Xinjiang Northern + Kanas Scenic Area + Hemu Scenic Area + Sayram Lake · 7 days

Upon arriving in Urumqi,
Indulge in the long-awaited Western Region cuisine that everyone craves when they come to Xinjiang. Urumqi is the heart of Xinjiang’s cuisine, where you can taste authentic and delicious dishes such as barbecue (mutton skewers), roasted whole lamb, pilaf, hand-pulled noodles, naren, horse sausage, blood sausage, and noodle lung soup. Hurry up and start a feast for your taste buds!

Some recommended Urumqi foods:
1. Wenzhou Street Food Street: New-style fusion restaurants, revolving hot pot, Xin Ding Meatball Soup, air-dried meat pilaf restaurant, salmon head, etc.
2. Xingfu Road Food Street: Shawan Big Plate Chicken, Ma Shi Jiu Bao, Ma’s Braised Goose, etc.
3. Altay Road Food Circle: Blood Station Big Plate Chicken, Gu Bo Pen Pen Meat, Grain Insect Chicken, etc.
4. Changsha Road Pilaf Street: A variety of characteristic pilaf restaurants.

Tianchi (Chinese: 天池; pinyin: Tiānchí, Uyghur: بوغدا كۆلى) is an alpine lake in Xinjiang, Northwest China. The name (天池) literally means Heavenly Lake and can refer to several lakes in mainland China and Taiwan. This Tianchi lies on the north side of the Bogda Shan (“Mountain of God”, Bogda is a Mongolian word meaning “God”) range of the Tian Shan (“Mountain of Heaven”), about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Fukang and 45 kilometres (28 mi) east (straight-line distance) of Ürümqi. It is an alpine drift lake shaped in the Quaternary Glacier period. Planning note: Tianchi sightseeing plus the long drive to Burqin is very demanding. Separate the lake day from the northbound transfer or omit it; allow daylight driving and confirmed overnight accommodation.

Kanas Lake (Chinese: 喀纳斯湖; pinyin: Kānàsī Hú, Xiao’erjing: كَانَاسِ خٗ; Mongolian: Ханас нуур; Uyghur: قاناس كۆلى, USY: Қанас Көли) is a lake in Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang, China. The lake is located in a valley in the Altai Mountains, near the very northern tip of Xinjiang and the autonomous region’s borders with Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. The lake was formed around 200,000 years ago during the Quaternary period as a result of glacier movement. The crescent moon shaped lake has an estimated water storage capacity of 53.8 billion cubic meters, coupled with an average depth of around 120 meters. Planning note: Kanas and Hemu have their own access/shuttle arrangements. Do not assume the viewpoint, all three bays and the onward transfer are achievable in one day; add a Kanas-area night if needed.

The Kanas River, flowing out of the lake, later merges with the Hemu River to form the Burqin River, which itself discharges into the Irtysh River at Burqin Town, the county seat of Burqin County.

There is a large population of ethnic Tuvans and Kazakhs in the Kanas valley. While most of these people have maintained their traditional agricultural and nomadic life styles, many work in the developing tourism industry and have established facilities for orienteering, hiking, rafting, rock climbing, paragliding and camping. The scenic spot is classified as a AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration.

Hemu Village (Tuvan: Ком, Oirat: ᠬᠣᠮ, Kazakh: قوم) is located in the northern part of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, bordering Kazakhstan to the northwest and is about 70 kilometers away from the Kanas River. Administratively, it belongs to Hemu Kanas Mongolian Township, Burqin County, Altay Prefecture, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. In 2005, it was selected as one of China’s most beautiful villages by the “Huaxia Geography” magazine. Planning note: Sunrise depends on weather, and the southbound move is substantial. Keep Wucai Beach optional and do not continue a long drive simply to tick off every stop.

The residents of Hemu Village are mainly Tuvan and Kazakh ethnic groups, who mainly rely on nomadic herding for their livelihood.

This place is one of the only three Tuvan villages remaining in China.

Sayram Lake (Chinese: 赛里木湖; pinyin: Sàilǐmù hú; Kazakh: Сайрам көлі, romanized: Sairam köli; Mongolian: Сайрам нуур, romanized: Sairam nurr), also known as Santai Haizi (Chinese: 三台海子) or historically the “Clean Sea” (净海), is an endorheic freshwater lake in the northern Tianshan Mountains at Börtala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, China, less than 50 km (31 mi) from the border with Kazakhstan. The name Sayram originally derives from Kazakh, meaning “blessing”. Planning note: Sayram Lake adds a long southwest detour from the Kanas/Hemu circuit. Give the transfer and lake visit separate days, or omit Sayram from a seven-day version. Choose Bole or Kuitun according to the real next-day route, not as interchangeable nearby bases.

The lake is the largest (458 km2 or 177 sq mi) and also the highest (at 2,070 m or 6,790 ft) alpine lake in Xinjiang, largely filled by glacial meltwater, residual precipitation from the Eurasian westerlies and runoffs from the surrounding mountain chains, as well as some groundwater springing and seepage. Check the current scenic-area visitor guidance for admission and vehicle rules.

Known as the “Duku Secret Realm, a Wonder of a Billion Years,” the Dushanzi Grand Canyon is located in the Dushanzi District of Karamay City, Xinjiang. The Dushanzi Grand Canyon is situated at an altitude of 1070 meters and is characterized by its gorge landform. The width of the valley floor ranges from 100 to 400 meters, while the width of the valley shoulders is from 800 to 1000 meters. The height from the valley floor to the valley shoulders reaches up to 200 meters. It serves as the starting point of the Duku Highway, one of the most beautiful roads in China, and is also the first scenic spot on the Duku Highway.

The fame of Dushanzi in Xinjiang is not only due to this grand canyon but also because it is the birthplace of Xinjiang’s first oil well. In 1909, the local government of Xinjiang spent 300,000 taels of silver to purchase machinery from Russia and drilled Xinjiang’s first oil well in Dushanzi. The “Xinjiang Atlas” described it as “the well is 7 to 8 zhang deep (approximately 23 to 26 meters), with sounds inside like waves, and oil and gas are billowing and gushing out directly.” “When ignited, the flame is several feet high.” In May 2013, Xinjiang’s first oil well in Dushanzi was listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit.

Check Urumqi’s actual international and domestic services for your travel date. Do not assume a transfer through Chengdu or Xi’an is mandatory; choose the itinerary you can book and leave a disruption buffer.

A: In Urumqi, you can taste Western Region cuisine such as barbecue, roasted whole lamb, pilaf, hand-pulled noodles, naren, horse sausage, blood sausage, and noodle lung soup.

A: Tianchi is an alpine lake in Xinjiang. It lies on the north side of the Bogda Shan range of the Tian Shan.