8-Day Xinjiang Silk Road Private Tour: Urumqi, Heavenly Lake, Turpan, Kashgar, Tashkurgan & Karakul Lake

Welcome to Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region! Our professional guide will greet you at the airport arrival hall with a personalized welcome sign. You will then be transferred by a comfortable private vehicle to your carefully selected hotel. During the ride, your guide will provide a brief introduction to Urumqi and its unique multi-ethnic culture.

The rest of the day is free for you to relax and recharge for the spectacular Xinjiang Silk Road adventure ahead. Feel free to ask your guide for recommendations of places to visit nearby.

Meals Included: None

After breakfast, visit the 【Xinjiang Regional Museum】, China’s most representative Silk Road-themed museum. It houses approximately 50,000 artifacts (including over 400 national first-class relics, representing 60% of Xinjiang’s total). The most remarkable exhibit is the mummy hall, featuring over 10 well-preserved mummies dating back more than 4,000 years (mostly unearthed from the ancient Loulan Kingdom). The famous “Loulan Beauty” mummy, with its distinctly European features, is particularly striking and offers a fascinating window into the history of Xinjiang and the ancient Silk Road.

Then proceed to 【Heavenly Lake (Tianchi)】 (approximately 70km from the city, about 1.5 hours’ drive). Known as the “Jade Pool” in ancient legends, this alpine lake sits at 1,980m on the northern slopes of Bogda Peak. To protect the pristine environment, private vehicles stop at the park entrance; you will transfer to a shuttle bus and then walk 15 minutes to reach the lakeshore. Serene alpine waters, snow-capped peaks, pure glaciers, towering spruce forests, and vast grasslands combine to create an utterly breathtaking landscape.

After the visit, take the shuttle bus back to the park entrance and return to Urumqi.

Meals Included: Hotel Breakfast

In the morning, drive 3 hours (167km) to “Turpan, the Land of Fire” — summer temperatures here can reach 50°C, making it not only China’s hottest city but also an important Silk Road trading post that has preserved a wealth of cultural heritage.

First, explore the 【Karez System】, ranked alongside the Great Wall and the Grand Canal as one of “China’s Three Great Ancient Engineering Feats.” This ingenious irrigation network consists of vertical wells linked together by underground channels, surface canals, and reservoirs — channeling summer rain and Tianshan snowmelt to farmlands in the desert, a true masterpiece of ancient hydraulic wisdom. At the Turpan Karez Museum, you can learn about its history through displays and models, then walk through a real underground tunnel for a hands-on experience.

Next, visit 【Jiaohe Ancient City】, perched atop an elevated plateau that served as a natural barrier against invading enemies in ancient times. It is the world’s best-preserved earthen city and a strategic stronghold of the ancient Silk Road. After exploring the sculptures, videos, and exhibits at the Jiaohe Cultural Village Museum, take a shuttle into the core ruins. Walk along ancient pathways to discover residential quarters, government offices, and Buddhist temples. Climb to the central platform for a panoramic overview — and if you stay until dusk, the sunset over the ruins is truly unforgettable.

Overnight in Turpan.

Meals Included: Hotel Breakfast

After breakfast, head to the 【Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves】, carved into the cliffs on the western side of the Flaming Mountains. Dating back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420–589 AD), these caves span approximately 15 centuries. Of the 57 surviving caves, around 40 still contain vibrant murals. As you admire the distinctive artistic style and listen to ancient Buddhist legends, you may imagine how Buddhism once traveled through Xinjiang along the Silk Road into mainland China.

Then drive through the Flaming Mountain Grand Canyon toward 【Tuyoq Valley】. Made famous by the classic novel “Journey to the West,” the Grand Canyon splits the entire Flaming Mountains in half, showcasing their geological essence — red sandstones blazing like fire, fantastically shaped rocks sculpted by nature, and deep gorges crisscrossing in every direction. The magnificence, strangeness, danger, and elegance of the Flaming Mountains are on full display here.

The winding cliff road soon brings you to 【Tuyoq Mazha Village】, the oldest existing Uyghur settlement (with over 2,600 years of history). Legend has it that 6 Muslims came here to preach, earning the village the title of “Mecca of the East.” Before Islam, this was also a Buddhist center, and several Buddhist cave sites can still be found in the village. Today, villagers continue to live peacefully in their traditional mud-brick houses. Some may warmly invite you to visit their vineyards and taste fresh grapes or dried fruits.

After the tour, return to Urumqi.

Meals Included: Hotel Breakfast

Take a morning domestic flight to Kashgar (approximately 2 hours). Situated on China’s southwestern border, this city has been the epicenter of regional trade and cultural exchange on the ancient Silk Road for more than two millennia, blending Central Asian, South Asian, and Chinese influences. Upon arrival at Kashgar Airport, your local guide and driver will meet you and take you into the city to begin an in-depth exploration of this legendary Silk Road town.

First, visit the 【Abakh Hoja Tomb (Fragrant Concubine’s Tomb)】 — this is not a simple tomb but an exquisite architectural complex including chapels, gardens, and archways. It is the best place in the Kashgar region to admire Uyghur Islamic architectural aesthetics and extraordinary craftsmanship. Five generations of the Abakh Hoja family are buried here — Abakh Hoja was a local Islamic master who strengthened the spread of Islam in the Kashgar area and earned great prestige. The site also offers a rare opportunity to learn about the funeral customs of Uyghur families.

Next, explore the 【Id Kah Mosque】, Kashgar’s most iconic landmark and one of the largest mosques in China. Considered sacred by Muslims, thousands gather here daily for prayers. Historically, Id Kah Mosque also served as a school where Islamic culture and history were taught, and many renowned scholars and honored clergymen graduated from here.

Just a few minutes’ walk from the mosque is the 【Kashgar Old City】, where you can experience the most authentic Uyghur way of life. Explore traditional earth buildings where locals have lived for generations, stroll along the famous Handicrafts Street to watch craftsmen at work and pick up unique souvenirs. Don’t miss a cup of local tea at the Ancient Teahouse, which is more than 100 years old. Locals still come here to spend leisure time with friends and family — drinking, chatting, and sometimes playing music — in a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.

Meals Included: Hotel Breakfast

Today you will head to the renowned 【Karakul Lake】 (approximately 190km from Kashgar, about 3 hours’ drive). Although the drive is long, the overwhelming scenery of the Pamir Plateau will constantly reward you along the way — harsh and lonely snow mountains, uninhabited barrens, expansive grasslands, pure glaciers, and peaceful villages … a feast for the eyes at every turn.

En route, stop at 【White Sand Lake】. A serene body of water nestles beneath the towering snow mountains of the Pamirs. The sands of the Taklamakan Desert fly westward, get stopped by the edge of the Pamir range and deposit at the slopes of the mountains, then get washed by the melting ice — this is why you can see pristine white sand dunes beside the lake, creating a dreamlike landscape.

Around midday, arrive at 【Karakul Lake】. Sitting at an elevation of 3,600m, it is one of the most spectacular alpine lakes in Central Asia. Three towering peaks surround the lake — Muztagh Ata (7,546m, “Father of Ice Mountains”), Kongur Tagh (7,649m), and Kongur Tiube (7,530m) — their year-round snow providing a majestic backdrop for the deep-blue waters. On the other sides, boundless grasslands, deserts, and valleys stretch to the horizon. A few Kirghiz nomads have pitched their yurts near the shore, grazing herds of sheep, horses, and camels. Take your time to wander around the lake, enjoy the landscape, and take photos.

After the visit, drive approximately 1 hour to Tashkurgan, a beautiful and peaceful Tajik town where you can rest and recharge.

Meals Included: Hotel Breakfast

We suggest an early start today to witness the 【Stone City Ruins】 and surrounding snow mountains bathed in the pink-golden light of dawn. It is a serene and stunning scene — perfect for photography.

After breakfast, formally explore this legendary Stone City (also known as Tashkurgan Fortress). Perched on a hilltop northeast of the town, it has a history of nearly 2,000 years, is one of the world’s four great stone cities, and holds exceptional architectural value.

This was once the capital of the ancient Puli Kingdom, one of the 36 kingdoms of the Western Regions. Sadly, most of the structures have been destroyed by war and natural erosion, leaving approximately 100,000 square meters of ruins, including Tang Dynasty city walls, temples, and Qing Dynasty government offices. Standing atop the ruins, you can feel the weight of centuries — imagining ancient merchants, travelers, and missionaries from East and West converging here, or a king surveying his realm from the high fortress walls.

Stone City also serves as a magnificent viewing platform, offering panoramic views of grasslands, deserts, and the surrounding snow-capped mountains, including the majestic Muztagh Ata.

Finally, depart Tashkurgan and drive back to Kashgar for your hotel check-in.

Meals Included: Hotel Breakfast

After breakfast, experience Kashgar’s bazaars. They are unique, busy, crowded, lively, chaotic, yet full of fun and color. “Bazaar” means “big market” in the Uyghur language, and the history of Kashgar’s bazaars dates back to the rise and prosperity of the Silk Road.

Today, Kashgar and its surrounding areas still host numerous bazaars of all sizes, each with its own unique atmosphere and specialty goods — handicrafts, local tea, woodwork, ironware, pottery, hats, and more. You can visit one or several bazaars based on your interests and time, and discuss the arrangements with your guide.

After the tour, your guide and driver will transfer you to the airport or railway station for your onward journey. Service ends.

Thank you for choosing SuperChinaTour. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey!

Meals Included: Hotel Breakfast