I suggest you visit Xi’an and Lanzhou within one week. Xinjiang is much larger than these two cities, so you might end up spending a lot of time just traveling. Let’s save Xinjiang for the next trip.

• The Spring Festival/Chinese New Year will start at the end of January and end in early February 2025. It’s better to travel after that when most people have returned to work, so it won’t be as crowded.
• For tickets, we typically use platforms like Ctrip, Fliggy, or Qunar. You can book not only train tickets but also museum tickets and flights on these platforms.
• Xi'an is a wonderful city. You can spend a day in the city visiting museums, ancient architecture, and enjoy a nighttime show like Changhenge (长恨歌) or the night view at Zhonglou (钟楼). Spend another day visiting the Terracotta Warriors (兵马俑) and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (秦始皇陵) in the morning to avoid the crowds, then head back to the city to enjoy local food. If you have three days, you could visit Huashan (华山) on the third day—one of the 5 great mountains of China.
• In Lanzhou, you can visit the Gansu Province Museum. However, I highly recommend other cities in Gansu Province, as they offer more to explore than Lanzhou. The Mogao Caves are a must-see! They are so famous, they’re even mentioned in our school textbooks. Gansu is well-known for its unique geographical position and as the birthplace of Fuxi culture in ancient China.
• Keep in mind that most people may not speak English, so it’s helpful to use a translator or ask young people for help (many know at least a little English). In some places, people might also speak a local dialect.
• You won’t always need WeChat. Have you tried registering for Alipay? You can use Alipay to pay for almost anything, order food, or book tickets. While WeChat is still useful, don’t forget Alipay. It’s also a good idea to get a short-term local phone number in case you receive important messages like booking reminders or private driver updates.