12 days
Grand Xinjiang Explorer: Kanas, Ili & Turpan (12 Days)
The full northern sweep in one unhurried arc: Heavenly Lake, golden Kanas and Hemu, the vast blue of Sayram La…
Day by Day
Day 1
Arrive Urumqi
Airport pickup, altitude-free acclimatisation (Urumqi sits at a gentle 800m), and a first plunge into the Grand Bazaar and a night-market dinner.
Day 2
Heavenly Lake
The Tianchi day: boardwalks, boat cruise and Bogda views, returning to Urumqi for the night.
Day 3
North to Burqin
Fly or drive north toward the Altay mountains (flying saves ~600 km of highway). Sunset at the Wucai Tan 'Rainbow Beach', where eroded red-and-ochre badlands glow across the Irtysh River. Overnight Burqin.
Day 4
Kanas Lake
Into the Kanas valley: three river bends of milky turquoise (Crouching Dragon, Moon, Fairy Bay), Tuvan log villages, and the lake itself stretching toward Siberia. Overnight near the park.
Day 5
Hemu Village
The Tuvan village of Hemu at dawn — river mist over log cabins, larch forest, mountains behind — is northern Xinjiang's most photographed morning for good reason. Afternoon return toward Burqin.
Day 6
Return to Urumqi
Fly or drive back south. Evening free; we recommend the food streets around Erdaoqiao.
Day 7
Turpan & Departure
The Silk Road finale (2.5–3 hours each way): the 2,000-year-old raw-earth ruins of Jiaohe, the ingenious Karez underground channels that made desert life possible, the Flaming Mountains, and grape-drying houses of the valley. Evening drop-off at Urumqi airport — most flights out depart late, and the timing works.
Route notes: The plan above is the classic 7-day version. It compresses to 5 days (skip Tianchi and Hemu) or stretches to 8 (an extra night at Kanas and a slower Turpan day) — tell us your dates and we'll shape it. September (golden Kanas) sells out hotels months ahead — book early. Passports are needed at every checkpoint; your driver manages the routine. Flying Urumqi–Burqin both ways upgrades comfort dramatically and we'll book it with you.
What's Included
Included (per day)
- Private car & professional driver
- Fuel, highway tolls & parking
- Driver's meals & accommodation
- Route planning & WhatsApp support
Not included
- Your hotels (we'll suggest & help book)
- Attraction tickets & your meals
- Optional English-speaking guide
- Flights / trains to the start city
Good to Know
How does multi-day pricing work?
One transparent day-rate per car covers the vehicle, driver, fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's own room and meals. You pay for exactly the days you use — no hidden 'empty return' charges.
Can we change the route mid-trip?
Within reason, yes — that's the point of a private journey. Linger an extra hour at a viewpoint, swap an afternoon, add a village your guidebook flagged: agree it with your driver and our team and the plan bends.
