Itinerary · 7 days · active
Northern Silk Road — Urumqi, Heavenly Lake, Turpan and Kashgar, 7 days
Seven days in Xinjiang's Silk Road cities: Urumqi, the alpine Heavenly Lake, the desert ruins around Turpan, and the Uighur old city of Kashgar near the Kyrgyzstan border.
Xinjiang is China's largest province by area and among its most culturally distinct — the Uighur people are Central Asian in language, culture and appearance, and the landscape shifts from Tian Shan alpine peaks to the Taklamakan Desert floor (the world's second-largest shifting-sand desert). Visitors must be aware that Xinjiang requires registration at accommodation (passport required at check-in, strictly enforced) and that security checkpoints with ID checks are frequent throughout the province. Travel here is possible and safe for most international tourists but the political context is significant — research current conditions before visiting.
Day by day
Day 1 · urumqi
Arrive Urumqi, Xinjiang Regional Museum
Fly to Urumqi (URC) from a major Chinese hub. The Xinjiang Regional Museum has outstanding collections of mummies from the Tarim Basin (Bronze Age Caucasian peoples found in the desert) and exhibits on the region's 45 recognised ethnic groups. The museum provides essential context for the week ahead.
Stay in: Urumqi city — international hotels with English-speaking staff recommended.
Day 2 · urumqi
Heavenly Lake (Tianchi)
Day trip to Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) — a glacial alpine lake at 1,910m in the Tian Shan mountains, 100km east of Urumqi. The lake is in a steep forested valley with snow-capped peaks above the tree line. Tour bus or hired car (2h each way). Kazakh yurt camps offer lunch above the lake.
Day 3 · turpan
HSR to Turpan, ancient cities
Morning HSR Urumqi → Turpan North (40 min). Turpan sits in the Turfan Depression — 154m below sea level, China's lowest and hottest point. Afternoon: Jiaohe Ancient City (a Tang-dynasty garrison city on a loess island, progressively eroded into ruins by wind and water over 1,000 years).
Stay in: Turpan city.
HSR Urumqi → Turpan North, 40 min.
Day 4 · turpan
Flaming Mountains, Bezeklik Caves, Grape Valley
Flaming Mountains (Huoyan Shan) — the red sandstone range rising to over 70m. Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves in the mountain face (most frescoes removed to European museums in the early 20th century, but the cave setting in the canyon remains striking). Grape Valley vineyards — Turpan's karez underground irrigation system has supported grapes for 2,000 years.
Day 5 · kashgar
Fly to Kashgar, Old City
Short flight URC → KHG (1h 30m). Arrive Kashgar — the westernmost Silk Road city in China, 4,400km from Shanghai. The Kashgar Old City (partially rebuilt after 2010–2012 demolitions) has a distinctly Central Asian character: mud-brick buildings, covered bazaars, carved wooden balconies. Id Kah Mosque square in the late afternoon — the largest mosque in China.
Stay in: Near Id Kah Mosque, Kashgar Old City.
Domestic flight Turpan (via Urumqi) → Kashgar KHG, approx 2h.
Day 6 · kashgar
Sunday Livestock Market, Artisan Bazaar
The Livestock Market (held most days but largest on Sunday) south of the city — thousands of sheep, cattle, horses and camels traded in a large open area. Return to the old city for the Artisan Bazaar: coppersmiths, silk merchants, knife-makers, dried fruit. The knife-making workshop district is worth spending time in.
Day 7 · kashgar
Karakul Lake or depart
Optional day trip to Karakul Lake (3,600m, on the Karakoram Highway toward Pakistan — 3h each way, hire a car). The lake reflects Muztagh Ata peak (7,546m) across the water. Alternatively, fly KHG → Urumqi → Beijing or Shanghai for onward connection.
Flight KHG → URC → onward connection.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥2000 |
| Mid-range | ¥4500 |
| Comfortable | ¥10000 |
Per person total 7 days including domestic flights (approx ¥1,500) and HSR. Xinjiang domestic flights are sometimes delayed or cancelled — build margin. International flights excluded.
Cities covered