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: Kashgar
9 days / 8 nights
9-Day Kashgar & Southern Xinjiang Tour
Compare a nine-day Kashgar-based southern Xinjiang route through the Pamirs, Hotan and Aksu. Review document checks and standard versus autumn arrangements.
Your journey at a glance
- Starts in
- Kashgar
- Ends in
- Kashgar
- Duration
- 9 days / 8 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
Kashgar round trip via Pamir and southern Xinjiang roads. Border access, driving and guiding roles need separate confirmation.
Route version
Day-by-day itinerary — Regular Pamir and southern circuit
Choose according to your dates, passport access and road conditions. This route is not an all-season promise.
Day 2
Kashgar to the Pamirs
Travel along the Karakoram Highway past the Eighteen Arhats peaks and White Sand Lake, with the Muji volcanic area conditional on access. Continue to Tashkurgan; local food stops follow the day’s arrangements.
Overnight: Tashkurgan
Day 3
Conditional border and Pamir scenic loop
The reference day lists Khunjerab, the Wakhan area, Panlong Road, Bandir Blue Lake and the Eye of the Pamirs. These depend on access and road conditions; a Tajik community visit is arranged only when confirmed.
Overnight: Tashkurgan
Day 4
Glacier scenery and return to Kashgar
Depart via Toghrunxia village with sunrise viewing if conditions allow, then the Muztagh Ata No. 4 Glacier area and Karakul Lake before returning to Kashgar. Access and walking arrangements are confirmed separately.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 5
Yarkand, Yotkan and Hotan
Explore Yarkand old town and continue to a daytime visit at Yotkan before Hotan’s night market. An evening performance at Yotkan is not assumed to be included.
Overnight: Hotan
Day 6
Desert road to Alar
Travel from Hotan along the planned desert highway to Alar. This is a long road day; the driver coordinates suitable breaks and stopping places rather than arbitrary roadside stops.
Overnight: Alar
Day 7
Wensu Canyon and Aksu
Leave Alar for Wensu Grand Canyon and continue to Aksu. Confirm scenic-area transport and the walking route according to the day’s conditions.
Overnight: Aksu
Day 8
Dolan heritage and return to Kashgar
Continue from Aksu via the planned Dolan cultural village visit and return to Kashgar. Any performance or hosted experience follows the confirmed programme.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 9
Departure from Kashgar
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: Kashgar → Tashkurgan → Tashkurgan → Kashgar → Hotan → Alar → Aksu → Kashgar
Day-by-day itinerary — Autumn poplar version
An autumn alternative with a different fifth day, not an extra day added to the regular route. Confirm timing and foliage conditions.
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: Kashgar
Day 2
Kashgar to the Pamirs
Travel along the Karakoram Highway past the Eighteen Arhats peaks and White Sand Lake, with the Muji volcanic area conditional on access. Continue to Tashkurgan; local food stops follow the day’s arrangements.
Overnight: Tashkurgan
Day 3
Conditional border and Pamir scenic loop
The reference day lists Khunjerab, the Wakhan area, Panlong Road, Bandir Blue Lake and the Eye of the Pamirs. These depend on access and road conditions; a Tajik community visit is arranged only when confirmed.
Overnight: Tashkurgan
Day 4
Glacier scenery and return to Kashgar
Depart via Toghrunxia village with sunrise viewing if conditions allow, then the Muztagh Ata No. 4 Glacier area and Karakul Lake before returning to Kashgar. Access and walking arrangements are confirmed separately.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 5
Zepu poplar forest to Hotan
For the autumn version, replace the Yarkand and Yotkan day with Zepu’s poplar forest and continue to Hotan. Foliage colour depends on conditions; the change is agreed for your departure.
Overnight: Hotan
Day 6
Desert road to Alar
Travel from Hotan along the planned desert highway to Alar. This is a long road day; the driver coordinates suitable breaks and stopping places rather than arbitrary roadside stops.
Overnight: Alar
Day 7
Wensu Canyon and Aksu
Leave Alar for Wensu Grand Canyon and continue to Aksu. Confirm scenic-area transport and the walking route according to the day’s conditions.
Overnight: Aksu
Day 8
Dolan heritage and return to Kashgar
Continue from Aksu via the planned Dolan cultural village visit and return to Kashgar. Any performance or hosted experience follows the confirmed programme.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 9
Departure from Kashgar
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: Kashgar → Tashkurgan → Tashkurgan → Kashgar → Hotan → Alar → Aksu → Kashgar
Choose and prepare this route
Who this route suits
Choose southern Xinjiang for Kashgar, oasis cities and the Pamir section. It is a different regional trip from Ili grasslands or Kanas; do not combine all three into the same short holiday.
Arrival, sightseeing and transfer days
Arrival and departure use Kashgar. The middle of the loop moves through several overnight bases. Check travel-document eligibility for each conditional border-area stop before confirming the route or independent bookings.
Compare your alternatives
The autumn option changes the listed route around Zepu poplar scenery. Use the daily schedule for the selected version; do not add autumn stops on top of every standard-version visit.
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
- 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.
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 Kashgar circuit start and finish?
Meet and finish in Kashgar.
How do I compare the standard and autumn versions?
Compare the standard and autumn versions in the daily itinerary; the autumn poplar routing is confirmed for your travel dates.
Are accommodation, guiding and border access confirmed?
Confirm accommodation categories and whether guiding is included. A driver and guide have different responsibilities. Border-area arrangements depend on traveller documents and current requirements.
Can every traveller visit every Pamir stop?
No blanket eligibility is promised. Document type, route and current requirements must be checked, with alternatives agreed where necessary.
More journeys to explore
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 →Request a quote
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.
