Is this Xinjiang winter tour private?

Yes. You travel in a private vehicle with a dedicated English-speaking cultural guide and a certified local driver with 6+ years of experience.

Which hotels are included?

6 nights in carefully selected 4-Diamond hotels and guesthouses in twin rooms, as listed day by day in the itinerary, with daily full buffet breakfast.

What winter activities are included?

Beginner ski passes at Altay Jiangjunshan and Jikepulin ski resorts, snow activities at Hemu and Kanas, the Three Bays and Baihaba, entrance tickets and shuttle buses for all listed scenic areas including the Devil City on the Sea, plus a Kazakh welcome dinner with a local herder family.

Is travel insurance included?

Yes — the tour includes RMB 500,000 travel accident insurance, airport transfers on arrival and departure days, mineral water and local snacks on board.

How much does the tour cost?

Pricing is quoted per person based on your travel dates and group size. Request a custom quote on the page or via WhatsApp for a transparent breakdown.

How do I book and pay?

Send your dates and group size through the inquiry form or WhatsApp (+86 131 2955 9857). After confirming the itinerary you pay securely by bank wire, Alipay or WeChat Pay.

What should I pack for a Xinjiang winter trip?

Serious winter gear: temperatures in Altay and Kanas commonly fall below -20°C. Pack insulated boots, thermal layers, gloves, hats and sunglasses; ski equipment can be rented at the resorts.

Xinjiang Winter 7-Day Snow & Ski Tour

01

Day

Arrival in Urumqi

Airport → Hotel

Liston International Hotel (4-star), Urumqi

Morning

Airport Pickup

Your guide and driver will pick you up at Urumqi airport and transfer you to the hotel. The drive in from the airfield takes about 40 minutes through the capital of Xinjiang, with the snow line of the Tianshan visible on clear winter days.

Afternoon

Hotel Check-in & Free Time

Check in, shake off the flight and explore the city at your own pace. If energy allows, the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar is minutes away — Uyghur architecture, spice stalls and the smell of roasting lamb skewers taste the same in winter, only with fewer crowds.

Evening

Free Evening

Urumqi eats late and well. Ask your guide for a kebab-and-naan recommendation, or wander the illuminated bazaar square. An orientation from your guide confirms tomorrow’s departure time before 22:00.

02

Day

S21 Desert Highway – Night Skiing in Altay

Urumqi → S21 Desert Highway → Kalamaili → Altay

Meihao Riz Hotel (4-star), Altay

Morning

Crossing the Desert on the S21

After breakfast, set out for Altay. The S21 Desert Expressway cuts 340 km straight through the Gurbantunggut — China’s second-largest shifting desert. Dunes and gobi roll past the windows for hours; in winter the sand often wears a thin icing of snow.

Afternoon

Kalamaili Wilderness

Stop at Kalamaili, a wild sanctuary of dunes and steppe where Mongolian gazelles and khulan wild asses still roam the winter ranges. Arrive in Altay city — the self-styled “snow capital of China”, where powder season runs from November to April.

Evening

Kazakh Welcome Dinner & Night Skiing

Sit down to an authentic Kazakh welcome dinner with a local family — boiled lamb, milk tea and home-made noodles, served the nomad way. Then head up Jiangjunshan for a sunset party and night skiing: floodlit powder runs above the city lights.

S21 desert expressway through the Gurbantunggut

Kazakh welcome dinner with a local family

03

Day

G219 Highway – China-Kazakhstan Grand Canyon – Baihaba

Altay → G219 Highway → China-Kazakhstan Grand Canyon → Baihaba

Baihaba Mountain Sea Retreat Vacation

Morning

The Scenic G219

Drive along the G219, China’s longest national highway, on its most photogenic stretch — a border-road artery threading frost-covered birch and rime-laced spruce toward the Kazakh frontier.

Afternoon

China-Kazakhstan Grand Canyon

Pause at the spectacular China-Kazakhstan Grand Canyon, where the Haba River has carved a gorge along the border line — the photogenic S-shaped bend and the iconic Lonely Tree standing alone in the snowy wilderness.

Evening

Night in Baihaba

Arrive in Baihaba, a wooden Tuva-Kazakh village ranked among China’s most beautiful. Snow muffles the log cabins and chimney smoke stands straight up in the cold air. Dinner and overnight inside the village.

Rime-covered forest along the G219 Highway

Horse riders in winter dress near Baihaba

04

Day

Kanas Lake & the Three Bays – Hemu

Baihaba → Kanas Lake → the Three Bays → Hemu Village

Hemu Taoyuan Guest House (4-star)

Morning

Snowmobile & Kanas Lake

Travel from Baihaba to Kanas and experience a snowmobile adventure across the frozen landscape — the classic winter way to move through the park when the roads sleep under snow.

Afternoon

The Three Bays of Kanas

Explore the winter scenery of the Three Bays: Shenxian Bay (Fairy Bay) wrapped in frost mist, Yueliang Bay (Moon Bay) with its perfect S-bend, and Wolong Bay (Crouching Dragon Bay) where the teal river steams against the white banks.

Evening

Hemu Village & Bonfire

Continue to Hemu Village and settle into its enchanting winter atmosphere — log cabins buried to the eaves in snow, the river smoking with cold. In the evening, join the village bonfire gathering under the stars.

05

Day

Hemu Morning – Jikepulin Ski Resort

Hemu Village → Jikepulin Ski Resort → Burqin

Burqin Wenshan Guesthouse (4-star)

Morning

Fairy-Tale Morning in Hemu

Wake early and wander the white landscape — wooden cabins sit quietly beneath thick layers of snow while smoke curls gently from their chimneys. Birch forests, frozen rivers and distant snow peaks complete the scene. It is the perfect place to slow down and breathe.

Afternoon

Skiing at Jikepulin

Drive on to Jikepulin Ski Resort — the most famous ski field in Xinjiang, with dry powder and long-season runs below the Altai peaks. Beginner ski passes are included; first-timers and returning skiers alike can enjoy the slopes.

Evening

Down to Burqin

Descend to Burqin for the night — a lazy river town famous for cold-water fish and grill smoke. If you still have legs left, the night market is one of the best roadside food experiences in Xinjiang.

Groomers preparing the slopes at Jikepulin

Wind-sculpted powder slopes of Jikepulin

06

Day

The Devil City on the Sea – Back to Urumqi

Burqin → The Devil City on the Sea (Fuhai) → S21 Desert Highway → Urumqi

Liston International Hotel (4-star), Urumqi

Morning

The Devil City on the Sea

Visit the spectacular Sea Devil City in Fuhai — wind-eroded yardang citadels rising straight from the shore of Ulungur Lake, their strange silhouettes doubled in the half-frozen water. A landscape from another planet, dusted with snow.

Afternoon

S21 Desert Highway South

Travel along the S21 Desert Highway back toward Urumqi — a last long gaze at the winter gobi, wild horses and snow ranges sliding past the windows.

Evening

Farewell Evening in Urumqi

Check in and enjoy a final evening in the capital. Pack the camera — and start planning your farewell dinner: Big Plate Chicken? Hand-pulled noodles? Your guide knows the street.

Wind-eroded yardangs under snow, the Devil City on the Sea

Camels on the frozen shore of Ulungur Lake

07

Day

Departure from Urumqi

Hotel → Airport

All Day

Until We Meet Again

The tour ends here. After breakfast and checkout, we will drive you to Urumqi airport timed to your departure and wish you a safe journey back. Seven days of snow, powder and fairy-tale villages — we hope winter in Xinjiang has left its mark. Safe travels!

Snow, Skiing &
Fairy-Tale Villages

What You'll Experience