My 29 days to Southern Xinjiang, Gansu & Shaanxi, China (Aug 27 > Sept 24 2025) Day 3 Urumqi, Xinjiang (D-1)

Aerial View of Xinjiang Landscape
Tianshan Mountain Range / Gobi Desert 

International Grand Bazaar, Urumqi
Xinjiang, China 

Hotan Second Street
Urumqi, Xinjiang, China

 

Friday Day 3 Aug 29 2025 (Urumqi, Xinjiang D-1) - after a 2 nights stay in Xi'an, Shaanxi, we took a morning domestic flight (Rm549) from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (T3) to Urumqi Tianshan International Airport (staying 3 nights in Urumqi) to begin my 1st time visit to Southern Xinjiang by trains (Urumqi > Korla > Kuqa > Aksu > Kashgar). For our return journey, we took a domestic flight (Rm413) from Kashgar > Hami & then by trains to Liuyuan (Dun Huang) > Jiayuguan > Zhanye > Wuwei (4 major cities in Gansu Province) & complete the 29 days visit before flying off from Xi'an, Shaanxi (air ticket KL > Xian return Rm1,321) to my home country (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Home Sweet Home again ! 

I had in the past visited Xinjiang twice: 

1. May 2006 (Xi'an > Turpan > Urumqi > Buergin > Kanas  National Geopark > Demon City > Urumqi > Liuyuan / Dun Huang > Xi'an).
2. May 2015 (Xi'an > Lanzhou > Urumqi > Almaty (Kazakhstan) > Biskek (Kyrgyzstan) > Urumqi > Lanzhou > Xi'an)

High Speed Train Ride
Xi'an, Shaanxi > Urumqi, Xinjiang 

Xi'an, Shaanxi > Urumqi, Xinjiang
(5,326km)

1) Metro ride from our hotel to Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (T3) to board a flight to Urumqi, Xinjiang. 

2) Arriving in Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (T3) 

3) On board the Sichuan Airlines (air ticket Rm549) ETD 09.40 > Urumqi International Airport ETA 13.10

4) In-flight meal, Sichuan Airlines, China - just eat if you have skipped your breakfast this morning for making a dash to the airport ! 

5) Aerial view of Gobi Desert & Tianshan mountain range, Xinjiang from the window seat - outstanding natural beauty, biodiversity & contrasting landscape if seen on the ground ! 

  

6) Arriving in Urumqi Tianshan International Airport, Xinjiang

7) Metro train ride from Urumqi International Airport > Nearest Metro to Maheng Hotel (by DiDI Car), Urumqi 

8) Hotel Accommodation  (3 nights): Maheng Hotel, Urumqi - room tariff Rm156, 2 single beds 

9) Walkabout in downtown Urumqi nearby our hotel - familiarisation visit ! 

10) Bus ride from our hotel > Ho Tian Street to visit the International Grand Bazaar - my last visits were in 2006 & 2015 ! 

11) Grand Bazaar Gourmet Street, Urumqi, Xinjiang - foodie foodie's favourite place, for a fistful of dollars, you could savour a great variety of Xinjiang & Han food so when you show up here, you have only one mission in mind like my travel buddy, eat & eat till the next kingdom comes ! 

12) A night stroll to the Hotan 2nd Street, Urumqi, Xinjiang