what to eat

Grilled Whole Lamb
Grilled Whole Lamb is the most famous food found in Urumqi. Migrants from Xinjiang have made the food well-known throughout China but the most authentic grilled whole lamb still remains in Xinjiang, mostly in Urumqi. The food is prepared with selected ingredients and a special cooking technique.

Nang is Uygurs' food. Uygurs cannot miss eating a Nang any day. Nang comes in more than 10 varieties. Nang is roasted in a special oven which is made of mud and earth otherwise the process is similar to cooking pancakes. The ingredients include wheat flour, corn flour or sorghum flour, with such seasoning as sesame seeds, onions, eggs, vegetable oil, butter, milk, salt and sugar. Nang in gold yellow is crispy and tasty. It is easily portable and it keeps well.

Zhua Fan (Rice Eaten with Hands) is cooked with ingredients from fresh mutton, carrot, vegetable oil and rice. This food is soft, delicious and nutritious. It is consumed at the festivals, funerals and weddings of Uygurs and Uzbeks. People habitually pick the food from the tray by hand hence the name 'Rice Eaten with Hands'. Nowadays, people use chopsticks and spoons instead of fingers. We recommend the No.17 restaurant in May the First night market and Wuyuehua Restaurant opposite No. 17 in Hetian Jie for your Zhua Fan experience.

what to buy

Xinjiang Carpet
Xinjiang is the cradle of carpets of the whole world. Xinjiang Carpet, which is also called Orient Carpet, is a traditional and national artwork of Xinjiang. Xinjiang Carpet is famous around the whole world thanks to its exquisite craftsmanship and brilliant artistic style. People in XInjiang began to weave carpets about 2000 years ago. The design and color of Xinjiang Carpet reflect both national and regional features. They are all woven manually by the Uygur people, and are generally made of wool.
Xinjiang carpets can be used in many places, such as living rooms, corridors, or exhibition halls. Xinjiang Carpets have advantages of good pull endurance, pressure endurance and high intensity.
Hetian Jade
Hetian, which is located at the southwest of Xinjiang, is famous for its pure white and flawless jade—Hetian jade. Hetian jade, Lantian jade, Nanyang jade, Jiuquan jade and Xiuyan jade are five famous jades in China.
Hetian jade is one of the best jades in quality among them. Hetian jade has a history of more than 2,000 years. There are many kinds of Hetian jade, including white jade, carbuncle, topaz, sapphire, purple jade, black jade, etc. The white jade is the most precious, and Yangzhi jade is considered the best of the white jade.
When you buy Hetian jade in Urumqi, you should choose it carefully. Some fakes are also sold in market. Maybe you can go with a connoisseur. According to current statistics, the annual output of Hetian jade is around 20-30 tons.

Atlas Silk
Atlas is a kind of silk fabric with fine intricate patterns that Uygur women like very much, and is renowned for its multiple and resplendent colors. Usually the colors include sharp contrasts such as viridis, sapphire, indigo, yellow, peach, orange, gold, mauve, black, white, etc. The patterns are well-knit and lifelike, representing the light and color of nature. Atlas silk is soft, flexible, beautiful in patterns and excellent in quality. It is used by the local people not only for costuming but also as an interior ornament

what to do in the evening

You can go to the Entertainment Square of the International grand Bazaar in the evening . The ethnic groups in Urumqi are good at singing and dancing. It is a pity if you miss their songs and dances.If you are interested in the ethnic performance, you can go to the Entertainment Square of the International grand Bazaar in the evening to enjoy the Ethnic Singing and Dancing Show.They are held in the open air, and it is free for you. But you had better be there before the show starts at 6:00pm to find yourself a spot since there are too many people.

 weather

The temperature in Urumqi fluctuates greatly between day and night. Urumqi is extremely dry due to its geographical location and continental climate. Spring and autumn are short while winter and summer are long. Remote as it is, the local inhabitants fondly call it 'Urumqi' which translates to mean graceful pasture.

Spring in Urumqi comes comparatively late. Usually the northern suburb of Urumqi has the first touch of spring in late March, the downtown area some two weeks later and the southern suburb ten days later again. Urumqi in summer is flowery and lush. Summer lasts typically for about 90 days in the northern suburb and about 60 days in the downtown area. Urumqi is an ideal place for a summer holiday when the average downtown temperature is about 23C (about 73.4F). From late August, autumn comes to Urumqi, a golden season of fruit harvests. In October you will experience fluctuations between day and night temperatures. The temperature of the long winter in Urumqi is around -15C (about 5F), but the scenery makes up for the cold at that time.

The best period for visiting Urumqi is from May to October when flowers are in full bloom and the melons and fruits smell sweet and are ripe for the picking. Dress warmly even when traveling in the hottest month (July and August) for the temperature differences between morning and night. Be sure to bring a sweater and trench coat in May, June, September and October. During the cold winter (November to March), you will need heavy winter wear.