Discover the Untamed Beauty of Northern Xinjiang
Embark on a journey to Northern Xinjiang, a region where breathtaking natural wonders meet vibrant cultural heritage. Nestled in the farthest reaches of China, this captivating destination boasts a landscape of dramatic contrasts: from the snow-capped peaks of the Altai Mountains to the emerald meadows of Kanas, and from the sprawling Gobi Desert to the serene, glassy waters of Lake Sayram.
Beyond its stunning scenery, Northern Xinjiang is home to a rich tapestry of cultures, where Kazakh, Uyghur, and Mongolian traditions blend harmoniously. Experience warm nomadic hospitality, savour traditional delicacies, and immerse yourself in the unique rhythms of local life.
Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or an adventure seeker, Northern Xinjiang promises an unforgettable experience. Let the allure of this remote frontier awaken your wanderlust and inspire your soul.
Highlights of the trip
- Heavenly Lake – an Alpine Lake with stunning landscapes
- Keketuohai Town in Fuyun County near the Russian Border
- Buerjin County
- Hemu Village – Hemu Village is the northernmost village in Western China. It is more known as one of the three only existing Tuva villages in China.
- Kanas National Park – is one of the most charming and top destinations in Xinjiang. The scenic area, most known for Kanas Lake Monster, boasts an incredible fairyland-like natural landscape
- Yardan landforms – Yardangs are a type of landform that are formed by wind erosion in soft rock. They are often ridge-like, with a steep front and a narrower end, and can have a length to width ratio of around 4:1
- Grand Canyon in Dushanzi District – Dushanzi Grand Canyon is located in Dushanzi District, Karamay City, Xinjiang.
- Valley of exotic Rocks
- Salimu Lake (Sayram Lake)- is Xinjiang’s largest alpine lake and largest lake above sea level
How to go there?
You will need to fly to Urumqi to participate in this trip. There are many flights from Chinese airlines providing this service.
Visa requirements
At this present moment many countries like Malaysia are allowed to enter China Visa Free for 15 to 30 days. Please check what is the visa requirements for your country. If you need to apply for a Chinese Visa, we will be able to provide you with the supporting documents.
Difficulty of trip
There will be buses provided throughout the whole trip. You may need to walk from the bus parks to venues of interests. Overall, this will be an easy trip.
Itinerary
D1 – 12th June: Arrival to Urumqi (no meals)
Today you’ll be flying to Urumqi, the capital city of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region(province). Urumqi lies by the Northern slope of Tianshan Mountains. The mountain range has divided Xinjiang into north and south. In Mongolian language, Urumqi means beautiful grazing land. Xinjiang covers an area of 1,600,000 square kms. There is a Chinese saying that without visiting Xinjiang you’ll never know how big China is.
On arrival transfer to the hotel. Free and Easy for the rest of the day
D2 – 13th June: Urumqi-the Heavenly Lake (B,L)
Drive to the Heavenly Lake, 70km, 1.5 hours’ drive. Since the opening of China to the outside world in 1980s, the Heavenly Lake is listed as one of the recommended places to visit in Xinjiang. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks of Tianshan mountains, the lake’s altitude is 1910 meters making this one of the Alphine lakes.
We will stay a night at a hotel at Heavenly Lake.
D3 – 14th June: Tianshui-Fukang -Keketuohai Town in Fuyun County (B,L)
Drive to the northwest to Keketuohai Town in Fuyun County. This town is located at the foot of A’ertai Mountains. This mountain range share borders between Russia and China. The name, Keketuohai in Kazak means Green Jungle and in Mongolian, it means Blue Harbor. Today we’ll drive altogether 525 kms, with stops on the way. We will visit the geopark and wetland park. This place is a tourist attraction with beautiful canyons and rivers, mountains and forests, mineral resources, cold lakes and strange earthquake fault zones. It also integrates geological culture, regional characteristics and ethnic customs.
We will stay a night at Keketuohai town.
D4 – 15th June: Keketuohai Town-Buerjin (B,L)
Today we’ll be driving for 320kms to Buerjin County. On the way we’ll visit the No.3 vein pit, a rare pegmatite ore. Pegmatite can contain rare elements like lithium, tantalum, niobium, beryllium, boron, fluorine, uranium, and rare earth elements This mine has helped finance China’s early move into the industrialised world and it has also revitalised China’s National Defese systems. This mine,it made a great contribution to new China,two points in brief:Repaying the national debts and revitalizing the national defence systems. We then travel to visit the colourful beach along the Irish River
We will stay a night at a hotel in Buerjin.
D5 – 16th June: Buerjin-Hemu -Kanas (B,L)
From Buerjin County, we will drive to Hemu village. Hemu Village is one of the three extinct Tuva villages in China. The superb beautiful and serene natural scenery has won it “Paradise for Photography” and “A Private Land of Gods”. It is most famous for oil painting like autumn scenery, when unique Tuva wooden houses are decorated by dreamy mists and extensive golden birch trees. The inhabitants here are mainly Tuvas of the Mongolian and Kazakhs.
The Tuvas are said to be the descendants of soldiers who followed Genghis Khan on the western expedition.
Now they still use the rare Tuva language and make a living by traditional hunting and nomadic lifestyle. Many old and authentic culture are thus well-preserved here. The drive is about 3.5 hours.
We will stay in a hotel at Kanas.
D6 – 17th June: Kanas Scenic Spot (B,L)
Kanas literally means “a beautiful and mysterious lake” in Mongolian. Xinjiang Kanas is a China National AAAAA Level Tourist Attraction, a National Geopark, a National Forest Park, a Nature Reserve & a National Natural Heritage property. Usually, people call it Kanas. Located in the north of Burqin, Altay Prefecture, Northern Xinjiang, Northwest China, near the border area with Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan, Kanas is a huge natural scenic area, which mainly consists of Kanas Lake in the valley of Altai Mountains, Altay, north corner of Xinjiang, is one of the most charming and top destinations in Xinjiang. The scenic area, most known for Kanas Lake Monster, boasts an incredible fairyland-like natural landscape: aquamarine lake flowing through green dense forests covered peaks, snowy mountains standing in the distance, misty lake with colourful autumn birch trees forming a watercolour painting and serene wooden houses and ancient lifestyle well-preserved in the Tuva villages. We will be visiting various venues which includes the fish viewing platform, you’ll be walking up for 1068 steps to the platform to have a bird’s view of the lake. Will visit Kanas Lake by boat, finally walk along the wooden road by the lake.
We will stay in a hotel at Kanas
D7 – 18th June: Kanas-Wuerhe (B,L)
Today we will drive for 350km (6 hours) to the Demon Castle or Wuerhe Ghost City. Drive for 350 kms (6 hour’s drive) to visit the so-called demon castle. The Wuerhe Ghost City, also known as the “Wuerhe Wind City”, is located 100km northeast of Karamay City, against the Halahlat Mountain, covering an area of about 30sqkm. Geologically it belongs’ to the Permian period. The city is in the shape of ahorse shoe and there is only one through path. The weathered rocks are in various forms and shapes,such as the towering stone mushrooms, stone bamboo shoots, stone pavilions, stone columns, wide streets, narrow lanes and caves cutting down to the rocks, lively shape of birds, animals, fishes and human bodies, which really spark one’s imagination.
We will stay a night at Wuerhe town.
D8 – 19th June: Wuerhe-Kuitun (B,L)
Drive to visit the Grand Canyon in Dushanzi District. It is about 280kms, (4 hours drive). The Dushanzi Grand Canyon, stretching 20 kilometers from north to south with a width ranging from 100-400 meters at the bottom and 800-1000 meters at the top, is a natural wonder in Karamay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The valley walls are steep and rugged, having been carved by snow and rainwater over the millennia to form dramatic and spectacular folds.
Known as a 4A-level tourist attraction and hailed as a “billion-year wonder of the unique realm” by China National Geographic magazine, the Dushanzi Grand Canyon is one of the top 100 most beautiful shooting spots in Xinjiang for shutterbugs. It is also a popular scenic spot that combines geological landscapes and interactive experiences for visitors, serving as the beginning point of one of China’s most beautiful self-driving routes, the Duku Highway.
We will stay a night at Kuitun.
D9 – 20th June: Kuitun-Bole (B,L)
Today we drive to the Valley of Rocks known also as Guam Shi Yu in Chinese. Most of the stones are granite porphyry. The rock formations resemble elephants, monkeys, peacocks, sheep, etc. From here we will drive to Bole (40km, about 1 hour). Bole is also known as Bortala in Mongolian language.
We will stay a night at Bole.
D10: – 21st June: Bole-Sailimu Lake (B,L)
Today we drive about 2 hours to Sailinu Lake. Sayram Lake, also referred to as Sailimu Lake, is Xinjiang’s largest alpine lake and largest lake above sea level. Lying in the high mountain basin of Heavenly Mountain, it is known as Lake on the Mountain Range by local people. Besides, it also gets many other titles like AAAAA Nation Scenic Spot, National Historical Site, A Pearl of the Ancient Silk Road, etc. People call it the Last Tear of the Atlantic because it is the last place that the warm and humid Atlantic air currents linger. It is most attractive with its breathtaking scenery, including dazzling sapphire-like lake, verdant forests, snow-capped peaks, thriving grassland, and most charming wild flowers if you visit in late spring to early autumn.
We will stay at night at Sailinu Lake
D11 – 22nd June: Salimu Lake-Urumqi (B,L)
The Du-Ku Road, tourist season is very short. It normally opened from mid or late June to early October. It is regarded as “the last drop of tear of the Pacific Ocean. It is surrounded by peaks and grasslands. Today, we bid farewell to it and drive back to Urumqi, (560kms,7 hours’ drive)
We will stay a night at Urumqi.
D12 – 23rd June: Urumqi-Departure (B)
Transfer to airport for your flight home. End of service.
PHOTO GALLERY
