Urumqi is Xinjiang's main transport and service hub, set between the northern edge of the Tianshan and the Junggar Basin. Use it to understand the region before a long journey: museums and markets in the city, mountain valleys to the south and onward air or rail links across an enormous territory. Two city days plus a separate confirmed excursion make a realistic first visit.
The full handbook is part of the paid series
You have read the free preview — the introduction and the route map. The complete handbook adds the day-by-day plan, tickets and transport, culture and etiquette, food, useful Chinese, and the dated source list.