4 Days Xinjiang Tour of Turpan and Urumqi (Train Arrival)

Tour Overview

This 4-day private Xinjiang tour of Turpan and Urumqi takes you through rich history and breathtaking landscapes. Arriving by train in Turpan, you’ll explore the Karez Well, Jiaohe Ancient City, and the elegant Emin Minaret.

Continue to the Flaming Mountains and the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves before heading to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang. Discover the amazing Heavenly Lake with a peaceful boat ride, and if time permits, visit the Xinjiang Regional Museum before your departure.

Highlights of this tour

Discover an ancient underground irrigation system – Karez Well.
Explore the well-preserved Jiaohe Ancient City, once a capital.
Admire the majestic Emin Minaret, a 44-meter-tall Islamic pagoda.
Hike the Flaming Mountains, featuring vibrant red sandstone peaks.
Experience the tranquil beauty of Heavenly Lake, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, lush flora, and crystal-clear waters on a peaceful boat cruise.
Visit Xinjiang Regional Museum to admire more than 5,000 culture and history relics.

Basic Trip Information

Travel Route: Turpan-Urumqi

Travel Length: 4 Days and 3 Nights

Tour Code:

Group Size: Only your family or group

Suitable for: Culture & history lovers, nature lovers

Departure: Any day you want

Day-to-day Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Turpan
Explore City Highlights, Underground Well, Earth Construction…

Welcome to Turpan. Your private guide and driver will pick you up at the train station and drive to the city to visit an ingenious underground water conservancy project – Karez Well, which is unique to Xinjiang and known as the “Great Wall of Groundwater”. It utilizes terrain and groundwater irrigation to turn deserts into oases. ‌‌

After the Karez visit, transfer to another famous relic – Jiaohe Ancient City, which used to be the capital city of the former Cheshi State. It is renowned as the “perfect ruin of earth building” because it has been well preserved for almost two thousand years.

The last activity for today’s Turpan tour is to visit the Emin Minaret. It is an elegant and innovative Islamic pagoda. Emin Minaret looks like an awl which is 44 meters high. Nearby, there is an ornate mosque. Then, drive you to a local hotel for a rest.

Meal: N/A

Accommodation: in Turpan

Day 2 Turpan to Urumqi Tour
Visit Flame Mountains, Appreciate Exquisite Murals

After breakfast, continue your Xinjiang tour in Turpan with a visit to the Flaming Mountains. Stretching about 100km, Flaming Hill is covered by red sandstones which look like a flaming fire.

Then, you will be transferred to explore the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves. Its highlight is about 40 large wall paintings covering more than 1,200 square meters which have different themes, such as the Gaochang Kingdom, Buddhism, etc. After all visits, drive you for 3 hours to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Xinjiang Flaming Mountain — Flaming Mountain

Day 3 Urumqi to Heavenly Lake Tour
Enjoy a Leisurely Cruise on the Beautiful Alpine Lake

After breakfast, drive for 1.5 hours to visit the beautiful Heavenly Lake. It is located on the Heaven Mountain. In ancient fairytales, it was the fairyland where the Heavenly Queen lived. It is the best summer resort in Xinjiang. Cruising on a boat, enjoy the breathtaking picturesque views of inverted reflection of snow mountains, flourishing plants, and blooming flowers around the lake.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Day 4 Departure from Urumqi

Today is free for you to explore Urumqi by yourself until your driver escorts you to the airport for your flight.

If your flight departs late, you can take a visit to Xinjiang Regional Museum which is an integrated museum, located in Urumqi City. It is a beautiful building decorated in Uygur style and has more than 5,000 arts and history relics. It features three exhibition halls: Ethnic Exhibition, History Relics Exhibition, and Mummy Exhibition. This is the end of your 4-day Turpan and Urumqi tour in Xinjiang.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: N/A

Xinjiang Museum Urumqi — Xinjiang Regional Museum

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?

3 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;

1 bottle of mineral water per person per day;

China Travel Insurance.

What’s excluded?

Flight/train tickets to Turpan / 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