23 Days Xinjiang-Inner Mongolia Tour

Welcome to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region and the farthest land from any ocean. It is the heaven of travelers for its beautiful natural scenery, profound cultural deposits and special local customs and practices. Upon arrival, be transferred to the hotel and check in. The rest of day is free at leisure.

Today we will head straight for Tianshan Tianchi Lake also called Heavenly Lake in English which is a high mountain lake. It is listed in the UNESCO for the magnificent Landscape. We will drive 1.5 hours to entrance of the Heavenly Lake, following is the 40-minutes shuttle bus twisting through the picturesque Tianshan mountains to the edge of the Lake. Either Trek around the lake, enjoy the boating cruise, or even take the cable car to the explore the Maya Mountain for the incredible view of Bogoda Peak.

Then, we go back to Urumqi downtown and visit the biggest bazaar in the world Xinjiang International Bazaar, where you can watch Uygur dance show and taste local delicacies and bazaar refers to a market or fair in Arabic. There are over 3,000 booths in Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar for selling garments, musical instruments, potteries, jewellery, nuts, fruits, and carpets. 

Afterwards, back to hotel and have a good rest!

On today's trip, we will pass through the impressive Ulungur Lake. Ulungur Lake is a picturesque place with clear water and blue sky. Take a walk barefoot on the soft beach, you can see ducks hide & seek in reeds and seagulls glide freely above the sky. Take a boat if you want, floating on the water to overlook the wide lake, there's nothing to do but relax.

After the visiting, we will continue the journey to Fuhai. Upon arrival, transfer to the downtown hotel for overnight stay. 

In the morning, enjoy your breakfast at the hotel. Then we will travel to the most beautiful Tuwa village Hemu, with tranquil village, herds of cattle and sheep, warm and hospitable locals. What a beautiful and mysterious place! If you want to explore the life of Tuwa people, they will very welcome you to visit their family.

Today we will drive along the mountain road to the mysterious Kanas Nature Reserve, China's only European-like ecological site that has been awarded the title of the "Pure Land of the World" due to its unspoiled natural scenery. Kanas Lake is the most beautiful mountain lake you have never seen. The lake takes on different colors following the four seasons of the year, sometimes it's crystal blue, sometimes it's dark green, or even gray. See the marvelous scenery at famous Kanas Three Bay(Immortal Bay, Moon Bay, Dragon Bay), you can also head to the Fish Pavilion, enjoy a panoramic view of Kanas. 

Today we will head to Urho, where you can enjoy the scenery of Five-colored Beach and you will feel as if in a dream world. The unique lava landscape consisted of purplish red, vandyke red, yellow and light green mudstone, sandstone and gravel. This is a masterpiece of nature, and miracle of Burqin.

In the evening, you can enjoy the beautiful sunset of Urho Ghost City. Urho Ghost City, also known as Wuerhe Wind City", a unique wind-eroded geological area commonly referred to as "wind city" because of the frequent howling winds.

Thereafter, we will spend the night in Urho. 

Say farewell to Burqin, we will drive back to the hotel in Urumqi. The rest of the day you can have a rest at the hotel or enjoy your leisure time in Urumqi on your own.

Start the trip off with 2-3 hours driving to Turpan, passing by the wind power station which is the largest one in Asia spreading at the foot of Tianshan Mountain. Following glimpse of Salt Lake in Dabancheng. We'll be amazed by the histroical sites and oasis land of Turpan.

A must and first visit is the oldest Uighur village Tuyoq Village located in the very center of Flaming Mountain Canyon. It used to be the holy site of Buddhism and Islam. The village consists of four parts: Canyon scenery, Maza tomb and the old buildings of the ancient village. 

Morning depart from the hotel, we will head to the Karez Well, which is special kind of irrigation system, here you can not only visit this ancient irrigation system, but also get rid of the heat of summer.

Next explore the Sugong Minaret, the largest Islamic minaret in China built in 1778.

Then drive to enjoy the scenery of Jiaohe Ruins with a history of 2,300 years lies between two rivers on a loess plateau atop a cliff of over 30m. It is one of the best preserved ruins of its ancient era in China, it was include in the World Heritage List on June 22, 2014.

After the visiting, drive back to Turpan downtown for overnight stay. Have a good rest!

Today you will take the flight from Turpan to Dunhuang. After arrival, check in at the hotel, then your driver will take you to the desert, where you can have a picnic with friends in the desert sunset and enjoy a wonderful Gala Dinner. (You will take the Jeep to the top of the desert about 10 minutes driving.)

After the special dinner, go back to the hotel downtown and overnight there.

Morning we will travel to the Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes, this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the great artistic and religious wonders of the world and it is famous for its exquisite murals and various sculptures inside the caves, which was built in different dynasties, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art. 

Afternoon we will head up to Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake. When there is wild wind, the sands will be blown up and make loud sound, while the sound sounds like being produced by some ancient musical instrument when blew by breeze, There is also a Crescent Lake that  has been in existence for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand. Riding the camel as the Silk Road Caravan in the vast desert is highly recommended (approximately 40mins). 

Note: Please bring your sunglasses and and mask to keep out the dust.

Today we will take the flight from Dunhuang to Hohhot. Our guide will meet you at the airport and check into the hotel, where you can have a good rest and enjoy your leisure time in the evening.

Today we drive to Hasuhai, and then take a small train to visit the lake. For lunch, taste the local characteristic food Hasuhai Whole Fish Feast.

Then we will drive back to Baotou city, move on to the national key cultural relics protection units, one of the four famous China Tibetan Buddhist temple 4A scenic spots -- Wudang Monastery, which has the same fame with the Potala Palace in Tibet, Kumbum Monastery in Qinghai, Gansu - Labrang Monastery, and is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Inner Mongolia area.

Today is a good day, in the morning, along the famous "sand road" (S215) you can reach the national scenic spot Night Mingsha Tourism Area (Whistling Dune Bay). Night sand is famous for the roar that people make when they step on or paddle the sand in the quiet night. Night Singing Sand Scenic spot is located in the hinterland of Kubuqi Desert, one of the largest ring sand belts in the world. This is the closest desert scenic spot in Li grassland, naturally forming the golden combination line of grassland and desert. You can also ride a desert camel, or go on a fancy desert hike.

We will stay in a desert hotel in the evening. Have a good rest!

Enjoy the sunrise in the early morning, then we will take an all-terrain vehicle on a thrilling trek through the Kubuqi Desert.

After that, drive back to Hohhot and you will take the flight to Hulunbeier. Our guide will meet you at the airport and drive to the hotel in Hailar. Have a good rest and prepare for the next day!

Another wonderful day is coming, after breakfast, we will drive to Eerguna, the most popular tourist destination in China, to visit important areas of bird protection in the world Eerguna Wetland, the first wetland in Asia.

Next, go to the Aoluguya Ewenk Ethnic Village in the deep part of the Great Khingan Mountains, visit the Aoluguya Deer Tribe, which is the last hunting tribe, the hometown of reindeer culture and birch bark culture in China, and the starting place of Santa Claus in China.  

Today we are going to Mordoga National Forest Park. Mordaoga National Forest Park was once selected as one of the most desirable places in China. In 2014, it was listed as one of the top ten scenic spots in the "Most Beautiful China List". In there,we can take the forest train for sightseeing.

Then drive to Shiwei Town, one of the top ten charming towns in China, located in the northernmost part of Inner Mongolia and the border town between China and Russia, is one of the few Russian townships in China. Now there are more than 10 big town sites preserved, with deep historical and cultural connotations including searching for Mongolian roots, worship, sightseeing, investigation.

The journey is still ongoing. Today's destination is the Haur River scenic spot. Take a light hike along the Haur River, enjoy the gentle beauty of the river, feel the original forest production and the ancient mysterious hunting life and visit the birch forest scenic spot.

Then, we will stroll leisurely around the White Birch Forest, the holy land of love in northern China, visit the only natural landscape of pure white birch forest in Hulunbeier area of the Great Khingan Mountains.

After the visit, drive to Heishantou and overnight in the grassland yurts.

Have a nice breakfast in the hotel, then drive to the Mongolian herdsmen's pasture (wear Mongolian clothing, experience popular train, feed and herd sheep and other activities). After the event, take a horseback riding experience on the grassland (voluntary participation, at your own expense).

Continue drive to the largest lake in Inner Mongolia and the largest freshwater lake in northern China, Hulun Lake, which is rich in natural ecological resources. There are eight famous scenic spots in Hulun Lake for tourists to visit. Here visitors can not only fish in the lake, take a boat in the lake rowing, but also watch horse racing, Mongolian wrestling, Wulan horse riding show. Participating in the prairie fire party is the most poetic and picturesque, tourists can enjoy singing and dancing. In the small shop, you can also buy a variety of tourist souvenirs with ethnic characteristics.

Afterwards, move to the hotel in Manzhouli for overnight stay, have a good rest!

Good morning, today we will head to the Manzhouli Nation Gate, located on the Chinese side of the China-Russia border, was completed in 2008. There are seven scarlet characters of "the People's Republic of China" embedded above the gate body. The national emblem hanging above is shining golden, and the Five-Starred Red Flag is hung high in the middle. This is the fifth-generation gateway, the largest land port gateway in China.

What's more, we can see the No. 41 Boundary Monument, the front of which is Chinese and the back is Russian, is a symbol of the territory of the motherland, sacred, inviolable.

Then we will drive to Arxan for overnight stay. Have a good rest!

Today we will do a full day tour aronud Arxan National Forest Park. It belongs to the volcanic lava landform, with good ecological environment, magical natural landscape and rich geological resources, is the largest volcanic lava platform in Asia, the world's second largest functional type mine spring group.

The first spot we are goning to visit is Tianchi, located on Tianchi Ridge, 74 kilometers northeast of Arxan, the lake is 1,332.3 meters above sea level and has 484 steps. If we look down on Tianchi from the sky, Tianchi looks like a drop of water. Oval - shaped Tianchi like a crystal jasper, inlaid in the magnificent magnificent, verdant mountains.

Second spot is Shitang Forest, located in the east of Tianchi Forest Farm, is one of the wonders of the Greater Khingan Mountains. It is formed by magma flowing and congealing after volcanic eruption. After thousands of years of weathering and water erosion, the unique natural landform of Shitang Forest has been formed. It is a rare and strange landscape in China. After the tour, we will live in the Park.

Start today's exploration to visit another scenic spot in the Arxan National Forest Park, the Azalea Lake, a lake formed when lava flows blocked a river valley during a volcanic eruption, henced its name for the blooming azalea around the lake. Azalea Lake is a flowing lake with Songye Lake in the upper reaches and Halaha River in the lower reaches, with an average depth of 2.5 meters, with beautiful scenery throughout the four seasons. After visiting, we will drive back to Hailar.

Always hard to say goodbye to our tourists. Today in the morning, you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back to your sweet home. It has been a great Xinjiang-Inner Mongolia holiday and we look forward to seeing you in another China trip!