Heavenly Lake of Tianshan from Urumqi: Private guide, no shops

Ride the cable car above Heavenly Lake, then browse the largest bazaar in Urumqi

A full-day private tour from Urumqi to Heavenly Lake of Tianshan with an English-speaking guide and private vehicle pickup from your hotel. You choose between trekking the wooden lakeside walkway, taking a cruise on the steely-blue water, or riding the cable car up to Maya Mountain for views of Bogda Peak, then return to Urumqi for a walking tour of Xinjiang International Bazaar, the city's largest market. The tour includes bottled water and runs without any shop stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Heavenly Lake and Urumqi Bazaar

• Meet guide at hotel lobby
• Drive 1.5 hours to Heavenly Lake ticket office
• Take 40-minute shuttle bus to lake
• Choose to trek wooden walkway, cruise lake, or take cable car
• Return by shuttle bus down the mountain
• Drive back to Urumqi
• Walk tour at Xinjiang International Bazaar

The experience

The guide meets you at your hotel lobby and drives you 1.5 hours by private vehicle to Heavenly Lake's ticket office. From there, a shuttle bus takes you 40 minutes to the lakeshore. You pick your own activity: walk the wooden boardwalk that rings the lake, board a cruise on the water, or take the cable car up Maya Mountain to stand above the peaks. The lake sits higher and colder than downtown Urumqi, so the air changes noticeably even in summer. After you come back down by shuttle, the private vehicle returns you to the city in the late afternoon.

The second half of the day is a walking tour through Xinjiang International Bazaar, the largest market in Urumqi. You move through stalls selling fruit, clothing, carpets, and local food: the guide navigates you through the crowd and explains what you're seeing. The tour runs without any stops at shops designed to sell to tourists, so the pace stays yours.

What’s included

• Private vehicle transport from your hotel and back.
• professional English-speaking guide for the full day.
• bottled water and paper napkins.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by China Silk Road Travel

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup means you don't arrange transport to the lake or navigate to a meeting point. The guide collects you and the private vehicle is yours for the day, which matters if you're arriving without a car or staying in central Urumqi.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What can I actually do at Heavenly Lake when I get there?

You have three options: trek the wooden walkway that runs along the shoreline; take a cruise boat out on the water; or ride the cable car up to Maya Mountain for views across Bogda Peak and the surrounding range. The choice is yours depending on how much time you want to spend and what appeals to you.

How long is the drive from Urumqi to Heavenly Lake?

The private vehicle takes 1.5 hours to reach the ticket office, then a shuttle bus carries you another 40 minutes to the lakeshore. The return journey follows the same route in the late afternoon.

Is lunch included, and what should I bring?

Lunch is not included in this tour, so buy snacks before departure if you think you'll be hungry: the day runs long and you may eat late. Bring a warm coat even in summer, since the lake sits at a higher elevation and the temperature is noticeably cooler than downtown Urumqi.

What is Xinjiang International Bazaar like?

It's the largest market in Urumqi, filled with fruit vendors, clothing stalls, carpets, and local food. The walking tour takes you through the bustling crowd and shows you what the market actually is: a working place where locals shop, not a tourist zone.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes, your guide meets you at your hotel lobby with a welcome board and you travel the entire day by private vehicle, which means no waiting for group transport or navigating to a meeting point.