2020 Xinjiang Travel Guide, Xinjiang Free and Easy Travel Guide, Xinjiang Travel Itinerary and Blog
Xinjiang Travel Hotline: (Same) 0991-8585456
Pre-trip Information
Xinjiang, located in the northwest of China, accounts for one-sixth of the country’s total land area and is the largest province in China. It borders eight countries, including Russia, Mongolia, India, and Kazakhstan, occupying a strategically important position and mainly featuring a temperate continental climate. In simple terms, Xinjiang can be summarized with the words “large” and “dry”.
① “Large”: Friends who have traveled to Xinjiang will not deny the fact that traveling in Xinjiang is really tiring because Xinjiang is extremely large! (How large is Xinjiang? I roughly calculated that Beijing + Shanghai + Jiangsu + Zhejiang + Guangdong = Xinjiang’s area ÷ 4) The distance between attractions in Xinjiang is measured in hundreds of kilometers, and the tourist attractions are scattered. Sometimes, traveling from one city to another or from one attraction to another requires a ten-hour or more journey by car or train. Moreover, some scenic areas cover nearly 100 square kilometers and can only be toured by shuttle buses. Therefore, almost more than one-third of each day in Xinjiang is spent traveling by car. Friends who want to travel to Xinjiang should be mentally prepared for long car rides. It’s worth mentioning that the scenery along the roads in Xinjiang is indeed beautiful, and sometimes the most picturesque views are on the way.
② “Dry”: Xinjiang is located in the middle of the Eurasian continent, a geographical position that makes it difficult for oceanic moisture to reach. Urumqi is especially one of the farthest cities from the ocean in the world. Therefore, Xinjiang’s climate is generally quite dry, with low air humidity. For friends from the eastern coast, especially the southeast, it may be a bit difficult to adapt. So, make sure to do a good job of hydrating and moisturizing when traveling to Xinjiang. If you plan to visit Hotan Prefecture and the Taklamakan Desert, you should also take measures to protect against wind and sand.
II. Choice of Travel Time
Tourist Season in Xinjiang: July, August, September, October
① March to April: It is windy, with cold waves invading, and prone to gale and wind-blown sand and dust. Precipitation increases. At this time, southern Xinjiang is a good choice, with peach and apricot blossoms blooming, as well as newly revived grasslands. Turpan, Shanshan, and other places offer wild apricot blossoms to view.
② June: The Yili region offers fields of flowers and beautiful lavender (most beautiful in mid-June), but fruits and melons are not yet ripe.
③ July to August: You can still see fields of flowers and vast, lush grasslands. Mountainous areas are great summer resorts. At this time, the grasslands welcome the Nadamu Festival and the Heavenly Horse Festival. However, lavender has already been harvested, and fruits and melons start to ripen in mid-August.
④ September to October: It is the harvest season of beauty in Xinjiang, with comfortable weather. It is truly the golden autumn season with fruits and melons. Autumn Kanas is recognized as having the most beautiful autumn scenery in China. The poplar forests in southern Xinjiang are also tinged with golden autumn colors, and fruits and melons are also in their harvest season. However, these two months are also the peak tourist season in Xinjiang, with correspondingly higher prices and scenic spot ticket prices.
⑤ Winter: Temperatures can drop to -20 to -30°C. Many places are closed due to snow, and many scenic spots are also closed. However, this is the off-season for tourism, with low prices and discounted or even free tickets for some scenic areas. You can enjoy the snowy landscapes of northwest China. But I believe that the viewing value in winter is not as good as that in summer and autumn.
Tourist Routes
The classic tourist routes in Xinjiang are generally divided into the Eastern Route, Western Route, Northern Route, and Southern Route.
If you want to travel the Grand Circuit of Xinjiang, the usual order is: Northern Route → Western Route → Southern Route → Eastern Route
Below are four classic routes listed for you to choose from based on personal preferences, budget, and time:
① Northern Route (mainly Altay region): 7-8 days
a. Urumqi – Koktokay – Burqin – Jiadenyu – Hemu – Kanas Lake – Baihaba – Khabar County – Colorful Beach – Burqin
Or: b. Urumqi – Koktokay – Burqin – Colorful Beach – Khabar County – Baihaba – Kanas Lake – Hemu – Jiadenyu – Burqin
PS: Hiking Routes in Altay Region:
a. East Route Hiking: 3-4 Days
Jiadengyu – Halfway Inn – Hemu Village – Black Lake – Kanas
b. West Route Hiking: 4 Days
Kanas – Tubiek – Shuanghu – Naren Ranch – Baihaba
② West Route Tour (Mainly Yili Region): 8-9 Days
Burqin – Urho (Devil’s City) – Sayram Lake – Guozigou Bridge – Khorgos Port – Yining – Zhaosu – Tekes – Karajun – Qiongkushitai – Nalati – Bayinbrok
PS: Qiongkushitai – Karajun Hiking Route: 2-3 Days
Qiongkushitai Village – Camping Platform – Flower Platform – West Karajun
③ South Route Tour (Southern Xinjiang Folkline): 9-10 Days
Bayinbrok – Duku Highway – Kuqa – Kashgar – Hongqilapu Port – Tashkurgan County – Taxkorgan – Kashgar – Hotan – Minfeng – Desert Highway – Korla – Urumqi
④ East Route Tour: 4-5 Days
Urumqi – Tianshan Tianchi – Urumqi – Turpan – Shanshan – Hami
2020 Xinjiang Travel Guide, Xinjiang Free and Easy Travel Guide, Xinjiang Travel Itinerary and Blog
Xinjiang Travel Hotline: (Same) 0991-8585456