The National Day travel guide for southern Xinjiang mainly covers transportation, weather and clothing, recommended attractions, and itinerary planning.
First of all, in terms of transportation, it is recommended that tourists fly to Kashgar first, which is an important city in southern Xinjiang with convenient transportation. Within Kashgar City, buses or taxis can be chosen for travel. If you plan to visit other counties or attractions, joining a small group is a good choice, which allows you to freely arrange your itinerary while enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way.
Secondly, regarding the weather and clothing, the weather in southern Xinjiang during National Day is mainly sunny, but there is a large temperature difference between morning and night. The weather in October ranges from 7°C to 21°C. It is recommended to wear shirts, long dresses, knitwear, etc., during the day, and add coats, thin down jackets or windbreakers for warmth at night. As it gets colder in November, warmer clothing such as coats, windbreakers, and down jackets should be prepared.
In terms of recommended attractions, there are several must-visit places in southern Xinjiang. Kashgar Old City attracts many tourists with its quaint architecture and unique cultural atmosphere; the Tarim Poplar Forest turns yellow around October each year, forming a sea of gold that is extremely magnificent; White Sand Lake, surrounded by sand dunes, has water as green as jade, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding golden desert; the Panlong Ancient Road allows tourists to enjoy the magnificent natural scenery along the way during the journey; in addition, Lop Nur Village is also a worthwhile attraction, which gathers various natural landscapes such as desert, river, poplar forest, and lake, and preserves the unique folk customs of the Lop people.
Finally, regarding the itinerary planning, here is a seven-day National Day travel itinerary suggestion for southern Xinjiang:
Day 1: Kashgar – Bachu Poplar Forest – Bachu
Day 2: Bachu – Wensu Grand Canyon – Aksu
Day 3: Aksu – Crossing the Taklamakan Desert – Hotan
Day 4: Hotan – Zepu Golden Poplar Forest – Yarkand
Day 5: Yarkand – Yarkand Khan Tomb – Free activities in the old town of Yarkand – Kashgar
Day 6: Kashgar – White Sand Lake – Mushtagh Attraction Glacier Park – Tahman Wetland – Taxkorgan County
Day 7: Taxkorgan County -盘龙古道 (Panlong Ancient Road) – Bandir Blue Lake – Kashgar
This itinerary covers multiple classic attractions in southern Xinjiang, but the specific itinerary needs to be adjusted according to the tourists’ personal interests and actual situation. I hope this National Day travel guide for southern Xinjiang can provide useful reference for your trip.