Groups of 10+ Entering the Scenic Area: Group Tickets, Real-Name Registration, and Staggered Entry

If you're traveling with 10 or more people, first check these 1 points on the official site: Are group and individual visitors booked in the same pool? For popular spots like Kanas and Sayram Lake, group tickets are often reserved for travel agencies only, so individuals can't join them. At other sites, group and individual rates are the same; they just use different verification lanes.

Submit the number of people, date, and entry time slot together to get an accurate quote. Most attractions define a group as 16 or more people; some use 10 as the threshold. Below the minimum, reservations are treated as individual walk-ins. Policies follow current announcements—do not rely on last year's experience.

01Group tickets are not necessarily cheaper.#

Don't assume lower prices just because there are more people. The real savings come from reduced wait times: our dedicated group lane allows 20 people to pass through together, saving over 10 minutes compared to 20 individuals scanning tickets separately. For attractions requiring prior registration, we typically require the guest list to be submitted 3 to 7 business days in advance.

Confirm which gate the team entrance is at. Some scenic areas have separate gates: east for individual visitors and south (transfer center) for groups. Using the wrong gate can add 10 km to your drive, plus extra wait time during morning rush hour. Kashgar Old City does not offer group tickets; teams must still book by headcount. Don't make a wasted trip.

02Collect all real-name information at once#

Most scenic spots in Xinjiang require real-name reservations; entry is allowed only if the person matches their ID. Collect full name, ID number, and mobile number upfront—do not use nicknames or abbreviations. Include a separate section for passports, Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan travel permits, and children without ID cards, and clarify how to enter this information.

Use an online spreadsheet for the table and set ID numbers as text to prevent trailing zeros from being dropped. Collect all information before submitting it in one batch; entering data in batches is most prone to errors. 1 days before departure, have each person read their ID number aloud. If even one digit is wrong, entry will be denied, and correcting it requires re-filing a request. For attractions like Tianshan Tianchi and Turpan Jiaohe Old City, only original documents are accepted at the window; copies are not valid.

03Reverse the ticket release time#

Popular attractions release tickets in time slots. Some open 7 days in advance, others 3 days, and some release remaining tickets on the morning of the day. Follow official WeChat accounts or booking mini-programs; avoid third-party scalpers. For large groups, submit within 30 minutes after tickets are released to avoid splitting into 2 separate batches.

If someone cancels, their spot returns to the pool. Check again 1–2 days before departure for better chances. During peak season weekends and holidays, keep a backup date in your itinerary. Log in 5 minutes before tickets go on sale—don't wait until the last minute to find your password. When multiple platforms are selling tickets, choose the official one. For Nalati and Bayinbuluke grasslands during peak season, start monitoring spots as early as mid-6.

04Refund & Change: Transferring the ticket is more cost-effective than refunding.#

Group tickets have stricter cancellation and change policies than individual ones. Some require full-order refunds, while others deduct fees per person. Before booking, check the deadline, fee percentage, and whether date changes are allowed. If someone can't make it last minute, ask if you can swap them out; this often only incurs a small name-change fee.

The scenic area is closed due to weather conditions. Full refunds or rescheduling are typically available—please keep a screenshot of the official notice. Refunds usually take 3 to 7 business days to process, which is normal. Rescheduling is often easier than requesting a refund; first ask if you can move your visit to the same time slot the next day before mentioning a refund. For snow season attractions in Altay, closure notices are often issued early in the morning, so don't assume entry is possible based on information from the previous day.

05Staggered entry: Meet at the same gate.#

If 1 vehicles don't fit or you've only secured 2 time slots, enter in batches. Share the reservation code and ID with each person, and have everyone meet at the same entrance. Those who enter first should wait at the shuttle transfer point for the next group instead of leaving immediately.

Children, seniors, students, and military personnel receive discounts—please bring original ID documents for on-site verification. Some scenic areas require you to pick up tickets at the transfer center before boarding the shuttle; do not drive directly to the mountain entrance. The meeting time is set 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment slot to allow time for security checks and restroom breaks.

06Discuss 3 matters with the driver#

Before departure, send your booking details to the private driver to confirm the parking lot, entrance gate, and pickup time. At Jiajiangyu in Kanas and the East Gate of Sayram Lake, diversion routes change daily during peak season—follow on-site instructions. For tours from Yining to Sayram Lake, drivers often park at the South Gate, saving 2 km compared to the East Gate.

Include ticket and shuttle fees in the contract. Save the driver's number beforehand to enable immediate contact if gate changes are needed. For groups of 10 or more, take attendance before boarding and after alighting—this is far more efficient than searching for people at the attraction. Refer to this guide for scheduling multiple stops.Explore Jiangshan over 11 daysFor transfer details of a single scenic area, seeKanasandSayram Lake。