14 Days Northern Xinjiang Photograph Tour

Erdaoqiao Market International Bazaar

Meet and transfer to your hotel,visit Xinjiang Museum and Xinjiang International Bazaar if time available.
Xinjiang Museum,the museum is the main institution to collect and investigate the unearthed cultural relics and specimens in Xinjiang. There are more than 50 thousand pieces of various kinds of cultural relics stored in the museum, among them, the ancient mummies represented by ‘the Loulan Beauty', manuscripts in Chinese, Kharosthi, Qiuci, Yanji, Tibetan, Uigurian and other characters prevailed in ancient Westen Regions, the silk ,wool, cotton and hemp fabrics and folk retainment, etc., are unusual tidbits in the world.
Erdaoqiao Market & International Bazaar The Erdaoqiao Bazaar is the largest in Urumqi. You'll find a bustling market filled with fruit, clothing, crafts, knives, carpets and almost anything that you can imagine. On Sunday, there are more stalls and more goods to buy than any other day. The old streets around the bazaar are really worth seeing.Here is the most welcomed place by tourist especially by ladies where they can buy some traditional Uygur make up cosmetic.

Day 2

Urumqi  Fuyun

Flaming Mountain

After breakfast head to Fuyun,visit the Flaming Mountain,Muti-colored Bay en route.
Flaming Mountain resembles a piece of sunset glow like red fire,an agglutination crag piece of red hill.
Muti-colored Bay(or Five Colored Bend): It is located in the north of Jimusar County, Changji Autonomous District, in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Covering an area of 3 sq kilometers (1.2 square miles), it has a typical wind erosion physiognomy and is believed to be the most beautiful one of its kind in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Day 3

Fuyun  Burqin

Shenzhong Mountain

After breakfast Head to Burqin,visit Koktokay National Geopark,Erqisi River Valley,Shenzhong Mountain.
Koktokay National Geoprobe: Located in the Altai Mountains, northeast of Fuyun County in Xinjiang, Koktokay Scenic Spot, or Koktokay National Geopark, is an ideal place for sightseeing, vacationing, hiking, photographing and scientific expedition. It is the origin of the Irtysh River, which is the only river in China flowing into the Arctic Ocean. Near the river is the "No. 3 pegmatite", the largest mining pit in the world which has deposits of 84 kinds of minerals. Koktokay means "green forest" in Kazakh language and "blue river bend" in Mongolian, implying that it has been a beautiful place since ancient times.
The Erqisi River, the second largest river in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the nation's only river to flow northwestward into the Arctic Ocean.A bridge spans over the broad surface of the Erqisi River in Habahe county of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The river is one of the county's beauty spots popular with tourists.
Shenzhong Mountain:also named Amir Sarah, is rare with a look similiar with clock and cone.  It plucked up from the southern E'River with height 1608m and relative dispersion 365m as the most beautiful view of Altai. There are silcer birches, pines and Siberia spruces beside the cliffs. The congelifraction results in the collapse of joints along slopes, which forms the smooth but abrupt surface of peak and a shape of bell.

Day 4

Burqin  Kanas  Jiadengyu

Kanas Lake Nature Reserve

After breakfast head to visit the Kanas Lake Nature Reserve ,enjoy the beautiful sights.Then head to Jiadengyu and overnight here.
Kanas Lake: is the latest lake open to all tourists in China and has attained a reputation as “the tourism pearl of Mountain Altai”.There are six bays along the Kanas Lake and each of them holds a marvelous tale. A 'roche moutonnee', bedrock corroded by glaciers, can be found in the first bay. It looks like a sleeping sheep appreciating the beautiful lake and welcoming visitors from outside world. The second bay is the deepest point of the lake and also the place where monsters are often 'spotted'. It is said that some local livestock have been dragged into water by these monsters! The third bay is a nature platform for enjoying the marvelous lake, the fourth bay holds a lovely isle covered by trees, and a hill of magpies exists in the fifth bay. The sixth bay, which is at the end of the lake, is admired as a natural wonder by all visitors. There is a pavilion named Fish Watching Pavilion on the other bank of Kanas Lake. Because it is located on a hill, visitors can look down on the beautiful scenery of the whole area.

Day 5

Jiadengyu  Hemu  Burqin

Burqin Colorful Beach

After breakfast head to visit Hemu Villages,Tuwa Tribe,and then head to Burqin,visit the Colorful Beach.
Hemu: a small village within the Kanas Lake area in the north of Xinjiang province, China, enjoy the untraversed snow mountain, icy lake, grassland and primitive Tuwa minority village whom lived there for thousand years.
Burqin Colorful Beach:It is actually referring to the banks of a river that has desert, oasis and forest on its south side while sand rock mounds in all shapes formed by years of wind erosion, line the north bank. The mounds have very irregular profiles and although they are mainly red, bands of red, white, black and yellow are also found in them .

Day 6

Burqin  Kuytun

Wuerher Devil'sCity

After breakfast head to visit Wuerher Devil's City.and then head to Kuytun.
Wuerher Devil's City:The term "yardangs" comes from the Uighur language, meaning "steep hill", and now it refers to a landform of wind-eroded hollows, mounds, etc. When strong wind blows, queer sounds can be heard, so the spot was called a "devil city".Due to long-term wind erosion, soft sands and small stones have been swept away, leaving behind regular gullies on the ground and standing earth hillocks of different sizes, shaped like human figure, horse, camel, tortoise, crocodile, pole, yurt, palace, castle, mushroom and so on.When night falls, the wind gives horrifying howls as if the site was haunted by thousands of wild animals. While experts hail it as a geological wonder, the third one of its kind ever found in China.

Day 7

Kuytun  Yili

Sayram Lake

Morning drive to Yili,you can appreciate the beautiful Sayram River, Fruit Gully and Lavender Farm on the route.
Sayram Lake,renowned as a pearl of the Silk Road, is the largest alpine lake in Xinjiang. It is located about 90 kilometers (56 miles) southwest of Botala Prefecture, Urumqi. Sayram Lake is a fairyland with wonderful natural scenery. The lake is like a brilliant emerald inlaid in the basin surrounded by Tianshan Mountain. The water in the lake is very pure and clear. Flocks of ducks and swans coast on its surface. Flourishing cypress and cedar trees cover the whole mountain range. Cottages scatter the foothills of the mountains. Horses and sheep call on the mountain slope. What a vivid and splendid picture!
Fruit Gully :there are numerous pine trees, and rivers and brooks converge here flanking by numerous ridges and peaks. Known as the "1st scene of Ili", the gully has a pleasant cool weather in summer and autumn, and the ground is covered with flowers with bees and butterflies flying and dancing among them. Countless fruits hanging from the branches of the trees on the hillsides, pure white snow far and near, together with flocks of sheep and yurts scattering in the gully here and there compose a beautiful picture of grassland.

Day 8

Yili  Narat

Narat Grassland

Morning drive to the Narat Grassland ,which was listed as a nature reserve.
Narat Grassland:Located at the important line of communications connecting Southern and Northern Xinjiang, the north part of Nalat Grassland connects to Gongliu and Xinyuan County Town，and west part to Hejing county．East part comes from Aikendaban of northwest Hejing and west part reaches to Wulandaban．It is about 150 kilometers long and 3,000-4,500 meters above sea level．The northern slope faces the wind and yearly rainfall is 400-700mm．A large stretch of wild apple trees have been found in Xinyuan County at the 1,500-2,000 above sea level．It was listed as a nature reserve．

Day 9

Narat  Bayinbuluk

Bayinbuluk Swan Lake Natural Reserve

Morning head to Bayinbuluk,it is the second largest grassland in China and is one of the most important stock raising bases of Xinjiang.Visit Bayinbuluk Swan Lake Natural Reserve .
Bayinbuluk Swan Lake Natural Reserve: lies in Bayinbuluk grassland，taking up 1,000 square kilometers. In 1986 it was listed by the State as the national nature reserve．It is a paradise of flocks of swan. The swans are like white sails wandering on the lake，carefree and contenting themselves．Therefore it is offered the name“Swan Lake”．This natural reserve is abundant in birds，particularly water birds of various kinds in large quantity. In spring flocks of great swans，little swan and swans with prominent nose nest here to produce their offspring According to investigation, the total number of great swans here are over 6,000-7,000. Mongolian herdsmen treat the swans as angels or happy birds. They take good care of them．The Swan Lake is not only a cool resort in summer but also a fascinating tourist attraction.

Day 10

Bayinbuluk  Kuqa

Tianshan Grand Canyon

Drive on 217 national road to Kuqa ,experience the beautiful view of Tianshan Grand Canyon ,Kuqa Mosque,Subashi Ruins.
Tianshan Grand Canyon:also known as Keziliya Grand Canyon, is a canyon near Keziliya Mountain (a branch of Tianshan Mountain) formed by wind and rain over billions of years. "Keziliya" in Uighur means red cliff. The canyon is as long as 5.5 kilometers from east to west with an average depth of 1,600 meters. The reddish-brown mountains of the grand and rugged canyon are in different shapes, and gullies and trenches can be found everywhere. Some places are too narrow to pass through.
Kuqa Mosque,It is located in the north of the old city of Kuqa and covers an area of 1165 square meters.With a capacity of 3000 people.It is the second largest mosque in Xinjiang,the mosque consists of a main worshiping hall,a small worshiping hall,a minaret,aqubbah,a religious court and hotels,etc.The mosque is a representative of Uygur architectural art of Qing Dynasty.
Subashi Ruins, the site is located on the ridges on both site of Kuqa River and 23 kilometers to the north of the Kuqa city.“Subashi”means the headwater of the river.It is composed of two parts of divided by the water. With a lot of ruins of stupas,temples,and grottoes from the Wei and Jin Dynasties to the end of Tang Dynasty,the site is the biggest site of Buddhist temple in Xinjiang.

Day 11

Kuqa   Korla

 Kizil Grottoes

Morning visit the Kizil Grottoes,Kuqa Old Town,and the Diversified Poplar Trees.Then head to Korla.
Kizil Grottoes the caves were excavated on the cliff of Qul-tagh Mountain by the Muzart River, as the earliest caves in Xinjiang, they care also the earliest ones in China. The contents of these paintings are very rich. Including jataka stories, Buddha’s life story and the stories about karma.
Diversified poplars Park it is located in the north of Taklimakan Desert, the middle portion of Tarim River, There are sights of Tarim River, the poplar trees, the desert and the oil industry. It is a good a tourist resort of sightseeing, entertainment, adventure, scientific expedition and vacation.

Day 12

Korla  Turpan

Jiaohe Ruins

Morning head to Turpan,visit Jiaohe Ruined city, Karez Irrigation system and Sugong Minaret after arrival .
Jiaohe Ruined The Jiaohe Ruins is located on a mesa in willow leaf shape between the Yarnaz River valleys 10 kilometers to the west of Turpan City. running from northwest to southeast, 1760 meters long and 300 meters across at the widest part. The city includes city gates, streets and lanes, government office, temples, domestic houses, cave houses, wells, and an underground temple.
Karez Irrigation System is a unique irrigation system in Turpan, which, taking advantage of the slopes, draws the underground water to flow by itself to irrigate farmland. It consists of four parts: vertical wells, underground channels, ground canals and small reservoirs.
Sugong Minaret,Located in Mura Village 2 kilometers to the east of the city of Turpan ,the Tower was built in the 41st year of the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty,It is an embodiment of the ancient architectural arts of the Uygur nationality. The tower is 37 meters high and 10 meters in diameter at the base. The body of the tower is cylindroid in shape, built with bricks arranged in various symmetrical patterns on the outer wall. The tower has 14 windows and a spiral stairs inside it leading to the top.

Day 13

Turpan  Urumqi

Tuyoq Valley

After breakfast visit the Bezklik Grottoes, Astana Tombs, Tuyoq Valley.Then head to Urumqi.
Bezklik Grottoes. “Beaklike”means “a place with beautiful decoration”. These caves are first excavated in Qu`s Gaochang period. The excising caves were reconstructed by Uigurian people.
Astana Tombs are the graveyard of the residents lived in the Gaochang City in the Jin-Tang times. Between 1959 and 1975, a great number of cultural relics have been unearthed, including Chinese documents, textiles, epitaphs, coins, clay sculptures, pottery, wooden wares, silk-paintings, crops and foods ,etc., Known as “the Underground Museum.
Tuyoq Valley,constructed in eastern and western cliffs in Tuyoq valley . more than 40 caves, there are 10 preserving murals. They are considered to be the earliest caves in Turpan, Murals are mostly damaged, but unique in style.

After breakfast check out the hotel and transfer to the airport,take the flight to your destination.