The 10-Day Xinjiang Grand Tour: North Lakes to South Oases

Ten days lets you do what seven cannot: ride the north’s lakes and the west’s peaks in a single, unforgettable arc.

The 10-day grand tour is the route travellers save up for – northern grasslands and lakes, then west to the Pamir, or the reverse. It is more driving than the week loop but covers the two halves that define Xinjiang. This guide sketches a balanced 10-day plan that is ambitious yet doable, with honest driving times.

North then west (or reverse)

The grand tour typically runs Urumqi to Karamay to Burqin/Kanas (north) back to Urumqi to Turpan to Korla to Kuqa to Aksu to Kashgar to Tashkurgan (Pamir) and back. That is a lot, so most trim one wing. A cleaner 10-day version does the north lakes (Urumqi, Sayram, Kanas, Hemu) for five days, flies or drives south, then Kashgar and the Pamir for five. Chopping the repeat Urumqi transit saves a day. The point is to see both the green north and the high west without spending the trip on the road. Pick the arc that matches your energy.

• North lakes + west peaks in one arc
• Trim the repeat Urumqi transit
• 5 days north, 5 days west
• Match the arc to your energy

A balanced 10-day plan

Day 1: Urumqi to Sayram Lake (5h). Day 2: Sayram to Kanas via the northern route (5h). Day 3: Kanas and Hemu. Day 4: Kanas to Burqin (2h), relax. Day 5: fly or drive Burqin to Urumqi to Kashgar (long; fly the leg). Day 6: Kashgar old town. Day 7: Kashgar to Tashkurgan on the Karakoram (4h), Pamir. Day 8: Tashkurgan and Karakul Lake. Day 9: return to Kashgar. Day 10: Kashgar bazaar and fly out. This leans on one internal flight to keep driving sane. Without the flight, add three days.

• 1: Urumqi-Sayram
• 2: Sayram-Kanas
• 3: Kanas/Hemu
• 4: Kanas-Burqin
• 5: to Kashgar (fly)
• 6: Kashgar
• 7: Kashgar-Tashkurgan
• 8: Pamir
• 9: Kashgar
• 10: bazaar, fly out

Driving reality

The north is scenic and slow; the Pamir is high and remote. Total self-drive without the internal flight is about 3,000 km – a serious trip. Fuel and permits: the Pamir needs a border permit sorted in Kashgar, so build a half-day for paperwork. Altitude on the Pamir reaches 4,000 m; take it easy the first day. The Duku Highway, if open, can replace the boring expressway between north and south and is the drive of the trip. Be realistic: the grand tour rewards those who accept some long days for the payoff.

• ~3,000 km self-drive without flight
• Pamir needs a border permit
• Pamir altitude ~4,000 m
• Duku can replace the dull expressway

Cost and booking

Ten days costs more in fuel, permits, and the internal flight than the week loop, but it is still modest per day. Book Kanas and Hemu stays well ahead – they sell out in autumn. Kashgar hotels are easy; the Pamir has basic guesthouses, so plan the Tashkurgan night early. A 4WD helps on Pamir side tracks but is not required for the paved Karakoram. Budget a permit fee and the driver’s per-diem if you charter the Pamir. The grand tour is the trip people remember, so the planning pays off.

• Book Kanas/Hemu months ahead for autumn
• Pamir guesthouses basic – book Tashkurgan
• 4WD optional on paved Karakoram
• Permit fee + possible driver per-diem

When to go

Late spring to early autumn is the window: the north’s lakes open after snow, the Duku runs, and the Pamir is clear. September is the prize – golden Kanas larch and crisp Pamir air – but also the busiest and priciest. Avoid winter unless you want solitude and accept closed passes. The grand tour needs both wings open, so time it for the overlap: roughly June to early October. A week either side of September is the sweet spot for photos.

• Window: late spring-early autumn
• September is best and busiest
• Avoid winter (closed passes)
• Overlap June-early Oct

Joining the north and south without backtracking

The hard part of a ten-day grand tour is linking the northern lakes with the southern oases without wasting two days retracing your route. The practical answer is the railway: a sleeper train between Urumqi and Kashgar (or a flight) lets you drive a compact northern loop, rail across, then drive a southern loop, turning one big slog into two tidy circuits. If you self-drive the whole way, plan the Taklamakan desert highway as a single planned day with full fuel and water, not an improvise. Ten days means you can afford a rest day in Kashgar or Turpan to do laundry, recharge, and actually eat well. Resist the urge to add a seventh region – the tour is grand because it is full, not because it is crammed.

• Use the Urumqi-Kashgar sleeper to link halves
• Treat the desert highway as one fuelled day
• Budget a rest day in Kashgar or Turpan
• Two tidy circuits beat one crammed slog