10-Day Grand Xinjiang Itinerary: North Lakes, South Silk Road
Ten days is the sweet spot for a first grand tour of Xinjiang — enough to see the north’s lakes and grasslands and the south’s Silk Road cities without living in the car. The trick is to fly the long north-south hop (Urumqi–Kashgar) and drive the loops on each end, rather than grinding 1,500 km of highway. Here’s a balanced 10-day plan that does both halves.
Last updated: July 15, 2026 · Written by Karl Huang, a Xinjiang travel specialist who has spent time across the region. Practical details are cross-checked against official tourism, transport, and border-regulation sources.
| Best time | May–October; fly the long Urumqi–Kashgar hop. |
|---|---|
| How long | 10 days, north lakes + south Silk Road. |
| Difficulty | Moderate — drive loops, fly the middle. |
| Cost level | Mid–High; flying saves time and fatigue. |
| Route | North (Days 1–5: lakes/grasslands) + South (Days 6–10: Silk Road cities). |
| Don’t miss | Northern lakes and southern Silk Road cities; fly the middle. |
Fly in Urumqi, fly out Kashgar (or reverse).
The North (Days 1–5)
Day 1 Urumqi (museum, bazaar). Day 2–3 Sayram Lake + Yining (Ili valley, night market). Day 4 Nalati grassland (yurt). Day 5 Kuerdening or the Duku (if open) then fly Urumqi–Kashgar evening.
This gives the north’s green-and-blue highlights in five, with one long drive max.
The South (Days 6–10)
Day 6 Kashgar Old Town. Day 7 Karakul Lake (Pamir day trip, permit needed). Day 8 Tashkurgan (Stone City, overnight). Day 9 return to Kashgar via Karakul; Day 10 fly out, or add Yarkand/Hotan if time.
The south is culture and high desert; the north is nature. Together they’re the region in full.
Why Fly the Middle
The Urumqi–Kashgar flight is 2 hours versus 20+ by road — and it saves your energy for the loops where driving matters. Rent cars at each end, or hire drivers. Book the Pamir permit in Kashgar on Day 6 so Day 7 is smooth. In summer, the Duku adds a spectacular Day 5; in other seasons, skip it and add Turpan to the north.
Logistics
This plan assumes summer (Duku open, Pamir clear). Off-season, drop the high roads and deepen the cities. It’s a full but not frantic 10 days — the proven shape for a first grand tour, and the one to build on for return trips. Do it once and you’ll know exactly which half to come back for.
The Logic of the Loop
Ten days is the sweet spot for a first grand tour because you fly the long north-south hop (Urumqi-Kashgar, about two hours versus 20+ by road) and drive the loops on each end. That saves your energy for the places where driving matters – the lakes and grasslands up north, the Silk Road cities down south. Rent cars at each end, or hire drivers, and book the Pamir permit in Kashgar on day one so the Karakul Lake day trip runs smooth.
Where to sleep on the road and where to park
Ask for a room away from the yard, since the yard is where the trucks sleep. The county town on this route is where to overnight, not the scenic stop, because the scenic stops have no quiet parking and no kitchen open after eight. In Xinjiang the hotels cluster along the through road and the value one is usually the second block back, five minutes from the misnamed central place and half the price. That stretch of the trip is described in our [[14-day-grand-xinjiang-itinerary-north-lakes-south-silk-road-and-the-pamir|14-Day Grand Xinjiang Itinerary: North…]] too.
The checkpoints, honestly
They are short, they are not hostile, and the whole process for a foreign plate takes longer than for a local one because the officer has to make an entry. Keep passport and car documents in the glovebox rather than the boot so you are not unpacking in front of a queue. Write down the address of tonight’s accommodation, because that is the question they ask. They are tedious rather than dangerous, and the driver’s document pack is the only thing that makes them quick. Nobody has ever been rude to me at one of these. You will stop at checkpoints. The short version, with the numbers, is in our [[north-vs-south-xinjiang-itinerary-guide|North vs South Xinjiang: Building the Right…]].
North Highlights
The north delivers green-and-blue: Sayram Lake’s still mirror, the Ili valley’s night markets, and Nalati Grassland‘s yurts. If the Duku is open in summer, it adds a spectacular day; off-season, deepen the cities instead. Karakul Lake and the Pamir are the south’s headline – sleep lakeside to catch Muztagh Ata at dawn.
Making It Yours
This plan assumes summer (Duku open, Pamir clear). Off-season, drop the high roads and deepen Kashgar, Hotan and Turpan. It’s a full but not frantic ten days – the proven shape for a first grand tour, and the one to build on. Do it once and you’ll know exactly which half to come back for, whether that’s the north’s lakes or the south’s Silk Road.
