This 12 days Xinjiang tour package includes not only major tourist cities like Urumqi, Turpan, and Kashgar but also small yet fascinating Korla, Kuqa, Hotan, and Yarkant, which will show you more about Xinjiang. If you want to get away from monotonous daily life, Xinjiang is the perfect place where you will find a new world, have a totally different traveling experience and create fond memories. The biggest desert in China is waiting for you to conquer!
Urumqi
Urumqi
Day 1 Urumqi arrival
Day 2 Urumqi – Turpan by Car: Jiaohe Ruins, Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Cave, Flaming Hill
Day 3 Tupran – Korla by Car: Tiemen Pass
Day 4 Korla – Kuqa by Car: Kuqa Grand Mosque, Subashi Ruins
Day 5 Kuqa: Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves
Day 6 Taklimakan Desert
Day 7 Totan: Hotan Museum
Day 8 Hotan – Yarkant by Car
Day 9 Yarkant – Kashgar by Car: Abakh Khoja Tomb
Day 10 Kashgar: Karakuri Lake
Day 11 Kashgar – Urumqi by Flight: Sunday Market, Id Kah Mosque, Old Town of Kashgar
Day 12 Urumqi departure
Our driver and guide will wait for you at the airport terminal exit by holding a welcome sign with your name on it. Then you will be driven to downtown hotel and have a good rest. The rest of the day is free at your disposal. Accommodation: Urumqi
Our guide in Urumqi will meet you at hotel lobby and escort you to Turpan by private car. Starts Turpan tour with Jiaohe Ruins, one of the most important towns along the ancient Silk Road and the largest, oldest and best-preserved earth construction in the world. Afterward pay a visit to Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Cave. The Buddhist murals and statues in the grottoes represent many social facts of Gaochang Kingdom which existed 1400 years ago. The last stop will be the hottest place along Silk Road in China– the Flaming Hill. The temperature in summer could reach 47.8 ℃.Accommodation: Turpan
In the morning meet your guide in hotel and board the car to start driving to Korla. The 5 hours driving would be a good chance to see virgin desert scenery. Arriving in Korla we will visit the Tiemen Pass which used to be the important forth on ancient Silk Road in the Han and the Tang Dynasty. You will also see the famous Yanqi Basin, which has the largest fresh water lake in China. Accommodation: Korla
Meet your guide and driver and continue your way to Kuqa which was known as capital city of Qiuci Kingdom in ancient time. In Kuqa you will firstly visit Kuqa Grand Mosque, the second biggest mosque in Xinjiang. Then a visit to local market you will see and feel the special trading way among local people. The market is said to be the best place to see true life of local people. At last you will visit Subashi Ruins, the site of famous “Kingdom of Lady” which existed in the Tang Dynasty. Accommodation: Kuqa
After breakfast, we will head for Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves, the oldest Buddhist art treasure trove in China. The first caves were made around the 3rd century, which is even one century earlier than the famous Mogao Grottoes. With a total number of 236 grottoes, now 80 of them still complete and shows amazing paintings. The Buddhist caves will also tell us some social and Buddhist facts of ancient Subashi Kingdom. Accommodation: Kuqa
Today, we will depart Kuqa and drive to Hotan. During the whole day we will be driving through Taklamakan Desert, the largest desert in China. Arriving in Hotan we will check in hotel and then please relax yourself. Accommodation: Hotan
After breakfast you will visit Hotan Museum which have a collection of 9499 valuable relics and over 600 books. It’s a great historical book to get to know the cultural and history of Uygur cultural. Then take a glimpse of Hotan River, the only river that flow through deep Taklamakan Desert. Along Hotal River many ancient kingdoms flourished in Desert. With fading of Silk Road those kingdoms disappear one after one. Accommodation: Hotan
After Breakfast, transfer to Yarkant for about 4-5hrs drive. Yarkant ( Shache), located on the southern rim of Taklamakan dessert. It is a oasis fed by the Yarkant River and it use to be a trade center and an important stops for the ancient land silk road to Europe. Marco Polo visited this city around late 13th century. Accommodation: Yarkant
After breakfast, transfer to Kashgar for about 3hrs drive. In Kashgar we will visit Abakh Khoja Tomb, an ancient Islamic building complex and a cemetery where five generations of famous Islamic masters were buried. Accommodation: Kashgar
After the breakfast, we will go to visit the Karakuri Lake which has an altitude of 3600 meters and has the snow cap all year around. Accommodation: Kashgar
In the morning go to visit the famous Sunday Market, also known as Sunday Bazaar, the largest international trade market on the northwest boundary line of China. Then visit Id Kah Mosque, a typical Islamic architecture like domes, minarets and arches, as well as pious prayers. This 500 years old Mosque is the largest mosque in China where 2000-3000 Muslim do their prayers every day. End the Kashgar tour with Old Town of Kashgar and then catch the evening flight to Urumqi. Arriving in Urumqi met by local driver and guide. Then check in hotel. Accommodation: Urumqi
Enjoy your free time till the hotel pickup. Then transfer to airport or train station for your next destination.