Day 1 | Arrival in Urumqi
Arrive in Urumqi and enjoy airport pickup service before transferring to your hotel.
The rest of the day is free for rest and adjustment. Urumqi is the capital of Xinjiang and an important starting point for exploring Southern Xinjiang.
Depending on your arrival time, you may enjoy free time to experience the city’s local life and multicultural atmosphere.
Highlights
- Airport pickup in Urumqi
- Stay at a premium 5-diamond hotel in Urumqi
- Free time to rest and adjust to the travel rhythm
Accommodation: Premium 5-diamond hotel in Urumqi
Day 2 | Urumqi → Urumqi-Yuli Expressway → Tianshan Victory Tunnel → Bosten Lake → Korla
After breakfast, depart from Urumqi and travel south along the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway.
Cross the spectacular Tianshan Mountains and pass through the Tianshan Victory Tunnel, experiencing the dramatic geographical transition from Northern Xinjiang to Southern Xinjiang.
Continue to Bosten Lake, one of Xinjiang’s most representative large lakes. Its waters, reeds, distant mountains, and desert surroundings create a rare lake-and-Gobi landscape in Southern Xinjiang.
Arrive in Korla in the evening and check in to your hotel.
Highlights
- Urumqi-Yuli Expressway
- Tianshan Victory Tunne
- Bosten Lake
- Lake and Gobi landscape photography
- Stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Korla
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Korla
Day 3 | Korla → Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves → Restan Street → Naan-Making Experience → Qiuci Music & Dance → Kuqa
After breakfast, travel toward Kuqa and visit the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, an important cultural heritage site along the ancient Silk Road.
The caves are closely connected with Qiuci culture and Buddhist art, making them one of the most valuable historical sites in Southern Xinjiang.
Later, visit Restan Street and experience the local life and ethnic atmosphere of Kuqa Old Town. You will also take part in a traditional naan-making experience and learn about one of Xinjiang’s most common local foods.
In the evening, enjoy a Qiuci music and dance performance, showcasing the charm of ancient Qiuci music, dance, and Silk Road art.
Highlights
- Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves
- Restan Street
- Traditional naan-making experience
- Qiuci music and dance
- Stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Kuqa
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Kuqa
Day 4 | Kuqa → Wensu Grand Canyon → Tofeng Sky Road → Aral
After breakfast, travel to Wensu Grand Canyon.
Known for its red canyon walls, Danxia-style landforms, unique rock layers, and dramatic mountain lines, Wensu Grand Canyon is one of Southern Xinjiang’s most impressive natural landscapes.
Continue along Tofeng Sky Road, where mountain roads and wilderness scenery offer excellent opportunities for road-trip photography, drone footage, and scenic landscape shooting.
Arrive in Aral in the evening and check in to your hotel.
Highlights
- Wensu Grand Canyon
- Tofeng Sky Road
- Canyon, road, and wilderness photography
- Drone photography opportunities
- Stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Aral
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Aral
Day 5 | Aral → Taklamakan Desert Highway → Yotkan Ancient City → Hotan
After breakfast, depart from Aral and enter the famous Taklamakan Desert Highway.
Travel through one of China’s most iconic desert landscapes, where endless sand, desert roads, poplar trees, and wilderness views create a powerful visual experience.
This is one of the most memorable road-trip sections in Southern Xinjiang and is ideal for desert highway photography.
Later, continue to Yotkan Ancient City, where you can experience Hotan’s history, ancient-style architecture, folk performances, and immersive cultural atmosphere.
Arrive in Hotan in the evening.
Highlights
- Taklamakan Desert Highway
- Desert road-trip experience
- Yotkan Ancient City
- Desert and ancient-city photography
- Stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Hotan
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Hotan
Day 6 | Hotan → Yarkand Old City → Intangible Cultural Heritage Park → Twelve Muqam → Yarkand Khan Mausoleum → Yarkand
After breakfast, travel from Hotan to Yarkand.
Upon arrival, explore Yarkand Old City and experience the historical atmosphere of this important Silk Road town.
Continue to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Park to learn about local traditional crafts and cultural heritage.
Later, experience Twelve Muqam culture. Twelve Muqam is an important traditional musical art form in Xinjiang, combining song, dance, music, and poetry.
Afterward, visit Yarkand Khan Mausoleum and learn about the history of Yarkand and its Silk Road legacy.
Highlights
- Yarkand Old City
- Intangible Cultural Heritage Park
- Twelve Muqam cultural experience
- Yarkand Khan Mausoleum
- Southern Xinjiang cultural photography
- Stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Yarkand
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Yarkand
Day 7 | Yarkand → Yingjisha Pottery Village → Yingjisha Knife Village → Apak Hoja Mausoleum → Kashgar
After breakfast, depart from Yarkand and travel to Yingjisha.
First, visit Yingjisha Pottery Village and enjoy a pottery-making experience. Learn about traditional Southern Xinjiang pottery craftsmanship and local cultural heritage.
Then visit Yingjisha Knife Village, known for its traditional knife-making craft and handmade artistry.
Continue to Kashgar and visit Apak Hoja Mausoleum, where you can learn more about Kashgar’s history, architecture, and cultural heritage.
Arrive in Kashgar in the evening and check in to your hotel. Depending on timing, you may enjoy free time around Kashgar Old City.
Highlights
- Yingjisha Pottery Village
- Pottery-making experience
- Yingjisha Knife Village
- Apak Hoja Mausoleum
- Stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Kashgar
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Kashgar
Day 8 | Kashgar → China–Pakistan Friendship Highway → Oytagh Red Valley → Muji Volcano Crater & Eighteen Arhat Peaks → Snow Willow Tree Tunnel Road → Tashkurgan Wetland → Tashkurgan
After breakfast, depart from Kashgar and travel along the spectacular China–Pakistan Friendship Highway, also known as the Karakoram Highway, toward the Pamir Plateau.
Along the way, visit or view Oytagh Red Valley, where red mountain formations meet highland scenery.
Continue to Muji Volcano Crater and the Eighteen Arhat Peaks, where you can experience rare volcanic landforms and dramatic snow mountain scenery on the Pamir Plateau.
Later, pass through the photogenic Snow Willow Tree Tunnel Road and continue to Tashkurgan Wetland. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, wetlands, meadows, and highland villages, this area offers a peaceful and expansive view of Southern Xinjiang’s frontier landscapes.
Arrive in Tashkurgan in the evening.
Highlights
- China–Pakistan Friendship Highway / Karakoram Highway
- Oytagh Red Valley
- Muji Volcano Crater
- Eighteen Arhat Peaks
- Snow Willow Tree Tunnel Road
- Tashkurgan Wetland
- Stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Tashkurgan
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Tashkurgan
Day 9 | Tashkurgan → Panlong Ancient Road → Bandir Blue Lake → Stone City → Tajik Family Visit → Tashkurgan
After breakfast, begin a classic highland sightseeing day around Tashkurgan.
First, visit the famous Panlong Ancient Road, one of Southern Xinjiang’s most iconic scenic roads. Its dramatic switchbacks and mountain setting make it a favorite location for drone footage, road-trip photography, and short videos.
Continue to Bandir Blue Lake, where the striking blue water contrasts beautifully with rugged mountains and distant snow peaks.
In the afternoon, visit Stone City, an important historical site on the Pamir Plateau connected with Silk Road culture.
Later, enjoy a Tajik family visit and experience local family life, ethnic customs, and highland hospitality at close range.
Highlights
- Panlong Ancient Road
- Bandir Blue Lake
- Stone City
- Tajik family visit
- Highland road and cultural photography
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Tashkurgan
Day 10 | Tashkurgan → Muztagh Glacier Park → Karakul Lake → White Sand Lake → Kashgar
After breakfast, leave Tashkurgan and travel through some of the most iconic snow mountain and lake landscapes on the Pamir Plateau.
Visit Muztagh Glacier Park and admire views of the majestic Muztagh Ata and glacier scenery. This is one of the most impressive snow mountain viewing areas in Southern Xinjiang.
Continue to Karakul Lake, where lake waters, grasslands, snow mountains, and highland scenery create a classic Pamir landscape.
Later, visit White Sand Lake, one of Southern Xinjiang’s most popular photography spots. The contrast between white sand mountains and blue lake water creates a striking visual effect.
Return to Kashgar in the evening.
Highlights
- Muztagh Glacier Park
- Distant views of Muztagh Ata
- Karakul Lake
- White Sand Lake
- Snow mountain, lake, and plateau photography
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Kashgar
Day 11 | Kashgar Old City Opening Ceremony → Kashgar Old City Photo Walk → Kashgar Grand Bazaar → Kashgar
After breakfast, visit Kashgar Old City and watch the lively opening ceremony, a great introduction to the energy and atmosphere of this historic Silk Road city.
Continue with an in-depth walk and photo experience through Kashgar Old City. Wander through earthen-colored lanes, traditional homes, craft shops, local markets, and lively neighborhoods.
Later, visit Kashgar Grand Bazaar, where you can find Southern Xinjiang specialties, dried fruits, spices, handicrafts, local products, and street snacks. It is one of the best places to experience Kashgar’s daily life and market culture.
Highlights
- Kashgar Old City opening ceremony
- Kashgar Old City photo walk
- Southern Xinjiang crafts and local life
- Kashgar Grand Bazaar
- Stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Kashgar
Accommodation: 4-diamond hotel in Kashgar
Day 12 | Departure from Kashgar
After breakfast, enjoy airport transfer service according to your flight schedule.
If time allows, you may enjoy free time to further explore Kashgar Old City, local food streets, or nearby markets before departure.
Highlights
- Airport transfer in Kashgar
- End of the Southern Xinjiang journey
