Northern Xinjiang 10-Day Tour | Tianshan Tianchi + Kanas + Hemu + Sayram Lake + Nalati + Bayanbulak + Duku Highway 10 Days 9 Nights Group Tour

Welcome to beautiful Xinjiang! After airport pickup, you will be transferred to the hotel to rest, and then enjoy free time. If time permits, you may visit recommended attractions on your own (separate vehicle use not included). [Warm Tips] 1. Xinjiang is very large, and the drive between attractions is long. Travel is quite physically demanding, so please prepare some food or snacks for unexpected needs 2. Keep your phone reachable before the tour departs. The butler or driver will contact you in advance.

07:30-08:00 We are very happy to meet you in Xinjiang in this season! The driver will arrive at the hotel at the pre-arranged time and pick everyone up in order according to distance. The small-group pure-sightseeing trip with new friends is about to begin 08:00-09:30 Drive to 【Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area】 via the Turpan-Urumqi-Dahuangshan Expressway, enjoying the agricultural economic belt of northern Xinjiang along the way 09:30-14:00 Take the shuttle bus to the Tianchi lake area. The scenery of Tianchi unfolds like a scroll; before your eyes is a stretch of deep blue lake water, somewhat like the color of a glacial lake, and the shallows are very clear. From near to far, mountain ridges stand on the lake surface like inverted V shapes, like layers of barriers gradually receding. In the distance is Bogda Peak, and the snow-capped summit is clearly visible. At this time there are no clouds in the sky, making the mountains and lake water appear more three-dimensional and vivid; be sure to capture this rare scene with your camera 14:00-15:00 Have lunch en route; you can split the bill with fellow group members or dine separately to taste local specialties 15:00-20:00 Head to Koktokay/Fuyun County. Accompanied by cheerful music, we chat and laugh all the way. The scenery along the way gradually changes from city buildings to gobi desert—this is the Junggar Basin. In the hinterland of 【Gurbantunggut Desert】 lies a paradise for wild animals; this is a protected area for ungulates, where wild donkeys, wild horses, wild camels and others are often encountered. If you are lucky, you can photograph them foraging 20:00-21:00 Arrive in Koktokay/Fuyun County for dinner; you can split the bill with fellow group members or dine separately to taste local specialties 21:00-21:30 After dinner, check in at the hotel 【Warm Tips】 1. National Highway 216 has speed limits along the entire route and the drive is long, so please bring your own snacks and fruit 2. The ultraviolet rays are strong during the day in the scenic area, so please take sun protection measures.

08:00-09:00 Enjoy a warm breakfast at the hotel, and we can begin today's exciting journey again. 09:00-13:00 Visit [Koktokay Scenic Area], taking the scenic shuttle bus along the Irtysh River to admire the towering birch forests, Stone Gate, Husband-and-Wife Trees and more, and photograph the Divine Bell Mountain, the symbol of the Koktokay Scenic Area. After the shuttle bus reaches the final stop, we can take a 3-kilometer experiential hike, going deeper along the Irtysh River canyon to feel the giant rock cliffs and dense green shade by the river, with waves of coolness. 13:00-14:00 Lunch, which you can share with fellow group members or enjoy local specialties on your own. 14:00-19:00 Accompanied by cheerful music, we chat and laugh all the way to Wucaitan. 19:00-21:00 Visit [Wucaitan Scenic Area], see the yardang landforms and photograph the sunset. If the weather is clear, this is exactly sunset time, the recommended moment to view the yardang landforms. Pose freely in the glow of the setting sun, walk to the wooden boardwalk by the river, and capture the beautiful sunset over the Danxia landscape. 21:00-21:30 Drive back to Burqin County and check into the hotel. [Warm Tips] 1. The Koktokay Scenic Area is quite large and suitable for light hiking, so wear comfortable shoes. 2. The UV rays in the scenic area are strong during the day, so take sun protection measures.

08:00-09:00 Enjoy a heartwarming breakfast at the hotel, and we can begin today's exciting journey again 09:00-11:00 Amid cheerful music, we chat and laugh all the way as we head to Kanas 11:00-19:00 First head to the hotel to check in and drop off our luggage. Then we can enjoy Kanas~ Enter 【Kanas Scenic Area】, passing through Kanas's famous three bays: "Fairy Bay, Moon Bay, and Wolong Bay." At Fairy Bay, the water surface becomes shimmering, like the glow of a twinkling pearl necklace. Then arrive at Moon Bay, overlooking a huge footprint-like shape left in the crescent-shaped river bend, remarkably true to life. Then arrive at Wolong Bay, like a stegosaurus from Jurassic Park lying across the middle of the river. Within the scenic area, you may go on your own to Fish Watching Platform (at your own expense, 20 yuan/person) to overlook Kanas Lake; afterward, you may choose to go to the lakeside on your own to experience a boat ride (at your own expense); or take a walk and photos in the old village 19:00-20:00 After the tour, head to Jiadengyu to check in; after dinner, in the atmosphere of frogs croaking and insects chirping, quietly admire the brightest star in the night sky 【Warm Tips】 1. Today's entire route is mountain roads; guests prone to motion sickness must remember to prepare medicine in advance 2. To enter the Kanas Scenic Area, you must transfer to the scenic area shuttle bus. Since the shuttle buses run continuously and there are many stops along the way, for convenience of touring, it is strongly recommended to carry the items needed for that night into the scenic area, and temporarily leave other large luggage on the driver's vehicle 3. There are local residents living within the scenic area. For your own safety, please do not tease cats or dogs, and stay away from animals.

09:00-10:00 Have breakfast on your own, and we can begin today's exciting journey again 10:00-12:30 Head to [Hemu Scenic Area]. The most beautiful scenery is on the road, and the Hemu Highway leading to Hemu is the best proof of this saying. Do not miss the scenery along the way. When it is safe, the driver can stop the vehicle for you to take photos and fully enjoy the view 12:30-13:30 Transfer to the shuttle bus to enter Hemu Scenic Area. After about a one-hour ride, arrive at Hemu Village. After getting off, first go to the wooden cabin to check in. Once you have put down your luggage, you can enjoy free time 13:30-14:30 Have lunch on your own, either splitting the bill with fellow group members or trying local specialties individually 14:30-20:00 You can take a walk in the birch forest, take a signature "tourist photo" at Hemu Bridge, or rent a horse from a local herder (at your own expense) and ride to Beauty Peak to enjoy the panoramic view of Hemu under the sunset, watch the sunset and cooking smoke from the Hemu viewing platform, then return to the wooden cabin [Warm Tips] 1. Today's route is entirely mountain roads. Visitors prone to motion sickness must remember to prepare medicine in advance 2. According to scenic area regulations, walking is not allowed off the wooden boardwalk, and smoking is not allowed. Please cooperate

07:30-09:00 After getting up early, head to 【Hemu Viewing Platform】, where you can enjoy the peaceful morning of Hemu Village and the curling cooking smoke. The walk from the village to the viewing platform takes about 40 minutes, or 10 minutes by horse. After enjoying the morning scenery of Hemu, you can have a cup of hot tea in the wooden house. The temperature in Hemu is relatively low, so be sure to keep warm (if you don't want to get up early, you can also sleep until you wake up naturally) 09:00-10:30 Have breakfast on your own, and then we can begin today's wonderful journey again 10:30-14:30 Accompanied by cheerful music, we chat and laugh all the way, queue up to take the shuttle bus out of the scenic area, and head to Burqin County 14:30-15:30 Have lunch on your own in Burqin; you can split the bill with fellow group members or dine separately to taste local specialties 15:30-19:30 Accompanied by cheerful music, we chat and laugh all the way to Urho/Karamay to check in at the hotel; after dropping off luggage, head to the Devil's City 19:30-20:30 Visit 【Urho World Devil's City】. Walking along the winding roads, you can view from afar the many protruding platforms, some high and some low; some resemble an eagle spreading its wings and rushing toward you, some vividly resemble a heavenly dog gazing at the moon, and some resemble the Titanic, spectacular and magnificent. It makes people feel very amazed 20:30-21:00 Return to the hotel to rest 【Warm Tips】 1. There are mountain roads in the first half of the day; tourists prone to motion sickness must remember to prepare medicine in advance 2. Meal times are relatively late, so bring your own snacks 3. The Devil's City has avoided the midday sun, but the climate is dry, so pay attention to sun protection and hydration 4. Urho is in a windy area, with many windy days; if winds exceed level 5.

07:00-08:00 Enjoy a warm breakfast at the hotel, and we can begin today's exciting journey again. 08:00-15:00 Accompanied by cheerful music, we chat and laugh all the way to Sayram Lake Scenic Area, having lunch on our own en route. 15:00-18:30 Visit [Sayram Lake]. As it is a tour around the lake, the whole round trip takes 3 hours and covers 80 KM. The shuttle bus will stop at several different stops, and we will get off one by one to take photos; Genghis Khan's Reviewing Stand is a paradise for photography enthusiasts, offering a panoramic view of Sayram Lake; then we come to the West Sea Grassland, where we see many yurts and all kinds of wildflowers. Photos taken here capture the charm of Sayram Lake's flower sea. Ladies who love beauty, bring your bright long dresses and long colorful silk scarves as accents to shoot the blockbuster photos you dream of. 18:30-20:30 After the visit, head to Yining to check into the hotel; dine on your own, either sharing with fellow group members or enjoying local specialties on your own.

07:00-08:00 Enjoy a heartwarming breakfast at the hotel, and we can begin today's exciting journey again 08:00-11:00 Amid cheerful music, we chat and laugh all the way as we head to Nalati Grassland 11:00-14:00 Take the shuttle bus into 【Nalati Air Grassland】, located in the hinterland of the Tianshan Mountains, known as "Jiangnan Beyond the Great Wall" and praised as "Paradise on Earth." Nalati Grassland is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with the Kunes River winding through. Nature's gift has shaped it into a natural landscape with beautiful scenery, an elegant environment, and rich vegetation 14:00-15:00 Have lunch on your own in Nalati; you can split the bill with fellow group members or taste local specialties on your own 15:00-17:00 Amid cheerful music, we chat and laugh all the way as we head to Bayanbulak 17:00-17:30 Arrive at 【Bayanbulak Scenic Area】 and take the shuttle bus to the core scenic area of Bayanbulak 17:30-18:30 The first stop is 【Swan Homeland】. If we are lucky, we may encounter swans resting and recuperating here. The second stop is 【Barun Temple】. It is not recommended to get off at this stop, in order to leave enough time for the final stop. At the final stop, the left side of the viewing platform is Tongxin Island, and the right side is the Jiuqu Shiba Wan viewing platform. When the weather is clear, choose a good angle on the viewing platform and you can see the sun reflected in the river channel of 【Jiuqu Shiba Wan】, a wonder in which nine suns are reflected in the water at the same time 18:30-19:30 Reserve a good photo spot on the viewing platform in advance to wait for the sunset. The sunset lasts only about twenty minutes. This is also when the temperature is lowest and the wind is strongest, so be sure to keep warm and guard against mosquitoes and insects 19:30-20:30 Take the shuttle bus out of the scenic area and head to Bayanbulak to check in at the hotel; dine on your own, and you can split the bill with fellow group members or taste local specialties on your own 【Warm Tips】 1. Bayanbulak's sunset time varies by season, so the touring time can be adjusted according to the specific season. In summer, sunset is basically between 21:00 and 22:00. In order to see the sunset, the return to town is relatively late, so it is recommended to prepare snacks 2. In summer, there are many mosquitoes and insects on Bayanbulak Grassland. Pay attention to mosquito prevention, and try not to wear overly brightly colored clothes 3. Bayanbulak Grassland has a relatively high altitude, and it is quite windy in the scenic area. When entering the scenic area, it is recommended to bring outerwear such as fleece jackets, light down jackets, thick sweaters, and scarves 4. During peak season in Bayanbulak, power outages may occur during peak electricity use 5. Since Bayanbulak hotels only operate during the peak tourist season, hotel accommodation conditions are limited. Please be mentally prepared.

08:00-08:30 Enjoy a warm breakfast at the hotel, and we can begin today's exciting journey again 08:30-18:30 After breakfast, head to the [Duku Highway]. Once on the Duku Highway, drive stop-and-go along the winding mountain roads, passing snow mountains, lakes, pine forests, and grasslands, and crossing the Tianshan passes. Experiencing four seasons of scenery in one day is sure to be a wonderful experience on this trip! Along the way there are vast and charming grasslands, towering cloud-shrouded snow ridges, and the world-famous hundred-meter snow-proof corridor. With endless beautiful scenery, driving over this highway lets you experience the magic of ice and fire. There are several viewpoints along the way where you can stop for photos, including snow scenery at the Hashilegen Tunnel, the barrier lake, the panoramic view of Duku at Tianlu, and the stone tablet guarding Tianshan 18:30-21:30 After sightseeing, head to Urumqi. Have lunch on your own along the way, either splitting the bill with fellow group members or trying local specialties individually. Upon arrival in Urumqi, the driver can conveniently drop group members off at hotels in the city one by one to end the tour [Warm Tips] 1. The Duku Highway is a mountain road. The entire route is fairly flat asphalt road, but because there are many curves, narrow sections, and many uphill and downhill stretches, motion sickness is easy. Friends prone to motion sickness should prepare motion sickness medicine in advance 2. Mountain roads carry a high risk factor. The driver will make appropriate stops at safe parking spots for photos, but the overall timing should follow the driver's arrangements 3. Some sections of the Duku Highway are at altitudes above 3,000 meters. Temperatures drop, so please prepare thick clothing in advance 4. Because the Duku Highway is affected by weather, as a rule it is only passable from June to September each year. During the period when it is not passable, the contingency plan is as follows: Day 8: Bayanbulak-Hejing-Urumqi 5. If the road toward Hejing is closed, return to Urumqi via a detour through Yining. The day's driving time may exceed 15 hours. Please be aware.

After breakfast, airport transfer will be arranged according to flight time. Happy times always pass quickly, and the day has come for us to say goodbye. We hope this short trip to Xinjiang can leave you with beautiful memories, and we look forward to meeting you again~ 【Warm Tips】 1. Please make sure your belongings are packed and carried completely to avoid causing yourself trouble due to omissions. 2. For tourists with afternoon or evening flights, please complete check-out before 14:00 Beijing time. Any additional charges caused by late check-out will be at your own expense (be sure to check your belongings again before leaving the hotel, and do not leave anything behind).