Day 1
Arrival and a relaxed start
Meet the confirmed arrival transfer and check into the arranged hotel. Use any spare time for an easy local walk and rest before the circuit.
Overnight: Urumqi
8 days / 7 nights
8-Day Ili Xinjiang Tour: Sayram Lake & Nalati
Review an eight-day Ili route from Urumqi with Sayram Lake, Yining and Nalati. Check seasonal road alternatives and the return journey before booking.
Your journey at a glance
- Starts in
- Urumqi
- Ends in
- Urumqi
- Duration
- 8 days / 7 nights
- Preferred service language
- Mandarin Chinese
The quote depends on your dates, group size, room needs and agreed services. See service and quote details
Ask us to confirm the departure, group size, passport eligibility and room arrangements. An enquiry is not a confirmed booking.
Travel connections
Urumqi round trip through Ili. Seasonal mountain-road access and alternatives are confirmed for travel dates.
Day-by-day itinerary — Grassland and open-road season
Yizhao and Duku access depends on seasonal opening, weather and traffic controls. Confirm the usable route for your dates; winter enquiries need a different circuit.
Day 2
Urumqi to Sayram Lake
Travel to Sayram Lake and explore permitted lakeside roads with the driver. A sunset stop depends on arrival time and weather; stay near the east gate.
Overnight: Sayram Lake area
Day 3
Sayram, Guozigou and Yining
Return to the lake for further viewpoints, then continue via Guozigou to Liuxing Street in Yining. Sailing is subject to the confirmed package and operating conditions.
Overnight: Yining
Day 4
Seasonal Yizhao Road and Xiata
Use Yizhao Road only when open and suitable, then visit Xiata and stay in Zhaosu. A Yuhu alternative or a different connecting road is agreed if access changes.
Overnight: Zhaosu
Day 5
Kurdening to Nalati
Visit Kurdening’s mountain and forest scenery before continuing to Nalati. Walking and scenic transport depend on the selected entry arrangement.
Overnight: Nalati
Day 6
A full day at Nalati
Explore Nalati using the confirmed vehicle-entry or scenic transport arrangement. The driver operates the vehicle; travellers are not expected to drive. Stay a second night in Nalati.
Overnight: Nalati
Day 7
Return to Urumqi with road alternatives
Use the planned Duku section when open. Otherwise agree on the Gongnaisi and Shengli Tunnel road alternative, or a separately confirmed rail connection; these are alternatives, not combined inclusions.
Overnight: Urumqi
Day 8
Departure from Urumqi
Check out and use the agreed airport or station transfer. This final day is for departure; an extra sightseeing day or additional night needs a separate arrangement.
Overnight: Departure; no overnight stay in this itinerary
Overnight bases: Urumqi → Sayram Lake area → Yining → Zhaosu → Nalati → Nalati → Urumqi
Choose and prepare this route
Who this route suits
Choose Ili for the lake and grassland route shown below. Kashgar and Kanas are separate alternatives, not nearby additions to the same eight days.
Arrival, sightseeing and transfer days
Urumqi is the arrival and departure base. Distinguish the return driving day from the flight day. Seasonal roads in the listed route need a confirmed alternative; their inclusion is not a promise that they will be open.
Compare your alternatives
Nalati has its own full day in this version. Adding another distant grassland means revising another visit or extending the route. Share your travel month before choosing the daily arrangement.
Services to confirm in your quote
Final hotels, tickets, transfers, meals and guide services are itemised in your confirmed quote.
Planned arrangements
- The reference small-group circuit includes a supplier-driven vehicle and the listed overnight pattern. The driver offers basic assistance rather than full guiding inside every attraction. Hotels, meals, admissions and transfers are confirmed item by item.
Separate costs and optional arrangements
- Travel to and from the starting and ending cities, personal spending, single-room supplements and any meals or optional activities not listed in the confirmed quote.
- Scenic shuttle buses, cableways, optional activities, unlisted meals and any separately quoted transport are checked individually. A named vehicle or hotel is not guaranteed until confirmed in your quote.
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.
Consultations are available in Chinese and English. On-tour service is mainly in Mandarin; other guide languages depend on the itinerary and confirmed quotation.
Along the journey
These photographs show the destinations, not a promise of included stops or seasonal conditions. Green landscapes do not represent the winter itinerary.
Questions about this trip
How do I get a quote?
Send your travel dates, party size, room needs and preferred travel style. We will confirm the route, language, services and separate costs before quoting. This page does not show live availability.
Can I change the itinerary?
Private trips can be adapted to your interests and arrival plans. Shared groups follow their confirmed itinerary; changes to hotels, stops or pace need to be agreed separately.
Where does the Ili circuit start and finish?
Meet and finish in Urumqi.
Are scenery and road access the same throughout the season?
This route has a standard version; scenery and access vary with travel dates.
What should I confirm around Sayram Lake and the grasslands?
Confirm accommodation around Sayram Lake and the grassland stops, road access and the division between driving and guiding services.
Is the seasonal road fixed for my date?
No. The usable road and replacement route must be confirmed for your dates and conditions. No opening date is guaranteed on this page.
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Share your dates and group size to discuss this route; the service scope is confirmed with your quote.
China trip planning guides
- Private vs Small Group Tours in China: How to Choose
- Planning 5–9 days in China: choose a realistic route
- China Tour Quotes: What's Included & What Changes the Cost
- First Trip to China: A Practical Planning Guide
- Xinjiang Itinerary: Choose Kashgar, Ili or Kanas
- Best Time to Visit Xinjiang: Kashgar, Ili & Kanas
Need a car, a guide, or both?
Request standalone car and driver, a private guide, or a driver-guide in Beijing, Xinjiang, Chongqing, Chengdu, Yunnan and Shanghai. Tell us the route and language you need; availability and scope are confirmed in your quote.
