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3-Day Itinerary Tour(Urumqi-Qitai-Turpan)

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Baisha Lake
The International Grand Bazaar
Tianchi Lake

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Route: Urumqi-Turpan
  • Tour Code: ST-UQT-03
  • Duration of the trip: 3 Days
  • Hotel： 2 nights(4+stars hotel)
From: USD $   pp
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Notes:Prices may vary depending on the season and promotional activities. Please consult your advisor for details.

Why Choose lnto Explore China Group Tour

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Worry-Free Travel
With years of experience in group travel across China, we provide professional tour guides, comfortable coaches, and well-paced itineraries for a smooth and enjoyable journey.
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Itineraries with Great Value
Our tours cover China's most iconic sights and cultural highlights. All packages are clearly priced with no hidden costs, offering a high-quality experience at a competitive rate.
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No Shopping Stops
We guarantee a truly immersive journey with no shopping stop. Spend more time exploring scenic spots, enjoying authentic food, and discovering local culture
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Travel with Flexibility
Whether you're traveling solo, with friends, or as a family, you can easily join us. Enjoy better value than private tours with small groups of 6-12 people and year-round departures.

Itinerary

Explore each day’s highlights, pace, routes, hotels, meals, and photos—so you know exactly what to expect along the way.

Route Map Full route

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  • Heavenly Lake – Qitai County
  • 4-Stars Hotel
  • Breakfast

 

Drive to Heavenly Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled at the northern foot of Bogda Peak in the Eastern Tianshan Mountains. At an altitude of 1,910 meters, this natural alpine lake features crystal-clear blue waters surrounded by snow-capped peaks. In summer, it offers cool retreats, while winter transforms it into a natural ice rink.
Take the scenic shuttle bus to explore landmarks like Shimen Yixian (One-Line Stone Gate) and Longtan Biyue (Jade Moon over Dragon Pond). Upon arrival at the lakeshore, opt for a paid boat tour or stroll along the shore to admire mountain views, snow-capped peaks, and forest landscapes.
 

Notes:

  • Altitude Alert: Due to high altitude, dress warmly, apply sunscreen, and avoid strenuous exercise.
  • Eco-Protection: Preserve the environment; no littering.
  • Weather: Mountain weather is changeable—bring rain gear and warm clothing.
After lunch, drive to Qitai County and check in at the hotel. Free time to explore.
 

Recommended Itinerary:

  1. Petrified Wood-Dinosaur National Geopark
    Famous for its concentrated, massive, and well-preserved petrified wood—one of the world’s most spectacular petrified wood clusters. The same strata also yield abundant dinosaur fossils.
  2. Qitai County Museum
    Founded in 1993, located at Lihuajian (a commercial landmark). Its Ming-Qing-style architecture houses exhibits in four sections: "Hometown of Dinosaurs," "Han-Tang Silk Road," "Trading Hub," and "Flourishing Era."
  3. Xinjiang First Cellar Ancient City Wine Culture Museum
    The birthplace of Xinjiang’s liquor industry with a 600+ year brewing history, honored as "Xinjiang’s First Cellar • Chinese Time-honored Brand."

Transportation & Tips:

  • Scenic shuttle buses at Heavenly Lake are included; boat tours are extra.
  • Qitai’s museums offer free entry (ID required); guided tours available for a fee.

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  • Jiangbulak – Mushi Highway – Kumtag Desert – Shanshan County
  • 4-Stars Hotel
  • Breakfast
 
After breakfast, drive to Jiangbulak, boasting 2,000+ years of agricultural history since the Han Dynasty. The area features 200,000 mu of wheat fields, where golden crops undulate like waves in autumn, creating a "living canvas" of seasonal colors. Don’t miss Jiangbulak Grand Canyon—a 15-km winding gorge with crisscrossed birch and maple forests, whose hues shift with sunlight and seasons.
Travel through Mushi Highway to Kumtag Desert, a rare "urban desert" where golden dunes border lush oases. Renowned for its complete sand dune formations—including crescent ridges, linear dunes, and unique feather-shaped dunes—it’s a living example of successful desert control ("Oases never retreat, sands never advance").
 

Optional Desert Activities (paid separately):

  • Handmade nang bread baking in traditional ovens
  • Camel rides across sand dunes
  • UTV off-roading and sand surfing experiences
Drive to Shanshan County in Turpan and check in for the night.
 

Notes:

  • Mushi Highway offers scenic views of Tianshan’s transition from grasslands to desert.
  • Desert activities are weather-dependent; wear sun protection and comfortable footwear.

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  • Flaming Mountain (Scenic Drive) – Tuyugou Grand Canyon – Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves
  • Breakfast
 
After breakfast, drive along Flaming Mountain Grand Canyon to Tuyugou. Flaming Mountain, China's hottest place, sees summer temperatures peak at 47.8°C, with sun-exposed surfaces reaching 82.3°C—hot enough to cook eggs in the sand. Named for its scorching climate and rust-red sandstone that glows like fire under desert sun, it's one of Turpan's most iconic landmarks. Its unique landscape, coupled with its role in Journey to the West (where Tang Sanzang's pilgrimage is blocked here and Sun Wukong borrows the Banana Fan thrice), links it to legendary figures like Tang Monk, Sun Wukong, Princess Iron Fan, and the Bull Demon King, enhancing its mythical allure. Visitors can see "Tang Monk's Horse-Tying Stake"—a sky-reaching rock in Shengjinkou—along with a flat slope said to be his mounting stone, and "Pig Bajie Rock"—a peak resembling a long-snouted pig across the canyon.
Tuyugou Grand Canyon, at the southern foot of eastern Flaming Mountain, glows crimson from iron oxide, looking like burning flames under the sun. The most spectacular part of Flaming Mountain, it stretches 9 km from Subashi Village to Mazha Village, with an average width of 1 km and a maximum altitude of 831.7m, 13 km southwest of Gaochang Ancient City.
Winding up along Flaming Mountain's cliffs, reach Mazha Village in Tuyugou—Xinjiang's oldest surviving Uyghur settlement, over 1,700 years old. Known as a "living fossil of folk culture," it preserves ancient Uyghur traditions and customs intact, with ancient adobe buildings still shining the light of "yellow clay culture."
Continue to Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, perched on cliffs west of Mutougou Valley in central Flaming Mountain. First excavated in the 5th–6th centuries (Qu Shi Gaochang Kingdom, Northern and Southern Dynasties to Tang), it thrived during the Gaochang Uyghur period (9th–13th centuries), representing classic ancient Gaochang Buddhist art. The 83 existing caves—mostly rectangular vaulted caves, some central-pillar caves—are built in three tiers: upper stupa area, middle worship area, and lower living area. Among the 83 caves, over 40 have murals.
 

Transportation Recommendations:

  1. Urumqi: Diwopu International Airport, Xinjiang's largest aviation hub and one of the key international airports in northwest China, handles domestic, international, and Central Asian routes. Besides, trains from Urumqi connect to multiple Chinese cities.
  2. Turpan: It has an airport and railway station for traveling to major Chinese cities. Turpan Jiaohe Airport, a 4E-level civil transport airport in Xinjiang, connects to cities like Beijing, Chengdu, Xi’an, and Guangzhou. You can also choose to take a train. Consult Intotravelchina’s advisors for more information.

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Included & Excluded

  • The price is based on two people sharing a double room. If you prefer a single room, please contact us for a quote.
  • Price may vary depending on exchange rates, travel dates, and hotel class.
  • Prices may vary depending on the season and promotional activities. Please consult your advisor for details.
Price Includes:
  • Comfortable hotel with daily breakfast (twin room)
  • Professional English-speaking local tour guide
  • Air-conditioned private coach throughout the tour
  • Entrance tickets to all listed attractions and activities
  • Lunches as specified in the itinerary
  • Domestic flights and high-speed train tickets
  • One travel accident insurance per person
Price Excludes:
  • International flights to and from China
  • Airport transfer to hotel on arrival day (Day 1)
  • Optional or recommended activities
  • Chinese visa application fees
  • Tips for guides and drivers
  • Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Personal expenses (e.g. shopping, laundry, hotel minibar)

Cancellation Policy

We understand that travel plans may change. Please review our cancellation policy below:
  • Free cancellation if canceled 60 days or more before the tour starts
  • 5% of total tour cost if canceled 45-59 days before departure
  • 10% of total tour cost if canceled 30-44 days before departure
  • 25% of total tour cost if canceled 15-29 days before departure
  • 45% of total tour cost if canceled 7-14 days before departure
  • 100% of total tour cost if canceled less than 7 days before departure

Q & A

What are the must-see highlights of this 3-day Xinjiang tour?
This tour packs Xinjiang's diverse beauty into three unforgettable days! You'll experience the alpine wonder of Heavenly Lake (UNESCO site), explore the prehistoric Petrified Wood-Dinosaur Geopark, stroll through Jiangbulak's 200,000-mu wheat fields, ride the golden dunes of Kumtag Desert, and discover Turpan's iconic Flame Mountain, Tuyugou Canyon's red cliffs, and the 1,500-year-old Bezeklik Caves murals. A perfect blend of nature, history, and adventure!
What is the best season for this tour?
We highly recommend June to September for the most spectacular experience. During this period, Jiangbulak's wheat fields turn from emerald green to golden (best viewing late August to early September), Heavenly Lake offers cool alpine retreat, and Turpan's grapes and melons are in season. Summer temperatures in Turpan can reach 40°C+, but the desert and canyon views are at their most dramatic.
Is the temperature very different between Urumqi, the mountains, and Turpan?
Yes, quite different! Heavenly Lake (1,910m) is 5-8°C cooler than Urumqi with strong winds—bring a jacket even in summer. Turpan is famously hot, with summer highs over 40°C, while Urumqi offers pleasant daytime temperatures. We recommend layering clothing—you'll experience all three climate zones in just three days!
What should I prepare and pay attention to before this trip?
Pack layers! Heavenly Lake requires a warm jacket even in summer, while Turpan demands sun protection—high-SPF sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses are essential. Comfortable walking shoes are a must for all sites. For the Bezeklik Caves, photography restrictions may apply—follow your guide's instructions. Bring a reusable water bottle and stay hydrated, especially in Turpan's dry heat.
Is this tour suitable for elderly travelers or families?
Yes, with some considerations. The itinerary involves moderate walking at Heavenly Lake and the caves. For seniors, we can adjust the pace and add rest breaks. Desert activities like buggy rides may not suit very young children or those with health conditions—we can customize alternatives. Just let us know your group's needs in advance, and we'll tailor the experience for everyone's comfort.

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(>=12 years old)
(2~11 years old)
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