The travel guide for southern Xinjiang mainly includes the best travel time, route recommendations, and must-visit attractions.
Best travel time:
May to June: You can experience the New Year of ethnic minorities and enjoy colorful ethnic performances.
July to September: Fruits are ripe and sweet at this time, making it the best season to taste Xinjiang cuisine.
October to November: The poplar forest enters its most beautiful season of the year, with a golden yellow landscape that is breathtaking.
Route recommendations:
A classic self-driving route starts from Urumqi, passing through Dushanzi, Bayanbulak, Kuche, Aral, Aksu, Kashgar, and finally arrives at Taxkorgan County before returning to Kashgar. This route covers many famous scenic spots in southern Xinjiang, such as Dushanzi Canyon, Bayanbulak Grassland, Kuche王府, and Kashgar Old City.
Another in-depth tour route is to visit the Shache Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo Park, Yotegan Ancient City, Kunlun Heavenly Road, Yulongkashi River, Taklamakan Desert, Restan Street, Thousand Buddha Caves, Wensu Grand Canyon, Kashgar Old City, Baisha Lake, Muji Volcanic Crater, Karakul Lake, and Dragon’s Coil Road in sequence after landing in Kashgar, and finally return to Kashgar.
Must-visit attractions:
Kashgar Old City: With distinctive architectural features and crisscrossing streets, it is a paradise for photographers.
Kuche王府: Colorful and an excellent location for photo taking.
Yotegan Ancient City: Where you can personally experience the artistic charm of ancient Khotan culture hidden in the sand sea for thousands of years.
Wensu Grand Canyon: With unique giant karst erosion geological landforms, it is filled with red cliffs, red walls, and various stone peaks and pillars.
Muji Volcano: The Eye of the Palmi Plateau, a group of volcanoes under the snowy mountains, where snow-capped mountains and volcanoes collide, creating a spectacular scenery.
In addition, southern Xinjiang boasts several scenic spots worth visiting, such as the Mysterious Grand Canyon of Tianshan, Baisha Lake, Karakul Lake, and Mustaghe Glacier Park. Before departing, it is recommended to plan your itinerary in advance and prepare necessary items, such as your ID card.