Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Province Travel Forum

Would it be a huge pity to miss any of the 3 destinations listed in the subject line of this post?

We're starting in Xining on 1/7 and have to be back in Lanzhou to catch a train by noon 25/7. Our route is approximately Xining -- Huatugou -- Charklik (Ruoqiang) -- Hotan -- Karghilik (Yecheng) -- Yarkand (Shache) -- Kashgar -- Karakul -- Tashkurgan -- Kashgar -- Yining (Sayram Lake) -- Bu'erjin -- Hanas Lake -- Tian Chi -- Urumqi -- Turpan -- Dunhuang -- Lanzhou.

My travel companion is adamant that bazaars in Kashgar and Hotan will be disappointing. I beg to disagree based on my own reading of guidebooks and various forums. However he's really not convinced. He's also very insistent on skipping Turpan as he thinks we lack time.

I'm speaking only off what I've heard from friends who have visited, so...

Hotan is apparently one of the few unspoiled bazaars left in china.

http://imageevent.com/comradecarl/moto/kashmir
some pics of the area and the hotan bazaar (friend's site, not mine)

Kashgar has gotten fairly touristy. Whether this makes it a disappointment depends entirely on your expectations...

unless you need to conect for transportation, I'd drop urumqi. and there's an overnight train from dunhuang. you can arrive in lanzhou a few hours before you need to leave, which might leave you time for more interesting places

Tian Chi is done with Urumqi as a base, I believe. I also want to see the Xinjiang Provincial Museum in Urumqi.
Not sure if I have enough time for Bingling Si near Lanzhou. But then if we're seeing the Mogao Grottoes already, we might not need to go to Bingling Si if we're pressed for time.

Don't miss Kashgar. It may have become a bit touristy but the old town should not be missed. From there I'd spend a day to go up to Karakul lake. The scenery on the way up is good and the setting of the lake is different from the usual lakes you're going to see.
As for the bazaars.... well once you've seen one you've seen them all.
Turpan will be very hot ca.45-50 degrees. In my opinion the only thing worth seeing is the old ruined city of Jiao he and the flaming mountains.
The multi coloured canyons (Wu Cai Wan) ca. 3 hour drive from Urumqi are spectacular. They're like the Chinese equivelent of the Grand Canyon

Thanks for that answer! Just curious, how do you get to Wu Cai Wan?