19 Days Northern Xinjiang Gansu and Qinghai Tour

Welcome to Urumqi, the world’s farthest city from any ocean. Meet your guide on arrival and transfer to the city center. Relax and acclimate at your leisure for the rest of the day.

Transport: Private Car | Meals: None | Altitude: 918m

Start with breakfast and a cultural exploration of Urumqi. Visit Xinjiang Regional Museum for Silk Road relics and ethnic minority exhibits. Wander Red Hill Park for urban tranquility. Lunch in a traditional Kazakh yurt with local cuisine. Explore the Grand International Bazaar—watch Uygur dances and try local delicacies.

Transport: Private Car | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 918m

Depart Urumqi at 08:30 for a 1.5-hour drive to Heavenly Lake. Take a 40-minute shuttle bus through Tianshan Mountains to the lake. Explore freely: lakeshore trekking, boat cruises or cable car to Maya Mountain for Bogda Peak views. Continue 470km to Fuyun, passing the surreal Huoshaoshan (Burning Mountain).

Transport: Private Car (470km) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch included | Altitude: 800m

Join a welcome briefing in Fuyun’s hotel lobby. Visit Keketuohai National Geological Park—explore Haizi Kou and No.3 Mine Tunnel. Take a tram through Irtysh Grand Canyon to Shenzhong Mountain’s Earthquake Museum. Drive 260km to Burqin for the night.

Transport: Private Car (260km) | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 1,459m

Drive 137km to Kanas Nature Reserve, China’s European-style ecological paradise. Catch your first view of iconic Kanas Lake en route. Take a reserve shuttle bus to the interior and visit Yuy Pavilion for panoramic lake and landscape views. Settle in Jiadengyu District for the evening.

Transport: Private Car (137km) + Reserve Shuttle Bus | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 1,375m

Immerse yourself in Kanas’ unspoiled beauty—snow-capped peaks, crystal lakes and pristine wilderness. Trek the famous Three Bays: Moon Bay, Dragon Bay and Immortal Bay for postcard-perfect lake views. Watch the lake’s waters shift hues with the seasons, a natural ever-changing masterpiece.

Note: Airport/railway transfers available; reserve shuttle buses required for internal travel.

Transport: Private Car + Reserve Shuttle Bus | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 1,375m

Drive 65km to Hemu Village, dubbed “China’s First Village” near Kanas Lake. Explore the charming settlement with wooden houses and small bridges. Immerse in the unique traditional lifestyle of the Tuvan ethnic group. A peaceful escape for culture and nature lovers.

Transport: Private Car (65km) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch included | Altitude: 1,124m

Enjoy a buffet breakfast, then drive 200km back to Burqin. En route, visit Five-colored Beach—Burqin’s spectacular natural attraction, perfect for sunset viewing. Marvel at the vibrant tapestry of red, yellow, green and purple rock formations, a masterpiece of nature’s artistry.

Transport: Private Car (200km) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch included | Altitude: 1,459m

Rise early for a sunrise view (weather permitting) before breakfast. Drive 456km along Gurbantunggut Desert to Urho Ghost City, a famous yardang landform site. Wander the bizarre wind-sculpted rock formations—shaped like pagodas, temples and animals—an otherworldly landscape.

Transport: Private Car (456km) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch included | Altitude: 450m

Drive 400km (4 hours) to Sayram Lake, Xinjiang’s largest alpine lake. Stroll the lakeshore and admire snow-capped mountain reflections in crystal-clear waters. Travel through Guozigou (Fruit Valley)—hike wooden boardwalks to view the iconic Guozigou Bridge. Drive back to Kuitun in the afternoon.

Transport: Private Car (400km round trip) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch included | Altitude: 2,072m

Drive 427km to Turpan, a historic Silk Road city. First stop: Tuyoq Village, an ancient oasis in Flaming Mountains’ fertile valley. Taste sweet seedless grapes and explore ancient Buddhist meditation caves with well-preserved frescoes. Continue to Bezekilik Thousand Buddha Caves, a 5th–14th century Buddhist grotto complex with Silk Road art murals.

Transport: Private Car (427km) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch included | Altitude: 500m

Spend the full day exploring Turpan’s ancient engineering and heritage. Visit Karez Irrigation System—an ingenious underground network sustaining desert agriculture. Admire Sugong Minaret, a landmark blending Islamic and Uyghur architectural styles. Explore Jiaohe Ruins, “China’s Pompeii”—a well-preserved ancient Silk Road earthen city.

Transport: Private Car | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 500m

Bid farewell to Turpan and take a 4-hour train to Liuyuan Station. Transfer by car for a 2-hour drive to Echoing Sand Mountain (Mingsha Mountain). Take a 40-minute camel ride across the golden singing dunes. Freshen up, dine, then explore Shazhou Night Market for handicrafts and Dunhuang snacks.

Transport: Train + Private Car | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 1,200m

Visit UNESCO-listed Mogao Grottoes—1,600 years of Buddhist art and culture. Watch a 40-minute 4D movie on the grottoes’ history, then explore 8 key caves with a professional guide. Admire priceless murals, clay sculptures and ancient manuscripts. Drive 371km to Jiayuguan in the evening.

Transport: Private Car (371km) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch included | Altitude: 1,450m

Visit Jiayuguan Pass, the westernmost gateway of the Ming Great Wall. Explore its integrated defensive system, a crucial Silk Road trade and cultural hub. Drive 223km (3 hours) to Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park. Spend 4 hours at observation platforms, marveling at rainbow-hued sandstone ridges.

Transport: Private Car (223km) | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 3,633m

Visit 900-year-old Grand Buddha Temple (Dafo Temple) for Asia’s largest indoor reclining Buddha (34.5m). Explore ancient Buddhist murals, scriptures and carvings. Take a high-speed train 340km to Xining, then transfer by car to Qinghai Lake. Explore freely: lakeshore biking or boat cruises amid grasslands and grazing livestock.

Transport: Private Car + High-Speed Train (340km) | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 2,261m

Rise at 07:00 for a 3-hour drive to Ta’er Monastery (Kumbum Monastery), a renowned Tibetan Buddhism spiritual center. Explore intricate temples, butter sculptures, murals and thangkas. Return to Xining and take a high-speed train to Xi’an. Settle in for the night to prepare for the final city tour.

Transport: Private Car + High-Speed Train | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 400m

Depart at 08:00 for a 1-hour drive to the Terracotta Army—an iconic 2,300-year-old archaeological wonder. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, then visit Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayan Pagoda), an ancient Buddhist architectural gem. Explore Xi’an Ancient City Wall—walk or bike for skyline views of ancient and modern Xi’an. Wander the vibrant Muslim Quarter for street food and souvenirs in the evening.

Transport: Private Car | Meals: Breakfast included | Altitude: 400m

Enjoy a final breakfast to conclude your epic northwest China journey. Your guide will transfer you to Xi’an Xianyang International Airport or Xi’an Railway Station for your onward travel.

Transport: Private Car | Meals: Breakfast included | Accommodation: None