Immerse Yourself in the Heritage and Natural Wonders of Urumqi and Turpan on a 6-Day Tour

Welcome to Xinjiang! Your guide will be waiting at Urumqi Airport or Train Station, holding a “Your Way Holiday” sign to help you find your way after arrival. From there, enjoy a private transfer to your hotel while getting a few helpful pointers about your upcoming trip. Once you’ve checked in, the rest of the day is yours to relax or take a first look around Urumqi. Feeling hungry? Your guide can suggest restaurants based on your tastes and budget, whether you’re curious about juicy lamb kebabs, hand-pulled noodles, or other Xinjiang specialties.

Tianshan Tianchi is known for its jewel-blue waters, forested slopes, and dramatic mountain peaks. Enjoy the lakeside scenery at your own pace, with the additional option to visit Maya Mountain or take a boat ride on the lake. Your guide will share local legends and insights into the area's natural landscape. Back in Urumqi, the International Grand Bazaar offers a lively change of pace, where stalls brim with dried fruits, fragrant spices, and colorful handicrafts, giving you a taste of Xinjiang’s vibrant market culture.

Depart for Turpan and visit Jiaohe Ancient City, the world's best-preserved 2,000-year-old earthen ruin. Walk the ancient streets where Buddhist monks and Silk Road merchants once traded. Continue to the Emin Minaret (Sugong Tower), a masterpiece of Uyghur Islamic architecture built in 1777. Your guide decodes the intricate brick patterns and explains the Qing Dynasty general who commissioned it. End the day at the Flaming Mountains, where red sandstone ridges radiate heat in the afternoon sun — the very mountains that inspired the fiery trial in Journey to the West.

Step into the quieter side of Turpan at Tuyoq Valley, where traditional mud-brick homes, grape-drying sheds, and narrow village lanes offer a glimpse of life in this desert oasis. At Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, discover Buddhist murals that preserve traces of the region’s spiritual and artistic heritage, with your guide helping you understand the stories behind the surviving artwork. The scenery then shifts dramatically at Kumtag Desert, where rolling dunes stretch toward the horizon. Enjoy time to walk across the sand and take in the vast desert views before continuing to Shanshan for the night.

Today, visit Grape Valley, where grapevines shade the village lanes and traditional drying sheds dot the landscape. During harvest season, you may have the chance to pick ripe grapes straight from the vine and enjoy their natural sweetness. Later, return to Urumqi and visit Hongshan Park. Follow the paths up Red Hill to see the landmark Zhenlong Pagoda, then pause at a hilltop lookout for panoramic city views. Weather permitting, stay to admire a breathtaking sunset as warm hues spread across the Urumqi skyline.

Enjoy a smooth departure from Urumqi with a private transfer from your hotel to the airport or railway station. Your driver will assist with your luggage, while your guide coordinates the arrangements according to your departure schedule. This brings your 6-day journey through Urumqi and Turpan to an end, from the alpine scenery of Tianchi Lake to the ancient ruins, traditional villages, and vast desert dunes of Turpan. We wish you a safe and pleasant onward journey.