Xinjiang Surreal Summer
If you visit Xinjiang in summer, the Ili River Valley must be the top destination for enjoying the natural beauty of Xinjiang.
West of Urumqi, cradled between the "two arms" of the Heavenly Mountains, the Ili River Valley embraces extremely beautiful scenery: flowers, grasslands, snowy mountains, and forests. There you will find picture-perfect landscapes that surpass even your dreams and imagination. It is also the homeland of many ethnic minorities, who you can meet: Uyghur, Kazakh, Mongolian, Kyrgyz…
During this 8-day Xinjiang tour, starting from Urumqi, you will drive forward the west and revel in the dreamlike Ili River Valley.
Suggested 8-Day Itinerary
| Day | Highlights |
|---|---|
| 1-2 Urumqi |
Tianshan Mountain and Heavenly Lake |
| 3 Sayram Lake |
Sayram Lake |
| 4-5 Tekes |
Lavender Oceans and Kalajun Grassland |
| 6 Nalati |
Nalati Sky Grassland |
| 7-8 Yining |
Uyghur Living Community |
Urumqi-Sayram Lake-Ili Tour Map
Tour 'Wow' Points
Enjoy the Blue of "the Atlantic's Last Tears"
Have a relaxing walk on the banks of Sayram Lake. Warm moist air from the Atlantic Ocean travels more than 5,000 km (3,000 miles), but no further, to leave this beautiful sapphire-like lake.
Witness a Huge "3D Grassland" formed by the Snow Peaks, Forest, and Meadow.
Run or lie down freely on this vast grassland and understand why Tianshan Mountain is listed as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Encounter the Romantic Purple in Ili River Valley
Visit the biggest lavender plantation in China. Dive in the 'ocean' of purple flowers
Stray into a Scene from "The Wizard of Oz."
Walk along the little stream formed by the melting snow of the Tianshan Mountains. Discover a yurt on the slope and a flower meadow hidden in the forest.
Explore the Only City in the World without Traffic Lights.
Enjoy a relaxing walk along the alleys with exotic buildings and intriguing paintings.
Meet Friendly People in a Lovely Town
Take a horse-drawn carriage to tour a traditional district where the Uyghur people live. Have a chat with local people under the grape terraces in their garden.
Enjoy a Sumptuous Uyghur Feast Filled with Song and Dance
How can you visit Xinjiang without savoring its local cuisine and enjoying the most passionate Uyghur songs and dances? Let delicious food, music, and dance become a beautiful memory of your journey here.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Amazing and Effortless Experience Overall!
China Highlights is totally legit and they planned our visit in Beijing perfectly, they were also great with being flexible to meet our unique needs and timelines, with multiple changes on the fly. Our guide in Beijing, William, was amazing as well! William was friendly, kind, thoughtful, funny, and also was great at keeping us on track timing-wise (as we didn’t make this particularly easy for him lol). Cannot recommend both China Highlights and William to anyone else looking to visit China for the first time! more
Jun 2025, jamesrkable
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A culture of hospitality and smiles
Beijing was prettier and far less crowded than anticipated. Colin aka Po Po, our guide, enhanced the experience with his knowledge and wicked sense of humour. He made every moment special for us.We spent about three days in Beijing and surrounds. China highlights offerings were high quality, including accomodation, car, driver, guide and selection of real local restaurants. Being vegetarian wasn’t an issue at all. Visiting historical quarter of Beijing along with Hutong walk and Confucius Beijing temple were unique experiences- which became more special with Colin’s interest in philosophy and wonderful global perspective. Despite language barriers- we were greeted by scores of locals with genuine smile and curiosity. We shall be back (hopefully with Colin) to explore this wonderful culture. more
Jun 2025, Inderjeet
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Beijing group tour
We had a group tour for our clients and William was our guide. He was knowledgeable, kind and flexible throughout the tour. Our clients loved the way he explained diverse topics. We would recommend him for our future groups too.Thank you William and God bless! more
Jun 2025, Prima Rodrigues
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Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
When you land in Urumqi, your personal tour guide will be waiting for you in the arrivals area and will be ready to transfer you to your hotel.
After breakfast, visit Heavenly Lake at the Tianshan Mountains. The mountain lake lies at 1,980 meters above sea level and features picturesque scenery that includes snowcapped peaks. It is nice to walk along the plank path to enjoy the scenery around the Lake. See the magical colors reflected on the surface of the lake and listen to many beautiful myths and legends.
Drive to Kuitun after the tour. The driving distance is about 400 km (240 miles)
Drive from Urumqi to Sayram Lake. Enjoy a nice walk along the plank path on the bank of the lake and sit on the glassy land dotted by little wildflowers. Feel the breeze, perhaps carrying some of the "last tears" from the Atlantic Ocean.
The driving distance for today is about 400 km (240 miles)
Admire the spectacular scenery of Guozigou — 'Fruit Valley'. The great highway project and towering Guozigou Bridge traverse the deep gorge and add to the magnificence of the valley views.
Drive from Sayram to Tekes via Huocheng. Stop at Huocheng for the romantic lavender vistas.
The driving distance for today is about 280 km (170 miles)
Visit the most beautiful grassland in the Ili River Valley — Kalajun. Enjoy strolling on the "green blanket" with colorful flowers. The dark green forest and snowy peaks may make you feel like you are walking in an oil painting. Ride a horse to experience the life of Kazakh herdsmen, if you like.
Explore Tekes Town in the late afternoon, which is built according to the shape of a bagua (an Eight Trigrams grid). A city with excellent fengshui and concentric octagons of roads, you will be surprised that this is a town without traffic lights. Walk around the Lijie Street. Take some interesting pictures in front of old walls painted with classical Xinjiang artwork.
Drive from Tekes to Nalati in the morning. After lunch, visit the "Grassland in the Sky." Take a shuttle bus to go all the way up the mountain. Stop at several platforms for the panoramic views. At the last stop of the shuttle bus, you can walk along the stream to the forest. The big fir trees, the white yurt, and the meadow dotted with flowers form a picture from a fairy tale.
The driving distance for today is about 250 km (150 miles)
Drive to Yining in the morning. Explore the Kazanqi District of Yining City, an area rich in Uyghur culture, where the residential houses are painted blue or green and have other traditional Uyghur ethnic features.
Enjoy an interesting tour through the village aboard a horse-drawn carriage. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of cultures with traditional songs, dances, and folk shows.
The driving distance for today is about 250 km (150 miles)
Your guide and driver will escort you to Yining Airport to catch your flight to your next destination.
Hotel Selection
—the Icing on the Cake
Boutique hotels are recommended to enrich your travel experience.
Price Includes:
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- English-speaking local guide
- Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Tour code: xj-13