Southern Xinjiang： The epitome of Xinjiang’s beauty, with super dazzling poplar forests

　　Southern Xinjiang: The epitome of Xinjiang’s beauty, with super dazzling poplar forests

　　For many people, southern Xinjiang,

　　Are still just

　　A couple of impressions gained from hearsay in the mind

　　It is mysterious

　　"The ancient kingdom of Loulan, Lop Nur, the ‘one-way trip’ Taklimakan Desert"

　　It has a long history

　　"The former Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions, the bustling Silk Road; Emperor Wu of Han defeated the Huns here, making the Western Regions part of the territory from then on"

　　It has many legends

　　"It is the place where Tang Monk and his disciples passed through on their way to fetch Buddhist scriptures in the West, and it seems that every martial arts novel features a Kunlun Mountain"

　　There are too many labels associated with it:

　　"Poplar, Loulan, Lop Nur, the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions"

　　"View scenery in northern Xinjiang, experience folk customs in southern Xinjiang"

　　"Northern Xinjiang is known for its horse herding and singing, while southern Xinjiang is a dry oasis civilization"

　　Despite not knowing much

　　But the emerging features of southern Xinjiang are already so rich and evocative

　　When you truly understand southern Xinjiang with Little u

　　You will discover

　　Southern Xinjiang has sufficient reasons and confidence

　　Divert your gaze from the snow-capped mountains, shepherds, and singing of northern Xinjiang

　　Brought back to the silence and desolation of the hundred-mile-long sandstorm

　　"Southern Xinjiang is not just about folk customs, but also about scenery"

　　Southern Xinjiang is a combination of scenery and folk customs.

　　It boasts breathtaking landscapes different from northern Xinjiang, yet equally magnificent. A trip to southern Xinjiang allows you to find traces of northwest China and Tibet at the same time, with lakes at the foot of mountains and poplars in the vast desert. The Kunlun Mountains and the Tianshan Mountains have a clear convergence in southern Xinjiang.

　　White Snow-capped Mountains – China-Pakistan Highway Travel

　　The China-Pakistan International Highway is a road connecting western China and Pakistan, starting from Kashgar, Xinjiang, crossing the Kunlun Mountains and the Pamir Plateau, and reaching Pakistan.

　　The scenery along this highway is a must-see for travelers in southern Xinjiang.

　　Karakuli Lake, Reflecting Mount Muztagh Ata

　　This is a sacred lake even more serene and less crowded than Namtso. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll witness the perfect reflection of Mount Muztagh Ata here. The water mirrors the majestic and mysterious Mount Muztagh Ata, creating a captivating landscape of the same color as the mountains and water.

　　Golden Gift – The Tarim Poplar Forest

　　In southern Xinjiang, the protagonist of autumn is the beautiful poplar forest. As the autumn wind rises, the poplars burst into beautiful autumn colors, adorning the desert with a splendid diversity of hues.

　　Endless Yellow Sand – The Desert Highway of Taklimakan

　　"Taklimakan" means one-way trip in Uyghur. It is impossible to count how many ancient cities are buried under the world’s second-largest shifting desert, yet China has managed to build a road through this shifting sea of sand. Perhaps the hundreds of miles of desert highway may seem boring and散漫 (idle), but it can also be

　　An extremely free and unique travel experience. The world is so vast, and the dunes in the distance undulate endlessly. And you are speeding through the middle of the desert.

　　A Geological Textbook-like Red Canyon – Kuqa Grand Canyon

　　This is not the Grand Canyon in the United States, but it is as red as burning flames. Walking through the winding and deep canyons, with red mountainstones all the way, passing through narrow red canyons, you can see a blue skyline when you look up.

　　Golden Grass Marsh on the Pamir Plateau

　　Perhaps you can’t believe it, but there is also a wetland in Southern Xinjiang. The Golden Grass Marsh is located on the Pamir Plateau, on the east side of Tashkurgan County. When sunshine falls on the yellow grass, the white yurts and sheep herds in the distance all shimmer with a golden warm glow.

　　Old Town Not to Be Missed – Kashgar

　　In the old town of Southern Xinjiang, through the colorful doors and windows, you can find traces of Morocco and also feel the most authentic ethnic culture.

　　Bazaar – Heaven for Shopping

　　The bazaar is a magical and vibrant place, existing in Kashgar, Hotan, and other ancient cities in Southern Xinjiang. It is all-encompassing, with pottery, dried fruits, gold and silver jewelry, exquisite wool blankets, and a dazzling array of goods. The food at the night market is also extremely tempting.

　　An existence not inferior to the Mogao Caves – Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves

　　The little-known Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves are where Buddhism was first introduced to the Central Plains. They have withstood the storms of a thousand years. The murals in the caves are exquisitely beautiful, carrying the heavy civilization of the desert for thousands of years.

　　Westernmost Point of China – Wuqia

　　The four extremes of China’s landmass are the Arctic in Mohe City, the East Pole in Fuyuan, the Antarctic in Sansha City, and the West Pole in Wuqia, Southern Xinjiang. This is also where the Kunlun Mountains and Tianshan Mountains meet, so we can see these two massive mountain ranges converging at the ‘Westernmost Point of China’.

　　At the juncture of the Tianshan Mountains and Kunlun Mountains in Wuqia, the red represents the Tianshan Mountains, and the dark brown represents the Kunlun Mountains.

　　The First Village in the West, Smkhana, the westernmost village in China

　　Smkhana, the westernmost village in China, is the place where China bids farewell to the sunshine last. You can rush to the westernmost point and wait for the sunset there. Whenever you are there, the border will give you a sense of pursuit, as if arriving is the meaning itself.

　　In October, the golden poplar trees display the diverse charm of autumn beauties.

　　When you stroll through the lively bazaar in the old town of Kashgar

　　When you see ostrich eggs at the Hotan night market

　　When you bite into a naan and eat sufeiyan

　　When you traverse endless desert highways

　　When you hear the names of the 36 Western Regions that have traveled through thousands of years and are covered in sand and wind

　　When you come to the foot of Mount Muztagh in the Kunlun Mountains

　　When all these vastly different travel experiences