8-Day Xinjiang Private Tour of Kashgar, Urumqi and Turpan

Attractions: No
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Kashgar

Upon arrival at Kashgar Railway Station or Airport, our local driver will transfer you to the hotel for check-in. The rest time is free for you to explore Kashgar.

Attractions: China and Pakistan highway, Karakul Lake
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Taxkrogan

In the morning, enjoy your nice buffet breakfast. Our guide will meet you at hotel lobby to start the adventure. We will drive on the China and Pakistan Highway where you can appreciate the beautiful scenaries for Pamirs Plateau – snow mountain, lake. Experience beautiful Karakul Lake where the herds of livestock around the lakeside are reflected in lake Kirghiz herdsmen usually settle down and graze their herds before shuttling you onward to Taxkorgan. The lake lies about 200 kilometers from Kashgar City, at the foot of Mt. Muztagata. At an altitude of 3,600 meters, it is the highest lake on the Pamir Plateau. The lake is 30 meters deep and covers an area of 10 square kilometers. “Karakul” means “black sea” in the local language as the lake looks dark when the clouds block the sun. Later we will drive to Taxkrogan County for overnight stay.     

Attractions: Stone Fortress, Golden Grassland
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Kashgar

Before drive back to Kashgar, we will visit the Stone Fortress. Located on north side of Tashkurghan Tajik Autonomous County, Stone Fortress is a famous ancient city ruins on the ancient road in Xinjiang. The fortress is built on a high mount with very precipitous topography. Outside the city are multilevel or scattered walls, between which overlapping stone mounts form a unique stone city landscape.The city is oval in shape and the city walls were built with sun-dried bricks on stone foundation. It is 1285 metres in circumference outside. Over the past few years, new wooden pathways have been constructed to allow tourist to walk these beautiful grasslands, known as the Golden Grassland. From here you can get even better photos of the Stone Fortress. Walking around the pastureland to see Local Tajiks customs. There are yurts and frame houses of Tajik ethnic group providing rooms and board for visitors. You can also go out on the small rafts and enjoy yourselves in the scenic area. A reception center there facilitates rentals, yachts, camels, horses etc.

Attractions: Idigar Mosque, Sunday Bazaar, Handicraft Street
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi

Today meet your guide and driver at the hotel lobby, then we will do full day Kashgar city excursion. we will visit the Idigar Mosque, the largest Mosque in China and the most sacred mosque for the locals to practise their Islamic activities. Every day, 2-3 thousands of worshippers come here to pray, and 6-7 thousands on Friday afternoons. On festivals the numbers can surge to 20-30 thousands. On the Corban at prayer time, the mosque, the square, the streets, and the roads all around are full of piously kneeling Muslims. Around 10:30 we will go to visit the Old Town when the open ceremony ready to greeting all the tourists with the culture show, further exploration to the special culture and experience the lifestyle with the arrangements of the visiting to the local Uighur Family. Then we will pay a visit to the famous Sunday bazaar. Find a late moring to walk into the incredible Kashgar Sunday bazaar that used to be a great place to meet locals, merchants and travelers along the Silk Road. Nowdays, still many local will shif the Sheeps and cow to exchange in the local market. They will talk and bargin with hand language cover by sleeves that outsider can not understand at all. Kashgar city tour ends with the wandering to the bustling Handicraft street, dazzling jewelry, primitive pottery,unique musical instrument, daily resources of the locals. The spare time in the tea-house is our special arrangement for you to relax and get a feel for the local culture and traditions. After visiting, say goodbye to Kashgar and you will be transferred to the airport to take the flight to Urumqi.

Attractions: Heavenly Lake, Xinjiang International Bazaar
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi

Today you will drive to the picturesque Heavenly Lake, which is surrounded by the snow mountains, blooming wildflowers, evergreen pine trees. The crescent-shaped water area deserves its name, Pearl of Heavenly Mountain (Tianshan Mountain). With melted snow as its source, Heavenly Lake enjoys crystal water. Afterwards, transfer back to Urumqi about the other 1.5hrs, visit the Xinjiang International Bazaar, the largest bazaar in Urumqi. There are over 3,000 booths in Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar for selling garments, musical instruments, potteries, jewellery, nuts, fruits, and carpets. Other than shopping, you may attend the Banquet and Performance Theatre, taste snacks at the food square, join the excitement at Merry Square, and get a bird’s eye view of the whole bazaar from the No. 1 Sightseeing Tower.

Attractions: Tuyoq Village, Jiaohe Ruins
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Turpan

Today we will drive to the histroical sites and oasis land of Turpan. A must and first visit is the oldest Uighur village Tuyoq Village located in the very center of Flaming Mountain Canyon. It is an ancient oasis-village in the Taklamakan, 70 km east of Turpan in Shanshan County in a lush valley cutting into the Flaming Mountains, with a well preserved Uighur orientation, and few tourists. It is famous for its seedless grapes and a number of ancient Buddhist meditation caves nearby containing frescoes. Afterwards let’s pay a visit to the Jiaohe Ruins, one of the best preserved ruins of its ancient era in China. According to the legend of the West Area of the Book of Han, the Near Cheshi Country ruled Jiaohe. The river water was distributed in different directions surrounding the city and therefore named Jiaohe, meaning ‘confluence of rivers. The Jiaohe Ruins is the capital of Near Cheshi Country, one of the thirty-six countries in the west region in ancient times. The existing site belongs to an architectural cluster from the Tang Dynasty and is the earth construction site with the largest existing area and best-preserved state in the country.

Attractions: Karez Well, Sugong Minaret
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi

Morning depart from the hotel, we will head to the Karez Well, which is an important ancient irrigation system that is still used in Turpan. Karez is the Uyghur word for ‘well’, from the Persian for ‘channel’. The tunnel system provides water for local people to drink as well as to water their crops. Locals dug wells and tunnels to transfer water from mountains miles away from their farmland. Then explore the Sugong Minaret, the largest Islamic minaret in China built in 1778. Sugong Minaret is not only known for this legendary figure, but also for its unique architecture. Featuring a strong Islamic architectural style, it is made up totally of bricks with a height of 44 m. The diameter of its base reaches 10 m and the whole tower takes the shape of a cone with a wide base and a narrow top. After visiting, we will transfer back to Urumqi for rest.

Attractions: No
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Not included

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport and back to your destination. Wish you a pleasant journey home!