11 Days Xinjiang Tour from Urumqi to Kashgar

Trip to Heavenly Lake and Xinjiang Museum

After breakfast, our local guide and driver will pick you up from hotel to visit the Xinjiang Museum, which holds an impressive collection of exhibits, artifacts and relics from all over Xinjiang. By this you will get full understanding about Xinjiang and Silk Road before starting the trip. After the museum, you will drive to the Heavenly lake, which is 115 km (70 miles). The surface of the lake is 1910 meter above sea level, surrounded by high mountain peaks covered by ice and snow. Around the lake, you may go boating, take photos or simply walk around 2-3 hours before head back to the city. Normally you will have a lunch at the restaurant by the lake. There is another option, you may try some food at the Kazakh yurts around the lake, maybe a good chance to understand the life style of the Kazakh people and their life..

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 4 Star

Turpan to Kucha by overnight train

Today we start our Turpan tour with the ancient city of Idikut (Gaochang). The city start building in the first Century BC and later became capital of the Idikut (Gaochang) Kingdom in the 8th Century. Karakhoja Astana tombs, a Tang-dynasty burial ground which also known as the “Underground Museum”. Astana means “capital” in the Uighur language and Karakhoja is the name of a legendary hero of the ancient Kingdom who killed the vicious dragon. Moving on, we journey to Toyup village, an old, unique village with a friendly Uighur community. Here we can have a meal in an local family. This village is likely the highlight of your tour. After lunch we visit Bizeklik Thousand Buddha caves which used to be an important center for Buddhist worship under the Xizhou Huigu government of the Idikut (Gaochang) Kingdom. On the way back to the city we will stop at the Flaming Mountains, a reddish colored and so dry that not a single grass grows on it.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 4 Star

Kucha to Aksu 

After breakfast, we’ll travel to Aksu, on the way, visit Kizil Thousand Buddha caves (5th and 6th century AD), which is 75km (46miles) from Kucha and form one of the earliest treasure troves of Buddhist art in China as well as one of the four largest cave systems in China. The caves were once hewn on the high cliffs of the Northern Bank of the Muzat River during the early 3rd to 8th Centuries of the first Millennium AD. There are presently 236 coded caves, divided into west and inner valley and rear mountain areas extending over 3 kilometers (1.86 miles). It takes about 2 hours to see the caves and learn about local Buddhist culture. After lunch keep driving to Aksu.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 4 Star

Kashgar Tour

The Apack khoja tomb is just five kilometer to the city center. The mausoleum was initially built in 1640 as tomd of Muhammad yusup khoja, a central Asian Sufi master who had come to the southern Xinjiang in the early 17th century. Later his son was also buried there as well. The beautiful tiled mausoleum contains the tombs of five generations of the Apak family, providing resting places for 72 of its members, The monument is also known as the Fragrant Concubine's tomb, as it is the burial place of one of Afaq Khoja's descendants, Iparhan, who is believed to be the legendary Fragrant Concubine. She was the wife of a rogue leader who was captured by the Qianlong Emperor's troops, and was taken to Beijing to be the emperor's imperial concubine. Then we visit livestock Market ,which is about 13 km from downtown. Kashagr Sunday life stock bazar is one of biggest animal bazar in the south Xinjiang, you will see many animals like horse, camel, donkey, yaks etc. The locals are very friendly, After that we will heading to Sunday market, which is biggest layout market in Xinjiang. then we will have a lunch in an nice local restaurant. After lunch we will visit kashgar old town, a place you can walk around and enjoy from the Uighur architecture, handcrafts and observe locals people’s daily life. If you are lucky, you may coincide live music playing at the musical instrument shops. Then visit Ide kah & Hand Craft Street, Handmade Traditional Musical Instrument, Old Tea House.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 4 Star

Tashkorgan to Kashgar

After breakfast, we will visit golden grassland in Tashkorgan, very beautiful and yellow area near the mountains. After that, we visit Stone city, was the capital of Puli kingdom, which was 2000 years ago during the Han dynasty, then we will travel back to Kashgar.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 4 Star