Back to routes

Silk Road & Mountain Escape: A Private Journey Through Kashgar, Pamir Plateau & Northern Xinjiang · 10 Days

10-Day Private Journey: Kashgar Old City, Pamir Plateau & Northern Xinjiang

‹›

High-speed train + flight connect North Xinjiang‘s lakes with the Pamir Plateau – perfect for time-conscious travelers.

Why this route works

• 🚄✈️ Smart transport — high-speed rail, flight, and business van, each doing what it does best:​
• Urumqi → Bole (high-speed rail, D3):​ Depart Urumqi in the morning by high-speed rail — about 4.5 hours to Bole station. A business van picks you up right outside and drives you directly to Sayram Lake for your VIP lakeside tour. You arrive at the lake around midday, with the whole afternoon and evening to explore. Driving this route yourself means 6 hours on a flat, empty Gobi highway — by the time you reach the lake, you're too tired to enjoy it.
• Yining → Kashgar (direct flight, D6):​ A morning direct flight from Yining to Kashgar — about 1.5 hours. A business van meets you at the airport, you check into your hotel, and by the afternoon you're already wandering through the Kashgar Old City, watching the opening ceremony and visiting the Id Kah Mosque. Without the flight, this is a 12-hour drive through mountain passes followed by desert — or a multi-day journey. The flight saves you a full day of travel.
• What both transport legs have in common:​ Depart in the morning, arrive around midday, afternoon free for sightseeing. Your time is used the moment you arrive — not wasted sitting on a highway. The remaining days are all short business-van drives between scenic spots, none exceeding 3 hours. No day is spent fully in a vehicle.
• The result:​ 1 high-speed rail + 1 flight = roughly 1,500km of highway skipped. You sleep in Urumqi, tour Sayram Lake by midday, explore Yining's streets, fly over the mountains, and arrive in Kashgar fresh enough to explore the same afternoon. Your time goes to the scenery, not to the road between.
• ​🏨 Accommodation — 9 nights, all 4-5 diamond hotels, Kashgar 3 consecutive nights:​
• Urumqi 2 nights, Sayram Lake east gate 1 night, Yining 2 nights, Kashgar 3 consecutive nights (unpack once), Tashkurgan 1 night (with oxygen supply for high-altitude comfort). Every single night in a 4-5 diamond hotel. No camping, no roughing it, no worrying about the cold or the bathroom. For guests aged 50+, this means real rest every night — proper beds, hot showers, and a peaceful sleep. Tashkurgan's oxygen-supply hotel is especially important at 3,100m elevation, ensuring you sleep comfortably on the Pamir Plateau. Kashgar 3 consecutive nights means you leave your luggage in the room and explore the Old City at your own pace across two days.
• ​🏜️ Scenic highlights — every stop earns its place:​
• Tianchi Lake (D2):​ Heavenly Lake of the Tianshan — alpine lake at 1,900m, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. A gentle warm-up for the journey ahead.
• Sayram Lake (D3-D4):​ Xinjiang's most beautiful alpine lake, full VIP loop — Swan Lake, Songshutou, Kelayongzhu. Stay at the east gate hotel, enjoy sunset and sunrise over the lake.
• Kuerdun or Nalati (D5):​ Choose between Kuerdun's spruce forests or Nalati's rolling grasslands — both with VIP drive-in, no shuttle queues. The driver takes you to the best viewpoints.
• Kashgar Old City (D6-D7):​ A full day exploring the living Silk Road city — the opening ceremony at the city gate, the Fragrant Concubine Park (Apak Hoja Mausoleum), the Id Kah Mosque, and the century-old teahouse. No schedule, no rushing.
• Pamir Plateau (D8-D9):​ White Sand Lake's turquoise water, Karakul Lake mirroring the 7,546m Muztagh Ata glacier, Dragon Road's 600 bends, and Bandir Blue Lake. Overnight in Tashkurgan with oxygen supply — comfortable even at 3,100m. (If Dragon Road is closed, alternative visit to Golden Grassland and Stone Fort.)

Detailed itinerary

Pricing logic

The final quote depends on travel dates, group size, domestic flights, hotel level, vehicle type and route feasibility. The sales team will confirm all inclusions before payment.

Usually included

• Transportation
• Dedicated business car service throughout the trip; high-speed train tickets from Urumqi to Bole; one-way air tickets from Yining to Kashgar; 24-hour airport & railway station pick-up and drop-off service.
• Accommodation
• Total 9 nights of accommodation at 4-diamond or 5-diamond hotels: 2 nights in Urumqi, 1 night at Sayram Lake, 2 nights in Yining, 3 nights in Kashgar and 1 night in Tashkurgan County.
• Attractions
• Heavenly Lake of Tianshan, Sayram Lake, either Kuerdening or Narat Scenic Area, Fragrant Concubine Garden, Id Kah Mosque, White Sand Lake, Tashkurgan, Karakul Lake, Bandir Blue Lake, Panlong Ancient Road, Stone City & Golden Grassland
• Tour Guide
• Professional driver-cum-tour guide provides exclusive private service.
• Meals
• Daily breakfast included at hotels;
• Insurance
• Comprehensive travel accident insurance valid for the entire itinerary.

Usually excluded

• Transportation:
• Round-trip international/domestic airfare.
• Accommodation:
• Single room supplement; personal expenses (e.g., laundry, minibar).
• Attractions:
• Optional activities; attractions not included in the itinerary.
• Guide Tips:
• Gratuities for the guide (optional).
• Meals:
• Lunches and dinners during the tour.
• Insurance:
• Additional personal insurance (supplemental coverage).