The shore of Sayram Lake

Xinjiang Private Tours

Xinjiang is too large to treat as one short loop. Compare the nine-day Kashgar route with separate eight-day Ili and Kanas journeys before choosing dates and a seasonal version.

The shore of Sayram Lake

Choose a route for your dates

Choose Kashgar for the southern circuit, Ili for its own eight-day landscape route, or Kanas for a separate northern journey. Published seasonal versions are not interchangeable; confirm road access, overnight bases and departure dates before requesting a quote.

Compare seasons for Kashgar, Ili and Kanas

Use the route comparison below to check gateways, overnight bases and published seasonal variants. A northern landscape journey and a southern Kashgar route require different plans; combining them needs a new assessment rather than a simple extra stop.

Read the itinerary planning guide

Tell us your dates, number of travelers, arrival and departure cities, preferred pace and guiding-language needs. Chinese and English consultation is available; actual guiding language, shared departures and inclusions need confirmation.

Request a tailored route

Need a car, a guide, or both?

Choose Kashgar, Ili or Kanas before requesting a vehicle. Share overnight bases and the route version; a driver-guide request still needs confirmation of commentary, language and attraction accompaniment.

Compare routes

Kashgar & the Pamir–Southern Xinjiang Circuit

Duration
9 days / 8 nights
Starts in / Ends in
Kashgar → Kashgar
Overnight bases
Kashgar → Tashkurgan → Kashgar → Hotan → Alar → Aksu → Kashgar
Route versions
Regular Pamir and southern circuit / Autumn poplar version
Route focus
Nine days and eight nights, Kashgar to Kashgar: the Pamirs, Hotan, desert roads and Aksu. Border access and the autumn poplar route are confirmed individually.
Confirm for your quote
Foreign-passport shared-group enquiries are accepted. Access to Muji, Khunjerab, the Wakhan area and other border points is checked for each traveller’s documents and travel date; affected stops or an alternative route must be confirmed before booking. Do not send passport scans through this enquiry form.
Route versions · Overnight bases
  • Regular Pamir and southern circuit: Kashgar → Tashkurgan → Kashgar → Hotan → Alar → Aksu → Kashgar
  • Autumn poplar version: Kashgar → Tashkurgan → Kashgar → Hotan → Alar → Aksu → Kashgar

Ili, Sayram Lake & Mountain Roads

Duration
8 days / 7 nights
Starts in / Ends in
Urumqi → Urumqi
Overnight bases
Urumqi → Sayram Lake area → Yining → Zhaosu → Nalati → Urumqi
Route versions
Grassland and open-road season
Route focus
Eight days and seven nights from Urumqi through Sayram Lake, Yining, Zhaosu, Kurdening and Nalati. Seasonal roads have conditional alternatives.
Confirm for your quote
This is a seasonal grassland and mountain-road circuit, not a winter road itinerary. The reference shared format is 2–6 travellers; the final vehicle, access and group arrangements are confirmed individually.

Kanas, Hemu & Sayram Lake Circuit

Duration
8 days / 7 nights
Starts in / Ends in
Urumqi → Urumqi
Overnight bases
Urumqi → Altay → Hemu → Burqin → Kuitun → Jinghe → Urumqi
Route versions
Summer circuit / Autumn poplar circuit / Winter snow circuit
Route focus
Eight days and seven nights from Urumqi, linking Kanas, Hemu and Sayram Lake. Compare complete summer, autumn and winter routes before requesting a quote.
Confirm for your quote
Choose a seasonal version rather than combining all its stops. Road openings, foliage, snow and lake ice vary; no particular natural phenomenon is guaranteed.
Route versions · Overnight bases
  • Summer circuit: Urumqi → Altay → Hemu → Burqin → Kuitun → Jinghe → Urumqi
  • Autumn poplar circuit: Urumqi → Altay → Hemu → Burqin → Kuitun → Jinghe → Urumqi
  • Winter snow circuit: Urumqi → Altay → Kanas village → Hemu → Karamay → Sayram Lake area → Urumqi
Full route comparison
Compare routes
Your journey at a glanceDurationStarts in / Ends inRoute versionsOvernight basesExperience & choiceTravel connections
Kashgar & the Pamir–Southern Xinjiang Circuit9 days / 8 nightsKashgar → KashgarRegular Pamir and southern circuit / Autumn poplar versionRegular Pamir and southern circuit: Kashgar → Tashkurgan → Tashkurgan → Kashgar → Hotan → Alar → Aksu → Kashgar; Autumn poplar version: Kashgar → Tashkurgan → Tashkurgan → Kashgar → Hotan → Alar → Aksu → KashgarNine days and eight nights, Kashgar to Kashgar: the Pamirs, Hotan, desert roads and Aksu. Border access and the autumn poplar route are confirmed individually.Kashgar round trip via Pamir and southern Xinjiang roads. Border access, driving and guiding roles need separate confirmation.
Ili, Sayram Lake & Mountain Roads8 days / 7 nightsUrumqi → UrumqiGrassland and open-road seasonGrassland and open-road season: Urumqi → Sayram Lake area → Yining → Zhaosu → Nalati → Nalati → UrumqiEight days and seven nights from Urumqi through Sayram Lake, Yining, Zhaosu, Kurdening and Nalati. Seasonal roads have conditional alternatives.Urumqi round trip through Ili. Seasonal mountain-road access and alternatives are confirmed for travel dates.
Kanas, Hemu & Sayram Lake Circuit8 days / 7 nightsUrumqi → UrumqiSummer circuit / Autumn poplar circuit / Winter snow circuitSummer circuit: Urumqi → Altay → Hemu → Burqin → Kuitun → Jinghe → Urumqi; Autumn poplar circuit: Urumqi → Altay → Hemu → Burqin → Kuitun → Jinghe → Urumqi; Winter snow circuit: Urumqi → Altay → Kanas village → Hemu → Karamay → Sayram Lake area → UrumqiEight days and seven nights from Urumqi, linking Kanas, Hemu and Sayram Lake. Compare complete summer, autumn and winter routes before requesting a quote.Urumqi round trip with different seasonal stops. Confirm the selected version, road conditions and overnight bases together.

Planning 5–9 days in China: choose a realistic route

What makes this region different

🏛

Kashgar & the Pamirs

Nine days and eight nights, Kashgar to Kashgar: the Pamirs, Hotan, desert roads and Aksu. Border access and the autumn poplar route are confirmed individually.

🌿

Ili Valley

Eight days and seven nights from Urumqi through Sayram Lake, Yining, Zhaosu, Kurdening and Nalati. Seasonal roads have conditional alternatives.

🏞

Kanas & Hemu

Eight days and seven nights from Urumqi, linking Kanas, Hemu and Sayram Lake. Compare complete summer, autumn and winter routes before requesting a quote.

🧭

Choose a starting point

Kashgar starts and ends the nine-day southern circuit. The Ili and Kanas–Sayram eight-day circuits start and end in Urumqi; arrange transport around the chosen route.

Our signature China journeys

9 days / 8 nights

Kashgar & the Pamir–Southern Xinjiang Circuit

Kashgar → Kashgar

Nine days and eight nights, Kashgar to Kashgar: the Pamirs, Hotan, desert roads and Aksu. Border access and the autumn poplar route are confirmed individually.

Private tailor-made trip · Shared-group enquiry

View itinerary →
8 days / 7 nights

Ili, Sayram Lake & Mountain Roads

Urumqi → Urumqi

Eight days and seven nights from Urumqi through Sayram Lake, Yining, Zhaosu, Kurdening and Nalati. Seasonal roads have conditional alternatives.

Private tailor-made trip · Shared-group enquiry

View itinerary →
8 days / 7 nights

Kanas, Hemu & Sayram Lake Circuit

Urumqi → Urumqi

Eight days and seven nights from Urumqi, linking Kanas, Hemu and Sayram Lake. Compare complete summer, autumn and winter routes before requesting a quote.

Private tailor-made trip · Shared-group enquiry

View itinerary →

Plan the journey

Kashgar starts and ends the nine-day southern circuit. The Ili and Kanas–Sayram eight-day circuits start and end in Urumqi; arrange transport around the chosen route.

These are three separate circuits. Combining them requires additional travel time and a revised quote. Choose your seasonal version and confirm border access, hotels and connections before booking.

Weather & seasonal planning

Xinjiang covers varied landscapes. Plan the Pamirs around highland road conditions, Ili around your preferred grassland scenery, and Kanas around mountain access. Winter or a closed scenic-road section calls for a revised itinerary.

Highland road conditionsGrassland seasonsMountain access

Before you book

Which loop should I choose first?

Choose by landscape and arrival city: Kashgar for old-city life and the Pamirs, Ili for lakes and grasslands, or Kanas for forested mountains and Hemu. Your dates and walking preferences help narrow the choice.

Can all three loops fit into one week?

Kashgar & the Pamir–Southern Xinjiang Circuit · 9 days / 8 nights (Kashgar → Kashgar); Ili, Sayram Lake & Mountain Roads · 8 days / 7 nights (Urumqi → Urumqi); Kanas, Hemu & Sayram Lake Circuit · 8 days / 7 nights (Urumqi → Urumqi)

What is included in the price?

There is no fixed price on this page. Your dates, group size, hotel choices and transport determine the quotation. Only agreed items in the quotation and booking terms are included.

Can the route be adjusted?

Tell us about walking limits, children, luggage and your priority stops. Discuss fewer stops, extra nights or a different route before booking. Transport inside scenic areas may be separate from intercity transport.

Planning notes & service scope

These are suggested travel days and overnight areas, not confirmed reservations. Arrival and departure times may require extra nights. Request a written quotation specifying guides, transport, hotels, tickets and meals; none is automatically included by this page.

Booking terms · Refund policy

Make this journey yours

Share your dates, group size, arrival point and preferred pace. We can discuss the route and a quotation for the services you need.

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