9 Days Xinjiang Spring Tour to Kashgar and Ili Grassland

Today is the first day of your tour. Welcome to Kashgar! Upon arrival, you will be met  transferred to the hotel to have check-in. After some rest, you can either explore the city by yourself freely or just stay in the hotel.

After enjoy your breakfast, we will leave for Taxkorgan county. Driving on the famed Karakoram Highway is really enjoyable! You eyes will always be filled with the stunning scenery on the way. It is one of the most important highways in China as it directly connects Pakistan with China. Driving about 3 hours, you will meet the White Sand Lake, which is just in the right side of your window. Get off the car and have a rest there. The gentle wave of the lake sparkles under the sunshine, and the lake is always in milky blue regardless of the weather. 

Enjoy your lunch beside the Karakul Lake. The lake is highest alpine lake in the world. Not like the white sand lake, this lake changes color according to the angles of sunlight. It is an ideal place to know the life style of the Kirghiz herdsmen, who have been settled down and had nomadic life here for more than a thousand of years. The famed Muztagh Ata is just in front of you when you are facing to the Karakul Lake.

You will see lost of stunning scenes on the way to Taxkorgan. The dream-like milky blue aquamarine streams alongside the highway will accompany you till the end of today's trip!

You must have had a nice dream last night! The lovely morning on the Pamir Plateau is very enjoyable especially when the morning gentle sunlight falls on your face. We will head directly to the Stone Fortress where to see the historic relics that has been existed for over 2000 years. The outskirt of the city is protected by the firm stone walls and that is where the city gets its name. There is no conclusion about who built this city, but the wisdom of the designer is well presented by the solid fortress. In front of the city is a meadow named Golden Grassland. The grass on the wetland is always golden, which makes it different from the other wetland. There is a newly constructed pathway where you can have an excellent view of the stone fortress to take great pictures.

After visiting, we will drive back to Kashgar and you will renew your sweet experience of Karakul lake and white sand lake. Upon arrival, have hotel check-in and have a good rest.

Today we will have a day tour in Kashgar. Go to the Id Kah Mosque. It is in the city center of Kashgar and also the landmark of it. As the largest Mosque in China, you will learn many things about Islam and how it developed in China here by the interpretation of your guide. Then just crossing the road and walking for a while, we will arrive at the Kashgar Old Town. We should be there before 10:30 to attend the interesting opening ceremony. Appreciating the performance of the Uygur girls and boys, you will feel the passion and hospitality of local people. At the crossroad inside the old city, there is a old tea house that has been there for more than 100 years. Have a cup of tea and enjoy the Uygur dance and songs with Uygur elders playing Uygur traditional instrument in the second floor. Listening to the locals chatting and laughing, even with no idea what they are talking about, you will suddenly have a nostalgia of old days.

In the afternoon, it is just the busiest time of Sunday Bazaar. There were 2 bazaar befoe, one in the outside selling the items for daily use, the other in the inside for livestock transaction. Now for the construction of that area, the outside bazaar is temporarily closed while the livestock bazaar is still in its original appearance. People are still doing business as what their ancestors did thousands of years ago. You can have your lunch in this interesting place and having the freshest lamb and beef for barbecue is also an excellent idea.

The last spot we will visit today is the Handicraft Street. You will find numerous amazing stores and shops on the street. Buying some souvenirs for your friends and family there and looking for some local specialties like shoes, instruments or decorations, you will have a leisure afternoon in the lively place!

This morning, you will take a flight to Yining. Upon arrival, we will drive to Xinyuan county and visit Apricot blossom, which is located in tuergen township, xinyuan county. It is not far from the national highway 218.Due to the winter inversion climate in mountain and valley, the largest original wild apricot forest in the middle ages remains, which is distributed in the north bank of gongnai river, covering an area of more than 30,000 mu. It is one of the areas where wild apricot forest is relatively concentrated in xinjiang.

After visit, drive to Nalati and spend the night.

The most beautiful place in Xinjiang is Yili, and the most beautiful scenery in Yili is Naraty Grassland. It is one of the four steppes in the world. The combination of beautiful grassland scenery and local Kazakh Folk Customs has made Naraty known as "the cradle of Kazakh people" since ancient times. In Spring, the sun thawed the ice and melted the snow, Wild Lilies are in full bloom on the Air Grassland. Walking on the grassland, you can leave some fabulous photos, Special arrangement for visiting Kazak Family to explore the unique folk customs. Then we will head to Qiaxi Grassland which is full of idylic life atmosphere. There is a greater focus on the intersection of nature and humanity.

After then, we will drive back to Yining. We will go to Kazanqi Folk Village, a blue fairy tale town in the city. This village in the hinterland of the Tianshan Mountains is full of colorful Uyghur dwellings. It is a Soviet style with sky blue Color-based, colorful spire houses with wood-carved windows are like walking into Chefchaouen in Morocco. Next, pay a visit to the Accordion Museum on Liuxing Street. According to reports, the museum has a collection of more than 800 accordions from more than 20 countries, attracting many tourists to take pictures here, and even music lovers come here.

After breakfast, we will meet you at the hotel lobby and hit the road, driving all the way to Kuitun. On the way, you will see the famous Guozigou Bridge, the largest and most important bridge in Xinjiang. There are many beautiful bends and you can enjoy the scenery of Guozigou valley which is the most beautiful valley in Nothern Xinjiang en route. We will stop and enjoy the scenery of the Sayram Lake, the highlight of your northern Xinjiang tour, which is known as the last drop of tears of the Atlantic. Sayram Lake is a fairyland with wonderful natural scenery whose water is very clear and pure. you can stroll on the shore, enjoy the blooming wildflowers and the beautiful grassland around the lake. 

When arrive Kuitun, pay a visit to the amazing Dushanzi Grand Canyon, which is the hidden attraction in Xinjiang, formed by the snow and rain of Tianshan Mountain in dry years, like a group of bamboo poles rising up. 

Today you will enjoy the tour of the picturesque Heavenly Lake, 2000m up in the Tianshan mountain range which is surrounded by the snow mountains, blooming wildflowers, evergreen pine trees. 40-minute scenic shuttle bus ride that twists though the dramatic mountains. Then you can either walk to the lakeside in 10mins or take the electronic cart. There are 3 options suggested. Boating cruise to take the incredible view of Tianshan Mountain. Trekking along the lake in the fresh air. or you can explore further to the Maya Mountain by the cable car to enjoy the magnificent view of the Mountains. 

Then, drive to Urumqi downtown and head to Xinjiang International Bazaar, which is the largest bazaar in Urumqi. You'll find a bustling market filled with fruit, clothing, crafts, carpets and almost anything that you can imagine. 

After visiting, transfer to hotel and check in, have a good rest.

Today, your exciting journey comes to an end, say goodbye to Urumqi and be transferred to the airport based on your schedule. Thanks for traveling with us!