Xinjiang: The Northern Loop in 10 Days
A 10-day northern Xinjiang loop works best as: Urumqi (1 night) – Heavenly Lake (1) – Kanas and Hemu (3) – Karamay (1) – Sayram Lake (1) – Nalati grassland (1) – Urumqi (2), giving seven nights on the road and two in the regional capital. This routing keeps total driving to roughly 3,500 km while placing the nights where the scenery earns them: three in the Altai mountains at Kanas and Hemu, one at each of Sayram Lake and Nalati, and bookend nights in Urumqi for arrival and departure.
Why this region demands long driving days
Xinjiang is China's largest autonomous region, roughly the size of Iran, and the northern loop crosses it from end to end. Urumqi to Kanas alone is about 800 km, much of it on the G216 through the Gurbantünggüt Desert. From Kanas down to Karamay is another 450 km, Karamay to Sayram Lake near Bortala is close to 600 km, and Sayram to Nalati via Yining and Tekes is around 400 km. Nalati back to Urumqi adds roughly 300 km.
These figures translate into six- to nine-hour driving days on roads that are mostly good but rarely fast. The reward is that the landscapes change almost hourly — desert, irrigated oasis, wind farm, steppe, snow-capped pass — and the driving is the only way to see them. Build the itinerary around the drive rather than against it: short hops on either side of Urumqi, and full days in the Altai.
The 10-day structure and where the nights go
Days 1–2, Urumqi (2 nights). Arrive and clear the jet lag. Use the second night as a buffer for flight delays and to visit the Xinjiang Regional Museum, which houses the Tarim mummies and explains the region's history in a way no roadside stop can.
Days 3–4, Heavenly Lake (1 night). Tianchi, or Heavenly Lake, sits at about 1,900 m below Bogda Peak. The drive from Urumqi takes two to three hours. One night is enough; the lake is beautiful in the morning light and the crowds thin after the day-trippers leave.
Days 5–7, Kanas and Hemu (3 nights). This is the heart of the loop and deserves the longest stay. Kanas Lake and the villages of Hemu, Baihaba and Kanas sit at 1,100–1,400 m. Three nights allow a full day at Kanas, a full day in Hemu, and a weather buffer — mountain rain can close the hairpin road up to Hemu for hours.
Day 8, Karamay (1 night). Descend to the Junggar Basin. Karamay is an oil city, not a scenic one, but it breaks the 450 km drive from the Altai into two manageable legs and puts you close to the Urho Ghost City (Wind City), a yardang formation best seen in late afternoon light.
Day 9, Sayram Lake (1 night). Sayram ("Elixir Lake") lies at about 2,000 m and is the highest large lake in Xinjiang. The drive from Karamay is long but the road improves steadily as you climb. The lake is at its clearest in June and July, when snowmelt has not yet stirred the sediment.
Day 10, Nalati grassland, then Urumqi (2 nights). Nalati sits in the Ili valley at around 1,800 m, ringed by spruce forest and snow peaks. One night on the grassland, then a 300 km drive back to Urumqi with a final night there for the flight home.
Best months to go
The loop is realistically open from late May to early September. Late May and June bring green grass, wildflowers and comfortable temperatures in the lowlands; the Altai passes may still hold snow into early June. July and August are peak season: warmest, longest daylight, but also the busiest at Kanas and Sayram. The colours arrive early in the north — Kanas turns gold from mid-September, and Hemu is at its best in the last week of September and the first days of October, when the birch forest and snow-capped peaks align. By mid-October, snow can close high roads and lake access.
Winter closes large parts of the loop. Karamay, Sayram and Nalati remain accessible but with sub-zero temperatures and limited services.
Altitude, permits and entry rules
Altitudes on this route stay moderate: Urumqi is around 800 m, Kanas 1,400 m, Sayram Lake 2,000 m and Nalati 1,800 m. Most travellers feel nothing. The risk is the combination of altitude, dry air and long days — hydration and an unhurried pace handle it. Anyone with a heart or lung condition should speak to a doctor before the Sayram and Hemu legs.
Foreign visitors to Xinjiang must register with local authorities. Hotels are required to register foreign guests, but the paperwork is heavier here than in Shanghai or Beijing, and some areas — particularly Kanas, Hemu and Baihaba — sit near the Kazakh and Mongolian borders and require an additional border permit. These permits are obtained locally through your operator or guide and cannot be arranged independently in most cases. Access rules for foreign travellers in Xinjiang can change with little notice, and certain counties may be closed to foreigners at short notice. Confirm current requirements with the official Chinese embassy or consulate for your nationality, and with your airline, before you book anything. Visa and transit policies also change frequently: the visa-free transit list, the 144-hour and 240-hour transit-without-visa schemes, and the standard tourist (L) visa are all subject to revision.
Why a private vehicle and a driver is the realistic option
There is no useful rail link in the north of the loop; trains run between Urumqi and Karamay or Bortala but not into the Altai. Intercity buses exist but are slow, infrequent, and stop short of Kanas and Hemu, which are reached only by dedicated tourist shuttle or private car. Border permits are processed through licensed operators, not sold to individuals.
A private car with a licensed driver and, for most nationalities, an accompanying guide is the standard arrangement for foreign travellers in Xinjiang. It also solves the practical problem of distance: the driver handles the 450 km days while you watch the landscape, and the vehicle doubles as a place to store layers when the temperature swings from 30°C on the steppe to 8°C in a mountain pass within the same afternoon.
What to pack
- **Layering system.** A base layer, a mid-layer fleece, and a water-resistant shell. Temperatures can swing 15–20°C in a day.
- **Sun protection.** High UV at 2,000 m plus reflective lake and snow surfaces: sunglasses, hat, SPF 50.
- **Comfortable walking shoes** with ankle support for Hemu's boardwalks and Kanas's shoreline trails.
- **Cash.** Cards work in Urumqi; many guesthouses and roadside stops in the Altai still take only cash (Chinese yuan, RMB).
- **A power bank.** Long driving days with intermittent charging points.
- **Basic medication.** Pharmacies are sparse between Karamay and Yining; carry what you normally need.
Planning your trip
- **Confirm entry rules first.** Visa, transit and Xinjiang access policies change; verify with the official embassy for your nationality before booking flights or hotels.
- **Book Kanas and Hemu accommodation early.** Bed space in Hemu is limited to a small number of guesthouses and sells out from July through September.
- **Allow a weather buffer.** One flexible day between Karamay and Sayram covers road closures in the Altai.
- **Travel with a licensed operator.** Border permits, guide requirements and vehicle registration are handled locally; independent self-driving by foreign visitors is not permitted.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need for northern Xinjiang?
Ten days is the practical minimum for the northern loop: it fits Urumqi, Heavenly Lake, Kanas and Hemu, Karamay, Sayram Lake and Nalati without reducing any of them to a drive-through. Two weeks would allow more time in Hemu and a slower pace across the Ili valley.
Can I use public transport on this route?
Not efficiently. There is no rail into the Altai, and buses stop short of Kanas and Hemu. A private vehicle with a driver and guide is the realistic option, and border permits for the Kanas area are processed through licensed operators.
What is the best month to visit Kanas and Hemu?
Late July through August is warmest and greenest; mid-September to early October brings the birch forest colours that Hemu is known for. Both periods are busy, so book accommodation in advance.
Do I need a special permit to visit Xinjiang as a foreigner?
Foreign visitors must register with local authorities on arrival, and areas near Kanas, Hemu and Baihaba require an additional border permit obtained locally through your operator. Access rules for foreign travellers change frequently — confirm current requirements with the official Chinese embassy for your nationality before booking.
Related guides
- Is Xinjiang Safe for Tourists? What to Actually Expect
- Kashgar and Urumqi: A Guide to Southern Xinjiang
BLISS TRAVEL has planned private journeys across Asia since 2005 and is licensed by the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (licence 352969).