of four parts, namely, the Trading Centre, the Banqueting Hall and Theater, the Gastronomic Square, and the Sightseeing Tower. It was founded in the year of 2003. The bazaar is called Edaoqiao Market or Da-Bazar by locals. It features the Muslim architecture and the local specialties sold at booths. There are over 3,000 booths in the market, selling a wide range of products from fashions to fruits and nuts. The bazaar has become one of the landmarks of Urumqi and the window to showcase the whole Xinjiang Province.

    In the afternoon, you will be transferred to Urumqi Diwopu International Airport.