7 Days North Xinjiang Scenic Group Tour
Tour Overview
This 7-day North Xinjiang group tour takes you through beautiful landscapes, rich culture, and unique geological sites. Experience the alpine beauty of Heavenly Lake, visit the charming Hemu Village, and explore the geological wonders at Keketuohai Park.
Discover the breathtaking Kanas Nature Reserve with its renowned bays, and get astounded by the vibrant colors of Five-Colored Beach. And finally, uncover the mysteries of the enigmatic Ghost City. A perfect retreat for nature lovers, photographers, and travelers eager to uncover the secrets of Northern Xinjiang.
Highlights of this tour
- Stroll by crystal clear waters of the Heavenly Lake and breathe in the fresh alpine air.
- Explore the picturesque Hemu Village where Kazakh and Tuva communities live.
- Discover the world-renowned mineral-rich formations and geological wonders.
- Take pictures of the amazing views of three stunning bays in Kanas – Wolong, Moon, and Shenxian – surrounded by lush forests and misty landscapes.
- Wander through the Yardang landforms at the Five-Colored Beach and explore the eerie, ancient Ghost City.
Basic Trip Information
Travel Route: Urumqi-Hemu-Kanas-Urho-Urumqi
Travel Length: 7 Days and 6 Nights
Tour Code:
Group Size: Only your family or group
Suitable for: Nature lovers, photographers
Departure: Any day you want
Your tour – quick look
Day 1-2 Urumqi Arrival and Tour
On the arrival day, visit the famous Erdaoqiao International Grand Bazaar. Then take a side trip to the Heavenly Lake for a leisurely walk or cruise. Thne drive to Koktokay town with a glimpse of the Kalamaili Nature Reserve on the way.
Day 3-5 Hemu & Kanas Tour
Before visiting Hemu Village, take a guided tour of the Keketuohai National Geological Park. Hemu Village is a quaint settlement where Kazakh and Tuva communities coexist harmoniously. Then spend a whole day in the amazing Kanas Nature Reserve.
Day 6-7 Travel to Urho and Back to Urumqi
Compare the different landforms of Yardang at Five-Colored Beach and Ghost City. Drive 6 hours back to Urumqi for departure.
Day-to-day Itinerary
Day 1 Urumqi Arrival
Be Guided to Glimpse the Window of Central Asia
HELLO! Welcome to our 7-day North Xinjiang small group tour for natural beauty! Please arrive at Urumqi Diwobao Airport between 2 PM and 3 PM. We will arrange the free pick-up service.
After meeting all members, start your guided tour at the famous Erdaoqiao International Grand Bazaar, the ‘Window of Central Asia’. Here, you’ll admire Islamic architecture, sample local specialty food and enjoy Uyghur street dance performances.
After the visit, be transferred to the hotel near the Heavenly Lake for check-in (around 1.5 hours drive from Urumqi).
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: near Heavenly Lake
Day 2 Urumqi to Koktokay Town
Enjoy a Leisurely Cruise or Walk along the Heavenly Lake
After breakfast, pack your belongings and head to the must-see attraction on a Xinjiang tour – Tian Chi, aka the Heavenly Lake.
Board the shuttle bus for a 35-minute transfer to the edge of Tianchi. Upon arrival, enjoy the pristine alpine landscape when you stroll along the crystal waters and breathe in the fresh mountain air. If you want a unique perspective, you can pay on sit for a leisurely cruise. Get a close-up view of the surrounding forests and snow mountains. Your guide will also share with you the legendary tale of the Heavenly Lake – once the bathing pool of the Queen Mother of the West.
After departing, proceed toward Fuyun County for overnight accommodation. En route, the van takes you to the expansive Gurbantunggut Desert and crosses through the Kalamaili Nature Reserve. You might spot herds of wild donkeys and mountain goats galloping across the desert steppe.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Koktokay
Day 3 Drive from Koktokay to Burqin
Explore the Mineralogical Marvel in No.3 Mine
Today’s itinerary features an exploration of Keketuohai National Geological Park, spanning 2,337.9 square kilometers. It is renowned for its granite formations and mineral-rich deposits.
The highlight is the No. 3 Mine, acclaimed both domestically and internationally as the ”Geological and Mineralogical Museum” – a pilgrimage site for geologists worldwide. This mineralogical marvel contains 86 out of Earth’s 140 known mineral species, with rare metals constituting over 90% of its total reserves. The professional guide will unveil the geological mysteries. You can learn about the unique formation processes.
After the visit, drive for 4.5 hours to Burqin for the night.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Burqin
Day 4 Burqin to Hemu Village
Learn about the Traditions of Tuva People
After breakfast, the North Xinjiang group tour leads you to visit Hemu Village, a quaint settlement where Kazakh and Tuva communities coexist harmoniously. Accessible via shuttle bus, this UNESCO-listed heritage site is a paradise for photographers. Be prepared for timber-framed houses, free-grazing cattle and sheep, snow-capped peaks… You are free to explore the village, observing the Tuva people’s centuries-old traditions.
Note: please have lunch or dinner here in the hotel, otherwise no breakfast will be served. The Chinese-style dinner is available, about RMB 80 per person, please pay on site yourself.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Hemu
Day 5 Hemu to Kanas Nature Reserve
Capture the Amazing Beauty of Three Bays & Kanas Lake
In the morning, you will be sent to Kanas Nature Reserve. First, visit the essence part, three bays. Wolong Bay is surrounded by dense forests, with colorful flowers and lush green grass. Looking down at the bay, it resembles a coiled dragon, hence its name. Moon Bay is indeed a pearl embedded in the Kanas River and is the most famous attraction in Kanas. Usually, photos representing Kanas can be taken here. Shenxian Bay is a shallow swamp formed by the Kanas River in a low and gentle mountain stream. The river here divides the forest and grassland into small islands. Tourists often see clouds and mist swirling around.
Afterward, the sightseeing bus will take you to the Fish Watching Platform, where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Kanas Lake. The guide will explain the legend of the water monsters in the lake to you. After the tour, be escorted to Jiadengyu for check-in.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Jiadengyu
Day 6 To Urho from Kanas
Admire the Vibrant Yardang Landscapes
Depart early for the highlight today – Five-Colored Beach – a striking 1-kilometer-long attraction famed for its Yardang landforms. Wander along boardwalks and observation decks, with most visitors completing in 2 hours (photographers may linger longer for better light). At sunset, the landscape transforms golden-to-crimson hues, looking quite amazing.
Continue driving along the Gurbantunggut Desert to the Ghost City. Also known as the ‘Wind City’, it is a typical Yardang landform with a core area of 22 square kilometers. This landform was formed 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, when it was a huge freshwater lake inhabited by stegosaurs, plesiosaurs, and other ancient creatures. After undergoing crustal changes, the lake gradually evolved into rocks. Whenever the strong wind suddenly rises, strange roars will be heard here, hence it is called Ghost City. We stay overnight in Urho.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Urho
Day 7 Departure from Urumqi
Today we will drive for about 6 hours back to Urumqi. You will be sent to Urumqi Airport to take a flight and leave. You are advised to book a return flight after 5pm to ensure that your itinerary is not rushed.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
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