10-Day North & West Xinjiang Private Tour Itinerary Overview

Ten days in northern Xinjiang — nine nights — starting in Ürümqi and ending at Huyanghe, covering the Grand Bazaar, the S21 highway straight across the Gurbantünggüt Desert, Ulungur Lake, the 208-kilometre Ahe Highway, the Tuva village of Hemu and the lakes of Kanas. Late summer and autumn are the seasons for it: that is when Kanas and Hemu show the larch colour the region is known for.

Ürümqi as the starting point

The trip opens in Ürümqi, the furthest city from any ocean on earth, and a few days are spent on its markets. Hongshan Park sits in the middle of the city with a panoramic view from Hongshan Tower. Below it, the International Grand Bazaar is one of the largest in the world — handwoven carpets, silk, dried fruit and spices under a facade of Islamic arcades.

For food, Hetian Second Street is the alley to know: samsa, pilaf and spicy chicken cooked by Uyghur vendors from early morning until late. Xinjiang Ethnic Street covers the same ground through handicraft and performance.

Crossing the Gurbantünggüt Desert

Leaving the city, the route takes the S21 Desert Highway: three hundred kilometres of road laid across the Gurbantünggüt, with golden dunes either side and the occasional wild camel visible from the car. It is a long driving day with limited services, and the emptiness is the point.

Ulungur Lake and the northern border

The highway ends at Ulungur Lake, the "Desert Pearl" of the north — vast water, reeds along the shore, and serious birdwatching through the summer. In winter the same lake supports an ice-fishing culture that is a season in itself. Further north, Beitun is a quiet border town on the Irtysh, where military-reclamation history and Kazakh culture sit side by side.

Altay, the Ahe Highway and Hemu

Altay City is the base for the Kanas region, and the 208 kilometres from there to Hemu — the Ahe Highway — is the drive people come for: mountains, forest, grassland and wetland in one stretch, and the reason it is called Xinjiang's most beautiful road.

Hemu itself is a Tuva settlement of log cabins, golden in autumn and buried in snow by winter. The paths between the cabins are unpaved and the pace is walking.

Kanas

Kanas is the other centrepiece: alpine lakes below snow peaks, ringed by virgin forest and grassland. The Chinese name for the area translates roughly as Garden of the Gods, and on a still autumn morning the water reflects the larches and the snow line at once.

Burqin, the Devil's City and the western leg

The return leg runs through Burqin and the Yardang country at Urho — the "Devil's City", a field of eroded sandstone ridges and gullies that turns gold at sunset and is at its best in low light. Beyond it the road turns south toward the Tianshan foothills, where the river canyons and coloured rock strata of the western leg close the loop.

Practical notes

Season. Late summer through autumn for the larch colour and the clearest roads. The route operates year-round and looks entirely different in each season — winter is snow and ice-fishing, spring is meltwater.

Driving. This is a long-distance itinerary. The S21 and the Ahe Highway have limited services and conditions change with the season, which is why it runs as a private car with a driver rather than a self-drive.

Walking. Kanas and Hemu are walking areas with unpaved paths between cabins and along the lakeshore. Distances are short but the ground is uneven.

Frequently asked questions

Is 10 days enough for North Xinjiang?

Yes, for the northern loop — Ürümqi, the desert crossing, Ulungur, Altay, Hemu, Kanas and Burqin. Add two or three days if you want the southern Silk Road cities as well.

When is the best month for this route?

Late summer through autumn — September and early October for the larch colour at Kanas and Hemu. The route runs year-round, with a very different landscape each season.

Do I need a private vehicle for the S21 and Ahe highways?

Effectively yes. Both are long, remote roads with limited services, and the Ahe Highway's condition varies with the season. A private car and driver is the practical way to do it.

How much walking is involved in Kanas and Hemu?

Moderate and mostly flat. Hemu's paths between log cabins and the lakeshore walks at Kanas are unpaved but short — the uneven ground is the main consideration rather than distance.

BLISS TRAVEL has arranged private journeys across Asia since 2005 and is licensed by the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (licence 352969).

Related

• Xinjiang: the northern loop in 10 days
• Is Xinjiang safe for tourists? What to expect
• Kashgar and Urumqi: a guide to southern Xinjiang

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• 10 Days North & West Xinjiang Private Tour
• 11 Days North & West Xinjiang Private Tour
• 12 Days North & West Xinjiang Private Tour

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Sources: Xinjiang tourism (official) · Kanas scenic area · China National Tourism Office

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