Panda Train · Anyi

Board in Chengdu / Lanzhou · Xinjiang

The journey begins with meeting and boarding Panda Train · Anyi. Find your cabin, settle your luggage and get to know the dining and shared spaces before watching the city recede.

Hexi Corridor · Arrive Urumqi

Today is about arriving and settling in. Rest on board and organise your belongings before the station reception and hotel check-in, ready for the sightseeing ahead. Arrival time follows the train schedule.

Welcome lunch & Tianshan Tianchi

Tianshan Tianchi rests among mountain peaks, with spruce forest lining its shore. Follow the open trails to take in lake, forest and distant snow peaks.

If cloud covers the distant mountains, look at the nearby spruce and shore. Take time with the changing light across the lake.

Beitun via Burqin · Hemu village

Timber houses, birch trees and the river valley shape Hemu. Explore the village and open boardwalks; mist and autumn colour depend on the season and weather.

The houses, bridges and paths are part of a living village. Make space for residents and fellow visitors, and give yourself time without a camera.

Kanas · Lake & bays

Lake water and forest unfold in layers at Kanas. Bays such as Moon Bay have distinct curves; their colours change with the light.

A bay can change colour as clouds pass. Enjoy the view along the designated route without measuring it against a heavily filtered photograph.

Kazakh family visit & Five-colour Beach

Wind-shaped rock at Five-colour Beach faces greenery along the Irtysh. Close textures and distant bands of colour reveal two contrasting riverbanks.

Take in the rock layers, water and opposite bank together. Stay on the boardwalk; there is no need to leave the route for another angle.

Sayram Lake · Guozigou to Yining

Sayram Lake carries its blue towards the Tian Shan. Shorelines and distant mountains offer space to walk, look and slow down.

There is no need to chase a familiar camera angle. From an approved stopping place, watch the wind moving across the water and share a quiet moment.

Nalati Valley · Duku Road to Bayin

Meadows, spruce and mountain slopes meet at Nalati. The selected valley or aerial-grassland route reveals the rhythms of the pasture.

Small changes in the slopes and mountains reward unhurried observation. Keep to open routes and watch grazing animals from a distance.

Southern Duku & Tianshan Canyon · Kashgar

Red rock walls catch narrow shafts of light in Kuqa’s Tianshan Grand Canyon. Follow the open paths to appreciate their sculpted layers.

Notice rock textures where light meets shadow; the sense of scale changes around each bend. Stay on open paths and leave room for others when stopping for photographs.

Karakul Lake & Tajik family visit · Tashkurgan

At Karakul Lake, Muztagh Ata rises above the water. Take the high-altitude scenery at an unhurried pace.

Pause beside the lake to see how the mountains meet the water before taking a photograph. At altitude, let your physical comfort set the pace.

Stone City, Golden Grassland & Baisha

The Stone City stands above Tashkurgan, with the Golden Grassland spreading below. Ancient remains and highland wetlands meet in one landscape. Meadows, watercourses and distant mountains open out at the Golden Grassland. Vegetation, water levels and light vary naturally by season.

There is no single correct shade of blue to wait for. Sand hills, clouds and water change with the light; pause to take in the whole scene.

Kashgar, jade exhibition, Gaotai & Id Kah

Doorways, crafts and daily life fill the lanes of Kashgar. Building visits follow local opening arrangements and customs. The entrance and colonnades of Id Kah reveal Kashgar’s architectural detail. Respect religious-site rules; access follows local arrangements.

These streets are people’s everyday surroundings as well as places to visit. Look before raising the camera, and ask permission before photographing someone.

Turpan · Grape Valley

Explore oasis life at the listed Grape Valley or vineyard stop in Turpan. Fruit and harvesting are seasonal rather than guaranteed by photographs.

Start with a vine, a channel or a courtyard to put oasis life in context. Ripe fruit depends on the actual season.

Flaming Mountains, fruit lunch & Karez

Red-brown ridges define the Flaming Mountains near Turpan. Shifting light reveals gullies and the scale of this arid landscape. The Karez system connects underground channels with oasis life. Discover how water has shaped Turpan in an arid environment.

Follow the story of how water was brought here and how it supported daily life. Relate the structures you see to the explanation as you go.

Return by rail · Farewell Xinjiang

Use the homeward hours to sort your photographs, exchange favourite moments with your companions or simply rest. The changing view brings the journey to a gentle close.

Arrive Lanzhou / Chengdu · Journey’s end

The train reaches the final station. Check your belongings before leaving the cabin, then continue with your onward arrangements. Connecting flights are arranged separately.

Board in Chengdu / Lanzhou · Xinjiang

The journey begins with meeting and boarding Panda Train · Anyi. Find your cabin, settle your luggage and get to know the dining and shared spaces before watching the city recede.

Hexi Corridor · Arrive Urumqi

Today is about arriving and settling in. Rest on board and organise your belongings before the station reception and hotel check-in, ready for the sightseeing ahead. Arrival time follows the train schedule.

Welcome lunch & Tianshan Tianchi

Tianshan Tianchi rests among mountain peaks, with spruce forest lining its shore. Follow the open trails to take in lake, forest and distant snow peaks.

If cloud covers the distant mountains, look at the nearby spruce and shore. Take time with the changing light across the lake.

Beitun via Burqin · Visit Hemu

Timber houses, birch trees and the river valley shape Hemu. Explore the village and open boardwalks; mist and autumn colour depend on the season and weather.

The houses, bridges and paths are part of a living village. Make space for residents and fellow visitors, and give yourself time without a camera.

Kanas · Lake & bays

Lake water and forest unfold in layers at Kanas. Bays such as Moon Bay have distinct curves; their colours change with the light.

A bay can change colour as clouds pass. Enjoy the view along the designated route without measuring it against a heavily filtered photograph.

Burqin & Five-colour Beach · Train to Yining

Wind-shaped rock at Five-colour Beach faces greenery along the Irtysh. Close textures and distant bands of colour reveal two contrasting riverbanks.

Take in the rock layers, water and opposite bank together. Stay on the boardwalk; there is no need to leave the route for another angle.

Sayram Lake · Guozigou to Yining

Sayram Lake carries its blue towards the Tian Shan. Shorelines and distant mountains offer space to walk, look and slow down.

There is no need to chase a familiar camera angle. From an approved stopping place, watch the wind moving across the water and share a quiet moment.

Nalati Valley · Duku Road to Bayin

Meadows, spruce and mountain slopes meet at Nalati. The selected valley or aerial-grassland route reveals the rhythms of the pasture.

Small changes in the slopes and mountains reward unhurried observation. Keep to open routes and watch grazing animals from a distance.

Southern Duku & Tianshan Canyon · Kashgar

Red rock walls catch narrow shafts of light in Kuqa’s Tianshan Grand Canyon. Follow the open paths to appreciate their sculpted layers.

Notice rock textures where light meets shadow; the sense of scale changes around each bend. Stay on open paths and leave room for others when stopping for photographs.

Karakul Lake & Tajik family visit · Tashkurgan

At Karakul Lake, Muztagh Ata rises above the water. Take the high-altitude scenery at an unhurried pace.

Pause beside the lake to see how the mountains meet the water before taking a photograph. At altitude, let your physical comfort set the pace.

Stone City, Golden Grassland & Baisha

The Stone City stands above Tashkurgan, with the Golden Grassland spreading below. Ancient remains and highland wetlands meet in one landscape. Meadows, watercourses and distant mountains open out at the Golden Grassland. Vegetation, water levels and light vary naturally by season.

There is no single correct shade of blue to wait for. Sand hills, clouds and water change with the light; pause to take in the whole scene.

Kashgar, jade exhibition, Gaotai & Id Kah

Doorways, crafts and daily life fill the lanes of Kashgar. Building visits follow local opening arrangements and customs. The entrance and colonnades of Id Kah reveal Kashgar’s architectural detail. Respect religious-site rules; access follows local arrangements.

These streets are people’s everyday surroundings as well as places to visit. Look before raising the camera, and ask permission before photographing someone.

Turpan · Grape Valley

Explore oasis life at the listed Grape Valley or vineyard stop in Turpan. Fruit and harvesting are seasonal rather than guaranteed by photographs.

Start with a vine, a channel or a courtyard to put oasis life in context. Ripe fruit depends on the actual season.

Flaming Mountains, fruit lunch & Karez

Red-brown ridges define the Flaming Mountains near Turpan. Shifting light reveals gullies and the scale of this arid landscape. The Karez system connects underground channels with oasis life. Discover how water has shaped Turpan in an arid environment.

Follow the story of how water was brought here and how it supported daily life. Relate the structures you see to the explanation as you go.

Return by rail · Farewell Xinjiang

Use the homeward hours to sort your photographs, exchange favourite moments with your companions or simply rest. The changing view brings the journey to a gentle close.

Arrive Lanzhou / Chengdu · Journey’s end

The train reaches the final station. Check your belongings before leaving the cabin, then continue with your onward arrangements. Connecting flights are arranged separately.

Board in Chengdu / Lanzhou · Xinjiang

The journey begins with meeting and boarding Panda Train · Anyi. Find your cabin, settle your luggage and get to know the dining and shared spaces before watching the city recede.

Hexi Corridor · Arrive Urumqi

Today is about arriving and settling in. Rest on board and organise your belongings before the station reception and hotel check-in, ready for the sightseeing ahead. Arrival time follows the train schedule.

Welcome lunch & Tianshan Tianchi

Tianshan Tianchi rests among mountain peaks, with spruce forest lining its shore. Follow the open trails to take in lake, forest and distant snow peaks.

If cloud covers the distant mountains, look at the nearby spruce and shore. Take time with the changing light across the lake.

Beitun via Burqin · Visit Hemu

Timber houses, birch trees and the river valley shape Hemu. Explore the village and open boardwalks; mist and autumn colour depend on the season and weather.

The houses, bridges and paths are part of a living village. Make space for residents and fellow visitors, and give yourself time without a camera.

Kanas & Five-colour Beach · Burqin

Lake water and forest unfold in layers at Kanas. Bays such as Moon Bay have distinct curves; their colours change with the light. Wind-shaped rock at Five-colour Beach faces greenery along the Irtysh. Close textures and distant bands of colour reveal two contrasting riverbanks.

A bay can change colour as clouds pass. Enjoy the view along the designated route without measuring it against a heavily filtered photograph.

Grassland Stone City · Train to Yining

Rock formations and grassland meet at Grassland Stone City. Follow the open visitor route, then return to the train for the next stage.

Look at the rock forms closely, then step back to see their place in the landscape. Follow the visitor route as you explore the different perspectives.

Sayram Lake · Guozigou to Yining

Sayram Lake carries its blue towards the Tian Shan. Shorelines and distant mountains offer space to walk, look and slow down.

There is no need to chase a familiar camera angle. From an approved stopping place, watch the wind moving across the water and share a quiet moment.

Nalati Grassland · Train to Kuqa

Meadows, spruce and mountain slopes meet at Nalati. The selected valley or aerial-grassland route reveals the rhythms of the pasture.

Kuqa Canyon · Train to Kashgar

Red rock walls catch narrow shafts of light in Kuqa’s Tianshan Grand Canyon. Follow the open paths to appreciate their sculpted layers.

Notice rock textures where light meets shadow; the sense of scale changes around each bend. Stay on open paths and leave room for others when stopping for photographs.

Apak Hoja & Gaotai dwellings · Kashgar

Doorways, crafts and daily life fill the lanes of Kashgar. Building visits follow local opening arrangements and customs.

Spend time with the architecture and the stories of people associated with it. Following a few details can be more rewarding than rushing past every corner.

Karakul & Baisha lakes · Return to Kashgar

At Karakul Lake, Muztagh Ata rises above the water. Take the high-altitude scenery at an unhurried pace. Pale sand mountains frame the blue water of Baisha Lake, with snow peaks beyond. Light and weather give each visit its own character.

There is no single correct shade of blue to wait for. Sand hills, clouds and water change with the light; pause to take in the whole scene.

Kashgar Old City & Id Kah · Turpan

Doorways, crafts and daily life fill the lanes of Kashgar. Building visits follow local opening arrangements and customs. The entrance and colonnades of Id Kah reveal Kashgar’s architectural detail. Respect religious-site rules; access follows local arrangements.

These streets are people’s everyday surroundings as well as places to visit. Look before raising the camera, and ask permission before photographing someone.

Turpan · Grape Valley

Explore oasis life at the listed Grape Valley or vineyard stop in Turpan. Fruit and harvesting are seasonal rather than guaranteed by photographs.

Start with a vine, a channel or a courtyard to put oasis life in context. Ripe fruit depends on the actual season.

Flaming Mountains, fruit lunch & Karez

Red-brown ridges define the Flaming Mountains near Turpan. Shifting light reveals gullies and the scale of this arid landscape. The Karez system connects underground channels with oasis life. Discover how water has shaped Turpan in an arid environment.

Follow the story of how water was brought here and how it supported daily life. Relate the structures you see to the explanation as you go.

Return by rail · Farewell Xinjiang

Use the homeward hours to sort your photographs, exchange favourite moments with your companions or simply rest. The changing view brings the journey to a gentle close.

Arrive Lanzhou / Chengdu · Journey’s end

The train reaches the final station. Check your belongings before leaving the cabin, then continue with your onward arrangements. Connecting flights are arranged separately.