The apricot blossom travel guide for Xinjiang’s spring mainly covers the apricot blossom viewing sites in southern and northern Xinjiang, with the flowering season concentrated from March to April.
Apricot Blossom Viewing Sites in Southern Xinjiang
Pamir Plateau
Flowering Period: Late March to early April.
Viewing Points: Datong Township, Ta’er Township, and other places. The wild apricot blossoms in these areas contrast with the quaint villages, forming a unique landscape.
Features: The apricot blossoms in southern Xinjiang are lonely yet brilliant. They are either rooted in cliffs or grow alongside rushing valleys, contrasting beautifully with snow-capped mountains and rivers.
Tuokexun Apricot Blossom Village
Flowering Period: Mid-to-late March, it’s the first place to welcome spring in Xinjiang.
Features: The special geographical location and abundant solar radiation resources make the apricot blossoms particularly enchanting. The large-scale apricot orchard covering ten thousand mu is breathtakingly beautiful.
Apricot Blossom Viewing Sites in Northern Xinjiang
Yili River Valley
Tuergen Apricot Blossom Valley
Flowering Period: Mid-to-early April, lasting for about 10 days.
Features: It has over 30,000 mu (about 20 square kilometers) of primitive wild apricot forests left over from the Middle Ages. The pink and white flowers are dotted on the hillsides in an orderly manner, making it one of the largest and densest primitive wild fruit forests in Eurasia.
Daxigou Apricot Blossom
Flowering Period: About a week later than Tuergen, usually in early April, lasting for about 10 days.
Features: Besides wild apricot trees, there are over 60 types of wild fruit trees, with various wildflowers blooming in sequence, and the flowering season can last for the entire month.
Flower Viewing Tips
Transportation: In southern Xinjiang, you can choose to self-drive or carpool, such as routes like Kashgar → China-Pakistan Friendship Highway → Taxkorgan County → Tasha Ancient Road, with breathtaking scenery along the way.
. In northern Xinjiang, it is recommended to visit Tuergen Apricot Blossom Valley and Daxigou in the Yili River Valley, where transportation is convenient.
Accommodation: In southern Xinjiang, you can choose to stay at Tajik-style immersive homestays, such as the Century-Old Stone House Homestay in Ta’er Township, which is affordable and includes breakfast and dinner.
Weather and Clothing: In March and April, there is a large temperature difference between day and night in Xinjiang. The daytime temperature ranges from 10°C to 20°C, while it may drop to 0°C-5°C at night. It is recommended to bring a windbreaker and a thin down jacket. Additionally, Xinjiang has strong UV rays, so sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, and other sun protection items are essential.
The apricot blossom scenery in Xinjiang in spring is a must-see. Whether it’s the wildness and ethereal beauty of southern Xinjiang or the grandeur and purity of northern Xinjiang, they all let you feel the romance and beauty of spring.