Free & Easy itinerary to Xinjiang with some local tours

Question

Hi, Been reading up a lot on Xinjiang and the information from this forum. Me and my hubby both in our early 60s are planning a trip to North Xinjiang in mid May. We are looking at free & easy and joining some local day tours when we are there. If possible we prefer to avoid the long 5-7 hours travel in a coach and instead if flights is running during that time, we may try to fly intercity there. would we be missing a lot of wonderful scenery or attactions without taking the super long coach ride of 5 - 7 hours..? I know we will miss the ghost city, but ok for us. Would appreciate if anyone can give us a heads up about the feasibility. Any comments are welcome.

May 14 : Arrive in Urumqi, tour city

May 15: Take train or day tour to Heavenly Lake

May 16 : Fly Urumqi to Yining

May 17 : Yining : Join local tour or go self to Sayram Lake

May 18 : Yining : Join local tour to Narati Grassland

May 19: Yining fly to Burqin, take direct shuttle bus to Kanas Lake (stay at hotel nearby)

May 20 - 22: Join local tour to Kanas Lake and Hemu Village and nearby attractions

May 23: Fly Burqin to Urumqi

May 24: Urumqi

Does this itinerary makes sense? We hope to join some local tour package at Yining and Burqin or Kanas Lake. Would it be hard to get a local tour package with guide who can speak English?

Would the flights be running to Burqin in mid May?

Thank you.

Answer

Your proposed free-and-easy itinerary in north Xinjiang in mid-May is quite feasible and very appealing for a relaxed pace, especially if you prefer to avoid long coach drives and instead use flights and shorter transfers. That said, there are a number of practicalities and considerations to keep in mind to make it run smoothly.

Feasibility & structure

Arriving in Ürümqi (May 14) and spending a day to acclimatise and explore the city is a smart start. Then taking a day-tour or train to Heavenly Lake (Tianchi) on May 15 gives you a gentle start without long transit.
Flying from Ürümqi to Yining on May 16 is a good use of time. Yining is in the Ili / Yili region and makes a fine base for two days (May 17–18) to access scenic spots like Sayram Lake and Nalati Grassland.
Then moving to Burqin County / Kanas Lake area (May 19–22) gives you 3 full days in a spectacular and more remote landscape. Flying into or out of the small Burqin/Kanas airport is a great time-saver.
Finally flying back to Ürümqi (May 23) and spending a day there (May 24) before onward travel works well as a buffer.

Avoiding long coach rides – and whether you’ll miss out

Yes, by using flights between major nodes (Ürümqi→Yining, Yining→Burqin/Kanas) you avoid many of the 5–7 hour bus rides. This is a major benefit especially for comfort and time efficiency.
You will miss some of the gradual landscape change you’d get from slower land travel, but you will still see significant and iconic scenery in the Ili region and the Kanas area, which are major highlights.
Given your preferences (early 60s, wanting quality experience rather than exhausting travel) this flight-heavy approach is very suitable.

Specific questions / considerations

Local tour packages with English-speaking guides: In Yining and especially in the Kanas region you’ll find local tour agencies that can offer small group or private day tours. However, English-speaking guides can be less common than Chinese/Uyghur-speaking guides. It’s wise to contact your hotel or a tour operator in advance and ask explicitly for an English speaker if that is important.
Flights to Burqin in mid-May: This route (Ürümqi ↔ Burqin / Kanas Airport) does exist. For example, schedules show direct flights from Ürümqi to Kanas (Burqin) taking about 1 hr 15 min. The volume may be limited (only a few flights each week) and subject to seasonal changes, so you’ll want to check airlines like Chengdu Airlines, China Southern etc. for your dates and book early.
Transfers and buffer days: Because you are relying on smaller regional flights, schedule changes or cancellations are more likely. Having buffer time (which you do) is wise. On arrival in remote regions like Kanas, ground transport might be slow, and if weather intervenes you’ll want some flexibility.

Summary Advice

Your itinerary makes good sense and aligns well with your travel style (free & easy, avoiding long coach rides).
Ensure flights are booked for key legs (Ürümqi→Yining, Yining→Burqin/Kanas, Burqin→Ürümqi) well ahead.
Pre-book or at least pre-inquire about day tours in Yining and Kanas with an English-speaking guide if needed.
Have contingency plans in case of flight delays or weather issues. A spare rest day or flexible hotel booking helps.

Enjoy your journey in north Xinjiang — it will be spectacular and hopefully very comfortable under your chosen rhythm.