Best of Xinjiang 18 Days: Urumqi, Kanas, Yili, Kuqa, Hotian, Kashgar etc.

Day 1 Urumqi Arrival Transfer
Welcome to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Upon arrival Urumqi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Transport: Private vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Urumqi

Day 2 Urumqi to Kanas by air
Today you will take morning flight to Kanas, a lake located near the border among China, Russia, Mogolia, and Kazakhstan. Upon arrival, you will transferred to the stunning Kanas Lake for a visit including Wolongwan, Shengxianwan, Yueliangwan, and Guanyu Pavillion. Kanas Lake, one of the prettiest lakes in China, presents different colors in different seasons for yellow, blue and green. Afterwards you will be transferred to take a rest in the hotel.
Transport: Private Vehicle + Flight
Accommodation: Overnight in Kanas
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3 Kanas to Buerjin
Take a sighseeing bus to Hemu Village that is one of the 10 prettiest villages in China. With old wooden houses, the village looks like a paradise in the valley. Afterwards you will take 3-hour ride to Buerjin where you will enjoy the amazing Multi-colored Bay by the Ergis River. You can visit the night market in Buerjin to taste the barbecued fishes.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Buerjin
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 Buerjin to Jinhe by car
Today you will take about 8-hour ride through the gobi desert, farm and view the snow-capped Tianshan mountains. Visit the Ghoast City on the way, which is a Yardan Landform that makes loud noise and sounds like ghost yelling when wind blows at night.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Jinhe
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 Jinghe to Yining by car, visit Sarym Lake
Today you will take about 6-hour ride, and visit the amazing Sarym Lake on the way. If you are interested, you can visit Khorgos that is a border city between China and Kazakhstan, where you can buy souvenirs from central Asia.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Yining
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6 Yining to Narati Grasssland by car
Today you will take 4-hour ride to Narati Grassland, where you will view the mountain grassland and meet the Kazakh people in the yurt.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Narati
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 Narati to Kuqa (350km, 7-8H) via southern Duku highway

After breakfast, you will take car heading to Kuqa through Tianshan Mountains along the southern Duku highway. Visit Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon that is impressive for the red-rock formations, and Big & Small Dragon Pools en route. View the cute sheep on the Bayanbulak Grassland. Arrive in Kuqa in the afternoon, check in the hotel.

Transport: Private vehicle

Accommodation: Overnight in Kuqa

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8 Kuqa Exploration

Today you will explore Kuqa including Kizil Grottoes, Subash Monastery Ruins, and Kizilkara Beacon Tower.

Kizil Grottoes – Ancient Buddhist caves (older than Mogao).  

Subash Monastery Ruins – Remains of a 3rd-century temple.  

Kizilkara Beacon Tower – Silk Road watchtower.

Transport: Private vehicle

Accommodation: Overnight in Kuqa

Day 9 Kuqa - Alar (300km, 4H)

Today you will visit Kuqa Old Town, local bazaar and Kuqa Museum to learn the history of the Kuqa(close on Mondays).  

After lunch, you will head to Alar, an oasis town.

Transport: Private vehicle

Accommodation: Overnight in Alar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10 Kuqa to Hotian by car through Taklamakan Desert

Today you will will take a long ride for 8 hours to go across Taklamakan Desert, the biggest Desert in China, and arrive in Hotian in the evening. Enjoy the fantastic desert scenery on the way. Visit Hotian bazaar and night market.

Transport: Private Vehicle

Accommodation: Overnight in Hotian

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11 Hotian to Kashgar by car

Today you will visit the Yaotegan City Ruin in the morning to learn the history about Hotian area.

Then you will take 5-hour car ride on the express highway to Kashgar, the hub city along the ancient Silk Road in the history. 

Check in the hotel when arrival in Kashgar.

Transport: Private Vehicle

Accommodation: Overnight in Kashgar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12 Kashgar to Tashkurgan, visit Karakul Lake en route
Today you will take a 4-hour car ride to the pretty Karakul Lake which is situated by the China-Pakistan friendship highway. Karakul Lake is a beautiful mountain lake with altitude nearly 3600 meters with impressive scenery by the snow-capped mountains. You will also visit the White Sand Lake on the way, and view the yurts speading on the grassland.
Afterwards, you will drive on to Tashkurgan that is situated at the border between China and Pakistan.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Tashkurgan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 13 Tashkurgan back to Kashgar
Enjoy the small town scenery in Tashkurgan, then you will visit the Stone City that was built 2000 years ago, and the ruin still can trace back its original style. Enjoy the grassland view outside the town.
Later you will take a car to drive back to Kashgar.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Kashgar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 14 Kashgar City Tour, then fly to Urumqi
Today is a busy day to explore Kashagr with a local guide. You will take the city tour by the the first stop to visit the Apa Hoja Mausoleum which was built in 1640 by local Imam for his father, and later it became a family graveyard to bury 72 people for 5 generations. The mausoleum is impressive for its delicate Uyghur architectural style including the blue tiles, the dome and the minaret.
Next, you will visit Kashgar old town to explore the intersting area where there are old houses for shops, workshops, restaurants, bakery, and tea houses etc. It displays the long history and vivid lifestyle in Kashgar from ancient Silk Road period to today. Handicraft Street is a must-see section in the old town, where the huge music instruments and bronze vessels are very impressive. You might taste some local snacks here, such as Nang Bread, grilled eggs, dried fruites etc. before visiting the old Id Ghar Mosque, the biggest mosque in Xinjiang. Enter the mosque at non-praying time to appreciate its architecture and decor, please wear long pants and cover the shoulders for ladies while visiting this mosque.
Lunch is arranged at a local Uyghur's house for you to taste the authentic and traditional Uyghur food including nang bread, hand-stretched noodles, and pilau...etc.
In the afternoon, you will wander around the the Grand Bazaar in Kashgar, which is well known in Central Asia for its colorful and lively market. As a Uyghur saying goes that you can buy everything except for your parents. There are more people in the afternoon, because the farmers will drive to here from different area in the morning and buy things in the afternoon at the market. Actually the bazaar opens every day, and more people on Sunday. The animal bazaar is relocated near Kashgar Airport and opens only on Sundays. So if it is Sunday, you will also visit the Animal Bazzar as well.
When your tour is finished, you will be transferred back to Kashgar airport to catch flight to Urumqi. Upon arrival, transferred to hotel.
Transport: Private vehicle + Flight
Accommodation: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 15 Urumqi to Xinjiang Museum and Tianchi, then drive to Turpan
This morning you will take 1-hour ride to Heavenly Lake, or Tianchi in Chinese, which is a high mountain lake with stunning scenery in the Tianshan Mountains. After lunch, you will visit the renown Xinjiang Museum that is famous for the well-preserved mummies, particularly Loulan Beauty and Xiaohe Princess.
Afterwards you will take 3-hour car ride to Turpan via the desert, grassland, and Tianshan highway.
Transport: Private vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6 Turpan City Day Tour
Turpan is a hub on the ancient Silk Road, and therer are lots of historical sites that are renown for its well-preserved conditions. Today you will visit Bezklik Grottos, Astana Ancient Tombs, the Ancient City of Jiaohe and Gaochang, Karez Irrigation System, and Emin Minaret with a local guide. You will taste some dried fruits and eat Uyghur food.
Transport: Private vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 17 Turpan to Urumqi by car, visit Erdaoqiao Bazaar
After breakfast, you will take 3-hour ride to Urumqi where you will visit Erdaoqiao International Bazaar where you can buy all sorts of local souvenirs. Later you will be transferred to your hotel in Urumqi.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 18 Departure from Urumqi
Today you will depart from Urumqi. You will be transferred to Urumqi airport to catch your flight, where the wonderful tour concludes.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Meals: Breakfast