Top 20 Best Things to Do in Urumqi
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Top 20 Best Things to Do in Urumqi

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  • The Xinjiang Museumtop_1
    󰺂7.5
    Urumqi.The Xinjiang Museum/Youhao Road2.7 km from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 1 of Family-friendly Attractions in Urumqi
    Highlights:
    󰀆12 ethnic items & Xibe kang
    󰋄Siberian hearth & 12 ethnic cultures
    󱨠Saved by 328 users󱨠1498 positive reviews
    4.8/5
    M44***83M44***83

    Seeing the five-star Oriental Li China tapestry arm, the river princess dry body, the turtle mural, did not see the Loulan dry body. Out of the main entrance of the museum, there is a small shop "Abu Dujiao rice", the taste can be, especially the glass bottled apricot peel tea tastes good, slightly sour and sweet, greasy and thirsty, but unfortunately did not take pictures of the drink brand.

  • Xinjiang International Grand Bazaartop_2
    󰺂7.1
    Urumqi.International Grand Bazaar5.1 km from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 1 of Night Attractions in Urumqi
    Highlights:
    󱨜Silk Road show nightly
    󰀆Street showcasing 100+ heritage projects
    󱨠Saved by 420 users󱨠1039 positive reviews
    4.5/5
    充实体验充实体验

    Step into the Grand Bazaar and be instantly surrounded by lively and bustling. The colorful buildings are full of exotic customs, and the air is filled with the aroma of food. The stalls are rich in goods, from exquisite handicrafts to special dried fruits, which makes people picky. And the price is close to the people, you can get full of things just strolling around, it's really good to go shopping!

  • Urumqi Tianshan Grand Canyontop_3
    󰺂7.0
    97.32
    Urumqi County53.1 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoUrumqi Tianshan Grand Canyon winter operational adjustment | Oct 9, 2025-Apr 30, 2026
    Highlights:
    󱨜Kazakh culture & winter fun
    󱨜Pristine spruce & Xinjiang highlights
    󱨠Saved by 346 users󱨠772 positive reviews
    4.3/5
    say_travelsay_travel

    The view was stunning, i really recommended this trip. The driving took us for the trip was so so so kind, patient, and generous. Language barrier was not an issue, google translator worked well. Xièxiè shīfu, nín tài hǎo le!

  • Xinjiang Khan Blood Horse Base
    4
    󰺂6.8
    18.63
    Urumqi.Xinjiang Medical University/Wangjialiang4.5 km from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 2 of Family-friendly Attractions in Urumqi
    Highlights:
    Certified purebred Akhal-Teke horses
    󱓊Rare horses & ancient fossils
    󱨠Saved by 148 users󱨠761 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    学校🏫学校🏫

    Xinjiang Ancient Ecological Park·Sweat and Horse Base: A live epic on the Silk Road This gene treasure house hidden in the city, with sweat and blood as the key, has stirred the dialogue of Asian and European civilizations spanning two thousand years. When the hoofs of the nomads of the Bronze Age hit the modern genetic map, it was no longer a horse farm, but a spiritual laboratory for decoding grassland civilization. The blood veins of living artifacts fancied 38 purebred sweat horses such as flowing bronze sculptures, muscles in the running of the legendary "blood" sweat beads shimmering. Through the glass curtain wall of the Horse Culture Museum, the Han Dynasty - Jinma decoration and DNA testing reports - those who once made the Han Wu emperor crazy "Tianma" bloodline is resurrected in the chromosome spiral. On the equestrian performance venue, riders and Hummer recreate the epic scene of Dawan's horse, and the yellow sand rolls in the leap, as if Zhang Shu's festival is still hunting in the wind. The millennium silica wood forest and meteorite group in the space-time martyrdom park where civilization collided constitute a geological wonder, and the Kazakh herdsman eagle taming performance is more magical in the context of Jurassic tree fossils. In the Mustang Art Museum, Xu Beihong's "Ben Matu" and nomadic rock painting form a cross-time and space dialogue, and the VR equipment can make people instantly cross to Wusun Ancient Road, feel the hot nose of sweat and blood horses breaking through the siege of Hunnu. Immersive horseback narrative Dawn breaks into the stable, hand-combing the stable when touching the silk-like skin of the Aharje Jinma; dusk riding class uses Kazakh password to control the horses, every step is the rhythm of the grassland ancestors. It is recommended to stay in the starry night, when the laser projection will turn the stable into the ancient road of the Western Region, the sound of the horse head piano and the holographic camel dance, at this moment you drink the horse milk wine, has fermented into a semi-drunk epic. As a rare global blood-sweated gene bank, the most precious here is not a BMW worth tens of millions, but to make civilization immortal in the cicadas. When you see a civilization in the embryo freezer tube in the breeding laboratory, or the arrows in the riding field overlap with the history textbooks, you suddenly realize that the so-called Silk Road is nothing more than the ambition and romance of the world by the horseshoe.

  • Guhya
    5
    󰺂6.1
    4.88
    Urumqi64 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    Train ride into salt lake
    Unique salt lake relaxation experience
    󱨠Saved by 113 users󱨠321 positive reviews
    4.2/5
    学校🏫学校🏫

    Xinjiang Salt Lake: The Silver Code of the Earth This liquid vein lying in the folds of Tianshan Mountain, with hundreds of millions of tons of salt crystals as characters, writes a wild grass epic of geological movements on the Gobi Beach. When the SUV rippled through the brittle crack of the salt shell and startled the purple mist of the alkaline poncho, you would be sure that this was not a lake, but amber of space-time distilled by the scorching sun. The salt flowers of the frozen salty lake were like ice crystal corals, and every step was the illusion of crushing a snowfield; The salt cliff section on the east bank shows hundreds of millions of years of sedimentary rings, and the silver, red, and blue layers are like overturned mineral pigment plates. Deep into the heart of the lake, salt crystals grow crystal armor on the soles, sunset, salt lake incarnation melt gold mirror, Tianshan snow peak and fire cloud at the same time decorate into a double painting. The scientific site of floating magic has a salt content of the lake of the Dead Sea, which makes people easily float into large characters, and the weightlessness instantly seems to fall into an alien ocean. In the salt treatment hall, the negative ion mist transpiration under the salt crystal dome restarts the respiratory system to the factory setting. Try a black mud bath when mineral-rich silt wraps up the skin, ancient earth energy is exchanging through pores. The photographers are suffering from composition anxiety here: geometric cutting of salt column groups, rust aesthetics of salt-harvesting ships, order madness of salt fields, and subverting visual experience from every angle. Late at night, the salt lake is more magical, moonlight refracts cold auroras on the salt shell matrix, the galaxy falls into a brine pool, and the stars break into diamond powder in the ripples. As the world’s closest salt lake wonder, its value is not in the label “small tea card” but in curing urban diseases with the ultimate geologically violent aesthetic. When you sleep in the salt crystal hotel with the sound of brine waves, or witness the salt snow raised when the salt harvester harvests, you see the Zen of the wasteland - so-called barren, but a cognitive trap of material form.

  • Silk Road International Ski Resort
    6
    󰺂6.0
    31.62
    Urumqi County45.6 km from downtown
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 China 50 - Ski Resorts
    Highlights:
    󰋄Cable car & mountain café
    󰀆Silk Road diverse skiing experience
    󱨠Saved by 131 users󱨠226 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    M81***16M81***16

    You must buy a helmet, otherwise you will not be allowed to go in. After passing the cable car next to the beginner's trail, if you turn right, be careful of the large angle slope at the beginning. The main reason is that there is no protection around. I feel that a little more protection can be added, otherwise it will be too dangerous for novices. If you are not careful, you will fall or even rush down. I hope the staff of the scenic spot will pay attention to this.

  • Hongshan Park
    7
    󰺂5.9
    Urumqi.Hongshan Park/Nanhu2.1 km from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 2 of Night Attractions in Urumqi
    Highlights:
    City views from Red Mountain
    󱓊Red sandstone mountain: city landmark
    󱨠Saved by 177 users󱨠318 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    _TI***by_TI***by

    nice park to see the view of Ürümqi city in many angles and so many attractions and activities for all people.

  • Dazhangcheng Bai Shui Jian Ancient Town
    8
    󰺂5.8
    2.46
    Urumqi80.2 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    󱓊Trees uniquely lean southeast
    󰀆Unique trees leaning southeast
    󱨠112 positive reviews
    4.1/5
    lzy_1962lzy_1962

    The ancient town of Dabancheng is located between Turpan and Urumqi. It is the song "The Girl of Dabancheng" singing in Dabancheng. It is a famous tourist scenic spot in Xinjiang. Although the ancient town of Dabancheng is famous for its song "Girl of Dabancheng", the entertainment is around natural beauty, ethnic customs and cultural activities, such as observing glacier wetlands, experiencing ethnic cultural festivals, participating in outdoor adventures, etc., so that tourists can feel the unique charm of this small town in all directions. The ancient town of Dabancheng is reflected in the high sky and clouds, and the ancient town is becoming more and more dense. The walls of the brown tower cleverly explore two sets of logs. This unique architectural style is very different from the pavilions in the interior, which makes people feel novel and interesting. When I approached, I found a city gate hidden between the two towers, and the city gate hung "White Water Town", which seemed to be telling its deep heritage. Originally, Baishui Town was located at the foot of Tianshan Mountain, at the southern end of Dabancheng Basin. It was the key to enter and exit Tianshan Mountain and the only place to pass by the Silk Road. It also carried the heavy responsibility of the ancient fortress. Under the city gate, the originally high-hanging suspension bridge is now lying calmly on the trench. The thick ropes that were cabled at both ends of the suspension bridge seemed to be telling the tension and killing under the command of the generals of the past. Today, however, the smoke has gone, and we can stroll peacefully and cross the suspension bridge with great interest. Embroidery upstairs, red lanterns and red silk danced with the wind, but did not see the hydrangea, perhaps, the "bitch long, two eyes really beautiful" girl, its story belongs to Mr. Wang Luobin Memorial Hall. All this is also the charming place of Dabancheng, Baishui Town.

  • Nanshan Ranch
    9
    󰺂5.8
    16.92
    Urumqi County58 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    󰋄Panoramic view of Nanshan Ranch
    󰀆Spring-like highland from May-October
    󱨠Saved by 111 users
    4.2/5
    地理课代表小沙地理课代表小沙

    Nanshan may not be the most favored well-known scenic spot in Damei Xinjiang, but it is very good. He is the best summer destination and niche tourist punching place for Urumqi citizens. If you are a tourist who can play, it is no less than the grasslands of Yili and Altay. The key is that the price is very high here. From Urumqi to the south to the southwest, there are many places to play in Nanshan. There are 10 days of mountain ditches, whether it is to create a scenic spot or not to create a scenic spot, it will give you an intimate contact with nature and visual enjoyment, the deep mountain jungle is more natural, even a few hours of stay will give a relaxing and pleasant experience. Hiking, riding or driving, you can choose

  • Shuimo Valley Scenic Area
    10
    󰺂5.5
    Urumqi.Shuimogou3.3 km from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 3 of Night Attractions in Urumqi
    Highlights:
    󰋄Hydrogen Sulfide Spring - Hot Spring Therapy
    Take a sightseeing car to enjoy panoramic views of Shuimogou
    󱨠Saved by 103 users󱨠126 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    拖着箱子追日落拖着箱子追日落

    Shuimogou (Water Mill Gully) gets its name from the watermill built here by Qing Dynasty troops. The park boasts numerous historical sites, and poems left by literati such as Ji Xiaolan add to its cultural significance. The scenic area comprises five mountains and one river, including Qingquan Mountain and Hongqiao Mountain. The Shuimo River flows through it, its course dotted with springs, streams, waterfalls, and emerald pools, offering diverse scenery in each season: spring for flowers, summer for escaping the heat, autumn for red leaves, and winter for snowscapes, the latter being particularly delightful. The area is known as a "natural oxygen bar in the city." Admission is free.

Best things to do in Urumqi (2025)

Looking for the ultimate experiences in Urumqi? From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, Urumqi offers an exceptional collection of activities and attractions that cater to every type of traveler.

Whether you’re here for sightseeing, adventure, or cultural exploration, these top-rated activities promise unforgettable memories.

Top-rated things to do in Urumqi

If you want to make the most of your trip, these activities deliver the full Urumqi experience. Expect popular attractions, unique local experiences, and must-see spots that capture the essence of the city.

The Xinjiang Museum

• Urumqi.The Xinjiang Museum/Youhao Road | 2.7 km from downtown

• : 12 ethnic items & Xibe kang,Siberian hearth & 12 ethnic cultures

Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar

• Urumqi.International Grand Bazaar | 5.1 km from downtown

• : Silk Road show nightly,Street showcasing 100+ heritage projects

Urumqi Tianshan Grand Canyon

• Urumqi County | 53.1 km from downtown

• : Kazakh culture & winter fun,Pristine spruce & Xinjiang highlights

Things to do for unique experiences

These activities provide memorable experiences beyond the ordinary. Enjoy cultural tours, adventure sports, guided excursions, and immersive local experiences designed for all interests.

Things to do near Urumqi

If you want to explore attractions just outside Urumqi, there are plenty of activities that combine scenic surroundings with convenient access to the city, perfect for day trips or short excursions.

Each of these activities offers a unique escape within 1–3 hours of Urumqi, ideal for travelers who want to combine sightseeing with local experiences.

What makes things to do in Urumqi special

• Iconic landmarks: Visit must-see sights that define the city.
• Local experiences: Engage in culture, crafts, and unique activities.
• Accessible adventures: Easily reachable attractions for all travelers.
• Diverse options: From relaxing experiences to adventurous outings.

Tips for booking things to do in Urumqi

1. Plan ahead for popular attractions to avoid long queues.
2. Book early for guided tours or seasonal events.
3. Compare prices and packages on Trip.com for exclusive deals and bundled experiences.
4. Consider weekday visits for a quieter and more personalized experience.

Experience the best things to do in Urumqi

Ready to explore the best of Urumqi? Discover Trip.Best's curated list of things to do and experience adventure, culture, and unforgettable memories.

Book your perfect activities on Trip.com today, where excitement and discovery awaits.

What Best Things to Do are there in Urumqi?
These are all Best Things to Do in Urumqi:The Xinjiang Museum, Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, Urumqi Tianshan Grand Canyon, Xinjiang Khan Blood Horse Base, Guhya
What are some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Urumqi?
Some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Urumqi include:The Xinjiang Museum:4.8, Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar:4.5, Urumqi Tianshan Grand Canyon:4.3, Xinjiang Khan Blood Horse Base:4.6, Guhya:4.2
At what locations in Urumqi can Best Things to Do in Urumqi be found?
The Best Things to Do in Urumqi are mainly located in:The Xinjiang Museum:Urumqi, Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar:Urumqi, Urumqi Tianshan Grand Canyon:Urumqi County, Xinjiang Khan Blood Horse Base:Urumqi, Guhya:Urumqi
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