The southern Xinjiang travel guide mainly includes the best travel time, must-visit attractions, and recommended routes.
Best travel time:
Southern Xinjiang has no obvious off-season throughout the year, but different months have different scenery and experiences. From March to April, you can admire the apricot blossoms in Pamir and Ili in southern Xinjiang; in May, you can travel off-peak and admire the lavender, grasslands, and forests in northern Xinjiang; June to August is the most beautiful period for both southern and northern Xinjiang; September to October is the best time to admire the yellow leaves of Kanas and the poplar forests in southern Xinjiang; from November to February of the next year, northern Xinjiang is suitable for snowboarding and skiing, while southern Xinjiang allows you to admire snowy mountains and glaciers
Must-visit attractions:
Kashgar Old Town: You can stroll through Aiti Gaer Square, taste the century-old teahouse, and feel the unique charm of Yangdong Bazaar
Baisha Lake and Karakul Lake: You can overlook Mount Mushtagh and enjoy the lakeside scenery
Panlong Ancient Road and Bandier Blue Lake: Unique geographical landscapes suitable for taking photos as souvenirs
Mushtagh Glacier Park: You can get close to the glacier and feel the grandeur of nature
Shache Yarkand Palace and Royal Tombs: Learn about the historical culture of southern Xinjiang
Wensu Grand Canyon: It has unique giant karst geological landforms, with red cliffs and various stone peaks and pillars everywhere
Recommended route:
The 10-day southern Xinjiang itinerary can refer to the following arrangement:
D1: Arrive in Kashgar, visit Kashgar Old Town;
D2: Depart from Kashgar, visit the Shache Intangible Cultural Heritage Exposition Park and Yotgan Ancient City, and head to Hotan;
D3: Depart from Hotan, visit Kunlun Sky Road, Kunlun Holy Land, and stroll through Hotan Night Market;
D4: Depart from Hotan, cross the Taklamakan Desert, and arrive in Aral or Aksu;
D5: Depart from Aral or Aksu, visit Restan Street and Thousand Buddha Caves, and head to Baicheng or Kucha;
D6: Depart from Baicheng or Kucha, visit Lieyan Spring and Wensu Grand Canyon, and return to Aksu;
D7: Depart from Aksu, visit Xiangfei Garden and Kashgar Old Town, and return to Kashgar;
D8: Depart from Kashgar, visit Baisha Lake, Muji Volcano Crater, Karakul Lake, and head to Tajik Autonomous County;
D9: Depart from Tajik Autonomous County, visit the盘龙古道 (Panlong Ancient Road), Bandier Blue Lake, and Mushtagh Glacier Park, and return to Kashgar;
D10: Return trip from Kashgar
The above guide is for reference only, and the specific itinerary needs to be adjusted according to personal interests and time. Before traveling, it is recommended to understand the local weather, transportation, and accommodation in advance to better plan the itinerary.