新疆 旅行指南
Silk Road oases, alpine lakes, and the fragrance of cumin
Plan your visit
Recommended stay7–10 days
Getting there乌鲁木齐飞各地；或经乌鲁木齐中转喀什/伊犁
Good to know疆域辽阔，行程耗时多；安检与证件随身
Xinjiang is China's far west — a province-scale region of silk-road oases, Tian Shan glaciers and desert basins. The classic loop strings Urumqi, Heavenly Lake, Turpan's ruins and (with a permit) Kashgar's old town — a 7–14 day trip rather than a weekend, best June–September.
Top sights
- Heavenly Lake (Tianchi) — Alpine lake under Bogda Peak, 2 hours from Urumqi — cableway, boardwalks and Kazakh yurt lunches.
- Turpan ruins — Jiaohe and Gaochang — two ruined silk-road cities plus the Karez wells under the Flaming Mountains.
- Kashgar Old City — The Uyghur old town of earthen lanes, instrument shops and the Sunday livestock market — Central Asia begins here.
- Karakoram Highway — The drive to Karakul Lake past Muztagh Ata (7,546m) — yurt stays and camels under glaciers.
- Bayanbulak grasslands — High steppe with the Swan Lake wetlands — the classic overland link between Urumqi and Ili.
Suggested itinerary
- 喀什巴扎. 周日牲畜巴扎，艾提尕尔清真寺，老城迷宫探索
- 天山天池. 天池高山湖，博格达峰景观，哈萨克毡房午餐
- 丝路尽头. 火焰山，交河故城，吐鲁番葡萄沟
Budget reference
LodgingUrumqi/Kashgar mid-range ¥300–600; yurt stays ¥150–300 with meals.
FoodLamb skewers, big plate chicken, naan fresh from tandoors ¥30–80 per meal; melon season July–Aug is a feast.
Local transportRegion is huge — budget flights (Urumqi–Kashgar ¥400–900) beat 24h drives; hired car with driver ¥600–1000/day.
TicketsTianchi ¥90 plus shuttle, Turpan sites ¥30–60 each, Kashgar old town free to wander.
Where to stay
Base per region — Urumqi hub, Turpan for ruins, Kashgar for the west; do not day-trip the far south from one base.
Good to know
- Carry your passport at all times — checkpoints are routine on regional roads and stations.
- Time zones: official Beijing time is used, but daily life runs 2 hours later — confirm bus departure clocks.
- Permit rules for border areas change — book Karakoram/Khunjerab legs with a licensed agency in Kashgar.
Explore
新疆 旅行指南