Must-visit tourist attractions in Xinjiang in 2020, reliable travel agencies in Xinjiang
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Xinjiang is rich in tourism resources. On this vast land, glaciers and snowy mountains coexist with gobi deserts. The plateau landscape is embedded in world-famous mountains such as the Tianshan Mountains, the Altai Mountains, and the Kunlun Mountains, featuring numerous snowy domains, towering peaks, flying springs and waterfalls, and rare animals. There is the world’s second-highest peak at an altitude of 8,600 meters and China’s lowest depression at -154 meters below sea level. It has roaring rivers, vast grasslands, bizarre gobi fantasies, mysterious desert wonders, and well-preserved primitive animal and plant populations, all highlighting the unique nature endowed by nature.
[Xinjiang Travel Guide] Must-visit attractions and travel routes in Xinjiang
Tourist attractions in various regions of Xinjiang
Urumqi, a tourist destination in Xinjiang
Urumqi, which translates to "beautiful pasture" in Mongolian, is a major transportation hub and a communication center on the Silk Road. The openness and boldness of Urumqi are endearing, and countless tourists come here to experience its unique cultural connotations. Urumqi has numerous beautiful scenic spots worth visiting. The magical Tianshan Heavenly Lake is known as the "Jade Lake," a place like a fairyland, dreamy and enchanting. Shuimogou Park scenic area gathers a large number of natural landscapes and various cultural relics. These landscapes are the park’s unique natural gifts. Xinjiang Salt Lake, Bogda Peak, and Hongshan Park are all must-visit attractions in Urumqi.
Turpan, a tourist destination in Xinjiang
Turpan is a basin area in Xinjiang, with a large amount of classic scenery brought by light rain. Turpan has left us with a large number of relics of the Silk Road, providing a wealth of reference material for us to understand the Silk Road. The unique ethnic atmosphere of Turpan is also a major highlight here. Special music, dances, and costumes amaze visitors who come here. Grape Valley is the place where Turpan produces grapes and is famous for this reason. The rolling heat rising in the summer from the Flaming Mountains in central Turpan, coupled with the surrounding red mountain bodies, resembles an impending volcanic eruption. Jiaohe Ancient City, Kumtag Desert, Karez Folk Culture Park, and the Silk Road are all places here that are well worth seeing.
Yili, a tourist destination in Xinjiang
Yili is an autonomous prefecture in the northwest of Xinjiang, and it is inhabited by a considerable number of ethnic minorities. The unique mountain features and landforms of Yili are fascinating, and with the embellishment of green trees and red flowers, Yili becomes a fairyland on earth. The unique mountain shapes and lush forests in the Kuerdining Scenic Area attract a large number of tourists to stop and admire. The scenery of the Nalati Grassland is the most beautiful view in Yili. The openness of the grassland makes people immediately feel open-minded, and any troubles in their hearts can be swept away. The Sayram Lake, Yili River, Nalati National Forest Park, and Wild Walnut Valley are all excellent scenic spots in Yili.
Kashgar in Xinjiang Tourism
Kashgar means a place like jade. Its stunning natural scenery and rich cultural landscapes are the highlights of tourism here. Kashgar has a unique climate, combined with abundant rainfall, making the local produce rich and the fruits fragrant. In autumn, the leaves of the poplar trees in Jinhuyang National Forest Park turn yellow, providing a great visual enjoyment from both near and far. Xiangfei Tomb, Kashgar Bazaar, and Kashgar Old Town are all worth visiting cultural landscapes here.
Must-visit attractions in Xinjiang
Balikun Grassland – Situated in a basin
Surrounding attractions: Huiwang Tomb, Gaisi Tomb, Mingsha Mountain, Baishitou, etc.
Driving along National Highway 312 on the Silk Road into Xinjiang, the first place you will come to is the Hami region, yes, the place where Hami melons are produced. Balikun Grassland is located in Hami. It is not as vast as the Inner Mongolia grassland but sits in a basin surrounded by continuous mountain peaks. The tops of the mountains are covered with white glaciers, and the mountain sides are green. What is unique is that among the vast grasslands, there suddenly appears a unique desert mountain, Mingsha Mountain, and a white stone mountain, Baishitou.
Flaming Mountains – You can make a “fried egg” on a car hood
Surrounding attractions: Karez Wells, Sutong Tower, Aiding Lake, Grape Valley, Jiaohe Ancient City, Tuyugou, etc.
The “Eight Hundred Li Flaming Mountains” mentioned in “Journey to the West” are here. Locals call the Flaming Mountains “Red Hill”. They are composed of medium-red sand, conglomerate, and mudstone. Every summer, the intense sunlight shining on the red mountains creates rolling waves of heat. How hot are the Flaming Mountains? According to locals, if you break a raw egg and spread it on the hood of a car, it will turn into a “fried egg”. There is also a 12-meter-tall thermometer standing there, resembling Sun Wukong’s Golden-Hooped Staff.
International Bazaar – A place to buy all the local specialties of Xinjiang
Surrounding attractions: Xinjiang Museum, Hongshan Hill, Wuyi Night Market, Baiyanggou, etc.
Tianchi Lake – The essence of the Tianshan Mountains in one place
In Urumqi, if the weather is clear, you can see the majestic snow-capped Bogda Peak. Tianchi Lake is located on the mountainside of Bogda Peak, 110 kilometers from Urumqi. Tianchi Lake is a mountain lake located above 1,980 meters in altitude. Because its water is crystal-clear and jade-like, myths describe Tianchi Lake as the mirror on the dressing table of the Western Queen Mother. It integrates mountain lakes, spruce forests, and snow-capped mountains, and can be said to embody the essence of the Tianshan Mountains. It is known as the “Bright Pearl of the Tianshan Mountains”.
Wucaicheng – Wild asses and gazelles by the roadside
Surrounding attractions: Karamay hoofed wildlife reserve, Gurbantonggut Desert, etc.
Wucaicheng is located in the Gurbantonggut Desert, the second largest desert in China. Over billions of years, coal seams, sand layers, and ore beds have formed there. Erosion by wind and rain, as well as sun exposure and lightning strikes, have created the “Yardang landform” dominated by reddish-brown hues mixed with yellow, white, black, green, and other colors.
Kanas Lake – The East Switzerland
Surrounding attractions: Ulungu Lake, Irtysh River, Alashan Hot Springs, Baihaba, etc.
The beautiful scenery of Xinjiang is countless. If one had to choose the most beautiful place, many people would choose Kanas Lake. Kanas is known as the "Eastern Switzerland" due to its special geographical location, which resembles the vegetation landscape of the European Alps. The different plant communities are well-layered and colorful.
Ghost City – A "castle" blown by the wind
Surrounding attractions: Karamay No.1 Oilfield
Both in Mongolian and Kazakh, the place is called "Ghost City" without prior agreement. Ghost City is not a castle but a rare wind erosion landform in China, where various "buildings" are blown by the wind, resembling the Liuhe Pagoda in Hangzhou, the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia… The scariest time at Ghost City is when a gale blows at nightfall, creating an eerie atmosphere with the sound of flying sand and stones. However, during the daytime, visitors may have the chance to pick up beautiful, crystalline agate stones.
Sayram Lake – Visible lakebed 10 meters below the surface
Surrounding attractions: Guai Shi Valley, Alataw Pass, etc.
Sayram Lake is known as the "Pure Sea", allowing visitors to see the lakebed 10 meters below the surface. The most beautiful time at Sayram Lake is during the transition from spring to summer, when the lakeside is covered with alpine wildflowers. Every July, local Mongolians hold the traditional "Nadam" festival on the grassland by the lake.
Nalati Grassland
Surrounding attractions: Ili River, Guozi Valley, Gongnais Grassland, Tangbula Grassland, etc.
The Ili River area boasts many grasslands, including the Nalati Grassland, where thousands of tourists stay every day. The grass on the Nalati Grassland reaches over half a meter tall. Due to the abundant rainfall, the cattle and sheep there are fatter. Historically, the Nalati Grassland was known as the "Deer Park" and is also called the "Aerial Grassland" due to its high altitude.
Mount Muztagh Ata – Father of Glaciers
Surrounding attractions: Id Kah Mosque, Xiangfei Tomb, Tashkurgan Stone City, etc.
Starting from Kashgar, the largest city in southern Xinjiang, and driving towards the Hongqilapu Pass on the China-Pakistan border, the journey offers breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains and grasslands. Before realizing it, you have already reached an altitude of over 3,000 meters. The huge glacier-covered mountain next to you is Mount Muztagh Ata, known as the "Father of Glaciers", resembling a creamy cake. Mount Muztagh Ata faces the world’s second-highest peak, K2 (Qogir), which stands at 8,611 meters tall.
Desert Highway – Drive freely through the desert
Surrounding attractions: Tarim River, Populus euphratica Nature Reserve
The Desert Highway runs through China’s largest Taklimakan Desert, which covers an area of over 330,000 square kilometers and has long been considered a "forbidden zone for life", making it difficult for tourists to visit its hinterland. However, after the opening of the Desert Highway, self-driving tourists can now traverse it. The Desert Highway is 446 kilometers long and is currently the longest highway built in a mobile desert in the world. It generally takes five to six hours to drive, and it is essential to prepare sufficient water before setting out.
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