9-Day Northern Xinjiang Tour with Kanas Lake

Five-Color Bank
Kanas Lake
Kanas Lake
The Heaven Lake
Koktokay National Geological Park
Bargain with the Shop Keeper at Sunday Market

Tour Outline: 9 Days & 8 Nights
Urumqi (3 N) - Kanas Lake (2 N) - Burqin (1 N) - Fuyun (1 N) - Urumqi (1 N)

Overview
Itinerary
Service Inclusion
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Trip Overview

This Xinjiang classic tour covers almost all of the attrations in the northern Xinjiang, including the Kanas Lake and the Heavenly Lake. Besides, you will also explore many other famous and amazing natural sites and reserves, such as Five-Color Bank, Koktokay National Geological Park, Kala Maili Ungulates Nature Reserve and etc. It is for sure that you will discover the authentic beauty that the Xinjiang has to offer.

[Heavenly Lake] A beautiful blue lake with fabulous surrounding sceneries;
[Erdaoqiao Market] The biggest market in Urumqi where many commodities are sold, such as fruits, clothing, crafts, and carpets;
[Kanas Lake] Famous as the “Oriental Switzerland” and the paradise of photographers;
[Five-Color Bank] A typical Yardang landform with stones of kinds of vivid shapes;
[Koktokay Park ] The first national Geological Park themed with typical mineral deposit and mine in China;

Best Time to Visit

all year round
Physical Demands

Very leisure tour; zero physical demand

Day by Day Itinerary

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Day 1: Urumqi Arrival

Welcome to Xinjiang! Upon your arrival at the Urumqi Airport, our tour guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel in Urumqi. After checking into your hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to have a good rest or you can take a walk to explore the mysterious city on the Silk Road.

Drive 18km from the airport to hotel
High Altitude: Urumqi (680m)
Urumqi business hotel

Day 2: Urumqi

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum

Erdaoqiao Market of Urumqi

Today, your tour starts with the Red Hill, the symbol of Urumqi, formed by aubergine rocks. Then pay a visit to the Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar - the largest bazaar in the world, to buy some souvenirs and specialties.

In the afternoon, drive to visit Xinjiang Museum, a museum mainly collecting and investigating the unearthed cultural relics and specimens in Xinjiang, including stone steles, coins and currency, wooden articles, and paintings. It the best place to know the culture and history of minority groups in Xinjiang, and also along the ancient Silk Road.

Drive about 10km
High Altitude: Red Hill (910m)
Internet & Wifi
Urumqi business hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Urumqi - Heavenly Lake - Urumqi (220km)

Cruise on the Heavenly Lake

Uyghur Women at the Heavenly Lake

Today after breakfast, we will drive to visit Tian Chi, which literally means "Heaven Lake". It is a very beautiful mountain lake formed more than million years ago in the 4th glacial epoch, covering about 5.9 square kilometers. On the east of the lake stands the Bogda Peak, the highest peak in Tianshan Mountain area, which is capped by glacier and snow glistening in the sun. Finely contrasted with blue lake water, the scenery is fabulous.

After the tour, be transferred back to downtown Urumqi. You will pay a visit to the Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar - the largest bazaar in the world, to buy some souvenirs and specialties.

Drive 220km round trip to the Heavely Lake
High Altitude: Heavely Lake (2,150m)
Internet & Wifi
Urumqi business hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: Urumqi - Kanas Lake

Kanas Lake

Kanas Lake Natural Reserve

In the morning, take flight to Kanas Airport to pay a visit to the Kanas Lake Natural Reserve. It is a great place for summer resort, leisure sightseeing and photography. Kanas, in Mogolian, means “beautiful, rich and mysterious”. After the tour, have a good rest in the hotel.

Drive 80km
High Altitude: Kanas Lake (1,374m)
Internet & Wifi
Kanas business hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Kanas Lake

Kanas Lake

Today, you will have another full day to enjoy the breathtaking landscapes of Kanas Lake.

High Altitude: Kanas Lake (1,374m)
Internet & Wifi
Kanas business hotel
Breakfast

Day 6: Kanas - Burqin

Five-Color Bank

Get up in the morning to enjoy the amazing sunrise there and then drive to your next destination - Burqin. En route, pay a visit to the spectacular Five-Color Bank which is a typical Yardang Landform. The stones were weathered into many vivid shapes like towers, beast, deep valleys and etc. The bank was painted into different colors after thousands years of geological changing.

Drive about 150km
High Altitude: Burqin (1,390m)
Internet & Wifi
Burqin business hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7: Burqin - Fuyun

Koktokay National Geological Park

After breakfast, we will drive to Fuyun County. After lunch, you will pay a visit to the Koktokay National Geological Park. Here you will have a chance to see many beautiful and marvelous views like stone hills of various shapes, colorful white birches, crystal lake surrounded by lush forests and etc.

Drive about 270km
High Altitude: Fuyun County (700m)
Internet & Wifi
Fuyun business hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8: Fuyun - Urumqi

Kala Maili Ungulates Nature Reserve

Today we will drive back to Urumqi. En route, you will pass through Kala Maili Ungulates Nature Reserve.

Drive about 470km
High Altitude: Urumqi (680m)
Internet & Wifi
Urumqi business hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9: Urumqi Departure

This day is free for you until you head to your next destination or take flight to get back home.

Drive about 18km to airport
High Altitude: Urumqi (680m)
Breakfast

Price Details & Guide

Price Inclusions

Private transportation to the destinations and sites listed in the itinerary; ranging from 4WD land cruiser to bus depending on the group size and trip route; car gasoline, road toll and in-transport refreshments (free bottles of water, air pillow and headscarf) are included;
Lodging: four nights in Urumqi business hotel, two nights in Kanas business hotel, one night in Burqin business hotel, one night in Fuyun business hotel;
Private experienced English-speaking trip leader;
Airport/railway station pick-up and send-off services at the beginning/end of the tour;
Entrance ticket fees for all the sight spots listed in the itinerary;
Meals listed in the itinerary ( 8 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches );
First aid kit;
A coverage of 300,000RMB Chartis travel insurance;

Price Exclusions

International and domestic flight/train to Urumqi (Note: we accept the domestic flight/train tickets booking to Urumqi from other cities in advance, check the updated ticket availibility and cost with your travel consultant);
Meals that are not specified in the itinerary (Averagely a meal in the 3rdpole region cost 3~10USD per person);
Tips and gratuities for the trip leader and driver;
The expense of a personal nature like alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone call, etc;
Optional activities and excursions not specified in the itinerary;
China Entry visa fees;

Itinerary Alteration

Once we receive your tour deposit, which is followed by signing the contract, your reservation is secured with legitimacy. Our staff will reserve the accommodation, vehicle, site tickets, meals and more, and pay the deposit for our suppliers. So if you want to alter to another itinerary, you need to cover the deposit we've paid, while no service charge is needed if you make some changes on the itinerary you booked.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

If you cancel the tour beacuse of your personal issues, you will be liable to pay cancellation charges that are bounded by 3rdpoletour.com cancellation policy as follows:

1.) If you cancel the tour more than 30 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 10% of the total land cost per person;
2.) If you cancel the tour 15-30 days prior to your trip start date, 20% of your total land tour cost will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.
3.) If you cancel the tour 7-15 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 30% of land cost.
4.) If you cancel the tour 7 days prior to your tour start date, you will forfeit 50% of land cost.
5.) If you fail to show up or cancel at your scheduled arrival time without prior notice or later than that, you will forfeit 100% of the land cost.

If the tour has to be cancelled because of the natural disaster or the government restrictions that is beyond both parties control, we will charge only USD50 per person, this is just the service fee and larbor fee during the preparation. This is a rare occurrence!