Xinjiang has lured travelers for millennia, where camel caravans traded jade and silk under the Tianshan’s snowy ramparts. Today, its Silk Road cities offer adobe old towns, bustling bazaars, and flavors that fuse Central Asia with Western China—think hand-pulled laghman noodles, cumin-scented lamb kebabs, and golden rounds of tandoor-baked naan.

Nature steals the show as well: mirror-blue Heavenly Lake tucked among spruce forests; wind-carved canyons and flame-red ridges near Turpan; and Karakul Lake beneath the icy pyramid of Muztagh Ata on the legendary Karakoram Highway. Distances are big; rewards are bigger.

Practical notes: carry your passport at all times for checkpoints, and verify current access rules for border zones (e.g., near Tashkurgan). Flights are the time-saver between cities; trains are scenic within northern routes. Xinjiang cuisine is hearty—polo (rice pilaf), samsa (meat pastries), and dapanji (Big Plate Chicken)—and tea houses and open-air grills keep evenings lively.

Urumqi

Xinjiang’s capital is your springboard to mountain lakes, desert basins, and the fabled bazaars of the Silk Road. Urumqi’s Erdaoqiao International Grand Bazaar is a sensory warm-up—pyramids of dried fruit, copperware workshops, and kebab smoke curling into the dusk.

Top nearby nature is Heavenly Lake, an emerald eye in the Tianshan framed by spruce and summer yurt camps. South and east lie Turpan’s adobe ruins, Thousand-Buddha caves, and the ingenious Karez irrigation system that made oasis life possible.

• Stay: Browse stays on VRBO Urumqi or compare hotels on Hotels.com Urumqi.
• Getting in: Fly to URC via Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. From Beijing/Shanghai it’s ~4–5 hours; from Xi’an ~3 hours.
• Local/Regional rail: For Turpan and regional trains search Trip.com Trains.

Day 1: Arrive Urumqi, Bazaar vibes and Uyghur flavors

Afternoon: Land at URC and settle into your hotel. Stretch your legs at the Erdaoqiao International Grand Bazaar, a photogenic complex of minaret-style towers and lively stalls. Snack on hot samsa (meat pies) and dried Hami melons as you browse handwoven carpets and copper teapots.

Evening: Dinner in the bazaar’s food street: try laghman (hand-pulled noodles with peppers and lamb), buttery polo (rice pilaf with carrots and raisins), and charcoal-grilled lamb skewers dusted with cumin. For a sit-down option, look for a Dolan-style Uyghur restaurant near the bazaar—bright embroidery, live dutar music, and huge plates made for sharing. Cap the night with black tea at a local chaikhana (tea house) or grab a late latte from a nearby Luckin Coffee if you need a jet-lag reset.

Day 2: Heavenly Lake of Tianshan (full-day tour)

Swap city streets for alpine air and Kazakh pasturelands on this private guided day trip. Expect spruce forests, a jade-blue mountain lake, and yurt-side snacks—plus time to wander on footpaths above the waterline.

Full-Day Private Guided Tour to Heavenly Lake of Tianshan

Typical timing is a full-day (about 8–9 hours) including transfers. Bring a wind layer and cash for lakeside snacks; weather can change quickly. Back in Urumqi, celebrate with dapanji (Big Plate Chicken), a Xinjiang classic of chilies, potatoes, and wide belt noodles tossed in at the end.

Day 3: Turpan oasis history (full-day tour)

Descend from mountains to desert-oasis heritage: Buddha caves, ancient earthen towns, and the Karez tunnels that ferried water under the sands. This is the Silk Road classroom you always wanted—hands-on, sun-baked, and camera-ready.

Private Day Trip to Turpan from Urumqi including Bezklik Grottoes

The tour typically covers the Bezeklik Thousand-Buddha Caves, Ancient City ruins (like Jiaohe or Gaochang), and the Karez system, with a road journey of roughly 3 hours each way. Dinner back in Urumqi? Nibble through the bazaar’s evening grills—skewered kidney, mushroom caps, and naan hot from the tandoor—then pack for tomorrow’s flight.

Kashgar

Closer to Central Asia than Beijing, Kashgar feels timeless: mud-brick lanes, rosewood doors, and courtyards perfumed with naan and apricots. The Id Kah Mosque anchors the old quarter, while the Sunday Market still thumps with livestock auctions, felt-makers, and saddle vendors.

Beyond the city, the Karakoram Highway climbs to Karakul Lake beneath Muztagh Ata and Kongur. Shepherd camps, glacier-fed rivers, and wide yak pastures make this one of Asia’s all-time drives.

• Stay: Explore VRBO Kashgar and compare hotels on Hotels.com Kashgar.
• Getting there (from Urumqi): Morning flights URC–KHG take ~1h50–2h10; expect about US$70–180 one-way in most seasons. Search on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. Overland trains exist but run long (overnight+).

Day 4: Fly to Kashgar, Old Town orientation, tea and tapas Xinjiang-style

Morning: Fly Urumqi to Kashgar. Grab a taxi into town and check in. If you prefer a pre-arranged ride, consider a private transfer product for peace of mind.

Afternoon: Wander the Kashgar Old City lanes near Id Kah Mosque. Watch naan bakers slap dough onto tandoor walls, woodcarvers chisel lattice windows, and kids toss apricot pits in alleys. Pop into a courtyard chaikhana for black tea and honeyed nuts.

Evening: Dinner near the Old Town. Local favorites include family-run Uyghur kitchens serving polo (ask for extra sultanas), lamb shashlik, and stir-fried laghman. If you’d like a more formal setting, look for well-known spots such as Nuran Restaurant or Altun Orda for classic Uyghur recipes and live music on busy nights.

Day 5: Kashgar’s monuments, markets, and crafts (full-day tour)

Cover Kashgar’s essentials with a guide who threads history, faith, and food into one day—ideal for understanding how Silk Road influences still shape daily life.

PRI Day Tour in Kashgar including Apa Hoja Tomb, Id Ghar Mosque

Expect the Afaq Khoja (Apak Hoja) Mausoleum’s tiled elegance, Id Kah’s vast prayer square, Handicraft Street’s knife-makers and copperware, and the Grand Bazaar. If your Day 5 falls on Sunday, consider this alternative focused on the famed market:

Full-inclusive Kashgar Private Day Tour with Sunday Market

Lunch is usually Uyghur home-style: noodles or polo in a courtyard eatery. In the evening, stroll People’s Square for night snacks: grilled eggplant, chili-dusted potatoes, and fresh pomegranate juice.

Day 6: Karakoram Highway to Karakul Lake (full-day excursion)

The drive is the destination: past poplar groves, red-rock canyons, and river gorges into the realm of ice giants. Karakul Lake sits at ~3,600 m, often a perfect mirror for Muztagh Ata’s snowfields—carry layers and sip tea in a roadside yurt to ward off the chill.

All Inclusive Private Karakul Lake Day Trip from Kashgar

It’s a long, spectacular day—about 4 hours each way with photo stops. Evenings back in Kashgar call for comfort plates: mutton kebabs, fried manty dumplings, and apricot compote in a cozy tea house.

Day 7: Morning markets and departure

Morning: Early spin through the Old Town’s smaller markets for last-minute souvenirs—wooden combs, embroidered doppa caps, or roasted walnuts. Breakfast on a still-warm naan with clotted cream and honey from a neighborhood bakery.

Afternoon: Airport time. If you prefer a set ride, book a private transfer for the hotel-to-airport hop to keep things smooth at check-in. Search your flight home on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

Extra Ideas and Local Tips

• Urumqi city day: If you want more time in the capital, this full-day option wraps museum, market, and food: All Inclusive Private Urumqi Day Tour including Erdaoqiao Market.

  

• Coffee breaks: You’ll find modern cafés in Urumqi’s downtown malls and chains like Luckin Coffee. In Kashgar, opt for traditional tea houses in the Old City for atmosphere and pistachio-studded sweets.
• Permits and checkpoints: When heading toward Karakul/Tashkurgan, carry your passport and expect inspection points. Your guide will advise on any additional permits if regulations change.
• Trains vs flights: Trains are great for Urumqi–Turpan (search on Trip.com Trains), but for Urumqi–Kashgar, flights save a full day.

Seven days in Xinjiang gives you a sweep of Silk Road heritage and high-mountain drama—Urumqi’s bazaar nights, Turpan’s desert wisdom, Kashgar’s living history, and Karakoram horizons. You’ll leave with spice on your tongue, dust on your boots, and stories that glow like the sunset over the Tianshan.