How to Visit Xinjiang: Follow the 10 Easy Steps in 2026

Still have no idea about your first Xinjiang Trip?

Planning a Xinjiang trip needs fully consideration and preparation. Choosing the best time to visit Xinjiang, deciding the most comfortable way, north Xinjiang or south Xinjiang, selecting the most delicious food and the life scenic spots to visit...There are many tips and points you should mention before go to Xinjiang.

However, prepare a Xinjiang trip is not as complicated as your imagination if you're a first time traveler from another country. Follow these 10 question and unveil the mysterious mask of this ancient wonderland, and make a clear mind to know all you want to know before arrange your journey in 2026.

Content

• Can I visit Xinjiang? Is there any age limit?

• Is it safe to visit Xinjiang nowadays? What about travel environment?

• What travel documents & permits are required to visit Xinjiang?

• How much does it cost to visit Xinjiang?

• When is the best time to visit Xinjiang?

• How to get to Xinjiang? Which is the most convenient way for foreign travelers?

• What are the must-see attractions & sightworthy places in Xinjiang?

• What to pack for Xinjiang? Do I need to prepare for high altitude or extreme weather?

• If time is limited, where should I visit first? North Xinjiang or South Xinjiang?

• Conclusion & Customized Trip Planning for Your Ideal Xinjiang Journey

Can I visit Xinjiang? Is there any age limit?

——Sure, You can visit Xinjiang at any age—whether you're in your twenties, thirties, sixties, or even your eighties—you are welcomed to visit Xinjiang! No matter if you're concerned about hot weather, dry air, or local facilities, we have appropriate itineraries tailored just for you.

As an experienced travel team based in Xinjiang for nearly 20 years, we've welcomed guests from infants to tourists over 90+ years old, and we promise to craft a smooth and comfortable adventure for you. Besides, If you hold a vaild Chinese tourist visa (L visa) or qualify for visa-free entry, you can visit Xinjiang independently (FIT) as well. Only group tours need to be arranged through a licensed Xinjiang travel agency for official registration.

"A fantastic journey with friends and family can cure all the bad emotions in your life"

By the way, if you're a first time traveler that comes to Xinjiang, I strongly recommended you to join a group tour and start your memorable adventure because Xinjiang is such a vast wonderland, a professional tour guide and a suitable itinerary could help you avoid the tight schedule, offer a rational travel route, and give you a great experience!

Xinjiang Group Tour to Kashgar & Kanas Kashgar - Taxkorgan - Urumqi - Turpan - Beitun - Hemu - Kanas - Urho 11 Days (over 200+ Booked) View Details

Is it safe to visit Xinjiang?

——Of course, Xinjiang is one of the safest places in China—safer than you think!

Here, you can feel the peaceful and harmonious atomsphere of local people's daily lives. As an autonomous region with diverse ethnic cultures, the social security in Xinjiang is trustworthy. You will meet many friendly locals greeting visitors from abroad. Un like Tibet or other high-altitude destinations, you don't need to worry about altitude sickness, makeing Xinjiang especially suitable for senior travelers.

"Enjoying Xinjiang's snow-capped mountains at any age."

Xinjiang Group Tour to Kashgar & Kanas Kashgar - Taxkorgan - Urumqi - Turpan - Beitun - Hemu - Kanas - Urho 11 Days (over 200+ Booked) View Details

What travel documents & permits are required to visit Xinjiang?

——All you need is a Valid passport (vaild for at least 6 months)  and a Chinese tourist visa (L-visa), NO special Xinjiang permit is required, NO special approval or travel agency escort required for independent travel. What you need to prepared for documents is to get a Chinese visa in your country, select your travel date, book a flight ticket and pick a trusted travel agency or travel independently. Most of the cities in Xinjiang will be open for you including Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar (old town), Kanas, Heavenly Lake, Hotan and so on. Waiting for your exploration! (If you want to apply for a Chinese visa, you can search more information below⬇⬇⬇)

The Offical Website of China Consular Affairs you might need: https://cs.mfa.gov.cn/wgrlh/

China Online Visa Application Page

Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China

As we all know, Xinjiang 新疆 covers about one-sixth of China's total territory, 1,664,900 square kilometers (about 642,821 square miles), making it the largest administrative division with also the most extended land frontier and the most neighboring countries in China. Moreover, Xinjiang is also known as the last pure land in the world for it's well-protected grassland, lakes and forests! Thousands of travelers would like to step in this mysterious and remote area to see its exotic customs and magnificent landscape. But how to arrange your visiting in Xinjiang for the first time? Here are some routes recommendations and suggestions from our customers feedback and local travel guides.

The Best Selling Travel Routes and Tips for the First-time Visitor to Xinjiang:

Recommended Tour Itinerary

7 Days Classic Xinjiang Tour to Kashgar, Turpan and Urumqi

Kashgar, Taxkorgan, Urumqi, Heavenly Lake, Turpan

7 Days

Explore This Tour

7 Days Silk Road Group Tour to Gansu and Qinghai

Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Zhangye, Xining, Chaka

7 Days

Explore This Tour

11 Days North Xinjiang Group Tour to Kanas Lake and Sayram Lake

Urumqi, Fuhai, Hemu, Kanas, Burqin, Dushanzi, Yining, Tekes, Naraty

11 Days

Explore This Tour

Must-seeing Attractions in Xinjiang Included in The Above Route:

Nestled in northwest China, Xinjiang boasts postcard-perfect landscapes: snow-capped Tian Shan peaks piercing the sky, the golden Taklamakan Desert stretching endlessly, and Sayram Lake's turquoise waters mirroring the clouds above. Wander lush Narat grasslands dotted with yurts, or trace ancient Silk Road paths in historic Kashgar—every spot blends raw natural grandeur with rich cultural allure. To have joyful Xinjiang tours, we have made some recommendations for tourists to reference. 

American Goup in Heavenly Lake

1. Tianshan Heavenly Lake ( Tianshan Tianchi 天山天池) is the nearest famous scenic spot in Compared with the Tianchi Lake in Changbai Mountain, the Heavenly Lake in Urumqi is a natural mountain lake with crescent-shaped water, which is no less beautiful and attracts thousands of tourists. The lake is surrounded by snow mountains, with green spruce and pine trees as the foil, just like a sapphire falling from the sky. In addition, the snow on the glacier at the top of the mountain and the blue sky and clear water form a beautiful contrast, just like a fairyland.Urumqi. If you only have 1-2 days to stay in Urumqi, then I suggest you take a day tour to the "Yaochi 瑶池."

Walking in the beautiful scenery of Tianshan Tianchi will allow you to wander in the front line of Shimen 石门一线, Dinghaishenzhen 定海神针, Longtan Biyue 龙潭碧月, Nanmen Wangxue 南门望雪, Wucaiwan 五彩湾, rock painting 岩画, and other beautiful sceneries.

Suggested tour route: the tour route of Heavenly Lake is generally consists of two parts. One is to walk along the plank road beside the Tianshan Tianchi Lake, and then walk up the steps to see the scenery of the whole views of Tianchi Lake! Second, you can take a boat to enter the Heavenly Lake to enjoy the scenery. The recommended tour time is about 4-6 hours.

Location: in the middle of Bogda Peak 博格达峰 and about 110 km (68 miles) east of Urumqi

Opening Hours & Tickets Price

How to get to Heavenly Lake

a) Self-driving

• It takes about an hour and a half (92.4km) to drive from Urumqi to the Heavenly Lake.

• Tianshan Heavenly Lake paved with asphalt pavement and sandstone pavement, and tourist vehicles can directly reach Haixi and Guodi pit. At the same time, sidewalks and horse roads are leading to all places. You can go to any places in a beautiful spot.

b) Reach the Scenic Area

• Take a bus from Urumqi Beijiao Bus Station to Fukang and then transfer to another tourist bus from Fukang Bus Station to the Heavenly Lake.

Turpan 

Danmark Group in Jiaohe Ancient City

If you only have 1-2 days and want to know and see the natural landscape, Uyghur customs, history, and culture in such a short time. Then I strongly recommend you to visit Turpan 吐鲁番, Huo Zhou ( 火州a place as hot as fire). 

Turpan, about 190 kilometers away from Urumqi, it is a shining pearl of the ancient Silk Road, with beautiful landscapes and various historical sites. 

Must-see attractions in Turpan are the Flaming Mountain (火焰山), Sugong Minaret( 苏公塔 ), Grape Valley ( 葡萄沟 ), Karez Well ( 坎儿井 ), Gaochang Ancient City ( 高昌古城 ) and Jiaohe Ancient City ( 交河古城 ).

How to Get to Turpan?

Turpan City Prefecture is located in the southeast of Urumqi, from Urumqi to Turpan, there are the following ways:

1. Take the train to Turpan, which can save time ( the train fare is 82 CNY/pp include tax )

2. You can take a shuttle bus to Turpan at the southern suburb passenger station of Urumqi, about 4 hours.

Best Time to Turpan

From July to September is the best time to travel to Turpan, while September is the ripe season for Turpan grapes. During this time, you can enjoy the fragrance of fruits and enjoy the delicious taste of grapes and other fruits.

Kanas Lake 喀纳斯: 

Amreica and Taiwan Group in Kanas

The recommended scenic spots in Kanas are Kanas Lake 喀纳斯湖, Shenxian Bay 神仙湾, Moon Bay ( Yueliang 月亮湾 ) and Wolong Bay 卧龙湾, etc. Along the way, you will pass the colorful beach; the picturesque and bright beach will amazed photographers. Kanas Lake has a smooth and peaceful lake like silk. In autumn, Kanas forest is exhausted with golden color. It looks like Switzerland in a dream, with the blue sky as the background.

Hemu Village 

Hemu Village

Kanas has the beautiful scenery of the South and the magnificent view of the north.

Hemu Village 禾木 is one of the eight major photography bases in China, and also a village where Tuwa people ( 图瓦人) inhabited. The town boasts a picturesque natural landscape. Many might have already heard of the serene beauty of Kanas Lake, but here in Hemu Village, the green grassland, boundless forest and misty snowcapped mountains welcome you to a hidden Chinese fairyland.

How to Get There:

From Urumqi to Kanas, you can get there by air or by train.

• Flight from Urumqi to Kanas, the airfare is from 1000-1700CNY/pp include tax. Available from 10th June to 7th Oct.

• Take the train from Urumqi - Beitun ( the train fare is from 200-400 CNY/pp include tax ).

Opening Hours & Entrance Fee

Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture: 

As local people say, one wouldn't see the true beauty of Xinjiang if she or he hasn't been to Ili. This trip is the golden route centered on Ili, which is known as "Little Switzerland of the East."  The vast grasslands and forests are the most prominent characteristics of Ili. 

Sayram Lake

This route includes the famous grasslands, such as Gongnaisi 巩乃斯, Nalati Grassland 那拉提, Tangbula 唐布拉, Zhaosu 昭苏, Kalajun 喀拉峻, and so on. It is also the most excellent ways to experience the primitive grassland herdsmen culture.

On the way, you will pass through the poetic self-driving road - Fruit Valley ( Guozigou果子沟 ). You can see the beauty of the forest and the ridge when you climb any slope of the fruit valley. After passing through Sayram Lake ( Sailimu Lake 赛里木湖 ), you can see the sky mirror is embellished with beautiful white swans. There is a vast boundless grassland beside the lake. Moreover, it is backed by the snow mountain, just like walking into a high-purity primary color world.

We can also visit Bayanbulak, a secret garden just like the fairy tales, with the beautiful scenery of Zhaosu, which is incomparable with other places, and the abrupt and precipitous "wilderness on the mountain ridge" All the way, enjoy the vast quiet, beautiful moment.

Concluding Remarks:

Xinjiang has a vast territory and abundant resources, and every season has its unique scenery. The region has the perfect combination of the exotic landform, mountains, grasslands, deserts, oases, Gobi, log cabins, cattle and sheep, glaciers, nationalities, dances, songs, fruits, human history, religious beliefs, etc. Xinjiang is so beautiful, we are waiting for you in our hometown and promise you a great Xinjiang Holiday!