Tour Overview
| Tour Code | sc-xj-01 |
|---|---|
| Departure Date | 15 August 2009 ~ |
| Special Price | $728 Tourist Class 2-5 Persons |
| Featured Tour |
8 Days Beijing Xi'an Shanghai Classi ...
8 Days Shanghai Xi'an Beijing Classi ... |
Tour Highlights
6 Days Northern Part of Xinjiang Urumqi Turpan Package Photo Gallery
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Tour Summary
| Dates | Destinations | Today's Activities | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Urumqi | Arrive in Urumqi
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Pick-up included |
| Day 2 | Urumqi | Breakfast & lunch included | |
| Day 3 | Urumqi | Breakfast & lunch included | |
| Day 4 | Urumqi - Turpan | Transfer by air-conditioned coach | Breakfast & lunch included |
| Day 5 | Turpan - Urumqi | Transfer by air-conditioned coach | Breakfast & lunch included |
| Day 6 | Urumqi | Departure
|
Breakfast & see-off included |
Accommodation Details
| Day | Stay City | Tourist Class | Classic Class | Deluxe Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,2,3 | Urumqi | City Hotel | Xinjiang Grand Hotel | Hoi Tak Hotel |
| 4 | Turpan | Oasis Hotel | Turpan New Fortune Business Hotel | TU-HA Petroleum Hotel Turpan |
| 5 | Urumqi | City Hotel | Xinjiang Grand Hotel | Hoi Tak Hotel |
Tour Price Variation
| Season | 1 person | 2-5 persons | 6-9 persons | Single room supplement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist Class | Peak Season | 1727 | 728 | 539 | 160 |
| Shoulder Season | 1374 | 593 | 420 | 106 | |
| Low Season | 1138 | 503 | 370 | 89 | |
| Classic Class | Peak Season | 1852 | 787 | 595 | 204 |
| Shoulder Season | 1506 | 657 | 481 | 154 | |
| Low Season | 1271 | 566 | 430 | 137 | |
| Deluxe Class | Peak Season | 2089 | 904 | 708 | 296 |
| Shoulder Season | 1653 | 729 | 550 | 210 | |
| Low Season | 1409 | 634 | 494 | 189 |
Price Inclusions
- All domestic transportation within China as per itineraries;
- Hotel accommodation as per itinerary based on two people sharing one room;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary: with daily western breakfasts; daily lunches and/or dinners at local finest restaurants;
- Entrance fees of sightseeing and show as listed in the itinerary;
- Excellent individual English speaking guide & driver;
- Luggage handling and transfers from airport to hotel and vice versa;
- Private air-conditioned car or van for land transportation;
- Two bottles of mineral water per day;
- Government taxes.
Price Exclusions
- International and domestic airfare not included in the itinerary;
- Personal expenses;
- Excess baggage expense;
- Any meals that are not indicated in the itinerary;
- Tips to guides or drivers;
- Insurance fees;
- Visa fees.
Tour Day By Day Itinerary
Day by Day Itinerary
- » Urumqi
- The guide picks you up at Urumqi Airport and escorts you to the hotel. From today on, start your pleasant Xinjiang tour.
- » Urumqi
- In the morning, visit the Heavenly Lake, a natural paradise with breath-taking scenery. You can take a cruise on Heavenly Lake which lies 1980 meters above sea level and is hemmed in by the towering snow-capped Bagda Peak.
- Move on to the Grand Bazaar. It is the largest bazaar in Urumqi. You'll find a bustling market filled with Xinjiang cuisine, 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.
Grand Bazaar As a must to get a feel for the local life, the Grand Bazaar is a magnificent commercial complex with a strong Islamic architectural influence that includes a banquet hall, a food ...
Heavenly Lake Lying at the mountainside of the snow-crowned Bogda Peak, the Heavenly Lake is surrounded by numerous towering verdant dragon spruces, tall and straight. The lake also has various ...
- » Urumqi
- Explore the Nanshan Pasture full of the Kazak flavor. You can ride a horse or a camel running through the valleys, walk across the woods picking mushrooms and enjoying the magical wild flowers, and climb up the mountain to overlook the sceneries.
- Visit the Terai camp to experience the Kazak nomadic life and taste delicious Xinjiang Cuisine - milk tea and mutton.
Nanshan Pasture There your eyes will be greeted by beautiful pictures of steep mountains, luxuriant grassland, herds of sheep and cattle, and Kazak yurts scattered sparsely on the Nanshan Pasture. ...
- » Urumqi - Turpan
- Take a two and a half hours' drive to Turpan, which is known as the brilliant pearl on the marvelous Silk Road. Visit the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, which is the rock-cut building with the most caves and frescos contents in Turpan area. It is located on the west cliffs of the Wood Valley of the Flame Mountain, 45 kilometers away from Turpan city.
- Move on to Gaochang Ancient City. The city's name means "the King City." It was founded during the first century B.C. and abandoned during the 15th century. It was also an important point on the Silk Road. Ascending a height to enjoy a distant view, you can see the whole city in a shape of an irregular square, which is divided into three parts the exterior city, interior city and the palace city.
- Last explore Astana Tombs. It is called the "Gaochang's living history record and underground museum in the Turpan area" for its thousands of treasured historical relics unearthed, including mummy, writing, inscription, painting, earthen figurine, gold wares, silver wares and so on.
Astana Tombs Thousands of treasure historical relics had been unearthed, including mummy, inscription, paintings, clays figurine at the ancient Astana Tombs, known as the "Gaochang's live histo ...
Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves Situated at the foot of Flaming Mountains lying east of Turpan City, Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves are considered most valuable caves in Xinjiang and houses 83 caves in good condi ...
Gaochang Ancient City Less well-preserved than silk road sister city Jiaohe Ruins, Gaochang Ancient City is still a humbling and pleasant experience to wander the ruins beneath the clear desert sky, con ...
- » Turpan - Urumqi
- After breakfast, visit the Sugong Pagoda, the largest Muslim tower in Xinjiang region. Made of brick blocks, the cylindrical body contains carvings of 15 kinds of patterns of Uygur traditional design. The pagoda displays the typical features of Uygur architecture. You have a chance to understand the culture of Islam.
- Then drive to the Karez System, the irrigation method employed by the local desert dwellers. The site is like a museum explaining how the wells are built and maintained and even includes a sample channel and well that you can explore.
- Today's tour is finished at Grape Valley. With its shady vineyards and trees, it provides a welcome place of relaxation amidst the hundreds of square miles of sand. You may take a seat under the vintage frames, savor various grapes, enjoy the beautiful Uyghur girls in their ornate costumes, and be fully intoxicated by this refreshing palace of grapes.
- Later, drive back to Urumqi.
Grape Valley Dug into the Gobi desert with the Flaming Mountain on either side, the valley is a lush stripe of green in the barren desert surroundings. Ramble around the valley, taste the fresh ...
Karez System Referred to as 'the underground Great Wall' Karez system is the crystallization of ancient people's diligence and intelligence. Karez systems are the life source of Turpan. In a se ...
Sugong Pagoda With a history of over 200 years, the Sugong Pagoda is a novel modeling of Islamism ancient pagoda and the only Islamic tower among the hundred famous towers in China.
...
- » Urumqi
- Depart from Urumqi and your delightful trip of Xinjiang ends.
Travler's FAQ & Tips
Weather
Customs
Other Hints
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When is the best time to go?
The best time for visiting is between July and August when the fruit crops are ripe.
Turpan is well-known for its high temperatures and is also called 'Huo Zhou' (a place as hot as fire). The city is located in Turpan Basin, the hottest as well as the lowest elevation in China; just 98 ft above sea level. The climate is dry, hot and windy with an average rainfall of only 0.9 inches per year. Because of its unique geographical position, the city enjoys very high temperature and very little precipitation. The summers here are long and usually begin in April and end in August. June, July and August are the hottest months with an average temperature above 38C (100.4F) and the recorded highest temperature is 49.6C (121.28F).
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What are some interesting festivals?
Grape Festival
Turpan is renowned for the quality of the fruit grown here and the sweetness of the grapes. Just as the name implies, the grape is the subject of the festival which is held in August each year and lasts for a month. During the festival, you can feel the happiness of harvest in every corner of the city. The grapes of hundreds of varieties are ripe and hang on the vines, waiting for you to enjoy. Amongst them, the white grape without seeds is the favourite one and it is praised as the 'green pearl of China'. In addition to enjoying the sweet grapes you can take in traditional Uygur performances in the festival, such as the wedding ceremony of Uygur and the dancing performances in Tang Dynasty (618-907). Grape Valley is the best option for you to celebrate the festival.Eid al Fitr (the Festival of Fast-Breaking)
This fast is one of the five pillars of Islam and Eid al Fitr is the first day after 30 days' fast. The festival is celebrated on the 1st of October according to the Moslem calendar, and lasts for three days. It is an important festival among the Moslems. On the first morning of the festival, people gather together in the mosque to pray. And then, they wear national costumes to call on their relatives and friends. During the festival, people will butcher fat stocks and cook some traditional snacks to satisfy their stomach.Eid al Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice)
The festival is on 10th December according to the Moslem calendar and it is the last day for pilgrimage. In the early morning, all men go to mosque to pray. It is the most important divine service with a largest scale all year round. During the festival, each family should slaughter a sheep, a cow or a camel. And families and friends would gather together to sing and dance happily. Of course, they will also enjoy a sumptuous meal together. After the meal, they often visit the grave to honor the memory of ancestors Mind these customs and taboos
When traveling in Turpan, you should pay attention to Muslim customs and taboos in particular.
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Do not poke the food in dishes or get close to the kitchen.
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Never eat pork or talk about pigs when a Muslim is present.
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Do not wear clothing that is short and too revealing.
When receiving something, you should use both of your hands to show your thanks and respect to the host.
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Do not poke the food in dishes or get close to the kitchen.
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A couple of notes for packing
1. Although the temperature is high in the day time, you should take a long sleeved shirt as temperatures here vary greatly between day and night.
2. As the temperature is very high in the summer, it is necessary for you to take a hat, sunglasses and sun-bloc to avoid being burnt.
3. If you are used to wearing contact lenses, please bring a pair of glasses with you due to the hot dry weather.
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A note on the time difference
Although the clock time in Xinjiang is the same as Beijing time, there is two hours difference because of the longitude. You should modify your rest and dinning times two hours later as compared with staying in the central part of China.
Emergency Numbers
- Fire: 119
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Police: 110
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Ambulance: 120
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Traffic: 122
- Fire: 119
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Useful Numbers
- Consumers Complaint Line of the Turpan Consumers' Association: 123154
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Tour Complaints: 8523216
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Time Inquiry: 117
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Telephone Number Inquiry: 114
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Weather Forecast: 121
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Railway Inquiry: 8642233
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Tourist Bureau of Turpan Region: 8523653 / 8523663
- Tourist Bureau of Turpan City: 8520171.
- Consumers Complaint Line of the Turpan Consumers' Association: 123154
