Escape To Xinjiang

Day 1

Place & Transport: Beijing to Urumqi, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Airport Transfer (Beijing), Airport Transfer (Urumqi), A Free CH cell phone package

- A Free CH cell phone package:

A Free CH cell phone package includes free rental for the cell phone and SIM card (Includes prepaid value of CNY 50), delivery and collection in China. Return the phone to your guide when you depart. For more about the cell phone rental service, please click cell phone rental information.

Day 2

Place & Transport: Urumqi
Today's Activities: Heavenly Lake, Boat for Cruise on the Heavenly Lake, Erdaoqiao Market, Souvenir Shop of the Great Hall of the People
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Jiamu Restaurant

- Heavenly Lake (1 hour): Heavenly Lake (Tian Hu) is a beautiful blue mountain lake. The blue lake water is finely contrasted with steep forested hills, high meadows and snowy Heavenly Mountain peaks behind. There you can walk, take electric carts, cable cars and a boat cruise on the lake.
- Boat for Cruise on the Heavenly Lake (40 minutes): It is a different way to visit Heavenly Lake by boat.
- Erdaoqiao Market (1 hour): The Erdaoqiao Bazaar is the largest in Urumqi. You'll find a bustling market filled with fruit, clothing, crafts, knives, carpets and almost anything that you can imagine. On Sunday, there are more stalls and more goods to buy than any other day. The old streets around the bazaar are really worth seeing.Here is the most welcomed place by tourist especialy by ladies where they can buy some traditional yugur make up cosmetic.
- Souvenir Shop of the Great Hall of the People : This factory manufactures and sells many kinds of jade articles, including Xinjiang Hetian jade, jade jewelry, and Xinjiang jade sculptures. There are also many woven rugs on sale with beautiful traditional designs.
Tel: 0991-4835598
Address: 45 North Youhao Road, Urumuqi, Xinjiang
- Jiamu Restaurant : Jiamu Restaurant is a Uygur style restaurant, mainly providing Uygur cuisine but no wine allowed while dining. The restroom is in good decoration and there is a short time for live performance during lunch time.

Day 3

Place & Transport: Urumqi to Turpan
Today's Activities: Our guide and driver will escort you from Urumqi to Turpan, Tuyoq Village and Tuyugou Canyon, The Ruins of the Ancient City of Jiaohe
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Red Rose Restaurant

- Tuyoq Village and Tuyugou Canyon (1.5 hours): The Tuyugou Great Canyon is 46 kilometers away from Shanshan county in the east, 47 kilometers from Turpan city in the west and 13 kilometers from the Gaochang Ancient City in the southwest. Tuyoq is a traditional village of vineyards, orchards, narrow streets and irrigation channels tumbling between ancient mudbrick houses and shady trees against the backdrop of the bare, red Flaming Mountains. An easy and pretty walk takes you to a group of very ancient caves carved into the mountainside. You can stop and enjoy the surroundings, or climb the steep stairways to view some of the caves, parts of their frescoes still visible, with both Buddhist and Nestorian connections.
- The Ruins of the Ancient City of Jiaohe (2 hours): Jiaohe was built by the ancient Cheshi people in the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC) and the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). Located in the Yarnaz Valley, 8 km (5 mi) west of Turpan, it was dug out of and constructed from the yellow-gray parched ground of a narrow 30-meter-high, 1.5-km-long vertical sided island in a river. It is a good vantage point for seeing the surrounding landscape of vineyards and orchards followed by desert and mountains.
- Red Rose Restaurant: Red Rose Restaurant is located near the Turpan Museum. It is an authentic Uygur restaurant mainly providing Uygur cuisine in local. Dishes like Xinjiang rice and lamb chop are recommended.

Day 4

Place & Transport: Turpan to Urumqi to Kashgar, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Local Family Visit, Suleiman Minaret, The Karez Wells, Our guide and driver will escort you from Turpan to Urumqi, Airport Transfer (Urumqi), Airport Transfer (Kashgar)
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch

- Local Family Visit (40 minutes): Uygur people are very hospitable. Visit their traditional houses and be welcomed by their unique food and drinks, and learn about their daily life and customs. Follow your tour guide’s suggestion and respect local customs.
- Suleiman Minaret (40 minutes): Also known as Sugong Tower, it is the biggest ancient tower existing in Xinjiang and the only ancient Islamic minaret in the country. It is located 2 kilometers southeast of Turpan's center.
- The Karez Wells (40 minutes): This irrigation system of wells connected by underground channels is considered to be one of the three great ancient projects in China. The Karez Wells Folk Garden and Museum is located adjacent to Turpan, 3 kilometers west of the city center. The famous fruit and vineyards of these hot, dry desert communities owe their existence to the Karez wells, ancient underground irrigation channels fed by wells that tap into the snowmelt from surrounding mountains. These systems are still maintained and functioning today. A small museum provides an insight into their intriguing history and construction, and takes you below ground for a first-hand view.

Day 5

Place & Transport: Kashgar
Today's Activities: Lake Karakuli
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch

- Lake Karakuli (2 hours): Karakuli Lake is a sparking glacial lake located at the foot of "the Father of Glaciers" – Muztagata Mountains. A railway connnecting China with Pakistan goes by the lake. The lake is famous for its beautiful scenery and clarity. Colors of its water range from light to dark under reflection.

Day 6

Place & Transport: Kashgar to Urumqi, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Id Kah Mosque, Zhiren Street, Livestock Market, Hotel to airport Transfer (Kashgar), Airport Transfer (Urumqi)
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Nuolan Restaurant

- Id Kah Mosque (40 minutes): This 15th century mosque is one of the largest and busiest in China. At midday on Fridays around 10,000 people will gather to pray and study the Koran, and prayer 5 times/day on other days. You'll be asked to remove your shoes before entering the Main Hall, which has traditional Islamic pillars, carvings and rugs strewn over the floors. Women are adviced to cover upper arms and legs, a scarf is not compulsory, but is seen as a mark of respect. This is a must visit place for tourist in Kashgar .
- Zhiren Street (1 hour): It is close to Id Kah Mosque, an old street with an amazing range of goods being crafted for sale by hand , from strictly utilitarian cookware to exotic musical instruments. There's not much light industry in Kashgar, so everything is hand-made or imported from a very distant place. Copper, metal, porcelain, woodwork, jewellery and other goods are seen to be made and you will marvel at incredible devices like the wooden objects that prevent babies from wetting the bed.
- Livestock Market (1 hour): Streets near this big market are choked on Sundays with farmers and buyers arriving by donkey cart, truck, bicycle, horseback, ute, motorbike or on foot, with their animals. It's loud, lively and cheerful as they arrive, eat breakfast, set up their animals and check out the action. Cattle, sheep (they definitely look different), goats, donkeys, horses have their own sections; sellers show their animals are "good eaters" (most go as livestock not meat) and the entire experience is fascinating and fun.
- Nuolan Restaurant : The restaurant is located near the Id Kah Mosque. It specializes in Moslem food. Dishes like raised chicken and lamb are recommended. It is well decorated in a Uygur’ style. Wine is not allowed here.

Day 7

Place & Transport: Urumqi to Beijing, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Urumqi), Airport Transfer (Beijing)
Meals: Breakfast