Kunlun Express 14-Day Premium Sleeper Train Tour of Northern and Southern Xinjiang (Deluxe Edition)
Tour Highlights
【Customized Train】
Overnight departure, morning arrival, a train loop tour traversing the entire northern and southern Xinjiang region, with a deluxe soft sleeper single room equipped with a private bathroom.
【Small Group Tour】
Avoid the crowds and hassles of large group tours. Enjoy a boutique small group of 2–6 people, with private train service and one room per person in hotels, ensuring a more comfortable journey.
【Highlights】
Comprehensive tour of the essential attractions in both northern and southern Xinjiang; no backtracking.
【Internet Celebrity Highway】
The newly popular Ahe Highway, a hidden gem in Altay; check in at the Panlong Ancient Road and the China-Pakistan Friendship Highway, and traverse the entire Duku Highway through the Tianshan Mountains.
【Special Configuration】
Drone aerial photography of Kashgar Old City and ethnic-style travel photography.
【Selected Hotels】
3 nights in 5-star hotel + 1 night in 4-star hotel in Tashkurgan + 1 night in 4-star hotel in Nalati + 1 night in 5-star hotel in Sayram Lake + 1 night in wooden cabin in Hemu
【Exclusive Cuisine】
Private dining (2–5 people per table), medicinal and nourishing hot pot, special pigeon soup + pigeon noodles and other Xinjiang specialties.
【Special Gift】
Men’s ethnic floral hat, women’s Adelaide scarf, Xinjiang dried fruit/fruit travel set, etc.
Kunlun Express – Xinjiang Deluxe Sleeper (Premium) Special Train
Tour Schedule and Price List
First phase: May 22, 2026
Single private room (with shared bathroom): 38,800 yuan/person
Phases 2–10:
June 4, June 17, June 30, July 13, July 26, August 8, August 21, September 2, September 14
Single private room (with shared bathroom): 39,800 yuan/person
Itinerary
Day 1: Departure City – Urumqi
Dear valued guest, welcome to beautiful Urumqi! We wish you a wonderful and unforgettable trip in Xinjiang.
(Airport pick-up service is included.)
Recommended hotels: Ruijia Hotel, Binglu Kunlun Hotel, Junjia Wyndham Hotel or similar.
Meals: Lunch at your own expense; Dinner at your own expense.
Day 2: Urumqi – Turpan – Karez Well – Grape Valley – Flaming Mountains – Kuqa
After breakfast, visit the Karez irrigation system, one of the three great ancient engineering feats of China.
In the afternoon: Grape Valley & photo shoot at Flaming Mountain.
Complimentary visit to a Uyghur family with free fruit tasting.
After dinner, take the train to Hotan.
Special Gift
Recommended Hotel: Train Special
Meals: Breakfast included; Lunch: fruit; Dinner: group meal.
Day 3: Kuqa – Kuqa Grand Canyon – Ristan Street – Kashgar
Morning: Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon (Kizilsu Grand Canyon).
Visit Zhestan Street, a national-level historical and cultural street.
Explore Kuqa Old City & Kucha Alley, the “living fossil” of Kucha culture.
Recommended Hotel: Train Special
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included; Dinner at your own expense.
Day 4: Kashgar – Karakul Lake – Tashkurgan
Early arrival by special train; arrange border crossing permits.
Visit Karakul Lake at the foot of Muztagh Ata (“Father of Glaciers”).
Enjoy views of Gez Grand Canyon and Bulunkou Sand Lake (White Sand Lake).
Recommended hotels: Taxkorgan Shanghai-Shenzhen Hotel, Pamir Hotel or similar.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Day 5: Tashkurgan – Panlong Ancient Road – Bandir Blue Lake – Muztagh Ata Glacier Park – Kashgar
Morning: Panlong Ancient Road, known as the “most artistic highway”.
Then visit Bandir Blue Lake, a dazzling pearl on the Pamir Plateau.
Final stop: Muztagh Ata Glacier Park (altitude 5,000m).
Recommended hotels: Laining Hotel, Qiniwak Hotel, Kashi Hotel, South Xinjiang Global Harbor International Hotel or similar.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Day 6: Kashgar City – Kuqa
Experience the solemn Kashgar Old City Opening Ceremony.
Stroll the ancient streets and visit Fragrant Concubine Garden.
Evening: take special train to Kuqa.
Recommended Hotel: Train Special
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Day 7: Kuqa – Southern Section of Duku Highway – Bayinbuluke – Nalati Town/Xinyuan
Drive the southern section of Duku Highway, “China’s Most Beautiful Highway”.
Visit Great and Small Dragon Pools.
Explore Bayinbuluke Grassland, Swan Lake and Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns.
Recommended hotels: Nalati Minrong Yunting Hotel, Nalati Berna S Hotel, Nalati Berna Hotel, Nalati Yuegaohe Resort Hotel or similar.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Day 8: Nalati Scenic Area (self-driving Panlong Valley Road) – Northern Section of Duku Highway – Tangbula
Self-drive the Panlong Ancient Road in Nalati 5A scenic area.
Continue along the northern part of Duku Highway to Tangbula “100km Gallery”.
Suggested hotels: Tangbula Luxury Wilderness Resort Hotel / Duku Tangbula Hundred-Mile Starry Sky Luxury Wilderness Camp / Taoli Fengyue Hotel / Tangbula Shuperis Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Day 9: Tangbula – Sayram Lake – Afternoon Tea
Recommended hotels: Sayram Lake Central Asia Inclusive Hotel, Sayram Lake Tamasher Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included; Dinner at your own expense.
Day 10: Second visit to Sayram Lake – Sailing experience – Liuxing Street – Yining – (Special train) – Altay
Second visit to Sayram Lake with sailing experience.
Photo shoot at Guozigou Bridge.
Explore Liuxing Street in Yining.
Evening: take special train to Altay.
Recommended Hotel: Train Special
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Day 11: Altay – Ahe Highway – Hemu
Drive the famous Ahe Highway (“Altay Duku Highway”).
Explore Hemu Scenic Area – visit birch forests, Hemu River, and overlook the village from Haden Platform.
Recommended hotels: Huatianxi Mountain Villa, Hemu Shuimunianhua Mountain Villa, Hemu Tuwa Residence or similar.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included; Dinner: local specialty hot pot.
Day 12: Hemu – Kanas – Wucaitan – Beitun – Urumqi
- Kanas Lake, Fairy Bay, Crouching Dragon Bay, Moon Bay
- Visit a Tuva family with Su Di flute performance.
Afternoon: Wucaitan (Five-Colored Beach).
Evening: take special train back to Urumqi.
Recommended Hotel: Train Special
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included; Dinner: cold-water fish feast.
Day 13: Urumqi – Tianchi Lake – International Grand Bazaar
Visit Heavenly Lake (Tianchi), the “Pearl of Tianshan”.
Optional: Mayashan Cableway (own expense).
Afternoon: International Grand Bazaar.
Dinner: medicinal nourishing hot pot at China Colored Cotton Science and Technology Park.
Recommended hotels: Ruijia Hotel, Binglu Kunlun Hotel, Junjia Wyndham Hotel or similar.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Day 14: Urumqi – Departure City
End of the memorable journey.
Airport / train station transfer is provided according to your schedule.
Accommodation: At your own expense; Meals: At your own expense.
What The Kunlun Express Premium Package Includes
- Transportation: Train tickets: Turpan–Kuqa–Kashgar–Korla–Yining–Beitun–Urumqi; full‑journey soft sleeper.
- Vehicle: Tourist vehicle at the destination (one seat per person guaranteed).
- Hotel: 3×5-star + 1×4-star Tashkurgan + 1×4-star Nalati + 1×4-star Tangbula + 1×4-star Sayram Lake + 1×Hemu wooden cabin (one room per person throughout).
- Meals: 13 breakfasts + 22 main meals (private dining 2–5 people/table).
- Tickets: All entrance fees and shuttle buses listed in the itinerary.
- Complimentary: Huiyuan Ancient City, Yiparhan Lavender Manor.
- Service: Professional Chinese-speaking tour guide.
- Shopping: No compulsory shopping throughout the trip.
Exclusive Self-Paid Items
- International/domestic airfare to/from Urumqi.
- Personal expenses: laundry, hairdressing, phone, paid TV, drinks, cigarettes, hotel damages.
- Extra costs caused by force majeure (flight changes, natural disasters, etc.)
