6 Days Tour to Xinjiang (Urumqi, Turpan and Kashgar)

At the end of August, I wanted to get away from my daily life, and then I booked a plane ticket to Xinjiang to join a 6 days trip. Accommodation is in Xinjiang Hyde hotels I reserved in advance; it is a five-star hotel with old facilities. I did not contact the travel agency before we set out to Urumqi, and we contact the local travel agency only through the hotel front desk after arrival.

Ps: Xinjiang is the real city that never sleeps, because the day is bright even in the evening of 20 and 21 o’clock.

About the travel of Xinjiang:
► Day 1: Urumqi

First stop we were going to a scenic spot that showing the Uighur folk culture in the Urumqi surrounding. It is not impressive so I can't even remember the name. Tourists can watch Uyghur marriage ceremony and simple song and dance performances inside, and you can wear Uighur clothes to take pictures.

Then we went to the famous Tianshan Mountain and Tianchi Lake, to be honest it is far from my imagination of that sacred wonderland.

 

 

Returning from Tianshan Mountain and Tianchi Lake, we took train from Urumqi to Beitun at night. The train departed at 7 o’clock in the evening, and arrived at 8 or 9 o’clock in the next day morning. Tourists have better looking for the travel agency to buy train tickets, it is said that during the peak season, train tickets would have monopolized by several big local travel agents.

Came out from the train station, there was a guide showed up with a small flag. He took a bus of people to have a simple breakfast, and then went toward the direction of Kanas. It took a long time along the Gobi to Rainbow Beach (or Colorful Beach). This is a scenic spot on the way to Kanas. It is a natural formation of the five colors of sand landscape. Compared with previous Tianshan and Tianchi, I thought here was quite beautiful.
 


Then continue to drive for three or four hours we finally arrived at the legendary Kanas. Kanas is really very beautiful, there is especially suitable for people who like to take pictures of landscape. The weather was changeable in the mountains which alternated between sun and rain, and surprisingly when we took the boat for sightseeing in Kanas Lake, we saw super beautiful rainbow after the rain.

► Day 3: Staying in Kanasa

 
 

Staying in Kanas for 2 days, we took the train back to Urumqi, and without a stop to Turpan. From Urumqi to Turpan by bus is 3 to 4 hours.

Turpan trip started from eating. At noon where we had meal was buffet; at the same time while we ate there was a performance. After the meal was 1 to 2 o’clock in the afternoon when it was hottest in the afternoon, we went to Jiaohe Ancient City. After that were Karez Well and a groundwater engineering of small gallery.

 

Going to Turpan, one place you must visit is the Flaming Mountain.

 

 

Desert Oasis

 

 

In the following we went to Bezekik Caves, Grape Valley, Emin Minaret, and we visited to local Uigur home to be the guest and we bought a big box of raisin.

 

The tour to Turpan finished around 6 to 7 o’clock in the afternoon and then we took 4 hours bus to return Urumqi. We had our dinner at the local night market food stall by ourselves.

 

► Day 5: southern Xinjiang Kashgar
Compared with Northern Xinjiang, many people said the Southern Xinjiang is more interesting, there are Gobi, grasslands, snow-capped mountains, and so on. I dare not to say that southern Xinjiang certainly interesting than northern Xinjiang, but southern Xinjiang gave me the more feeling than in north Xinjiang. In addition to the solemn and quiet nature, may be more infection was the simple folkway under the tough survival environment in the mountain.

Going to southern Xinjiang, people need to get a border pass. Driving 2 to 3 hours in the rugged and dusty valley, and often there will be debris flow. I couldn’t imagine that road is the route to tourist attractions. The condition is really bad...It is said that was a highway just fixed, but it was washed away by mudslides.

 

We passed by the Kunlun Mountains Kyrgyz village. When I saw a group of nomadic children chasing in the snowy big lawn, rolling on the ground, I felt my heart was purified by the simple happiness. I took my own snacks to share them, they would accept it and smile to say thank you. Instead of living in a scenic, they turn their life into the scenery in people’s eyes.





► Day 6: second day in Kashgar

Early in the morning we went to the Apak Hoja Tomb first and then went to the uygur old city. Finally in the Uighur market we went shopping and we bought two souvenirs then went to Kashgar airport. At the Urumqi before leaving Xinjiang finally we ate a big plate sauté chicken.