5–8 days
Northern Xinjiang: Kanas, Hemu & Turpan (5–8 Days)
The definitive northern loop: Heavenly Lake, the rainbow shores of the Irtysh, Kanas Lake's impossible blues, log-cabin …
Xinjiang is not a destination, it's a scale. China's largest region stretches from glacier-fed Kanas Lake on the Siberian border to the sun-hammered Turpan Depression 154 metres below sea level, by way of Kazakh grasslands, red-rock canyons and bazaars that still smell of the Silk Road. Highlights sit hundreds of kilometres apart, and that is precisely the case for a multi-day private driver: the road itself — poplar avenues, desert horizons, mountain passes — is half of what you came for.
Top Things to Do in Xinjiang
- Kanas Lake — Far north · golden season ~mid–late Sep
- Heavenly Lake (Tianchi) — 1.5–2 hours from Urumqi · UNESCO-listed
- Turpan & Jiaohe Ruins — 2.5–3 hours from Urumqi · fierce summer heat
- Hemu Village — Near Kanas · dawn is everything
- Wucai Tan (Rainbow Beach) — Near Burqin · go for sunset
- International Grand Bazaar — Urumqi city · evenings liveliest
Explore all Xinjiang attractions →
When to Go
Two golden windows: May–June for green grasslands and snow-edged peaks, and September for Kanas's world-famous golden autumn. July–August works well in the mountains but bakes in Turpan (45°C+). Winters are extreme.
Getting Around with a Private Driver
Distances here are honest: 200–500 km legs are normal, and police checkpoints (bring your passport everywhere) punctuate the highways. A driver who knows the checkpoints, the fuel stops and the best noon kebab turns all of it into scenery. For the far north we typically fly you Urumqi–Burqin and drive from there, saving a brutal day each way.
Xinjiang & Around: Distances at a Glance
Xinjiang Region Mapillustration coming soon
Drive times assume normal traffic and a private car — ask us to sanity-check any combination of stops.
