9-Day Xinjiang Scenery & Culture Tours

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Daily Tour 9 day
Urumqi

Tour Highlights

  • Experience the live ancient Tuyuk Village with a lunch at a local house.
  • Enjoy the beauty of both Kongur and Muztagh mountains the highest in Xinjiang.
  • Visit the picturesque scenery of Heavenly Lake at the Tianshan Mountains.
  • Immerse yourself in the streets of the Old City of Kashgar.
  • Entertain the liveness of the famous Livestock Market.
  • Enjoy the earliest Buddha paintings in China.
  • Enjoy ancient cities perspectives by walking in the streets of Jaohe and Gaochang.
Day 1, Arrive Urumqi then transfer to Tupran

Activities: Pick you up from Urumqi airport and transfer to Turpan
Details:Our guide will pick you up from Urumqi airport and drive to Turpan on the first class highway for about 3-4 hours. On the way stop at Dabancheng power station, the largest wind power station in Asia and second largest in the world, also drive through salt lake which provides the best quality salt in Xinjiang region.
Turpan is a marvelous city blending Western and Eastern religions and culture together perfectly. Its geographical position is very important. Lying at the junction of the east and the west of China, it has been a key point on the Silk Road since ancient times, with a great number of historical relics as well as unique landscapes.

Day 2, Turpan For Whole Day

Activities: Visit Idikut (Gaochang) ancient city, Toyuq village, Flaming Mountains and Emin Minaret
Details:After breakfast We start our exciting day in Turpan with a visit to the ancient city of Idikut (Gaochang). The city was first built in the first Century BC and later became capital of the Idikut (Gaochang) Uighur Kingdom in the 8th Century. We’ll spend about one hour in this ancient city and then drive to Toyuq village, an old, beautiful and timeless village with a friendly Uighur community. Here we visit several local families and have lunch with a local family in their home. This could be the highlight of your tour today.
After lunch drive to Emin Suliman minaret which is a magnificent combination of ancient Uighur and Islamic architecture. It is the tallest ancient tower in Xinjiang and the only Islamic ancient minaret in the country. Locals call it “pure tower.”
we will stop at the Flaming Mountains which people claimed to be the hottest and driest along the silk road that “flying birds even a thousand miles away dare not to come”.
you can have a walk at the night Market in the evening at your leisure

Day 3, Turpan to Heavenly Lake

Activities: Visit Yargul (Jiaohe) Ancient city, Karez underground Irrigations system and drive to Heavenly Lake
Details:After breakfast start our tour in Turpan with a visit to Yargul (Jiaohe) Ancient city which is one of the best preserved ancient cities in China. The ruins of the buildings are divided into temples, civilian dwellings and government offices. Workshops,residential houses and the streets are still visible and time there is a time spent in a long lost world.
After an hour of seeing around the ancient city, we’ll head on to see the world famous Karez irrigation system, unique to this part of the world. The system is considered as one of the three great projects in China with the other two being the Great Wall and the Grand Canal.
Then to heavenly Lake which is about 3-4 hours driving distance, stay overnight at local Kazak yurt

Day 4, Heavenly Lake to Kucha

Activities: After local breakfast at Kazak Yurt, spending a few hours around lake and then drive to Urumqi airport for your flight to Kucha
Details:Not many tourists spend a night at the lake, it is quiet and not touristy in the morning. Also, the sunshine is great early morning.
After local Kazak breakfast at the yurt, you will have chance to hike around the lake for a few hours before gets crowded.
Whenever you are ready drive to Urumqi airport for your flight to Kucha.
Our local guide/driver will pick up you from Kucha airport and transfer to your hotel

Day 5, Kucha for whole and overnight train to Kashgar

Activities: Visit Kizil Thousand Budha caves, Tianshan mysterious Grand Canyon, Grand mosque; Ancient Kizil Kagha Beacon towerand Subash Ruins , then train to Kashgar
Details:After breakfast, drive to Kizil Thousand Buddha caves which sits high on the cliffs over the Northern bank of the Muzat River, 75km (46miles) from Kucha city. The caves were hewn between the 3rd and 8th century and formed one of the earliest Buddhist art treasure troves in China. In fact the caves were in use one century before the famous Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang.
We’ll have lunch next to the caves and drive to Tianshan mysterious Grand Canyon which takes a little more than an hours from the caves. The canyon is not only attractive for its colors but also the formation of the mountains there.
Today, Tianshan Great Canyon is regarded as one of the ten most beautiful in China. later drive to ancient city of Subash (2nd-3rd century A.D.) as well as the Ancient Kizil Kagha Beacon tower which is an ancient military outpost.
Before dinner we’ll back to Kucha visit the old town area , local bazaars and Kucha grand mosque which was built in the 17th century. The roof of the mosque was constructed with 300,000 eggs, cement and bricks.
in the evening take overnight train to Kashgar which takes about 9-10 hours.

Day 6, Arrive in Kashgar/ Tashkorgan

Activities: pick up you from Kashgar train station and Drive along the KKH, Stop at Opal Village, Oytagh Kunlunshan Colorful mountain range, Gaz Valley and check point, Bulungkol Valley (white sand mountain), Karakul lake and local Kyrgyz family visit
Details:Our driver will pick up you from Kashgar train station and set out along the Sino – Pakistan Karakorum Highway directly, on the Pamir plateau (the roof of the world) visit Karakul Lake (3600m above sea level). The lake sits at the foot of the notorious, Muztagh Ata (7546m) and Gongur (7719m) mountains. ‘Muztagh Ata’ means Father of the Ice Mountain and is one of the most beautiful and mysterious mountains in the world.
Lunch will be at a local Kyrgyz family or at lake side restaurant as your want. Arrive Tashkorgan in late afternoon and stay overnight

Day 7, Tashkorgan to Kashgar

Activities: Visit Stone Fort, Tajik village, Hike on the Grassland and drive back to Kashgar after lunch
Details:Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county was once an important hub on the old Silk Road. The area borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan  via the Kunjerab Pass and Wahan Corridor.
After breakfast, you’ll have an opportunity to see the town’s ancient Stone Fort – still standing after 2200 years! ‘Tashkurgan’ is a translation of ‘Stone Fort.’ Later Hike on the grassland next to the Stone Fort.
After lunch, drive back to Kashgar and you can make stops along the way if you like.

Day 8, Explore Kashgar City

Activities: Visit Grand mosque, Apak Hoja tomb (which is also called Fragrant Concubine Tomb), Old city walking tours, livestock market, Sunday market and dinner at a local Uighur family
Details:Explore the rich, endless culture of the Uighurs in Kashgar. First visit livestock market which happens on every Sunday and people bring their horses, sheep, goats, camels,cows,bulls,yaks and donkeys to the market for sale. It provides a great opportunity to take photos of the faces of local people, study traditional local market culture, test-drive a donkey or horse or even make its shoes. Like opening a window, today is a real glimpse into a time lost in the annals of the Silk Road’s past and an opportunity not to be missed.
Later move on to Sunday market main Bazaar which is considered one of the largest market in Central Asia. From fluffy sheepskin hats to rugged camel-hide boots, not to mention beads, buttons and buckets of locals. Everything – including plenty of kitchen sinks – is for sale at this fairytale bazaar. It is the best chance to practice your bargaining skills.
After lunch spend some time by the Id Kah mosque, the largest mosque in China and marvel at the intricate architecture of Kashgar’s historic Apak Hoja Tomb which is also known as Fragrant concubine tomb).
We’ll also spend time in the Kashgar Old Town and have some walking tours through some ancient historical parts; Stop at a century-old tea house for a short break and taste local medicinal teas such as those containing rose, saffron, honey and many other ingredients.
Finally conclude our city tour with a dinner at a local family in old city area

Day 9, Kashgar To Your Next Destination

Activities: See you off at Kashgar airport
Details:Today is the last day of your tour with us, so we hope this shouldn’t be the last. We strive to make every day of your time with us the one that you’ll always remember and if you’d like to book some other tours please Contact us for more information

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