7 Days Classic Urumqi and Turpan Tour of Xinjiang

Tour Overview

7-Day private Xinjiang tour package to Urumqi and Turpan offers you a comprehensive exploration of these two cities. Urumqi, known as the “beautiful pasture,” is the capital with rich cultural heritage. Turpan, famous for its ancient Silk Road sites like the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, shows great natural landscapes and historical wonders.

On this tour in Xinjiang, the expert guide will take you on all the highlights of the destinations including the Heavenly Lake, Southern Pasture, Jiaohe Ruins, Thousand Buddha Caves, Sugong Pagoda, and Flaming Hill. Join us to enjoy a slow-paced Xinjiang journey.‌

Highlights of this tour

Discover stunning mountain and lake views at Tianshan Tianchi.
Enjoy vast grassland views and visit historical hunting grounds of Southern Pasture.
Marvel at the ancient Jiaohe Ruins, the best-preserved earth construction in the world.
Admire intricate murals at Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves.
Dive into Uyghur culture and shop at the largest international trade market in Urumqi.

Basic Trip Information

Travel Route: Urumqi-Turpan-Urumqi

Travel Length: 7 Days and 6 Nights

Tour Code:

Group Size: Only your family or group

Suitable for: Culture & history lovers, nature lovers

Departure: Any day you want

Your tour – quick look

Day 1-3 Arrival, Urumqi Tour

Enjoy 2 full days exploring Urumqi’s best attractions: the Heavenly Lake with an optional cruise, Southern Pasture, a local family visit, and Xinjiang Regional Museum.

Day 4-5 Turpan Tour

Drive for 3 hours to Turpan to visit the highlights of Jiaohe Ruins, Sugong Pagoda, Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, and Flaming Mountain. After the visits, travel back to Urumqi.

Day 6-7 Departure

Have an in-depth look at the folk culture of Xinjiang at the Xinjiang Grand Bazaar before departure Urumqi.

Day-to-day Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Urumqi

Upon your arrival at Urumqi airport/train station, our local driver will wait for you by holding a welcome board and transfer to your well-selected hotel. Enjoy your free time in the rest of the day.

Meal: N/A

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Day 2 Heavenly Lake Tour from Urumqi
Enjoy Beautiful Mountain & Lake Views and Local Legends

In the morning, your guided Urumqi tour in Xinjiang begins! Meet your private guide in the hotel lobby and 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.

The expert tour guide will explain the myths related to the area, such as the bathing of the Queen Mother of the West. Optional boat activities (self funded) are available here. After the tour, drive you back to Urumqi hotel for rest.‌

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Heavenly Lake Xinjiang — Heavenly Lake of Tianshan Mountain

Day 3 Urumqi to Southern Pasture Tour
Appreciate Grassland Scenery, Learn Xinjiang’s History

Today, continue your Urumqi trip to Southern Pasture, which takes approximately 50 minutes by car. It was a famous hunting area during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and a famous pasture during the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911). This place has received many heads of state and leaders from various countries, and enjoys a certain reputation both domestically and internationally.

Located in the heartland of Asia, Southern Pasture is characterized by its ice and snow landscapes, lush forests and grasslands, unique mountain rocks, high-altitude forest pastoral scenery, and rich ethnic minority customs. Appreciate the beautiful grassland scenery and herds of cattle and horses. The tour guide will also take you to visit a local family and learn about their living habits.

At last, drive back to Urumqi for a visit to Xinjiang Regional Museum. Here you will have a glimpse of Xinjiang’s history and costume by admiring the ethnic and historic artifacts and some well-preserved mummies.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Xinjiang Museum Urumqi — Xinjiang Regional Museum

Day 4 Urumqi to Turpan Tour
Marvel at the Old & Well-preserved Earth Construction

After breakfast, your Urumqi tour guide will transfer you to Turpan for 3 hours. Upon arrival, start the Turpan tour with a visit to the 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, dating back to 2nd century BC. After the visit, drive you to the hotel in Turpan for check-in.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Turpan

Day 5 Best Turpan Tour
Admire the Colorful Murals of Thousand Buddha Caves

Today, continue your tour in Turpan and visit Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, one of the largest Buddhist cave temple sites in Xinjiang. Founded in the late period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties and spanning 7 centuries including the Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, and Yuan dynasties, it was once the center of Buddhism in the Gaochang region. There are 83 existing caves, including over 40 with murals, covering a total area of 1,200 square meters.

After that, transfer to the hottest place along the Silk Road in China – Flaming Hill, famous for its unique fiery red mountain body. The mountain is composed of reddish red sand and gravel, and under the sunlight, the hot air flows vigorously, like flames burning. The highest temperature in summer can reach over 49 ℃ (120 ℉), and the surface temperature can even exceed 70 ℃ (158 ℉).

At last, go to admire Sugong Pagoda, the largest existing ancient Islamic pagoda in Xinjiang. Then drive back to your hotel for a rest.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Turpan

Day 6 Turpan to Urumqi Tour
An In-depth Look at the Folk Culture of Xinjiang

After hotel breakfast, we will drive for 3 hours again and back to Urumqi. Upon arrival, have a short rest. Then go to visit Xinjiang Grand Bazaar to observe the largest international trade market in Urumqi. The typical Uyghur-style grand bazaar is honored as the “Window of Xinjiang” and “Window of Central Asia”, where you will have an in-depth look at the folk culture of Xinjiang. After that, drive back to the hotel.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Xinjiang Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar — Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar

Day 7 Departure from Urumqi

After breakfast, a local driver will escort you to Urumqi train station or airport for your departure to next destination. Your 7-day private Xinjiang trip to Urumqi and Turpan ends here.

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?

6 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/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