01Day 1
Meet the driver and transfer to the Urumqi hotel. The guide checks the latest road and weather notices before the circuit begins.
8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS · PRIVATE TOUR · NO SHOPPING
Ili, Sayram Lake & Nalati: 8‑Day Private Tour
A seasonal circuit with a written road-closure alternative
Travel from Urumqi to Sayram Lake, Yining, Tekes and Nalati, while keeping the exact grassland and return road flexible around seasonal opening conditions.
Price confirmed for your dates and group
This route has no stable public price. Share your dates, group size and room needs for one written total before payment.
- Journey
- 8 days / 7 nights
- Touring
- Guide and vehicle days confirmed in writing
- Stay
- 7 nights · scope confirmed in writing
- Price
- Quoted for your dates and group
The shape of the journey
A seasonal circuit with a written road-closure alternative
Seven breakfast-included nights across the circuit. The route is date-checked because mountain roads, grassland access, lavender and hotel inventory change sharply by season.
- 01
Sayram Lake with an unhurried lakeside stop
- 02
Yining and the Ili River valley
- 03
Tekes or a confirmed grassland alternative
- 04
Nalati with seasonal road contingencies
Day by day
See how each day unfolds.
Arrival, core touring and departure are shown day by day. Opening hours, named-entry tickets and local conditions may change the order. If anything important needs to change, we discuss it with you.
Urumqi from Hongshan · Destination view - 02Day 2
Travel west by the confirmed road or rail-plus-road plan and stay near Sayram Lake or in Bole. The final transport mode is fixed after the date is known.
Sayram Lake on the way west; scenery and road access change with the season. - 03Day 3
Spend the main part of the day around the open lake circuit, then continue through the Guozigou corridor to Yining. Vehicle-access fees and any cruise are confirmed separately.
Sayram Lake - 04Day 4
See a confirmed Yining neighbourhood before continuing to Tekes. Seasonal lavender fields are included only when the date and bloom conditions are suitable.
Yining breaks the journey between Sayram Lake and Tekes. - 05Day 5
Use the confirmed Kalajun, Kurding or replacement grassland route, then continue to Nalati. The choice follows seasonal access and driving time.
Nalati grassland · Destination view - 06Day 6
Give Nalati a full day on the operating scenic route. Horse riding and other pasture activities are optional and weather-dependent.
Nalati grassland - 07Day 7
Return to Urumqi by the confirmed seasonal road or alternate transport plan. No sightseeing is promised on this long transfer day.
Urumqi from Hongshan · Destination view - 08Day 8
Transfer to the confirmed airport or railway station. A city stop is added only if the departure time leaves a safe buffer.
Urumqi from Hongshan · Destination view
Day 1 · Arrive in Urumqi
Travel made seamless
Hotels, guides and transfers work together.
Your hotel level, guided days, transfers, route transport and principal admissions are planned together. We check availability for your dates before payment.
Stay
Seven breakfast-included nights across Urumqi, the Sayram or Bole area, Yining, Tekes and Nalati. Remote-area hotel standards, heating or cooling and room type are confirmed for the season.
Guide, transport and admissions
Days 3–6 include a private English-speaking guide, driver, vehicle and named first admissions. Days 1–2 and 7–8 are driver and transfer days unless the written confirmation says otherwise. Korean-language guide availability is checked for the exact dates. Road closures trigger the written alternative, not an improvised surcharge.
Before you choose
How much does this 8-day Ili and Sayram Lake tour cost?
There is no fixed published price. Mountain roads, grassland access, lavender and hotel space all change by season, so we quote after checking your dates and availability. Send your dates, rooming, arrival details and luggage count; the route, hotels, transport, guide language and total are confirmed in writing before you pay.
Which days have a guide, and which are transfer days?
Days 3–6 include a private English-speaking guide, driver, vehicle and basic entry tickets to the listed sights. Days 1–2 and 7–8 are driver and transfer days unless your written confirmation says otherwise. Whether a Korean-speaking guide is available is checked for your exact dates. There are no shopping stops.
Where do we stay, and what are the hotels like?
You have seven nights with breakfast in Urumqi, the Sayram Lake or Bole area, Yining, Tekes and Nalati. In the remoter areas, the hotel standard, heating or cooling and room type are confirmed for your season, and every hotel is confirmed in writing before you pay.
What happens if a mountain road or grassland is closed?
We use the written backup plan, with no improvised surcharge. On Day 5 we take Kalajun, Kurding or a replacement grassland, depending on seasonal access and driving time. On Day 7 you return to Urumqi by the confirmed seasonal road or another transport plan; it is a long transfer day, so no sightseeing is promised.
Will we see the lavender fields?
Only if your dates are right. Lavender is added on Day 4, the day from Yining to Tekes, only when the date and bloom conditions are suitable, so it is not promised.
What is not included?
Flights and any intercity transport not named in your confirmation; lunches, dinners and drinks unless listed; insurance, visas, tips, single-room supplements and holiday surcharges. Horse riding, cruises and other grassland activities are extra unless listed, and Sayram Lake vehicle-access fees are confirmed separately.
Clear before payment
What is separate—and what your written quote will confirm.
This is an enquiry-only route. We prepare the quote after the travel date and live inventory are checked. Send your dates, rooming, arrival details and luggage count; we confirm the operating route, hotels, transport, guide language and final total in writing before payment.
Not included
- International and domestic flights, and any intercity transport not named in the written confirmation
- Lunches, dinners and drinks unless a specific meal is listed
- Travel insurance, visas, tips and personal expenses
- Single-room supplements, room upgrades and holiday surcharges
- Horse riding, cruises and other optional grassland activities unless listed
Confirmed in writing
- Your dates, arrival and departure details
- The hotel, room arrangement and vehicle for the actual group
- Bookable admissions and the final total before payment
Plan the destination
Check the route against the destination guides.
Use these city hubs and decision guides to test the route's stay base, gateways and day order before enquiring.
Photo credits
The location-specific external photographs are credited below. Only conventional cropping, resizing and WebP conversion were applied; no generative edits were made. Adapted CC BY-SA photos are shared under the linked CC BY-SA license.
- Sayram Lake in XinjiangPhoto by Tomskyhaha · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nalati grasslandPhoto by Yoshi Canopus · CC0
- Ili River at YiningPhoto by Charlie Qi · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sayram LakePhoto by Fumikas Sagisavas · CC0 1.0
- Urumqi from HongshanPhoto by Radosław Botev · CC BY 3.0 pl
All remaining photographs were selected from the Homeground project library and authorised by the site owner for this website. Only routine cropping, resizing and format conversion were applied.