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Price from: $559
Highlights: Zhangjiajie Nationa l Forest Park | Grand CanyonBaofeng Lake | Glass SkywalkCliff
Destinations: Hunan, International
- Country: China
EnglishEnglish
7 Days Xinjiang Urumqi/Turpan/Kashgar Discovery
Tour highlights: Toyuq Village | Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves | Flaming Mountain | Local Family Visit and Dinner | Jiaohe Ancient City | Karez Well | Turpan Museum | Heavenly Lake | Kashgar Old Town | Karakul Lake
English‑speaking local guide
Small Groups or Private Tours
Price of tour: $870*
* (Price can be 10% lower or higher depending on the season.)
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7 Days Xinjiang Urumqi/Turpan/Kashgar Discovery
Tour summary
Experience the unique culture and landscapes of China’s far west on this 7-day Xinjiang journey. Begin in Urumqi, the regional capital, and explore the tranquil beauty of Heavenly Lake, set among snow-capped mountains.
Travel to the sun-drenched oasis of Turpan—visit the ancient city of Jiaohe Ruins, stroll through lush grape valleys, and see the historic Emin Minaret. Learn about the region’s ingenious Karez irrigation system and its Silk Road legends.
Fly to Kashgar, where East truly meets West. Get lost in the winding alleys of the Old Town, take in the sights, sounds, and aromas of the lively Grand Bazaar, and admire the impressive Id Kah Mosque. Embark on a day trip along the spectacular Karakoram Highway to the turquoise waters of Karakul Lake, with epic views of snow-dusted mountains and Kazakh yurts.
Rest each night in comfortable, well-located hotels. The tour includes all key entry tickets, private transfers, internal flight, and the guidance of an experienced English-speaking guide. Perfect for travelers seeking Silk Road history, diverse cultures, and grand scenery—this is Xinjiang at its best.
Tour Itinerary
Tour Table of Contents
Day 1: Urumqi Arrival
Airport pickup service, transfer to hotel.
Day 2: Urumqi- Turpan: Toyuq Village, Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, Flaming Mountain, Local Family Visit and Dinner 350km
After breakfast, drive to Turpan. On the way, visit Toyuq village, the ancient Uygur village is located in the south valley of Tuyugou Grand Canyon, with a history of more than 2600 years. Continue to visit Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, Bozikrik means “decorated home” in Uyghur. The grottoes was first excavated from 5th and till 14th century. After that, drive to Flaming Mountain, the mountain was feature in the famous Journey to the West. Camel ride can be experienced here with extra fee. After that, drive to visit a local family, learn and make dinner together.
Day 3: Turpan: Jiaohe Ancient City, Karez Well, Turpan Museum
In the morning, visit Jiaohe Ancient City, it was once Jushi Kingdom’s capital, have a walk in the 2300-year-old fortress. Later, go to Karez Well, you will be amazed by ancient people’s wisdom of the irrigation system creation, it is still benefiting locals in the desert! After that, drive to Turpan Museum, the Silk Road displays tells you the importance of Turpan on the route. The other highlight is the exhibition of thousand years old mummies.
Day 4: Turpan- Heavenly Lake 270km & Fly to Kashgar
Heavenly Lake(Tianchi in Chinese) is an alpine lake which is about 110km away from Urumqi. On the way, you will see rivers, mountains pastures through Mt. Tianshan. Firstly take the vehicle to the ticket office, then switch to the shuttle bus to get to the lake. Continue to climb up around 800 meters along the plank road to appreciate Heavenly Lake. Enjoy a walk along the lake, feel the calm and relaxation. After that, drive to Urumqi airport to fly to Kashgar in the evening.
Day 5: Kashgar: Kashgar Old Town, Id Kah Mosque, Zhiren Street, Local Bazaar
In the morning, have a walk in the Old Town of Kashgar to find many traditional dwellings. Visit Id Kah Mosque, the largest mosque in Xinjiang. Continue to visit Zhiren Street, it’s full of local handicrafts, carpenters and blacksmiths can be seen here in their tiny workshops. Finally go to the Local Bazaar. Our guide will help together to have your permit to Karabul Lake applied today.
Day 6: Kashgar-Karakul Lake-Kashgar 400km
After breakfast, drive to Karakul Lake, a little further it is China-Pakistan border. The lake is at the altitude of 3600m, surrounded by snow-covered mountains- Muztagh Ata(7546m), Kongur Tagh(7649m), and Kongur Tiube(7530m). Walk along the mirror-like lake, enjoy the beautiful scenery of Pamir Plateau. Later drive back to Kashgar.
Day 7: Kashgar Departure
Transfer to airport, trip finishes.
Included in the price
- Airport and train station pickup/drop-off service
- Experienced, knowledgeable English-speaking guide
- Ground transportation during the tour
- Comfortable 4-star hotels, based on double occupancy
- Daily breakfast
- Entrance fees to attractions listed in itinerary
- Bottle of water per person per day
- Permit to visit Karakul Lake
- Local family visit with dinner
- Basic travel insurance
Excluded from the price
- International/domestic flights unless stated
- Other meals not specified
- Single room supplements
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
Book directly with a local operator – no middlemen, no hidden fees.
Traditional travel agency service – real people, not bots.
Personalized planning – every tour can be adapted to your needs.
Direct communication with our local team before and during your trip.
Enquiry & Booking
Price from: $3394
Highlights: Cherry blossom viewing | Senso-ji Temple | Meiji Shrine | Shibuya & Shinjuku | Bullet train | Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) | Fushimi Inari Shrine | Arashiyama Bamboo Grove | Philosopher’s Path | Gion district | Nara Deer Park | Todaiji Temple | Osaka Castle | Dotonbori Street
- Country: Japan
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Meet Our Expert Local Team
Our multilingual team’s passion ensures you receive personal, attentive, and friendly guidance—from planning to the last day of your trip.
Talk directly to real travel experts based in the country – no automated call centers, no chatbots. We tailor each tour to your interests and support you every step of the way.
Certified local guides for a deeper cultural experience.
Authentic experiences led by local experts – not generic sightseeing.
Travel like a local, with guides who truly know the region.
Jessie | Founder
10 years experience in organizing expat tours in China.
Jessie first worked as travel consultant for many years, her excellent organizing skills and great travel route planning have won the trust of many customers. In 2018 she founded experiencetibet.org, an agency offering tours in Tibet autonomous region and other Tibetan areas in China such as Gansu, Yunnan and Sichuan. In 2020 she started yellowbirdtour.com, with destinations all over China.
Penny | China travel consultant
Penny has rich experience in organizing foreigners tours to many places in China, such as Tibet, Gansu, Yunnan, Xinjiang, Zhangjiajie. She is very responsive, always quick and patient. Customers like her, they always come back for more tours, and also recommend many of their friends to join.
Dawei | Tour guide / operator
Dawei is a Tibetan Buddhist, and comes from the most north edge of the Tibetan plateau in Qinghai province, Western China. He has travelled as a tour leader to many South Asian countries such as India, Bhutan and also nearly the entire country of China. He focuse especially on guiding in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Ningxia provinces and Tibetan regions. The activities of these various tour groups have included adopting family, horse racing, hiking, bird watching, cycling, camping, overseas students, cultural and religious sightseeing.
Andrew | Touir guide / operator
Andrew was born and grew up in a small village of Zhangjiajie, Hunan. From 2009-2012 he works for royal Caribbean International cruise as an onboard guest services officer. After that, he dedicates his life/time to guiding and operating tours in Zhangjiajie and around. As a native person, he knows all the corner of the scenic area, such as good restaurants, souvenir shops and cultures. He is very experienced and super flexible, he knows how to avoid the crowds and take advantage of the weather and offer the best travel experience to customers, all you need to do is just relax and enjoy!
