9 Days North Xinjiang Tour with Kanas Lake from Urumqi

Tour Overview

Mainly explore the natural beauty of northern Xinjiang During the 9-day private Xinjiang trip starting from Urumqi. Heavenly Lake is our first stop, offering the high mountains, lakes, and boating experience. Afterward, fly to Altay and immerse yourself in the mysterious Kanas Lake, famous for its ever-changing scenery and water monster legends.

Next, witness a picturesque Yardang landform of Five-Colored Bay and the geological wonders in Keketuohai National Geopark. See rare wild animals in Kalamaili Nature Reserve. Finally, we return to Urumqi.

Highlights of this tour

Immerse yourself in the breathtaking mountain scenery of Heavenly Lake.
Visit the Red Hill Park, the symbol of Urumqi city.
Experience the lively atmosphere, Islamic architecture, and local delicacies at Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar.
Discover the mystical beauty of Kanas Lake, with its ever-changing scenery.
Admire the wonderful Yardang landform at Five-Colored Bay.
Marvel at the geological features at Keketuohai National Geopark.
Witness the freedom of rare wild animals in Kalamaili Nature Reserve.

Basic Trip Information

Travel Route: Urumqi-Kanas-Burqin-Fuyun-Urumqi

Travel Length: 9 Days and 8 Nights

Tour Code:

Group Size: Only your family or group

Suitable for: Culture and nature lovers

Departure: Any day you want

Your tour – quick look

Day 1-3 Arrival & Urumqi Tour

Two days exploration of the beautiful Heavenly Lake (with optional boat trip), spectacular Red Hill Park, and lively Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar.

Day 4-5 Kanas Tour

Enjoy 2 days in Kanas Nature Reserve exploring its stunning scenery and mysterious legends.

Day 6-7 Burqin & Fuyun Tour

Witness a picturesque Yardang landform of Five-colored Bay and appreciate the rich geological wonders in Keketuohai National Geopark.

Day 8-9 Urumqi Departure

Drive back to Urumqi and enjoy the Gobi scenery on the way. Pass through the Kalamaili Nature Reserve for seeing rare wild animals such as Mongolian wild donkeys.

Day-to-day Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Urumqi

Hello! Welcome to our 9-day private Northern Xinjiang tour to Kanas Lake! Upon your arrival, your local driver will meet you at the airport by holding the name board. Then you will be escorted to the hotel. Enjoy your free time for the rest of the day.

Meal: N/A

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Day 2 Urumqi to Heavenly Lake Tour
Enjoy the Natural Landscapes Surrounding the Heavenly Lake

After breakfast, your Xinjiang trip begins! The tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and then drive for about 1.5 hours to reach Tianshan Tianchi, aka the Heavenly Lake, a 5A level scenic spot known for its high mountains, lakes, and magnificent natural scenery. Your expert guide will explain the myths related to the area, such as the bathing of the Queen Mother of the West. Optional boat activities (at your own expense) are available here. After the tour, go back to Urumqi.‌

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Day 3 Urumqi to Altay Tour by Flight
Appreciate Islamic-style Buildings and Try Local Food

This morning, you will visit Red Hill Park, which lies on the east bank of the Urumqi River and is regarded as the symbol of Urumqi city. The following site would be Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar, where you can appreciate the beauty of the Islamic-style building complex and experience and try local shopping, food, and amusement.

After the visit, take a afternoon flight to Altay. Upon arrival, meet your private driver and be transferred to a hotel in Altay for check-in.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Altay

Xinjiang Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar — Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar

Day 4 Altay to Kanas Lake Tour
Immerse in the Endless Beauty of Kanas Lake

After your breakfast in the hotel, you will board the car and drive for about 3 hours to “the fairy on earth” – Kanas Lake. The lake is located on the Altay mountain in the north part of Burqin. Kanas is the Mongolian language and it means “the beautiful and mysterious lake”. The ever-changing beautiful natural scenery and the strange phenomena make the lake attractive to all visitors.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kanas

Day 5 Kanas Lake Tour
Explore Highlight Scenery and Enjoy Your Free Time

Today is all about the Kanas Lake. Our private guide will accompany you to explore some of the highlight scenery in the lake area. You also have some free time to explore the scenery on your own and take some excellent pictures.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kanas

Day 6 Kanas to Burqin Tour
Capture the Picturesque Yardang Landform

After hotel breakfast, we will drive to Burqin County. On the way, we will make a stop at the Five-Colored Bay, a picturesque Yardang landform. The unique landform and the dry climate cooperate to create the amazing views.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Burqin

xinjiang Five-Colored Bay — Five-Colored Bay

Day 7 Bruqin to Fuyun Tour
Learn about Unique Geological Structure

Today, we drive for about 350 km to continue your Xinjiang tour to the Keketuohai National Geopark. The geo-park consists of four parts: Eerqisi Grand Valley, Swan Lake, Yileimute Lake, and Kalaxiangeer seismo-fault. In the park, you will appreciate the natural scenery, local geological structure, and local folk culture.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Fuyun

Keketuohai National Geopark north xinjiang — Keketuohai National Geopark

Day 8 Fuyun to Urumqi Tour
Witness Spectacular Sight of Wild Animals Running Freely

Today we will drive for about 8 hours (670km) back to Urumqi. It would be a nice chance to enjoy the unique desert and Gobi scenery during the driving time.

On the way you will pass through the Kalamaili Nature Reserve. A habitat for rare wild animals such as Mongolian wild donkeys and argali sheep, it is known as the “Beast Watching Paradise”. You can enjoy the spectacular sight of wild animals running freely in the natural environment here.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Day 9 Departure from Urumqi

Our driver will meet you at the confirmed time in your hotel and then escort you to the airport or train station for departure. This is the end of your 9-day private Xinjiang tour package with Kanas Lake!

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: N/A

Request a Custom Quote Today

The price varies based on the activity, number of people, date of trip, and selected hotel. Kindly get in touch with us for a precise cost according to your specifications.

What’s included?

8 nights’ accommodation in well-selected hotels;

Meals listed in the itinerary;

Private air-conditioned vehicle with licensed drivers;

Excellent local English-speaking tour guides services as mentioned in the itinerary;

Entrance tickets as mentioned in the itinerary;

Second-class train tickets and economic-class flights mentioned in the itinerary;

1 bottle of mineral water per person per day;

China Travel Insurance.

What’s excluded?

Flight/train tickets to/off Urumqi;

Any optional activities inside the attractions;

Any item not mentioned in the itinerary;

Single Room Supplement;

All kinds of gratuities for guides, drivers & others.

What You’ll Receive at Chinasilkroadtours

At the heart of Chinasilkroadtours is the seamless service offered together by our 1-on-1 travel consultant, meticulous tour operators, expert local guides, and attentive local drivers. Our service is therefore made to be as unique as you are.

1-on-1 Travel Advisor

Your Silk Road experience starts with telling us your travel wishes and your one-on-one travel advisor designing the unique trip for you with their insider expertise.

Once we receive your request, one of our travel consultants will get back to you ASAP, typically within 24 hrs. Your travel consultant will then listen and learn about your travel style, your schedule, your budget, and your aspirations for your Silk Road travel plans. Based on this, she/he will provide you with a custom itinerary or a small group journey that suits your needs perfectly.

Plus, know your trip is taken care of by your 1-on-1 travel advisor with round-the-clock support should you need to alter your itinerary anytime.

Best Local Guides

Our locally-based guides narrate the Silk Road’s history and stories. They also provide with you insider tips, show you all the secret places, and introduce you to the locals.

Our best-selected guides are local people living in the cities along the Silk Road. During your trip, be it a private tour or a small group, they offer more than just things you can learn from the guidebooks, they try to give you a real insight into the Silk Route.

Whether you are traveling with kids or seniors, our guides are very patient and always pay close attention to every detail.

Local Drivers & Vehicles

All our Silk Road tours use well-maintained and air-conditioned vehicles. Different types of vehicles, from cars to vans are selected depending on your group size and tour style. We also offer off-road vehicles for desert adventures.

Our experienced local drivers are familiar with the local road conditions of rough terrain, including desert highways and mountainous areas. They can easily navigate the roads, guaranteeing a comfortable and safe journey. Plus, they are well trained in a professional manner, being friendly and helpful.

Handpicked Hotels

Checking in and checking out the accommodations along the Silk Road every year, we hand-pick the best collection of accommodations.

The accommodations we choose include luxury, boutique, or comfortable hotels in major cities, comfortable or basic hotels in remote towns, and caravanserais and camping sites that offer a unique experience.

It’s your decision about where to stay that best suits your tastes and budget. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us.

Silk Road Foods

We also hand-pick restaurants with a variety of local cuisines, from Uyghur cuisine to Shaanxi Cuisine, to enrich your Silk Road travel experience.

Savor authentic Northwest Chinese, Uyghur, and Central Asian cuisines with the signature dishes and snacks. From delicious mutton soups to a wide range of noodles and a taste of the local “bread” like Roujiamo and naan, enjoy an expansive menu featuring local flavors.

Please let us know if you have any dietary allergies or what foods (e.g. Western foods) you or your kids enjoy.

Check What our delighted customers are saying about our services

Our 10-day mid Oct Silk Road trip was magical. Lenna at China Silk Road Tours took us through 3 customized our itinerary. We witnessed breathtaking sights along the way, including a Lake in a desert, snow-capped mountains, unreal layer-cake hills, ancient Silk Road ruins, Buddhist grottoes, museums… We enjoy the good meals, nice hotels and comfortable transport with professcional English-speaking guides.
Traveler634605
December 2024
It was a really great Silk Road trip with varying sights and experiences. W love the beautiful alpine mountains..and enjoy the desert experience with camel riding and the full Monti. The
Food arranged was great again. We always like the travel experience, together with different regional cuisines.
Bigg Caesar
October 2024
In Thailand, I run a travel agency. When travelling to the Gansu Silk Road, always use this agency. I think Sophia is an excellent trip operator. quick to respond to messages and attentive to every detail. We are unable to plan quality travel without a competent tour operator. Sally is the best guide as well; she is incredibly knowledgable and pays close attention to every aspect. I’d want to give these two girls a big thank you.
Anothai L
October 2024
Silk Road Tours was able to deliver with both excellence and value—thank you for a wonderful trip! Sophia responded to all requests with excellent suggestions and follow-through. We are a couple of over 60 years old who are very experienced travellers. Our travel style is to find good local guides and/or tours that offer excellent guidance with good value. We were able to travel efficiently with both high speed trains and a comfortable and private car.
Travel745
September 2024
In September, Sophia organised a party of 11 of us to travel the Silk Road from Urumqi to Lanzhou. The vacation was fantastic; the hotel accommodations, the history of each area we visited, and the scenery were all thoughtfully prepared for us. Sophia, thank you!
BYTKWAN
September 2024