Welcome to North-West China

Urumqi
Capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the most landlocked city in the world, Urumqi has grown very quickly in the last 20 years. Beijing has been investing heavily in developing the local economy and, unlike most of Xinjiang, the population is mostly Han Chinese. The city, therefore, is not entirely typical of the region but is intriguing in its own way.The traditional Uygur section is the most interesting part of Urumqi. People are friendly and welcoming and learning a few words of Uygur will get you far. Despite being thousands of miles to the west, Urumqi is on Beijing time so many people function on an unofficial time zone an hour earlier.
Xian
In historical terms, Xian is one of the most culturally significant cities in the world. China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang, unified China for the first time from here in 221 BC and for more than 1,000 years, Xian was China’s imperial capital. During the Tang Dynasty, Xian (then called Changan) was one of the world’s biggest and most sophisticated cities and a meeting place of different cultures at the start of the Silk Road. Despite Xian’s historical importance, for much of this century it remained anonymous until the discovery of Qin's tomb and the terra-cotta army in 1974. Now it is an attractive, modern destination which is easy to explore. The old city walls and the Bell Tower mark the center of town and most of the sights are in a relatively compact area.Xian is easily reachable by train and the airport is modern and accessible. There are more than 200 bus routes and dense traffic in the city but a subway is under construction. For trips to the terra-cotta warriors or outside Urumqi, it’s best to join a tour or hire a driver for the day.Xian's summer is hot, humid and wet. Winter is dry and cold, with temperatures averaging below zero Celsius. Spring and fall are probably the best times to visit.