first time to travel Xinjiang?
This article will lead you to explore the best time, the peak season and the most popular scenic spots of Xinjiang! As a local based and experienced travel agency, we have prepared the best travel routes and itineraries according to the feedback from our guests. No matter your age, the travel habit you prefer, or what kind of adventure you want to start. All the answers can be find in this article.
Xinjiang —— A Land of Ancient Silk Road and Rich Culture
Xinjiang, officially known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region in the northwest of China. It is the largest provincial-level administrative region in China, covering an area of over 1.6 million square kilometers. It is bordered by eight countries, including Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
From the snow-capped peaks of the Pamir Mountains to the golden dunes of the Taklamakan Desert, Xinjiang offers a once-in-a-lifetime journey through China's wild west. Immerse yourself in vibrant Uyghur culture, taste world-famous fruits and hearty Silk Road cuisine, and explore ancient cities that once linked East and West. Whether you're trekking through alpine meadows, chasing the lucid waters of Sayram Lake, or getting lost in the melodies of Muqam music, Xinjiang is a land of endless wonder waiting to be explored.
Xinjiang Map for the First Time Travelers
1. When is the best time to travel Xinjiang?
—For most of the foreign travelers, the best month to start your Xinjiang journey is in July, August, September and October.
March- April : The weather during this period of time is windy and a little bit cold. Strong winds and sandstorms with dust are prone to occur in the North Xinjiang. South Xinjiang is a great choice for its increased precipitation, you can see various of peach or apricot flower during this time with awakened wild grassland in spring. (Turpan, Shanshan and many spots in South Xinjiang can view the wild flowers blossom all over the mountains.
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June : Although the sweet fruits are not mature during this time, you can already immerse yourself into the beauty of flower sea and the most be loved lavender fields in Yili, Xinjiang! Here plants the good quality lavender with nearly 95% of lavender output in China. It's also regarded as the "Heaven of lanvender" .
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July - August : You can still see the beautiful flower in July, with wild grassland, herds of cattles and sheep, which is a perfect place to avoid the summer heat. In the same time, the Nadamu festival and Tianma horse festival is celebrated during this period, too. And you can taste many sweet and delicious fruits in this wondeful land.
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September - October : Xinjiang's golden autumn has a stunning and gogerous scenery. The weather is cooler than other seasons, and its a perfect time for harvesting. The beautiful autumn Kanas lake is regarded as one of the most wonderful scenic spots that deserves every traveler to step into this heavenly world, it is also the peak season of Xinjiang travel.
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Winter in Xinjiang : Xinjiang's winter is like a fantastic snow kingdom. The tempreture drops to -20℃ - 30℃. Which is very cold, if you choose to come in the winter, the price in some places many decreased, and there're less people in the scenic spots. Viewing the snow-capped mountains and skiing under Tianshan mountain is a great choice during this time. The winter scenery in Kanas and Sayram Lake is gogerous, every year many vistors will come to this wonder land in this cold weather to see the beauty of ice and snow.
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Xinjiang is home to a rich tapestry of ethnic groups, with the Uyghur ethnic group being the largest. Other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang include Kazakhs, Hui Muslims, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Uzbeks, and more. This diversity contributes to the region's cultural richness and heritage.
Xinjiang was a key stop along the ancient Silk Road, facilitating trade and cultural exchange between East and West. The region is known for its traditional music, dance, cuisine, and craftsmanship. The Uyghur culture, in particular, with its unique language, music, dance, and cuisine, plays a significant role in defining Xinjiang's cultural identity.
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As the capital of Xinjiang, Urumqi is the largest city in the region and serves as a major cultural, economic, and transportation hub. Urumqi has a unique blend of cultures, with a mix of Han Chinese, Uyghur, Kazakh, and other ethnic groups calling the city home.
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There is the famous bustling market the Grand Bazaar, which offers a vibrant display of traditional crafts, textiles, and local cuisine. Also, there are many stunning natural landscapes, including the Tianshan Mountains and Heavenly Lake, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. As for the natural attractions, there is a paradise for natural lovers-- Hemu Village, the fairy tale Kanas Lake. You can marvel at the turquoise Taklamakan Desert, enjoy the red rocks of the Flaming Mountain, indulge in the blue of the last tear of Atlantic-- Sayram Lake, wander through the vast grasslands of Naraty, or walk through the historical Kashgar Old Town. Whether exploring the rugged Mountains or braving the vast Desert, Xinjiang Travel Expert will arrange you an unforgettable and valuable experience.
There are more Top Attractions in Xinjiang for you to choose.
Xinjiang experiences a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. In the summer months, temperatures can soar to over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas, particularly in the Tarim Basin and Turpan Depression, making it one of the hottest places in China. In contrast, winter temperatures can drop well below freezing, especially in the mountainous regions of the Tianshan and Altay Mountains.
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Xinjiang also experiences distinct seasonal changes, with spring and autumn being relatively short but pleasant seasons with mild temperatures. The region receives limited rainfall, with most precipitation occurring in the form of snow in the winter months. The desert regions, such as the Taklamakan Desert, are extremely arid and receive very little rainfall throughout the year.
Xinjiang's climate varies widely depending on the specific location within the region, with the desert regions being hot and dry, while the mountainous areas can be cooler and more temperate. Before you go to Xinjiang, you should be prepared for extreme temperatures and varying weather conditions depending on the season and location within the region.
Xinjiang is a popular destination for travelers seeking to explore its diverse landscapes, historical sites, and cultural heritage. There are three basic and classic travel route that are loved by many visitors for many years, here are several route choices for you based on our clients feedback and local tour guide recommendation.
In Xinjiang, you can enjoy attractions such as the Gobi Desert, Heavenly Lake, the Flaming Mountains, the ancient city of Kuqa, and the bustling bazaars of Kashgar.
In Xinjiang, you can indulge in natural beauty, experience cultural diversity, and enjoy historical significance, this place will offer you a unique and fascinating travel experience.
Xinjiang is divided into two parts: the North Xinjiang and the South Xinjiang. In South Xinjiang, you can enjoy the vast deserts, and ancient cities with a long history, and feel the charm of the Silk Road; in North Xinjiang, you can embark on the high mountains, and grasslands, and feel the breeze of the endless lake blowing on your face!
North Xinjiang is characterized by its diverse landscapes, including vast deserts, rugged mountain ranges, and fertile oasis regions.
There are beautiful Altay Mountains area and Yili Grassland, which is famous for its picturesque landscape. Mysterious Kanas Lake Nature Park, which is called "Oriental Switzerland". The heavenly blue Sayram Lake, Natural paradise Naraty, and scenic Kalajun which is dressed by the valleys embedded in mountains with beautiful grassland and abundant forests. Those are the top natural wonders in China.
We suggest you take the North Xinjiang Tour from April to late June for the good price and pleasant weather. You can have a wonderful time with your family on our Xinjiang Family Tour. You can also choose the wonderfully adventurous tour to discover this vast land. We welcome you to join us!
We have many Northern Territory tours for you to choose from!
1. Altay North Xinjiang Route:
A Itinerary:
Urumqi —— Keketuohai —— Burqin —— Jiadenyu —— Hemu —— Kanas Lake —— Baihaba village —— Habahe County —— Five-color Beach —— Burqin
B Itinerary:
Urumqi —— Keketuohai —— Burqin —— Five Color Beach —— Habahe County —— Baihaba village —— Kanas Lake —— Hemu —— Jiadenyu —— Burqin
C Itinerary:
Urumqi —— Keketuohai —— Burqin —— Five Color Beach —— Habahe County —— Baihaba village —— Kanas Lake —— Hemu —— Jiadenyu —— Burqin
D Itinerary: (Altay Trekking & Takes 3-4 Days)
Jiadenyu —— Hemu —— Heihu Lake —— Kanas Lake
E Itinerary: (4 Days trekking)
Kanas —— Tubieke —— Shuanghu Lake —— Naren Pasture —— Baihaba village
South Xinjiang includes the Taklamakan Desert, the Tarim Basin, the Pamir Mountains, and the Kunlun Mountains which is known for its vast deserts, oases, and snow-capped peaks, creating a stunning and varied natural environment.
South Xinjiang has a continental climate with extreme temperature variations between summer and winter. The region experiences hot, dry summers and cold winters, with limited precipitation. The oases in the region provide fertile land for agriculture and settlement.
South Xinjiang is a popular destination for travelers seeking to explore its unique landscapes and cultural attractions. You can enjoy activities such as camel trekking in the desert, visiting ancient Silk Road sites, exploring traditional Uyghur markets, and experiencing local festivals and customs. Popular tourist destinations in our trip to South Xinjiang include Hotan, Kashgar, Kuqa, and so on. On the trip, you can enjoy the mysterious Taklamakan desert, discover the splendid culture and history of the ancient Silk Road, and experience the colorful customs of the different ethnic groups.
If you want to explore South Xinjiang, we have many South Xinjiang Tours, you don't need to worry even if you want to take a short trip to South Xinjiang, we also arrange short trips for the Xinjiang Day Tours. Those tours include South Xinjiang's famous cities which could bring you an unforgettable experience.
A Itinerary:
Burqin —— Urho Ghost City —— Sayram Lake —— Guozigou Bridge —— Khorgos Port —— Yining —— Zhaosu —— Tekes —— Kalajun Grassland —— Qonkushata —— Narati Grassland —— Bayanbulak
B Itinerary (Qonkushata to Kalajun Trekking Route-2 or 3 days):
Qonkushata Village —— Camping area —— Flower viewing area —— West Kalajun Grassland
A Itinerary:
Bayanbulak —— Duku Highway —— Kuqa —— Kashgar —— Red Flag Lapu Port —— Taxkorgan County —— Taxian County —— Kashgar —— Hotan —— Minfeng —— Desert Highway —— Korla —— Urumqi
In addition, we have many types of journeys， you can explore Xinjiang in a Group Tour with your friends, at the same time we also designed the Xinjiang Small Group Tour for you to have the best time with the least spend and also have much fun to make friends from all around the world;
You can choose the Photography Tour to indulge the picturesque scenery of Xinjiang; Also you can choose the journey you want according to your needs.
We are very welcome you to join us and we will provide you with the most considerate and comprehensive services.
Book your Xinjiang Tours with us, and enjoy the very best arrangements at the best-valued price. We will bring you a great holiday!
Urumqi - Fuyun - Keketuohai - Burqin - Jiadengyu - Kanas - Jiadengyu - Hemu- Burqin
Kanas and Hemu tour starts from Urumqi. Our Professional guided trekking to Kanas, enjoy the very best landscape. This is a Tour you can take any time for its multiple sceneries style.
Urumqi - Turpan - Kashgar - Taxkorgan
8 days Xinjiang Travel is the best vacation to Xinjiang which covers Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar and Taxkorgan county on the Karakom Highway. Enjoy Hiking in Tianchi Lake. Travel with Xinjiang China Travel, Big deal
Urumqi - Fuhai - Hemu - Kanas - Karamay - Turpan - Dunhuang - Jiayuguan - Zhangye - Xining - Xi’an
This exciting 15-day adventure tour takes you to trace the footprints of the ancient travelers and savor the legend of the Silk Road. You will immerse in a variety of attracting landscapes and get a lot of opportunities to explore local people and their ethnic cultures.
