Urumqi Travel, Things to do, Tour Package, Climate & Tips

Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, is just like a piece of emerald embedded at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains. As home to 49 minority ethnic groups, this graceful prairie city is an important stop along the ancient Silk Road, leading to Central Asia and even as far as Europe. The famous International Grand Bazaar and Heavenly Lake are the most popular attractions in Urumqi. Red Hill Park and Xinjiang Regional Museum are also great place to visit. Urumqi Travel with the local Agency in Urumqi. Enjoy the best arrangements and cheapest Urumqi Tour packages. The best time to visit Urumqi is from May to October.

The largest city in western China, Urumqi has earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the most remote city from any sea in the world. It is about 2,500 kilometres(1,600 mi) from the nearest coastline as Urumqi is the closest major cityto the Eurasian pole of inaccessibility. The city has an administrative area of10,989 square kilometres (4,243 sq mi) at an average elevation of 800metres (2,600 ft).

In Urumqi a semi-arid climate prevails, with very large differences between summer and winter, hot summers, with a July daily average of 23.7 °C (74.7 °F), and very cold winters, with a January daily average of −12.6 °C (9.3 °F). The annual average temperature is 6.9 °C (44.4 °F). The city is semi-arid, with its summers slightly wetter than its winters. Yet sunny weather is more likely inthe warmer months, and relative humidity is the lowest during summer. Its annual precipitation is about 290 millimetres (11.4 in).

In ancient times, Urumqi (which means "a beautiful pastureland" in ancient Mongolian) was an important stop on the Silk Road that helped promote Sino-foreign relations through economic and cultural exchange. The city became a Uygur stronghold in the 8th century AD following periods of tenuous Chinese control during the Han (206 BC- 220AD) and Tang (618-907) dynasties. It came under Chinese control again in the 1760s, and in 1884 the city was made the capital of the newly created Sinkiang Province. Known officially by its Chinese name of Dikhua after 1763, it was renamed Urumqi in 1954 and in 1955 became the capital of the new Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. Industrialization, previously hampered by isolation, accelerated after the discovery (1955) of petroleum deposits at nearby Karamay in 1955.

Local Specialties: Uygur embroidered hat, Yengisar's small knife, Uygur instrument, Xinjiang's carpet, beautiful jade, cantaloupe, Aksu's apricot, Turpan's grape, snow lotus, cashmere sweater of "Tianshan" brand, walnut, megranate and Korla's fragrant pear

Local Food: Mutton Cubes Roasted on a Skewer, Roasted Whole Sheep, Rice Eaten by Band, Grape of Horse's Mammilla Shape, Steamed Stuffed Bun with Thin Skin, Local Gigot, Mutton Eaten by Hand, Youtazi, Pancake of Wheat of Corn Flour, Oil Fried Wheatern Food and Niangpizi.

Folk Customs

Xinjiang Dance: Uygur folk dances are distinguished by head and wrist movements. Their clever coordination is enhanced by the typical posture of tilted head, thrust chest and erect waist. The dances, Sanam in particular, express the Uygurs' feelings and character.

Dawaz: For the Uyghur people who live in Xinjiang province in the far West of China, tightrope walking has been a tradition for thousands of years. Tightrope walking is called dawaz in the local language. The native language of the Uyghurs is related to the Turkic languages spoken in other countries in Central Asia.

Lamb Grabbing: This is a traditional sport played on horseback, is popular among in Xinjiang, particularly Kazak herdsman. Highly competitive among skilled horsemen, it also is a form of group entertainment at festivals or on important occasions. Players on each team try by every means to grab the lamb and take it away from the other team.

The Most Useful Travel Info in Urumqi

Local Cuisine in Urumqi: Xinjiang cuisine reflects the cooking styles of many ethnic groups of the Xinjiang region

Shopping Information in Urumqi: Unlike other cities in south Xinjiang, Urumqi has become a modern city.

Best Time to Visit Urumqi: The best time to visit Urumqi is from May to October. The harvest time for fruits is from July

Transportation Information In Urumqi: Urumqi has become a modern city in China. Transportation in Urumqi is quite convenient.

Recommended Tours

2 Days Urumqi and Heavenly Lake Tour

7 Days Classic Xinjiang Tour to Kashgar, Turpan and Urumqi

Urumuqi Travel Tips

Top Cuisine in Urumqi

Urumqi local cuisine reflect the cooking styles of many ethnic groups of the Xinjiang region, and refers particularly to Uyghur cuisine.

What to Buy in Urumqi

What to buy in Urumqi Xinjiang, you can buy many local products of Nuts, Adlas Silk, instrumentsetc. Unlike other cities in south Xinjiang, Urumqi has become a modern city.

Visit Xinjiang Grand Theatre

Xinjiang Grand Theatre is located in Changji.It is 50 kilometers from Urumqi. It has a construction area of 100,000 square meters.With a total investment of 1.4 billion yuan, it is the tallest domed building in China.

Travel Tips in Urumqi

You should know some travel tips and guide in Urumqi. With unique natural beauty and rich folk customs, Urumqi is an ideal tourist destination in China.

Weather and Climate in Urumqi

Weather and Climate in Urumqi: The temperature in Urumqi fluctuates greatly between day and night. The weather of Urumqi is extremely dry due to its geographical location and continental climate.

Transportation in Urumqi

There are several ways to get visit Urumqi. Transportation in Urumqi is more and more developed. It is quite convenient to get Urumqi by air flight, train and highway.

Best Time to Visit Urumqi

The best time to Urumqi is from May to October. This season is the harvest festival for fruits in Urumqi. And the climate is pleasant, with warm days and cool evenings.