A 9-day tour in southern Xinjiang can be both fulfilling and interesting. Here is a recommended itinerary**:
Day 1: Arrive in Urumqi and after checking into your hotel, you can choose to visit Dabaza or Hetian Second Street to taste local specialties such as roast whole sheep and hand-grabbed rice, to build up energy for the upcoming journey.
Day 2: Depart from Urumqi and visit Kanerjing, a miracle of ancient water conservancy engineering. Then head to Flaming Mountain to feel its blazing heat. In the evening, go sandboarding and off-roading in Kumtag Desert, take some unique photos, and stay overnight in Turpan.
Day 3: Visit Bosten Lake, the largest inland freshwater lake in China, to admire the lake scenery and mountains. In the afternoon, proceed to Lop Nur Village to experience the isolated lifestyle of the Lop people. Stay overnight in Korla and taste the local fragrant pears.
Day 4: Cross the Taklamakan Desert to experience the magnificent scenery of the "Sea of Death". Enjoy the view of undulating sand dunes and千年胡杨 (millennium poplar trees) during the journey. Stay overnight in Kuqa and enjoy its nightlife.
Day 5: Visit Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves to appreciate the charm of ancient Buddhist art. Afterwards, you can explore the Mysterious Tianshan Grand Canyon and marvel at the wonders of nature. Stay overnight in Aksu.
Day 6: Arrive in Kashgar and visit Kashgar Old City to experience the rich Uyghur culture. In the evening, you can visit Kashgar Night Market to taste local delicacies such as grilled mutton kebabs and nang kebab.
Day 7: Depart from Kashgar and head to Baisha Lake and Karakul Lake to enjoy the lake scenery and snowy mountains. Then proceed to Tashkurgan County and stay overnight there.
Day 8: Visit attractions such as the Panlong Ancient Road and Bandier Blue Lake to experience the unique scenery of southern Xinjiang. Then return to Kashgar to prepare for the return trip the next day.
Day 9: Free activities in Kashgar. You can visit places such as China’s westernmost point and Simuhana Village. Return according to your flight or train schedule in the afternoon or evening.
In addition, during your trip to southern Xinjiang, please respect the local religions and customs. The climate in some areas is dry, so pay attention to moisturizing and sunscreen. At the same time, keep your ID card on you at all times instead of putting it in your suitcase for easy access.
Hope this itinerary can provide useful reference for your 9-day tour in southern Xinjiang.