The best route to travel in Xinjiang depends on personal interests and schedule, but the Northern Xinjiang Grand Loop, the Southern Xinjiang Grand Loop, the Yili Loop, and the Duku Highway are all highly recommended classic routes.?
The Northern Xinjiang Grand Loop covers many beautiful scenic spots in northern Xinjiang, such as Kanas Lake, Hemu Village, and Colorful Beach, and is suitable for tourists who want to admire natural landscapes like grasslands, snow-capped mountains, and lakes. This route is like a carefully designed "landscape buffet", allowing you to fully enjoy the natural scenery of northern Xinjiang.?
The Southern Xinjiang Grand Loop focuses more on the experience of deserts, gobies, oases, and rich ethnic customs. Tourists can drive along the Taklamakan Desert Highway to admire the endless stretches of yellow sand on both sides and the thousand-year-old poplar trees, feeling the remnants of the Silk Road.?
The Yili Loop focuses mainly on grassland scenery, with apricot blossoms in spring, grasslands in summer, orchards in autumn, and snowy landscapes in winter, each season having its own charm. This route is suitable for tourists who love grassland scenery and can fully enjoy the vast grasslands and charming scenery of the Yili River Valley.?
The Duku Highway is a scenic avenue known as the "Most Beautiful Highway in Tianshan". From Dushanzi to Kuqa, it spans the Tianshan Mountains, with landscapes along the way including snow-capped mountains, grasslands, canyons, forests, etc. It can be considered the pinnacle of self-driving in Xinjiang. However, it should be noted that this road has many mountainous sections, and it is recommended to visit from June to September when road conditions are best.?
In addition, there are classic routes such as the Kanas Loop, the Kashi-Yili Loop, the West Tianshan Self-Drive Loop, the East Tianshan Self-Drive Loop, the Kashgar Self-Drive Route, the Karamay Border Self-Drive Route, and the Hami Self-Drive Route, all of which are connected based on different features and attractions. Tourists can choose according to their interests and schedule.?
In general, Xinjiang boasts a rich variety of tourist routes, each with its unique scenery and characteristics. When planning your itinerary, it is recommended to choose based on your interests and schedule, and to understand the local weather and road conditions in advance to ensure a smooth and safe journey.?