When I landed in Urumqi last spring, I had one goal in mind: build the perfect Xinjiang 7-day itinerary that linked the alpine north with the Silk Road soul of the far west. I’d trained across China before, but nothing prepared me for the scale of this place — a region the size of Western Europe, where one morning you’re breathing pine air at a glacial lake and the next you’re haggling over pomegranates in a market that’s been running for two thousand years. This is the exact route I drove and rode in seven days, with the timing, transport and hard-won lessons I only learned on the ground.
Key Takeaways
– A Xinjiang 7-day itinerary should split time between the north (Urumqi + Tianchi) and the west (Turpan + Kashgar) rather than attempt to circle the whole region.
– Fly the long Urumqi–Kashgar hop (about 2 hours) instead of the 24-hour train; save your travel days for the desert drives that are genuinely worth it.
– The Kashgar Sunday bazaar runs only on Sundays — schedule your week so Day 6 falls on a Sunday.
– Budget roughly ¥450–¥700 per day as a mid-range foreign traveler; our China travel budget per day guide breaks down the real costs.
– Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are the safest bets for weather and thin crowds — see the best time to visit China for the full picture.
Day 1: Arrive in Urumqi and Feel the Scale
Most travellers rush straight out of the capital. Don’t. Urumqi sits at 800 metres and acts as the gateway to everywhere else, so Day 1 is about landing, adjusting and getting a first taste of the city’s surprising mix of Han, Uyghur and Kazakh cultures.
I checked into a hotel near People’s Square, then walked down to the Erdaoqiao International Bazaar in the late afternoon. It’s touristy, yes, but it’s also the best single place to calibrate your senses: the smell of roasting cumin lamb, stacks of dried apricots the size of golf balls, and a chaos of languages you won’t hear anywhere else in China. Grab a bowl of laghman (hand-pulled noodles) from a stall and watch the city wake up to evening.
Karl’s tip: Swap cash at the airport or a Bank of China branch on Day 1. Smaller bazaars and the Kashgar livestock market still run largely on cash, and ATMs outside the big cities can be hit-or-miss for foreign cards.
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Day 2: Tianchi — A Day at Heavenly Lake
Tianchi, or “Heavenly Lake,” is the easiest jaw-dropper from Urumqi, and it makes a perfect Day 2. It’s about 110 km northeast, roughly a 90-minute drive into the Tian Shan mountains.
The drive up the Tian Shan
This is the first moment the region genuinely floored me. The road climbs from dusty plain into pine forest, and the temperature drops ten degrees every few minutes. Halfway up, our driver pulled over at a hairpin bend so I could see the whole of Urumqi basin spread out behind us like a dropped tray of toys.
A truck driver named Ablimit was resting his rig at the same stop. He pointed at the peaks and said, in broken but proud Mandarin, “That’s where the snow never leaves.” We shared a thermos of black tea and a wedge of nang bread while he told me he’d driven this pass for nineteen years and still stopped here every single time. That five-minute chat did more to explain Xinjiang than any guidebook page — the place isn’t just scenery, it’s people who are quietly devoted to it.
At the lake itself, you can walk the boardwalk, take the cable car to a higher viewpoint, or rent a boat. I’d budget 4–5 hours round trip. Bring a windproof layer even in summer; the wind off the glacier is no joke.
Day 3: Turpan — The Hottest, Driest, Most Surprising Stop
On Day 3 I took the morning high-speed train south to Turpan (about 1 hour from Urumqi). Turpan sits in a depression 150 metres below sea level and is one of the hottest places in China — which is exactly why it became an oasis powerhouse on the Silk Road.
Jiaohe Ruins and the Flaming Mountains
Start at the Jiaohe ruins, a 2,000-year-old city carved from the earth rather than built on it. You walk a loop through silent streets and Buddhist stupa foundations with the desert stretching in every direction. Then head to the Flaming Mountains — red sandstone ridges that genuinely shimmer in the heat haze.
A Silk Road meal I still think about
That night in Turpan I ate the best meal of the whole trip, and it wasn’t in a restaurant. A Uyghur family running a tiny naan stall behind the Grape Valley invited me to share their dinner: hand-pulled sangza noodles, a plate of cold tomatoes with vinegar, and grapes still warm from the vine. The grandmother pressed a handful of raisins into my palm and refused to let me pay. It reminded me that the Silk Road was never really about goods — it was about strangers feeding each other. If you only do one thing in Turpan, accept the invitation when it comes.
Day 4: Fly to Kashgar and Enter the West
This is the big jump. Turpan to Kashgar is over 1,000 km, and the train is a 24-hour marathon. I flew (Urumqi is the natural hub, so I routed Turpan → Urumqi → Kashgar, or book a direct Turpan–Kashgar flight if the schedule allows). The flight is around 2 hours and costs little more than a sleeper berth.
Kashgar is a different country from the north. It’s the westernmost city in China, closer to Baghdad than to Beijing in feel, and the heart of Uyghur culture. Spend the evening simply wandering the lanes around Id Kah Mosque, the largest in Xinjiang, as the call to prayer rolls out over the square and the food carts fire up.
Transport note: If you’d rather see Xinjiang by rail, read our high-speed train guide for foreigners before you book — the app and ticket rules are different from what you’ll expect.
Day 5: Kashgar Old Town — Get Lost on Purpose
Day 5 is for the Kashgar Old Town (Old City), a maze of mud-brick lanes that were partly rebuilt but still pulse with craftsmen, tailors and tea houses. Climb to a rooftop café with a view over the tiled rooftops, then drift without a plan.
I found a courtyard where three old men were repairing a dutar (a long-necked lute), and another where a boy was learning to hammer copper bowls. Every few steps someone offers you a cup of tea — take it. The Old Town is safe, friendly and the most photogenic urban space I’ve walked in Asia.
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Day 6: The Kashgar Sunday Bazaar — The Highlight
If your week lines up right, Day 6 is a Sunday, and that means the famous Kashgar Sunday bazaar. This is the single best reason to do a Xinjiang 7-day itinerary, and I’m not exaggerating.
The bazaar actually splits in two. The livestock market on the city’s edge is the wild one — thousands of sheep, camels and horses changing hands in a dust cloud of shouting and hand-slapping deals. I watched a man buy a camel with three handshakes and a wad of cash in under ninety seconds. Then the main bazaar spreads through the streets with spices piled like sandcastles, bolt rolls of silk, old Soviet tools, and more varieties of hat than I could count.
My advice: go early (8 am), wear closed shoes, and bring small notes. Haggle with a smile — it’s expected and enjoyed, not rude. The bazaar isn’t a performance for tourists; it’s a real market that’s happened here every Sunday for centuries.
Day 7: A Taste of the Karakoram, Then Home
On the final day, if your legs (and visa timing) allow, take a partial run down the Karakoram Highway toward Pakistan. You don’t need to cross the border — even the first 50 km out of Kashgar, past the snow-fed rivers and the blue lake at Karakul, is worth the early start. Otherwise, use Day 7 to revisit a favourite Old Town lane, buy your last handful of dried fruit, and fly out of Kashgar or back through Urumqi.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get around Xinjiang in just 7 days?
Mix the modes. Use the fast train for Urumqi–Turpan, fly the long Urumqi–Kashgar leg, and use taxis or a hired driver for day trips like Tianchi and the Karakoram Highway. Trying to circle the whole region by road in a week will leave you exhausted and behind glass the whole time.
Is Xinjiang safe for foreign tourists?
Yes. The cities on this route — Urumqi, Turpan and Kashgar — are heavily visited by domestic and some international travellers and feel orderly and welcoming. Standard precautions apply: keep your passport handy for the occasional hotel or checkpoint check, and respect local customs around mosques and dress.
What’s the best season for this Xinjiang 7-day itinerary?
Late April–May and September–October are ideal: comfortable temperatures, clear mountain passes and manageable crowds. Avoid mid-summer in Turpan (it regularly tops 40°C) and deep winter, when the Tian Shan roads and high passes can close.
Do I need a special permit for the Kashgar–Karakoram Highway?
The stretch of the Karakoram Highway open to foreign travellers near Kashgar generally does not require a special permit for a day trip, but rules change and the border crossing into Pakistan is a separate matter. Always confirm current requirements with your hotel or a local tour office before setting out.
By Karl — a UK-based traveler who drove and trained across Xinjiang and writes practical, first-hand guides.