Self-Launched Budget Xinjiang: Kashgar, Turpan, Urumqi & Tianchi (7 Days)
7 days · Xinjiang, China
Silk Road Trips charges £740
No-markup version: ~£560 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of Silk Road Trips' 7-day budget Xinjiang loop, running from Kashgar's Uyghur old town through the oasis cities of Turpan and Urumqi to the alpine shores of Tianchi (Heavenly Lake). Instead of a partially guided group tour, you book your own budget guesthouses, hop China's efficient high-speed and overnight trains, and pick up local guides or shared day tours on the ground where you want them. Xinjiang is far cheaper than most of China — big plates of laghman and kebabs cost a couple of pounds, and comfortable guesthouses run £10-18 a night. Note: some foreign nationals need a permit for certain Xinjiang areas and independent travel rules can change, so check current regulations with the Chinese embassy before booking. Costs are approximate backpacker estimates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Kashgar — Old Town at your own pace
Kashgar
Fly into Kashgar (Kashi) airport or take the long overnight train from Urumqi (12-17 hrs, hard sleeper ~£25). Check into a guesthouse in the old town area — the Lavande-style 3* hotels cost far more than you need, so choose a local guesthouse or budget hotel near Id Kah Mosque (£12-18/night). Spend the late afternoon wandering the lanes of Kashgar's old town, sipping tea at a chaikhana and getting your bearings. Cash matters in Xinjiang — withdraw yuan at an ATM on day one and set up Alipay/WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly.
🚌Airport bus or Didi/taxi from Kashgar airport (~£2-4) or overnight train from Urumqi (~£25 hard sleeper)
🛏Old town guesthouse or budget hotel, Kashgar (£12-18)
- →Explore Kashgar old town lanes
- →Sunset tea at a local chaikhana
- →Set up mobile payments and withdraw cash
Kashgar highlights — Id Kah Mosque, Apak Hoja Tomb & Handicraft Street
Kashgar
Self-guide the classic Kashgar circuit: start at Id Kah Mosque (£3 entry), walk the old town's traditional mud-brick houses, browse Handicraft Street for copper and doppa hats, then take a short taxi to the Apak Hoja Tomb ( Fragrant Concubine Tomb, ~£4). If you're in town on a Sunday, the Animal Bazaar on the outskirts is unmissable — go early (8-9am), it's ~£3 by taxi. In the evening, hit the night food street for laghman, samsa and grilled kebabs (£4-6). Optional: hire a local English-speaking guide for half a day (~£25-35) if you want the history context the tour provides.
🚌Local taxis/Didi around town (£1-2 per trip)
🛏Old town guesthouse or budget hotel, Kashgar (£12-18)
- →Id Kah Mosque
- →Kashgar old town & traditional houses
- →Handicraft Street
- →Apak Hoja Tomb (Fragrant Concubine Tomb)
- →Sunday Animal Bazaar (if applicable)
Train to Turpan — evening in the oasis
Turpan
Morning train from Kashgar to Turpan — there's no single direct line, so the standard route is a fast train to Urumqi (~4.5-5 hrs, ~£30 second class) then a 1-hour train or bus on to Turpan (~£6). Alternatively take an overnight sleeper from Kashgar to Turpan to save a night's accommodation. Once in Turpan, check into a budget hotel near the bazaar (the Karez-style hotels cost more; a simple local hotel runs £10-15). Evening stroll through Turpan Bazaar and dinner of Uyghur nang bread, polo (pilaf) and kebabs (£5).
🚌Kashgar–Urumqi high-speed train ~£30 + Urumqi–Turpan train/bus ~£6
🛏Budget hotel in Turpan (£10-15)
- →Turpan Bazaar evening wander
- →Uyghur food dinner: polo, nang, kebabs
Turpan's Silk Road ruins — Jiaohe, Gaochang, Bezeklik & Karez
Turpan
Turpan's sights are spread out, so the smart move is to hire a local driver for the day (~£30-40 for the car, split between 2-4 people) or join a shared day tour booked through your hotel (~£20-25 pp). Hit Jiaohe Ancient City — a whole eroded city on a plateau — then Gaochang Ancient City and the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves (frescoes, ~£6 each). Finish at the Karez Irrigation System museum (£6) to understand how this oasis survives. Entry tickets total roughly £20-25. Evening: Turpan Museum if open (free) and more night-market food (£5).
🚌Hired local driver for the day ~£30-40 per car, or shared day tour ~£20-25 pp
🛏Budget hotel in Turpan (£10-15)
- →Jiaohe Ancient City
- →Gaochang Ancient City
- →Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves
- →Karez Irrigation System
- →Turpan Museum (free)
Turpan to Urumqi — Xinjiang Museum & Erdaoqiao
Urumqi
Morning train or bus from Turpan to Urumqi (~1.5-2 hrs, ~£6). Dump your bags at a budget hotel or hostel near the city centre (£15-20). Spend the afternoon at the Xinjiang Regional Museum — free entry, famous for the mummies and Silk Road artefacts; book ahead online as it caps visitor numbers. Then climb Red Hill (Hong Shan) for city views (free) and check out the Hongguangshan Buddha statue if time allows. Evening at Erdaoqiao International Bazaar — touristy but fun, with a big food hall for dinner (£6).
🚌Turpan–Urumqi train/bus ~£6, local buses/metro ~£1
🛏Budget hotel/hostel, Urumqi (£15-20)
- →Xinjiang Regional Museum (free, book ahead)
- →Red Hill (Hong Shan)
- →Hongguangshan Big Buddha Statue
- →Erdaoqiao International Bazaar
Tianchi / Heavenly Lake day trip
Tianchi (Heavenly Lake)
Catch an early public bus from Urumqi's northern bus station to Fukang/Tianchi (~£5, 1.5-2 hrs) then the shuttle bus from the gate to the lake (~£10 return). Alternatively join a shared day tour from Urumqi (~£25-30 pp including transport and park bus). At the lake, walk the shoreline boardwalk (free), or pay extra for the boat (£10) or the cable car up to the Mayan Mountain viewpoint (£12). Bring layers — it's cold and windy at 1,900m even in summer. Back to Urumqi in the evening for dinner near the hotel (£6).
🚌Public bus Urumqi–Tianchi gate ~£5 + park shuttle ~£10 return, or shared day tour ~£25-30 pp
🛏Budget hotel/hostel, Urumqi (£15-20)
- →Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) shoreline walk
- →Mayan Mountain cable car viewpoint (optional)
- →Boat on Heavenly Lake (optional)
Urumqi departure
Urumqi
Morning at leisure — last-minute souvenir shopping at Erdaoqiao or a coffee in the modern city centre. Take the airport express bus or metro to Diwopu airport (~£1-2) for your flight out. If you're continuing overland, Urumqi is a major rail hub for onward Silk Road routes toward Dunhuang or Xi'an — trains can be booked on the Trip.com app in English.
🚌Airport express bus or metro ~£1-2
🛏None (departure day)
- →Souvenir shopping at Erdaoqiao Bazaar
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Silk Road Trips
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Silk Road Trips | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£560 | £740 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £180 per person (24%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Silk Road Trips-style trips? Check them out here.~£560
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Budget Xinjiang: Kashgar, Turpan, Urumqi & Tianchi (7 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £560 per person for 7 days in Xinjiang, China. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Silk Road Trips?+
Yes — Silk Road Trips charges around £740 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £560 — a saving of roughly £180 (24%) per person.
How long is the Xinjiang, China trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Xinjiang, China.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, foodie trip through Xinjiang, China, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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