What comes to your mind in mentioning of Urumqi? Perhaps the exotic ethnic culture, the magnificent Tianshan Mountain, the vast obsolete land? The Urumqi travel guide will offer you all that and more. Located at the foot of Tianshan Mountain, Urumqi is the farthest city from the ocean. It's a human paradise rich in food, fruits, architecture, beautiful women, ethnic commodities, and best of all, fantastic landscapes. Let's have a virtual travel to Urumqi.

Things to see in Urumqi

1.Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar

Located in the Erdaoqiao business area, the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar is the largest bazaar on earth. It has an area of nearly 40,000 square meters. Strolling in this splendid bazaar, you are surrounded by exotic buildings, stores, restaurants, food and fruit stalls, cafes, and hospitable Uyghur people. It’s a perfect place to experience the Uyghur culture.

2.Red Hill Park

Red Hill is the symbol of Urumqi city. It’s composed of purple-red glutenite, hereby the name. Red Hill Park is a place where locals come for recreation. The red tower at the very top of the hill is a must-see sight here. Standing there, the whole park and the city are under your eyes. Most people come here to enjoy the breathtaking night views of Urumqi city from the top. Inside the park, there are also recreational facilities like boats, bumper cars, whirligigs, ferris wheels, etc., making it a great place for kids.

3.Heavenly Lake

The Heavenly Lake is seated in the center of the Tianshan, surrounded by the thick forests, grasslands, waterfalls, and snow mountains, forming a splendid view. Standing high on the hill, you will see greenness prevailing everywhere. The crystal Heavenly Lake is hanging in the middle of the mountains like a jade being held up by giant hands, with verdant pines and cypresses surrounding all around. Outside the mountains are the grasslands, where a flock of sheep is eating grass leisurely. There are also thousand-year-old snow-capped peaks afar, like a guardian protecting the delicate jade.

4.Xinjiang Provincial Museum

Xinjiang Provincial Museum is where the historical relics and ethnic treasures of Xinjiang are collected. It’s a three-storey building with distinctive Islamic architectural attributes. There are over 50,000 pieces of treasures, including exhibitions of Xinjiang ethnic customs, frescoes, carpets, musical instruments, daily necessities of ethnic groups, ancient corpses, and more. The mummy of the Loulan Lady is one of the best collections of the museum. She is the earliest and the best-preserved mummy in China so far.

5.Nanshan Prairie

Nanshan Prairie is the collective term for the landscapes formed between South and North Tianshan Mountain areas. It’s a place of towering snow-capped peaks, crystal glaciers, deep valleys, open grasslands, and dense forests, perfect for a retreat. There are six major sights in Nanshan Prairie, and the most famous one is Poplar (Baiyang) Valley. Populated with pines and poplars, the Poplar Valley has the best views. You will see yurts scattered everywhere, a cliff-side waterfall rushing down, horses running freely around, and sheep grazing leisurely. If you visit during a holiday, local Kazak people will perform all kinds of shows for you, like horse racing, sheep catching, and girls chasing.

6.Baiyun International Skiing Resort

Near the Nanshan Prairie is the world-famous Baiyun International Skiing Resort. It’s one of the four 4S level skiing resorts in Xinjiang. There are 13 skiing routes and three large-scale towed cableways. Anyone, from the beginners to the senior enthusiasts, can find what they are looking for.

Things to Eat in Urumqi

Urumqi is definitely a hot spot for food. It has collected almost all the Xinjiang food. Here are seven local food you must try.

1.Dapanji (Saute Spicy Chicken)

Dapanji is a traditional Uyghur food made of chicken nuggets, potato quarters, and thick belt noodles. You will have the spicy chicken nuggets, soft and waxy potato, and chewy noodles.

2.Barbecued Mutton

Barbecued Mutton is a traditional snack in Xinjiang. It’s also famous all around China these days. The mutton is sliced, threaded on iron sticks, roasted on the fire, and flavored with all kinds of seasonings. Such a delicacy!

3.Kvass

It’s a yellow drink favored by Xinjiang people. It’s said that Russian people invented the drink. They pound grains into pieces, add water to make a flour dough, and heat the dough to saccharify the grain starch. Then they add water to dilute starch and make it ferment.

4.Baked Samosa

Baked Samosa is like a steamed dumpling with fillings, but baked. Most of the fillings are mutton and onions.

5.Nang

Nang is a kind of cake made of flour. Most Nangs are shaped like a circle with a thick fringe. It’s chewy, flavored, and easy to store.
Besides the food, Urumqi is also a place of fruits. Late summer and early fall are the best times to enjoy local fruits like grapes, apples, pears, Hami melons, figs, walnuts, almonds, plums, and Chinese dates.

Where to eat in Urumqi?

1.Lingguan Alley: a narrow alley crammed with old restaurants, and it gets livelier in the evening.
2.Food Circle Around the People’s Cinema: a center of several food streets like Minzhu Road, Wenyi Road, Hongqi Road, and Jianshe Road. You can find any food here.
3.Erdaoqiao: is part of the Grand Bazaar, and the three biggest food plazas (Grand Bazaar Banquet and Performance Hall, Folk Food House, and Erdaoqiao Food Theater) are located here.

Things to Buy in Urumqi

Dried Fruits

As mentioned before, Urumqi is the hometown of many sweet fruits. Although it’s hard to take fresh fruits, dried fruits are just as delicious. There are figs, walnuts, dried plums, raisins, dried Chinese dates, almonds, dried apricots, etc..

Handicrafts

Urumqi has a long history in handicrafts making. There are so many ethnic handicrafts available, including Uyghur hats, ethnic costumes, embroideries, silver jewels, jades, carpets, Yengisar knives, wood carvings, cleat whip, Sibo tobacco puches, Ide Rice silks, etc.

Ethnic Instruments

Xinjiang is the hometown of Uyghur dance and singing. There are various instruments like Dutar, Tambur, dulcimer, Rewapu, Suona Horn, flute, Sapayi, etc.

Basic Facts of Visiting Urumqi

Best time to visit

August, September, and October are the best months to visit Urumqi. As an inland city, Urumqi has short spring and autumn and long summer and winter. During August, September, and October, Urumqi is pleasant but not hot, and the fruits are ripening.

How long should you stay in Urumqi?

Urumqi often serves as a transition point for Xinjiang travel, and the city itself doesn’t have many sights. We recommend 1-2 days for you to stay here and experience the ethnic charisma.

Consumption Level

Being an inland city, Urumqi is not as poor as you imagine. Instead, it’s quite wealthy thanks to the Great Western Development Strategy promoted in the last century and the special privilege the Chinese government granted. A meal in Urumqi costs as much as that in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Even a simple meal would cost you about 20 - 30 RMB.

About accommodation, Urumqi is facilitated with all kinds of hotels, Airbnb houses, and guesthouses. You can find any hotel you want. The expenditure of the accommodation is similar to that of Xian, Chongqing, and Chengdu.

How to Get to Urumqi?

Airport

Located 16km from the city, Urumqi Diwobao International Airport is one of China's five gateway airports. It has planes flying to and from almost all the major cities of China. The metro line 1 runs between downtown Urumqi and the airport. There are also shuttle buses running between the airport and Urumqi South Railway Station. If you take the shuttle bus, please make sure you get off at the right station.
Please note that the security check in Urumqi airport is quite strict and careful. You will be asked to take off your shoes and unbutton your belt. Please arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before your flight.

Urumqi Railway Stations

Although there are several railway stations in Urumqi, only two are useful for you, the Urumqi Railway Station and the Urumqi South Railway Station. The former one is a newly built station that sends and receives high-speed trains. The latter train is an old train station that runs mainly within Xinjiang province. If you want to get around Xinjiang, the second train station is there for you.

Tips for Your Urumqi Travel

1. Urumqi time is two later than that in Beijing. Therefore, according to Beijing time, Urumqi stores and malls start for business only around 10:30. Urumqi people have breakfast at ten and have dinner around 8:30 p.m.
2. The temperature of daytime and night can change a lot; please bring some warm clothes. If you visit in May, June, September, and October, you need to get sweaters, jackets, and coats. In other times, down jackets are necessary.
3. No matter how enthusiastic locals may seem, it's never too sorry to carry your bag in front.
4. Urumqi fruits are very tasty but don't have hot tea right after you have fruits.
5. Please note that metric units like kilograms are used to measure goods.
6. Most parts of the Urumqi city, especially the high-end hotels, are wired for the internet. However, in some remote scenic spots or small towns, you may not be able to connect data.
7. Please follow your guide's instructions closely when you visit mosques and temples. Most of such places don't allow any photographing. You have to pay before taking any photos in some areas, especially if you want to shoot women or monks.
8. Please have your passport and Chinese visa at hand. You will need them in many places, like shopping malls, sights, parks, etc.

Recommended Itineraries:

8-day Xinjiang Tour to Urumqi, Turpan and Kashgar

15-day Silk Road and Xinjiang Tour

11 Days Silk Road Trip