Xinjiang Travel Guide – Experience the culture of southern Xinjiang and appreciate the charm of Kashgar’s old town
The most beautiful Hu Yang trees in Shaya are golden in autumn. Visit Kashgar’s century-old old town in southern Xinjiang. You haven’t been to Xinjiang if you haven’t been to Kashgar.
Tarim Hu Yanglin National Forest Park has a total area of 100 square kilometers and is located 70 kilometers south of the desert highway in Luntai County, Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, in the middle reaches of the Tarim River on the northeastern edge of the Taklamakan Desert. It is the largest original Hu Yanglin (poplar forest) park in Xinjiang and also the area with the most concentrated original Hu Yanglin in the entire Tarim River basin. Exploring the Silk Road and ancient cities, visiting the Tarim River to admire the Hu Yang trees, entering Luntai to see the oil fields, and going into the middle of the Taklamakan Desert to observe the sea of sand, countless domestic and foreign tourists and photography enthusiasts come as agreed to enjoy the spring scenery, collect seashells, and eulogize the magnificent beauty of the desert and the long river.
Tianshan Canyon is located about 72km north of Kuqa County, Aksu Prefecture, on the north side of National Highway 217, at an altitude of 1600 meters, with the highest peak reaching 2048 meters above sea level.
The Grand Canyon is composed of reddish-brown mountains, locally known as Kiziliya (meaning "red cliff" in Uyghur). It runs north to south, with its end slightly bending eastward. The main valley of the canyon is 2.7km long, with four tributary valleys, totaling 3km in length.
The Mysterious Grand Canyon was formed by millions of years of erosion from wind and rain and flushing from mountain torrents. The Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon combines grandeur, danger, seclusion, tranquility, and mystery, leaving all who visit in awe. About 1.4km from the entrance of the canyon, Ajai Grotto was discovered on the cliff. The Chinese characters on the remaining murals on the south, north, and west walls of the grotto add color to the Grand Canyon.
The Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves are located 7km southeast of Kezir Town, Baicheng County, and 70km from Kuqa County. They were probably built in the 3rd to 4th centuries (or earlier) and reached their peak in the 6th to 7th centuries, making their history older than the famous Mogao Caves (opened in AD 366).
This Thousand Buddha Caves has 236 numbered caves, with 135 caves still intact, known as an "Art Treasure Trove" and famous for its beautiful murals, representing the Kizil Caves. However, due to the long history and the looting by Western explorers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves have suffered severe damage. But even just appreciating the remaining relics, the exquisite art is breathtaking.
Like the Mogao Caves, for conservation purposes, only some of the caves are open to the public, and backpacks and cameras are not allowed inside. After the visit, the nearby Qianlei Spring is worth seeing.
Aksu’s Tianshan Shenmu (Sacred Wood) Garden has seen its giant trees turn into strange ones due to the impact of wind, sand, thunder, and lightning, as well as the passage of time, gaining spirituality in the process. Some say, "After visiting Shenmu Garden, you won’t need to see any other trees." In fact, when you visit Shenmu Garden, what you see is not just "trees", but more importantly, a perception of the world. At dusk, a loud bang shattered the silence. The river in the distance paused for a moment due to the noise and then continued to flow. A thick branch broke off and fell, causing溅起的泥土 and the sound to make many old trees tremble. The old trees looked up to the high place almost simultaneously. It was the arrow poplar, an arm of the poplar tree that was 96 meters tall and over 4 meters in diameter that had fallen. Located at an altitude of 1700 meters and covering nearly 680 acres, Shenmu Garden has hundreds of ancient trees over a thousand years old, including mountain willow, arrow poplar, wild apricot, walnut, mulberry, and other species. As for their ages, heights, and diameters, they are not the most magical aspects of Shenmu Garden. Although a "walnut king" tree can produce a ton of walnuts a year, and a mountain willow over 1300 years old occupies an area of more than 10 acres, this is actually nothing special. In Shenmu Garden, there are more trees that do not follow the "rules of trees" and do not want to grow into trees. They all seem to have the idea of wanting to grow into something else.
Wensu Grand Canyon is located at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, on the edge of the Tomur Peak National Alpine Nature Reserve, in the mountainous area of Bozhidun Township, Wensu County. It is about 80km northeast of Wensu County Town, 83km from Aksu City, and about 30km from National Highway 314. The Grand Canyon was once a necessary passage for the Xiate Ancient Post Road, the ancient postal route connecting the southern and northern Tianshan Mountains. Locals call it "Kuduluk Grand Canyon", which means "thrilling and mysterious" in Uyghur.
The Canyon Sightseeing and Adventure Area spans about 50 kilometers, featuring five landforms including Danxia, Yardang, sub-Yardang, rock salt karst, and unique salt dome diapir structures, known as a "living textbook of geological history". There are countless strangely shaped stone peaks here. Walking in the quiet canyon, you can unleash your imagination to your heart’s content. Moreover, there are very few tourists, allowing you to enjoy the beauty alone!
Daolang Tribe (also known as Dolan Tribe) is located in the Populus euphratica forest area at Yumanchakou in Awati County, 18 kilometers away from Awati County Town, covering an area of over 8,000 mu (about 533 hectares), including over 3,000 mu (about 200 hectares) of primitive Populus euphratica forest. The completed projects in the scenic area include specialty restaurants, Daolang folklore exhibition halls, Daolang villages, water parks, sand beaches, and more. On December 24, 2008, Awati County’s Dolan Tribe scenic area was rated as a national "4A" tourist attraction by the Autonomous Region Tourism Bureau.
The scenic area mainly showcases Dolan culture. Dolan culture is a branch of Uyghur culture. Dolan means "gathered together in piles". In the past, many serfs and refugees fled to the desolate desert and poplar forests in the lower plains of the Yarkant River to escape war and resist oppression, gathering together to lead a free and wandering life. Thus, they were called Dolan (Daolang). They are skilled in singing and dancing, hardworking, and have built their own homes with their diligent hands, transitioning from hunting and nomadic life to farming, establishing villages and towns. Over time, they have also developed their own unique culture – Dolan culture. It has always existed in folk form, mainly manifested in singing and dancing. Most Dolan songs and dances are centered around labor and love. With their unique creative methods, the Dolan people have brought this folk art out of the Gobi Desert and into the view of people all over the country.
The residential area in the core of Kashgar Old City is one of the largest earth architecture clusters in the world. The earth architecture itself is of great historical significance and value, blending the remnants of Han and Tang dynasties, ancient Rome, and the modern life of the Uyghur people.
Today, the residents of the Old City still adhere to the earth houses and traditional customs that have been passed down for generations. However, the local government is currently carrying out a renovation project of the Old City, and many ancient dwellings have been demolished. Some scenes of the famous movie "The Kite Runner" were filmed here.
Karakuli Lake is located at the foot of Mount Muztagh, the Father of Glaciers, 191 kilometers away from Kashgar. The Karakoram Highway passes by the lakeside. It is not far from the base camp for climbing Mount Muztagh (a 5-hour walk or camel ride away). Karakuli Lake is situated at the foot of Muztagh Glacier in the eastern Pamir Plateau. Surrounded by mountains, the lake is bordered by lush water and grass, and is often inhabited by Kirgiz herdsmen.
Xinjiang Tourism Consultation: (Same) 0991-8585456