Tour Overview
| Duration | 6 Days / 5 Nights |
|---|---|
| Destination | Xinjiang Golden Triangle — Urumqi / Heavenly Lake / Kashgar / Pamirs |
| Price From | $1,389 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Express Introduction to Xinjiang |
| Data Source | ChinaDiscovery.com 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Urumqi
Welcome to Urumqi. Driver will meet you at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Free time to acclimatize. Evening dinner with Uyghur specialty: polu (rice pilaf with lamb). Overnight in Urumqi.
Day 2: Heavenly Lake
Morning drive to Heavenly Lake (Tianchi) — a 4.6-square-kilometer glacier-fed lake at 1,910m on Bogda Peak. Take the cable car up the mountain to enjoy panoramic views of the alpine lake and snow-capped peaks. Optional horseback riding to Kazakh yurts in the area. Lunch at a yurt with Kazakh naan (flatbread) and kumis (fermented mare’s milk). Afternoon return to Urumqi. Overnight in Urumqi.
Day 3: Flight to Kashgar
Morning flight from Urumqi to Kashgar (2.5 hours). Walk into Kashgar’s Old Town — one of the last surviving medieval mud-brick cities in Central Asia. The city is famous for its narrow lanes, 2,000-year-old architecture, and the bilingual Uyghur-Chinese atmosphere. Visit Id Kah Mosque (the largest in China, 1442), the Aq Imin Mosque, and the Tomb of the Fragrant Concubine. Evening at Kashgar Bazaar, the oldest silk route market in the world. Overnight in Kashgar.
Day 4: Karakul Lake Day Trip
Full-day tour to Karakul Lake (320km, 6 hours round trip). Drive on the Karakoram Highway, crossing the Pamir Plateau at 4,000m. Visit White Sand Lake and Karakul Lake, where Muztagh Ata (7,509m) — the third-highest peak in China — rises. Visit the Tajik yurt settlements. Picnic lunch at the lake. Return to Kashgar by evening. Overnight in Kashgar.
Day 5: Kashgar → Urumqi
Morning visit to the Abakh Khoja Mausoleum (1640 AD), the Tajik-style royal mausoleum that holds the tombs of 72 generations of Kashgar rulers. Continue to the Handicraft Street (Ga Er Qaidan). Lunch of Uyghur cuisine. Afternoon flight to Urumqi. Evening at the International Grand Bazaar of Xinjiang — the largest bazaar in central Asia. Overnight in Urumqi.
Day 6: Depart Urumqi
Morning free time. Optional visit to the Xinjiang Regional Museum (Tarim mummies) or Erdaoqiao Bazaar. Transfer to Urumqi Diwopu Airport for departure.
Inclusions
- 5 nights (2 Urumqi + 3 Kashgar)
- Heavenly Lake cable car + Bogda Peak views
- Kashgar Old Town + Id Kah Mosque
- Karakul Lake day trip via Karakoram Highway
- Abakh Khoja Mausoleum + Handicraft Street
- All domestic flights + private transfers + Uyghur meals
