Xinjiang — Tianchi Lake and Northern Grasslands, 7 days

Day by day

1. Day 1 · urumqi

   Arrival Urumqi, Xinjiang Regional Museum, Grand Bazaar

   Arrive Urumqi (乌鲁木齐). Xinjiang Regional Museum — the star exhibit is a set of Bronze Age Tarim Basin mummies with European-adjacent physical features and plaid textiles, now dated to around 2000 BCE. International Grand Bazaar: the largest bazaar in Northwest China, with Uyghur bread (naan), dried fruit, and spice stalls.

   Stay in: Urumqi city centre.

2. Day 2 · tianchi

   Day trip to Heavenly Lake Tianchi

   Day trip by bus to Tianchi (天池, Heavenly Lake) — an alpine lake at 1,910m in the Tian Shan, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Cruise option across the lake. Kazakh yurt camps on the western shore offer horse riding and lunch. Return to Urumqi by evening.

   Attractions: heavenly-lake-tianchi

   Stay in: Urumqi.

3. Day 3 · yining

   Fly west to Yining, Kazakh cultural area

   Morning flight west to Yining (伊宁, also called Ghulja) near the Kazakhstan border. Yining is known for its lavender fields (June–July), the oldest Kazakh cultural districts, and its Russian-influenced early 20th-century architecture. Afternoon in the old city.

   Stay in: Yining city.

   Flight Urumqi → Yining, 1h, ¥300–500.

4. Day 4 · nalati

   Drive to Nalati Grassland

   Road east to Nalati Meadow (那拉提草原) — alpine grassland at 1,600–3,000m grazed by Kazakh families on summer migration. Cable car for panoramic views. Afternoon horse riding across genuine open meadow. Dinner in a yurt.

   Stay in: Nalati yurt camp or nearby guesthouse.

   Road Yining → Nalati, 2.5h.

5. Day 5 · kanas

   Fly north to Kanas Lake

   Fly or road north to Kanas Nature Reserve in the Altai Mountains. Kanas Lake — a glacially carved lake of notable depth with turquoise water; the area has endemic wildlife and borders the three-country corner with Russia and Mongolia.

   Stay in: Kanas scenic area lodge.

   Flight Yining → Kanas (Burqin), 2h; or road via Altay, 5h.

6. Day 6 · kanas

   Kanas boat, Hemu village, Tuvan community

   Boat across Kanas Lake. Walk to Hemu Village (禾木) — a Tuvan community (Russian-adjacent Turkic people) living in log cabins and herding reindeer. The village has the highest concentration of white birch trees visible from a single viewpoint in China.

   Stay in: Kanas or Hemu village guesthouse.

7. Day 7 · urumqi

   Return to Urumqi, night market, departure

   Fly back to Urumqi. Evening at the Erdaoqiao Night Market — Xinjiang lamb skewers, pomegranate juice, and Uyghur samsa pastry. Depart from Urumqi Diwopu International Airport.

   Flight Kanas/Burqin → Urumqi 2h, ¥400; then international or domestic onward.

Budget guide (CNY per day)

Per person 7 days. Internal flights approximately ¥2,500–3,000. Kanas area entrance ¥200. Yurt accommodation ¥150–400/night. North Xinjiang is geographically large — private vehicle for Kanas is cost-effective for groups.