Xinjiang travel itinerary 7 days. How to spend 7 days in Xinjiang perfectly?

It took me a whole week of struggling to arrange to write this Xinjiang itinerary review. Partly, I want to save beautiful memories, partly to add more information for those who have and are planning to come to Xinjiang. So, what to do in Xinjiang for 7 days? Let’s check out my Xinjiang travel itinerary 7 days on How to spend 7 days in Xinjiang perfectly below!

The article is a bit long but it is also my passion. Hopefully, the article will be helpful to everyone!

Some tips before you go

Choose a travel company

To start the Xinjiang travel itinerary, I decided to choose a package tour. According to the information I found online, Xinjiang is an autonomous region of China, so independent travel will be inconvenient. This is also an extremely large land, so traveling to the main attractions will be very far. You have to prepare yourself to sit on the car all day just to get to a satisfactory attraction. With the above difficulties, my companion and I decided to choose a travel company to book a Xinjiang tour. After researching back and forth, we chose Tourhot24h.vn.

When choosing a package tour from a travel agency, you will almost no longer be too busy to find out much information because the tour is included. Your job is to prepare documents, money, belongings, … to experience the most perfect trip.

Procedures for applying for a tourist visa to China (Xinjiang)

Those who go on a package tour will know that for a group tour to China, you only need to provide a 4×6 photo and scan your passport. But Xinjiang is an autonomous region with different political regulations, so if you want to come here, visitors must apply for a separate visa to China.

The procedures for applying for a separate visa at the travel agency require you to prepare the following:

• Original passport.
• 2 of 4×6 photos with a white background.
• Employment confirmation.
• Leave application for office.
• Business registration certificate (for business owner).
• Id + household registration / CT07, notarized copy on A4 paper, not cut.
• Finance: Passbook (bank book) of at least 50,000,000 VND (1,972.66 USD) for employees or 100,000,000 VND (3,945.32 USD) for business owners, real estate documents (if any).
• Information declaration (provided by the travel agency).

You just need to prepare the above documents and fill in the information completely, the rest will be taken care of by Tourhot24h.vn. This is my second time going abroad, the last time I went to Singapore + Malaysia. So even if it is your first time going abroad, you don’t need to worry, as long as you have all the above documents, the visa approval rate will be high.

What to prepare before going to Xinjiang? (#Xinjiang travel itinerary 7 days)

I went to Xinjiang in mid-May, the time when spring had just passed and summer was about to begin. According to information from the travel agency, one day in Xinjiang will have 4 seasons, so preparing a variety of clothes is necessary. Some items and clothes that I prepared before the trip – 7-day Xinjiang tour.

• Documents: passport and cash, I exchanged cash for 2500 Yuan. I think this amount is enough for small expenses, buying some food to experience and tipping the tour guide.
• Clothes: mostly summer clothes, I brought 2 warm jackets and 1 scarf, and long pants in case it’s cold on a cold day. I chose 2 pairs of comfortable, easy-to-wear shoes because I often move around a lot when traveling. Prepare a few pairs of thick socks.
• Accessories: hat, glasses, headphones (should bring them for entertainment when traveling long distances), phone charger, spare charger, camera (if you have one, remember to bring it because the scenery in Xinjiang is so beautiful), …
• Medicine: because I get carsick, I always bring this type. In addition, I prepare cough – cold – fever – digestive – insect repellent.
• Food: I brought some cup noodles, salmon floss, and pepper-braised goby fish in case I am not used to Xinjiang food. When I come here, you can experience Chinese cup noodles, which are quite delicious.
• I bought a sim card from the tour guide to use when I get to Xinjiang, it costs $23.67, and I can travel freely for 7 days (7GB capacity).
• Finally, we just need to prepare good health and an energetic spirit to set out to explore.

The most important part of the experiences of Xinjiang travel itinerary 7 days! I will write briefly and focus on the main information, briefly describing the attractions so that everyone can easily visualize!

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh city – Urumqi (#xinjiang itinerary)

The flight to Xinjiang was a late flight, I transited in Guangzhou and then go to Xinjiang. The flight departed at 2:30AM, we arrived at the airport about 3 hours in advance to check in, China Southern Airlines. This is a Chinese airline so the flight attendants speak English and Chinese.

The plane landed at 6:40AM (China time GMT +8). The group completed immigration procedures at Guangzhou airport and then exited to fly to Xinjiang. At Guangzhou airport, security will ask you some basic questions in English such as: what are you going to China for, who are you traveling with, etc. The group continued on the 9:50AM flight to Urumqi airport (Xinjiang). At around 2:50PM, our group landed and completed immigration procedures in Xinjiang.

Arrive at around 3:30pm, the group completes the procedures and goes to the hotel to rest, the distance from the airport to the hotel is about 20 minutes. The 4-star hotel is comfortable, clean, and the room is airy. The temperature is around 28 degrees, the climate is pleasant, not too hot. The group checks into the hotel, we rest for about 30 minutes, then the group will gather in the lobby to go to the Grand Bazaar (30 minutes by car).

The Grand Bazaar is the most famous Persian market in the capital city of Urumqi. The market sells a lot of things from agricultural products, specialties to food, souvenirs, and has singing and dancing activities. The Grand Bazaar is crowded, you can walk around to buy souvenirs or buy food and enjoy the dances of the Uyghurs (the majority ethnic group in Xinjiang). The two of us walked around, ate skewers, hot pot, ice cream, drank fruit tea (super fresh and delicious) and ate baked buckwheat cake (a typical dish found everywhere in Xinjiang). I found the food here to be greasy, spicy, lacking sweetness, and had the mala flavor of Islam.

After the tour, the group returned to the hotel, we showered and rested, and it was already 9:00 p.m. When we went to bed, it was already 9:00 p.m. A special thing about Xinjiang is that at 8:00 p.m. it is still bright, but from 9:00 p.m. it gets dark faster.

Day 2: Urumqi – Gurbantunggut Desert – Burqin

At 6:30 a.m., the tour guide set the alarm, and the hotel speaker system played a melodious song for us to greet the new day! The two of us took the time to clean ourselves, pack our luggage, and go downstairs for breakfast. Breakfast is varied, with many unique dishes with special spices, some dishes are greasy. The breakfast buffet has liquid food, dried food, vegetable salad, dumplings, cakes, jams, fruits, juices, fresh milk, etc.

At exactly 8:30am, the group’s car departs on the S21 highway through the Gurbantunggut desert. When getting on the car, passengers are required to wear seat belts. On the spacious highway, the car runs smoothly, the landscape on both sides of the road is mainly sand and dry trees. On the way, the car stops at 2 rest stops. At the rest stops, visitors get off the car to use the restroom and can buy some snacks, packaged food and bottled water at the various rest stops. The two of us bought some snacks, fruits and water to enjoy on the car while traveling.

The toilets at the rest stops are also quite clean, but in China, most of them are floor Indian toilets and the doors of the rest stops here mostly cannot be closed. The door can only be closed slightly, so you have to hold on to the door while sitting inside or have a friend outside to watch. After getting back on the bus from the second stop, the scenery along the road has changed, green grasslands, snowy mountains in the distance and herds of horses or camels appearing here and there. At around 2:30pm, we arrived at the restaurant for lunch. The restaurant is spacious, clean, and has large dining tables. The dishes are diverse and eye-catching with dishes such as chicken, beef, fish, eggs, soup, etc. Overall, the food is okay.

After lunch, the group moved to today’s sightseeing spot – Yardang Landform scenic area, a level 4A heritage of Fuhai County. The electric car took the group through the gate to the sightseeing area, and the group got off the bus to visit. This sightseeing spot is quite large, with many wooden steps and a landscape of brown clay-colored rocks. The group walked for about 15-20 minutes before reaching the electric car pick-up point to return to the gate. On the way, you can try the wolf photo service for 25 yuan/2 people.

The tour group spent more than 1 hour and then got on the bus back to the hotel. The group returned to the hotel at 8:00pm, we had dinner at the hotel with a big fish feast. It seems that this Burqin area has a lot of fish, out of the 10-course banquet, 9 of the fish dishes were delicious and easy to eat. After dinner, we went to the room to shower and change clothes to go to the nearby Burqin walking street (7 minutes by taxi). This walking street is also sparse because Xinjiang has few tourists. Here, you can explore the food court and buy dried agricultural products, the price is very good and delicious. I bought 4 packs of yogurt for 16 yuan, 1kg of raisins for 33 yuan, 2 bracelets for 50 yuan. At around 10:30pm, the two of us took a taxi back to the hotel and rested.

Day 3: Burqin – Kanas

At exactly 8:00am, we went down to have breakfast at the hotel restaurant. There were about 15 dishes, including fried rice, millet porridge, boiled eggs, and the rest were vegetables and delicious soy milk. In this Burqin area, people seem to eat frugally, mainly vegetables and fish.

At the appointed time of 9:00am, the group moved to the car to Five-colored beach (entrance ticket included). The morning weather was cold and there was little sun, so the two of us had to wear thick coats outside. Because of the little sun, the beach only had a misty color, if there was sun, the landscape would show its name five colors more clearly. However, the two of us still took a few pretty pictures. This attraction is small, just walk around, take quick photos and it’s all gone.

At 10:45am, the group departed for the Kanas scenic area – a quite anticipated tourist destination today. At around 12:15pm, the car arrived at a rest stop, the rest stop was clean, with plenty of snacks. Along the way, the scenery on both sides of the road was rocky mountains, grasslands with uneven terrain. Occasionally, you would see a few herds of horses and people’s houses.

Passing the rest stop, the grasslands were vast and vast, the snow-capped mountains were still covered with some remaining snow, looking like Switzerland. The road began to go up, the road was winding. The scenery on both sides of the road was beautiful but there was light rain so we couldn’t see all of it, sometimes the phone would lose signal for a few sections. The higher we went, the lower the pressure, so I felt a slight ringing in my ears.

At around 1:15pm, the group went to the restaurant for lunch, the food was normal. After finishing eating, the group traveled for about 30 minutes to the Kanas scenic area. When arriving at the scenic area, line up to get tickets and get on the bus in the tourist area. Kanas Scenic Area is the first place I liked after 2 days in Xinjiang. The scenery is beautiful like a painting, snow-capped mountains hidden in the clouds, blue lakes, lush trees, vast grasslands. This area is large, our group traveled by car and even walked around for a few hours. In the scenic area, there are clean toilets, water and snacks.

At 9:05pm, I got on the car to go back to the hotel for dinner and check in. The hotel is nearby so it took about 10 minutes to get there. Today, the group had dinner a bit late but the food was delicious and to my taste. Today, I moved a bit too much, walking about 7-8 km, so I was a bit tired. So, after dinner, I went up to the hotel to rest and save energy for tomorrow.

Day 4: Kanas – Karamay

Today, the tour guide announced that it was a day of heavy travel, so we woke up early to have breakfast in time to depart at 8:00am. At around 9:15am, the group arrived at the station gate to buy tickets to Hemu village. Once there, the shuttle bus picked up the guests and took us to the village. Hemu village is one of the destinations I was looking forward to on this Xinjiang China tour because I saw beautiful pictures online and was very pleased. Overall, the village is peaceful, pristine, not touristy, with many beautiful photo angles.

The group started having lunch at 12:20pm in the village, a normal meal like the past days. After lunch, the group walked a short distance to the village gate and got on the bus out of the tourist area. It was not until 2:10pm that the group moved to the next tourist destination – the Devil City (Karamay). The journey from the snowy mountains to the volcanic region takes up to 6 hours. Every time you get off at a stop, take the opportunity to buy some water, snacks and fruits to munch on car when you are bored!

At 8:15pm, the group arrives at Karamay city and visits the Devil City world – a geological fork that has been there for billions of years. This is also a 5A level scenic tourist attraction, the setting of famous movies such as: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Seven Swords and Hero. Devil City is naturally formed from billions of years of eroded rocks and soil with many shapes. Inside there are oil mines, vehicles and machinery exploiting oil. This is also the largest petroleum city in Xinjiang with the highest GDP in China. Karamay in Mongolian means black oil, the city is named after the specialty here, petroleum.

At 9:30pm, the car moves to the dinner spot and returns to the hotel to check in and rest.

Day 5: Karamay – Sailimu Lake – Yining

After breakfast, the group departs at 8:10am to move to Sailimu Lake, also known as Sayram Lake (Mongolian for: very beautiful and clear). People also call this place “the last tear of the ocean” because when the Atlantic wind blows, the last drop of water vapor will fall in Sailimu Lake.

At 1:45pm, the group arrives at the restaurant for lunch. Today’s meal is more special than usual because this restaurant is a traditional restaurant with a brand name of more than 100 years in Xinjiang. The signboard in front of the restaurant is honored to be awarded by the state. I enjoyed Xinjiang’s specialty with beef noodles + baked cake + side dish of vegetables (similar to kimchi but more salty, less sour). The beef flavor was very strong, the noodle soup was bland, really not to my taste.

At around 2:35pm, the group got back on the bus to visit Sayram Lake (Sailimu). The bus moved to the scenic area at 3:30pm, the group’s bus would go inside because this place is very large, however, the tourist area will charge a fee for the bus. I think everyone will be like me, feeling amazed when seeing the scenery at Sayram Lake. It’s super beautiful, the feeling of nature is so clear and radiant. The deeper we go, the more overwhelmed the scenery becomes. Prepare a beautiful outfit for the day of visiting the lake to make your photos more sparkling!

After sightseeing, the group boarded the bus to depart for Yining at around 5:55pm. The bus ran until 8:15pm and then got off at the restaurant for dinner. After that, the bus continued to move back to the hotel to check in. It was already past 9:00pm but we still decided to take a walk. Near the hotel, there is a quite crowded walking street called Liuxing. This is a type of walking street, a food street, with souvenir shops, food, bars and clubs, etc. The street is quite crowded, with singing and dancing, bustling activities and many souvenirs to buy. After walking around, we returned to the hotel to rest and recharge for tomorrow.

Day 6: Yining – Turpan

Today, our group will travel by high-speed train from Yining to Turpan – a volcanic city famous for the Huoyan Mountain (Flaming Mountains). At exactly 8:10am, the bus departed to the high-speed train station (2nd class train ticket). At around 8:30am, we arrived at the train station, passed through the baggage check, lined up to get on the train. The train station is similar to the airport, crowded, the seats are soft and comfortable. We traveled on the train from 9:15am to 2:20pm, had lunch on the train, the food was not very good so you can prepare instant noodles. On the train, there is plenty of hot water, there is a toilet and drinks, snacks, etc. are served.

When we got off the train and left the station, the car was ready, our group got on the car at 3:00pm to Flaming Mountains. At 6:40pm, the group arrived at Flaming Mountains and started sightseeing. The highest temperature in Flaming Mountains is 70 degrees Celsius, the day we went it was 55 degrees Celsius and it was very uncomfortable. When we got off the car, you will feel two different worlds, the wind, sand and heat are always around. We took the opportunity to visit and take pictures, then went to the shopping area there to eat ice cream because we couldn’t stand it. Within 100km here, no plant species can survive.

At 7:50pm, the group got on the bus and went back to the hotel. On the way back to the hotel, I saw many vineyards and almond gardens. Grapes are in season at the end of June, very sweet and delicious. Raisins in Flaming Mountain are like wind-dried persimmons, not dried, naturally dried, soft and delicious. Fire Mountain is also recognized as a 4A heritage. Why is Flaming Mountains hot? Turpan City has a very low terrain, below sea level, like a cage surrounded by mountains. So all the heat and heat of the desert are absorbed here, this is also the place with the highest temperature in China. At around 8:25pm, the group arrived at the hotel, had dinner and checked in. Turpan is a small city with nothing special, so we decided to rest early after several tiring days.

Day 7: Turpan – Urumqi – Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city)

After breakfast, the group boarded the bus at 8:30 to go to the airport. At around 12:30pm, they arrived at Urumqi airport to check in for the 3:00PM flight. Just like the departure, the group transited at Guangzhou airport and continued from Guangzhou to HCM. Arrived home at 3:30 am, a tiring but satisfying journey.

A trip full of emotions and also a lot of hardship. Imagine, you have to sit in the bus every day for about 7-9 hours in exchange for a short moment to explore the sights. Is it worth it? For me, it is worth it because the scenery of Xinjiang is truly wild and untouched by human tourism. Coming here, you will feel the peace, reflect on life on long trips, and understand why this vast, remote land is so attractive. Xinjiang people are simple, life in Xinjiang is simple compared to the outside world but in return, the carefree life is the most valuable.

Important notes

A few notes to end my Xinjiang travel review, please read it all, maybe it will be useful!

• Prepare your health and spirit well before going to Xinjiang, this journey will be a bit tiring.
• Prepare a neck pillow, headphones and remember to bring a spare charger, traveling to Xinjiang will have to sit on a long bus every day.
• Clothes should be diverse because a day in Xinjiang can have 4 seasons.
• Xinjiang’s time zone is GMT + 8 according to Beijing time but the actual time is 2-3 hours different, so it is still light at 9:00 pm.
• The majority of Xinjiang people are Muslims so they do not eat pork.
• Beef, lamb, goat, etc. in Xinjiang have a very strong smell, those who are not used to eating can prepare noodles or experience Chinese noodles.
• The tourist attractions in Xinjiang are very far apart, you should buy some snacks and drinks at the stop to enjoy when getting on the bus.
• The route to explore the attractions, the car moves up and down, there will be a slight ringing in the ears, so you should prepare mentally.
• When traveling on the road or on the train, the phone will lose signal in some sections.
• Xinjiang specialties are red jujube dates, wolfberries, yogurt, juice, and fresh fruit. Eat a little more to supplement vitamins for the body.
• English is not used, people only communicate in Chinese.
  When shopping, you can bargain gently and reasonably.

I believe that Xinjiang is a special land, to go here you need more than just money, you need health and a little bit of “fate”. Hopefully, my Xinjiang travel itinerary 7 days has brought some value to help you strengthen your decision to visit this mysterious land. Wish you all a successful trip to Xinjiang!

The post first appeared on tourhot24h.vn and was translated and edited by Living Nomads. If you find any images or text that belong to you, please contact us, so we can credit you or give us permission to use them. Thank you very much!

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Xinjiang you can refer to

• 9-day tour of Xinjiang’s three beautiful lakes
• Xinjiang 8-day trip to the snow
• Xinjiang Xueman Altay 5-day tour
• 5-day tour of Xinjiang’s secret Kashgar
• [Klook Ice and Snow Season] 8-Day Tour to Beishuang Lake in Altay, X
• Xinjiang Muxue Winter 5 days and 4 night
• 7 days and 6 nights in Xinjiang Snowy North
• Xinjiang private customization & special planning & team building customization
• Chartered tour Xinjiang Urumqi to Yili/Narathi/Xiata Ancient Road/Sailimu Lake multi-day chartered tour
• Xinjiang Winter Love Letter 8 days and 7 nights
• 8-day tour in southern Xinjiang
• Xinjiang Western Region Dream Return to Southern Xinjiang for 8 days and 7 nights

Read more Xinjiang here and China guide here.