4 Days Private Urumqi & Turpan Tour

This morning, your private guide and the driver will accompany you on an excursion to the alpine Heavenly Lake, standing about 1,910 meters (6,266 ft.) above sea level, mainly formed from the glacial meltwater. Framed by deep blue waters and snow-frosted peaks with spruce trees, the lake boasts incredible, unspoiled natural scenery. After about a 1-hour drive, you’ll arrive at the entrance, and then follow the guide to hop on a sightseeing bus to the lake area, which takes about 30 minutes. An insider tip for you: grab a window seat on the right side, allowing you to witness more jaw-dropping mountain scenery and a small lake. After getting off, enjoy a leisurely stroll along the turquoise lake. To put it slightly exaggeratedly, deep breathing here can intoxicate you with oxygen due to the abundance of spruce trees; it is said that each puff would add 0.6 seconds to your life. If interesting, explore a lakeside temple and climb up the mountain to overlook the emerald lake, presenting different green hues under sunlight. A cruise is also possible at your own expense, costing CNY 100 (USD 14) per person for around 40 minutes. Finish sightseeing, and we’ll go back to downtown Urumqi.

After lunch, enjoy an exploration of the treasure-filled Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, also the largest one in China. It amplifies the unique charm of Xinjiang, not only does it offer a wide variety of local delicacies like baked mutton stuffed buns, lamb kebabs, handmade yogurt, and milk naan, and ethnic-style ornaments such as carpets and musical Instruments, but it's also a perfect spot to appreciate Islamic architecture, and peruse shops and stalls selling traditional handicrafts, spices, and souvenirs. There are also plenty of cultural activities, mostly local singing and dancing, or instrument playing, held in front of some shops to draw customers, while some shows will also be performed on the square at a fixed schedule. Soak up the lively, cheerful, and joyous atmosphere and interact with the passionate locals; however, if you want to purchase any souvenirs, make sure to bargain at least 30% off the initial price. In the end, your guide will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Excemon Xinjiang Yilite Hotel (4 stars)

After breakfast, your private guide and the driver will accompany you on a 3.5-hour road trip to Turpan. En route, enjoy the breathtaking mountain ranges stretching to the horizon, beautiful mirror-like lakes, adorable flocks of sheep and horses, as well as countless windmills. It is said that each of the windmills costs around CNY 20 to 50 million (USD 2.8 to 7 million), and the diameter of a large blade exceeds 100 meters (1,970 ft.), generating about 8-10 kWh of electricity per circle. Upon arrival in Turpan, our first stop is the 2,300-year-old Ancient City of Jiaohe, dubbed the "Pompeii of the East", featuring the largest and best-preserved earthen architecture in the world. The UNESCO-listed site is a city “carved directly out of the earth”, constructed by digging underground downwards. Follow the guide to stroll through the ancient city ruins, exploring the preserved urban layout similar to that in the capital city of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), which encompasses markets, government offices, Buddhist temples, pagodas, streets and alleys, as well as workshops, residences, and military training grounds. The ruins of Buddhist temples and pagodas are testament to the westward spread of Chinese Buddhism, also witnessing the culture-melting Silk Road history. At last, overlook the whole city ruins from the observation deck, and it looks like a willow leaf or a small boat.

► Warm Tips:
1.    As there is no shade in the scenic area, please take a sunhat, sunglasses, and wraps to protect you from the scorching sunlight and wind carrying sand.
2.    No store is available inside, and you’d better prepare water and snacks before departure.

Afterward, we’ll head to the region’s famous Karez System, a unique set of water supply systems that draw water from deep underground, minimizing evaporation loss to the greatest extent. Its core is vertical walls and underground tunnels, which utilize the height difference of the terrain to slowly lead the underground water to the surface. However, it takes several years or even decades to finish one, with only simple tools such as pickaxes and shovels. During the construction, many people are well aware that they would never have a sip of water from a Karez well in their lifetime; but for the sake of their descendants, they had never stopped. Some elderly people would volunteer to build dangerous sections, leaving living chances for the younger. Leaving the impressive engineering wonder, we’ll come to the Islamic-style Emin Minaret. The 37-meter-high (121-foot) cylindrical tower was constructed of yellow-grey bricks, narrowing gradually from the bottom to top, with several kinds of traditional Uyghur geometric patterns, such as diamond-shaped, water ripples, and four-petal patterns, whose façade resembles an exquisite ethnic weaving from a distance. Finish the visit, and your guide will escort you to a well-selected hotel for check-in.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Mercure Hotel Turpan Downtown (4 stars)

After breakfast, continue your Turpan tour itinerary from Urumqi to the Ancient City of Gaochang. The guide will accompany you to this UNESCO-listed ancient city to take in its three-tiered structure of outer city, inner city, and palaces, as well as Khan's Fortress, beacon towers, and Buddhist pagodas. The famous monk Xuanzang (602-664 AD) once stayed here for about one month and gave sermons during his westward journey to India. Later, move on to Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, the most mysterious chapter of Xinjiang, silently displaying the splendor of Buddhist culture a thousand years ago through numerous exquisite Buddhist murals about the enlightenment of Sakyamuni. However, it is a pity that most paintings, statues and murals suffer from serious destruction, and some have been “taken” and shipped abroad by German, Japanese, and British archaeologists in the early 20th century. Then, it is followed by a stopover at the nearby Flaming Mountains, which got the name because of its torturous temperatures, reaching about astonishingly 70℃ (158℉) and even higher at summer noon. 

After that, your guide and the driver will escort you to the Tupan train station for your onward journey. If you’d like to leave from Urumqi airport with more frequent flights to other cities, we could also arrange a private transfer there. Wish you a pleasant journey!

► Warm tip: If you plan to continue your tour to explore the Mogao Grottoes in the Silk Road oasis, Dunhuang, we kindly suggest that you add one night in Turpan, as the train generally departs in the morning.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch