Urumqi 乌鲁木齐 Travel Guide

Once a major stop on the Silk Road Urumqi is a modern city these days with little of the past apparent. The trick is to get out of the city using it as a base to see Xinjiang province’s major sights such as Kansas lake, Tian Chi, Turpan and the fascinating Kashgar and the Karakorum highway highlights of Karakul lake and Tashkurgan. For those interested in trivia, Urumqi is the furthest city from the sea in the world!

Aside from the regional museum Urumqi is a good (and often necessary) base to view the highlights of Xinjiang province as discussed in the introduction further up this page.

The city’s highlight is the newly renovated and snappily named Xinjiang Autonomous Region Museum. It is of special interest to Silk Road enthusiasts. Erdaoqiao market and the streets north of it are worth a look if time allows and are the centre of Urumqi’s Uigher community. Overnight trips from Urumqi include the desert Oasis of Turfan and the lakes of Tian Chi and Kansas lake. You will also likely need to stop in Urumqi on your way to Kashgar.

Urumqi is the gateway to the amazing sights that Xinjiang offers the traveller. Spend little time here and use it more as a base to view the more rewarding areas that surround it.

Generally we advise to not stay in Urumqi itself but see the sights on your arrival day and head on either to Turpan or Kashgar or perhaps up to Tian Chi Lake.

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By Phil Stanley & Headseast – TCTC Destination Expert.