I. What do we go to southern Xinjiang to see?
Unlike the picturesque green mountains and rivers of northern Xinjiang, the natural scenery of southern Xinjiang is more majestic and rugged
1. Visit southern Xinjiang to see desert poplars
Crossing it, you can feel the ruggedness and heroism of traversing the desert’s no man’s land. If you happen to be there during the golden autumn season, the golden desert poplars accompanying you will add a unique vitality to the desert. Main attractions:
1. The First Desert Highway: Qiemo-Luntai, with a total length of 730 kilometers and a driving time of 14 hours;
2. The Second Desert Highway: Hotan-Aksu, with a total length of 600 kilometers and a driving time of 12 hours;
3. Huyang Forest in Luntai County: Poplar forest at the edge of the desert;
4. Zepu Golden Poplar Forest: Famous for its unique scenery of water poplars.
2. Visit southern Xinjiang to see the plateau scenery
Tibet and Xinjiang are separated by a mountain, which is the Kunlun Mountains. The south side of the Kunlun Mountains is Tibet, and the northern foothills are Xinjiang. Thus, it has given birth to plateau scenery similar to Tibet – the scenery of the Pamir Plateau. Main attractions:
1. Karakul Lake: Situated at the foot of Muztagh Ata, the Father of Ice Mountains, 191 kilometers from Kashgar, the Karakoram Highway passes by the lakeside. It is not far from the base camp for climbing Muztagh Ata (a 5-hour walk or camel ride away). ‘Karakul’ means ‘black lake’, and it is an alpine glacial lake. The majestic and mysterious Muztagh Ata is reflected in the water, with snow-covered peaks blending with the water, creating a very charming scenery.
2. Khorgos Port: Located in the southwest of Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang, within the Tajik Autonomous County of Tashkurgan on the Pamir Plateau, it borders on the northern region of Pakistan. The port is at an altitude of 4,500 meters. Along the way, you can admire Kongur Tag (7,649 meters above sea level), Kongur IX (7,530 meters above sea level), and Muztagh Ata (7,509 meters above sea level), which are snow-capped peaks on the eastern edge of the plateau throughout the year.
3. Tashkurgan Stone City: It is the intersection of the middle and southern routes of the ancient Silk Road. Several passages leading to the Pamirs from Kashgar, Yarkand, Yingjisha, and Yecheng converge here. The castle is built on a high hill, and the terrain is extremely steep. Multiple layers of continuous or intermittent city walls are built outside the city. Stone hills overlap and stones are piled up between the walls, forming a unique stone city landscape.
3. Visit Southern Xinjiang to See Silk Road Civilization
Southern Xinjiang is a must-visit place on the ancient Silk Road. The prosperity of the Silk Road at that time can be seen from the scattered ancient cities, Buddhist temples, and beacons in various places in southern Xinjiang. Main attractions:
1. Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves: The murals in the Kizil Grottoes not only show the influence of Han culture but also cleverly accept foreign cultural art with selectivity. They demonstrate the extraordinary wisdom of ancient Kucha painters. They use rough and powerful lines to outline strong bones with one stroke, use ochre colors to render rich and rounded skin, lightly draw evenly arranged folds in the clothing with one stroke, and use a drifting long ribbon to express the artistic conception of flying freely in the air, making people feel like the ‘flying apostles’ have ‘flying clothes fluttering, and the entire wall is filled with wind’ when they see them. Compared with the ancient European ‘flying deity – Angel’ with wings on its back, the ‘flying apostles’ in the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves are artistically more mature and romantic.
2. Kizilgaha Beacon Tower: Kizilgaha Beacon Tower is located on the east side of Yanshuigou in the northwest of Kuqa County, meaning ‘red-beaked crow’ or ‘red checkpoint’ in Uyghur. This majestic ancient military building has gone through the trials of more than 2,000 years of wind and rain.
II. When is the Best Time to Go to Southern Xinjiang?
The climate in southern Xinjiang is basically unaffected by ice and snow. Spring comes early and winter comes late. The tourist season is about four months longer compared to northern Xinjiang. Except for January to March, which are not suitable for tourism, the rest of the year is very suitable. You can go to southern Xinjiang to see apricot and peach blossoms in April and May; June, July, August, and September are the seasons when fruits in southern Xinjiang ripen; after October, you can go to southern Xinjiang to see the golden autumn Populus euphratica… So it’s suitable to travel to southern Xinjiang at any season.
III. What Ways Can You Go to Southern Xinjiang?
1. By Car Throughout
Starting from Urumqi to Kashgar, the entire journey is now on the expressway. Therefore, taking a grand southern Xinjiang automobile tour without backtracking will be very exciting. There are basically no mountain roads, and the straight expressways and smooth provincial roads provide a strong guarantee for southern Xinjiang automobile travel.
2. Train Travel
If you are worried about the long journey, taking a train trip is also a good choice. There are several train options to choose from when traveling from Urumqi to Kashgar. Along the way, there are stations in Korla, Kuqa, and Aksu, where you can get off to visit and then continue your trip on the next train.
3. Plane Crossing
Currently, several larger cities in southern Xinjiang have airports, including Kashgar, Korla, Kuqa, Aksu, and Hotan. There are more than one flight per day to each destination, especially Kashgar, where there are at least about 10 flights to choose from every day.
Section 4: Recommended Classic Ways to Play in Southern Xinjiang
1. 10-Day Grand Automobile Tour of Southern Xinjiang
Day 1: Urumqi – Korla Attraction: Lop Nur Village of罗布人;
Day 2: Korla – Kuqa Attraction: Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon;
Day 3: Kuqa – Aksu Attraction: Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves;
Day 4: Aksu – Kashgar Attraction: Kashgar Old Town;
Day 5: Kashgar – Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County Attraction: Stone Town, Khunjerab Pass;
Day 6: Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County – Kashgar Attraction: Karakul Lake;
Day 7: Kashgar – Hotan Attraction: Walnut King Tree Scenic Area;
Day 8: Hotan – Qiemo Attraction: Hotan River;
Day 9: Qiemo – Korla Attraction: Desert Highway;
Day 10: Korla – Urumqi
2. 6-Day Highlight Round-Trip Flight to Southern Xinjiang
If you don’t have enough time, or really don’t want to sit in a car for such a long journey, then flying is the right choice. This way, you can save over 2,000 kilometers of travel, saving both time and energy.
Day 1: Urumqi – Kuqa – Aksu (by plane) Attraction: Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, Wensu Grand Canyon
Day 2: Aksu – Hotan Attraction: Desert Highway
Day 3: Hotan – Kashgar Attraction: Zepu Populus Euphratica Forest
Day 4: Kashgar – Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County Attraction: Stone Town, Khunjerab Pass
Day 5: Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County – Kashgar Attraction: Karakul Lake
Day 6: Kashgar – Urumqi (by plane) Attraction: Kashgar Old Town
3. In-depth 8-Day Solo Flight to Southern Xinjiang
There are many flights from Kashgar to Urumqi, and the prices are not expensive, with a one-way ticket costing around 500 yuan. So if you don’t want to take a round trip, it’s also a good choice to visit the highlights of the attractions along the way.
Day 1: Urumqi – Korla Attraction: Lop Nur Village of罗布人
Day 2: Korla – Kuqa Attraction: Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon
Day 3: Kuqa – Aksu Attraction: Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves
Day 4: Aksu – Kashgar Attraction: Kashgar Old Town
Day 5: Kashgar – Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County Attraction: Stone Town, Khunjerab Pass
Day 6: Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County – Kashgar Attraction: Karakul Lake
Day 7: Kashgar – Urumqi (by plane) Attraction: Kashgar Old Town
Section 6: Recommended Lesser-Known Attractions in Southern Xinjiang
1. Datong Township, Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County
The road is not very well-maintained, but it is truly a haven away from the hustle and bustle of the world. When tourists flock to Tulgun in Yili to see the apricot blossoms, the apricot blossoms here are viewed in such tranquility. Such enchantment. It requires renting an SUV locally in Kashgar to enter.
2. Jigen Township, Wuqia County
A Treasure Trove for Photography and Exploration – European-style Castle Mountain, the Geomorphic Marvel Where the Tianshan and Kunlun Mountains Meet – Colorful Mountain.
3. Maigaiti County
The Home of Song and Dance in Southern Xinjiang
People who have visited Xinjiang will be deeply shocked by the lakes of Kanas and the grasslands of Nalati, and cannot help but exclaim, ‘The Great Beauty of Xinjiang’. However, those who have truly traveled to Southern Xinjiang will sincerely say: If you haven’t been to Southern Xinjiang, it’s like you haven’t been to Xinjiang at all.
Xinjiang Tourism Consultation: (Same) 0991-8585456