Lake Scenery and Snowy Peaks: The Great Northern Xinjiang Circuit
Tianchi—Keketuohai—Kanas—Sailimu Lake—Ili
Connect the lakes, grasslands, and snow-capped mountains of Northern Xinjiang into a clockwise grand loop, avoiding retracing your steps; three different durations of itineraries can be checked day by day.
Long-term detailed explanation
The beauty of northern Xinjiang can be summed up in four words: "lake light and snowy peaks": Kanas in the Altai Mountains, Sayram Lake and Heavenly Lake in the Tianshan Mountains, with the Irtysh River Valley and Ili Grassland in between. This circular route goes clockwise, placing the longest driving section in the middle, with both ends accessible from Urumqi.
Three Ways to Travel
- 7-Day Highlights: Urumqi — Heavenly Lake — Burqin — Kanas — Hemu — Urho — Urumqi.
- 9-Day Standard: Add Koktokay and Sayram Lake, connecting to Yining.
- 12-Day In-Depth: Continue to the Ili River Valley with Nalati and Kalajun, completing the loop.
Golden autumn (mid-September to early October) is the peak season for this route; accommodations in Kanas and Hemu should be booked more than three weeks in advance.
Lake Scenery and Snowy Peaks: The Great Northern Xinjiang Circuit routes (4)
Classic Northern Xinjiang 8-Day Loop
Kanas Golden Autumn Photography 7 Days
Ili River Valley Depth 6 Days
Nalati Grassland Pastoral Tour 5 DaysHow to choose
| Route | Days | Price | Intensity | Best months | Cities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Northern Xinjiang 8-Day Loop | 8 days | ¥1290 from / person | Relaxed | May–October | Entry and exit of Urumqi |
| Kanas Golden Autumn Photography 7 Days | 7 days | ¥1150 from / person | Medium | September–October | Entry and exit of Urumqi |
| Ili River Valley Depth 6 Days | 6 days | ¥980 from / person | Relaxed | May–September | Yining access |
| Nalati Grassland Pastoral Tour 5 Days | 5 days | ¥890 from / person | Relaxed | June–September | Yining access |