How to plan travel to Xinjiang: Things to note

Some jokes often circulated on the Internet, "Xinjiang people go to school on horseback" and "Xinjiang people can dance." Why do people have such a perception of Xinjiang? I think it’s because it’s such a vast area and a gathering place of many ethnic groups. Xinjiang, located in the northwest border of China, covers an area of ??1.66 million square kilometers. It is the largest province in China and borders eight countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and India. There are 47 ethnic groups in Xinjiang, mainly Han, Uyghur, Kazakh, Hui, Tajik, Manchu, Russian, etc. It is one of the five ethnic minority autonomous regions in China. Xinjiang is rich in natural products, the famous ones include cantaloupe and Turpan grapes. Because the length of day and night is conducive to the accumulation of sugar.

The bigness of Xinjiang

"Big": Friends who have traveled to Xinjiang will not deny one point of view, that is, traveling to Xinjiang is very tiring because Xinjiang is so big! (The total land area of ??Xinjiang is equivalent to 160 Shanghai, 100 Beijing, 9 Guangdong, and 16 Jiangsu). The tourism resources here are extremely rich. There are 68 types of tourism resources in the country, and Xinjiang has 56 types, accounting for 83 of the national tourism resource types. Xinjiang has more than 1,100 scenic spots, ranking first in the country.

The Qin of Xinjiang

"Gan": Xinjiang is located in the middle of the Eurasian continent. Its geographical location makes it difficult for water vapor in the ocean to reach. Urumqi is the city farthest from the ocean in the world. Therefore, the climate in Xinjiang is generally dry and the air humidity is low. It’s really hard for my friends on the East Coast to adjust. Therefore, when traveling to Xinjiang, you must hydrate well. If you are going to the Hotan area or the Taklimakan Desert, you should take measures to prevent wind and sand. Kumtag Desert

When is the best time to go to Xinjiang?

The best travel seasons in Xinjiang are July, August, September and October.

March to April

Strong winds and cold waves are invading, and strong winds and dust are prone to occur, and precipitation increases. Going to Southern Xinjiang at this time is a good choice. Peach and apricot blossoms are in full bloom, and the prairie has just been restored. Wild apricot flowers can be seen in Turpan and other places.

May to June

You can enjoy the sea of ??flowers and the most beautiful lavender in the Yili area (most beautiful in mid-June), but the fruits are not yet ripe.

From July to August

You can still see the sea of ??flowers all over the mountains and the vast grasslands with rich water and grass. The mountains are a great summer resort. At this time, the grassland welcomes the Naadam and Pegasus Festivals. But the lavender has already been harvested, and the fruits begin to ripen in mid-August.

September to October

This is the most beautiful harvest season in Xinjiang, with comfortable weather. It is the real golden autumn season, and the fruits are fragrant. Kanas in autumn is recognized as the most beautiful autumn scenery in China. The Populus euphratica forests in southern Xinjiang are also dyed with autumn colors, and the fruits are in harvest season. However, these two months are also the hottest tourist season in Xinjiang. Correspondingly, commodity prices and scenic spot ticket prices have increased.

From November to February

The temperature can be as low as 20 to 30 degrees below zero. Mountains and roads are closed in many places, and many scenic spots are closed. However, this is the off-season for tourism, so prices are low, some attractions are discounted, some attractions can even be viewed for free, and you can also see the snowy scenery of the northwest. Kajun Grassland

What are the classic routes in Xinjiang?

Xinjiang’s classic tourist routes are generally divided into eastern, western, northern and southern routes.

If you want to travel along Xinjiang’s Grand Ring Road, the order is generally as follows:

Northern Line, Western Line, Southern Line, Eastern Line

Northern Line (mainly in Altay ): 5-8 days

Kanas Harmony 5-day in-depth tour

Day 1: Urumqi-Ghost Town-Rainbow Beach-Burqin

Second Day: Burqin - Kanas - Diaoyutai - Kanas

The third day: Kanas - Shenxian Bay - Moon Bay - Wolong Bay - Harmony

The fourth day: Hehe-Hemu Village-Beitun

Day 5: Beitun-Wucaiwan-Urumqi

Many people miss the autumn in Kanas because it has the most charming autumn colors. From September to the end of September every year, Kanas shows its most charming side.

7-Day Classic Loop Tour of Northern Xinjiang

Day 1: Urumqi-Karamay-Rainbow Beach-Burqin

Day 2: Burqin-Kana Si-Diaoyutai-Kanas

The third day: Kanas-Hiking Sanwan-Hehe

The fourth day: Hehe-Ghost Town-Karamay

Day 5: Karamay-Sailim Lake-Qingshui River

Day 6: Qingshui River-Lavender-Nalati

Day 7: Nalati-Duku Highway -Anjihai Grand Canyon-Urumqi

North Xinjiang Ring Bayinbuluk Eight-Day Tour

Day 1: Urumqi-Rainbow Beach-Burqin

No. Day Two: Burqin-Kanas-Kanas

Day Three: Kanas-Hehe-Burqin

Day Four: Burqin—Ghost Town— Kuitun

Day 5: Kuitun-Sailim Lake-Yining

Day 6: Yining-Bayinbuluke Grassland-Bayinbuluke Town

Day 7: Bayinbuluk Town-Nalati Aerial Grassland-Nalati Town

Day 8: Nalati-Duku Highway-Urumqi

About Northern Xinjiang There are too many things that are unsatisfactory, there are too many things to look at, not many that are suitable, and some people don’t want to regret it. In these seven days in northern Xinjiang, there are deserts, snow-capped mountains, holy lakes, ancient villages, grasslands, and folk customs. Any scenery you want to see is a classic. If you want to have a relaxing time, you can also arrange an 8-day trip. Kanas Lake

Tips:

A. Kanas hiking east route: 3-4 days

Jiayu-Midway Inn-Hemu Village -Black Lake-Kanas

B. Kanas Hiking West Route: 4 days

Kanas-Tubek-Shuanghu-Naren Mu-Baihaba

Western route (mainly in Ili area): 5-7 days

Five-day tour of Ili grassland

Day 1: Urumqi-Sailim Lake-Guozi Gou Bridge-Qingshui River

The second day: Qingshui River-Lavender-Kalaqin Banner Folk Street-Tekes

The third day: Tekes-Kalajunda Grassland/Kuksu Grand Canyon-Xinyuan

Day 4: Xinyuan-Nalati Sky Grassland-Bayinbuluk

Day 5: Bayinbuluk-Duku Highway - Urumqi

Every year from May to June, the entire Ili Valley is a sea of ??flowers. Here we will encounter the most beautiful spring in Xinjiang. Depart from Urumqi and drive along the edge of the Jungar Basin to Sailim Lake.

In-depth seven-day tour of Yili Ring Road

The first day: Urumqi-Salim Lake-Lavender-Yining

The second day: Yining -Akyazi Jade Lake-Tianma Cultural Park-Zhaosu Grassland-Zhaosu

The third day: Zhaosu-Kalajun Grassland-Tekes

The fourth day : Tekes - Nine curves and eighteen bends - Bayinbuluke

Day 5: Bayinbuluke-Anjihai Grand Canyon/Dushanzi Grand Canyon-Kuitun

Day 6: Kuitun-Kumtag Desert-Shanshan

Day 7: Shanshan-Turpan-Urumqi

We walked lightly on the 'Saudi Ancient Road' and felt the A paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and hikers; deeply explore the "five-color flower sea" - Kalajun Prairie; Babuluk Grassland - shoot the winding sunset and the beautiful sunset; experience the Shanshan Desert in Turpan Humanistic freedom in Xinjiang.

Tips:

Qiongkushtai-Kalajun Hiking Route: 2-3 days

Qiongkushtai Village-Camping Platform-Huatai -Xikalajun

Southern Route (Southern Xinjiang Customs Route): 6-10 days.

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The third day: Kuqa - Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon - Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves - Aksu

The fourth day: Aksu - Feixiang's Tomb - Kashgar

Day 5: Kashgar - Pamir Plateau - Muztagh Atta - Lake Karakul - Kashgar

Day 6: Kashgar - Kashgar Ancient City - Etig Temple - Kashgar

The Gobi Desert, the tenacious Populus euphratica, the mysterious Grand Canyon of the Tianshan Mountains, Muztagh Atta, the old city of Kashgar with historical precipitation, desolate atmosphere; the ancient Rob people, the enthusiastic Uyghurs, and the plateau Tajiks all have their own customs. The Kashgar tour saved 1,500 kilometers of bumps. If you want to drive back to Urumqi, the whole journey will take about 8-10 days. Eastern route (travel around the East Tianshan Mountains): 3-5 days

Three-day tour of the East Tianshan Mountains

Day 1: Urumqi-Tianshan Tianchi-Yelang Valley-Jimusar

The second day: Jimsar-Jianbulake-Sam Highway-Kumtag Desert-Shanshan

The third day: Shanshan-Tuyugou-Grape Valley-Turpan -Urumqi

Tour around the East Tianshan Mountains, with a large span of scenic spots, such as Tianshan Tianchi, Wild Wolf Valley, Kumtag Desert, Tuyugou, Grape Valley, and cross the Sam Highway without looking back.

Which way is suitable for visiting Xinjiang?

Group travel

Xinjiang is very suitable for group travel. Because it is very convenient to travel in a group and the tourist attractions in Xinjiang are very large, the tour guide will take you to see the scenic spots in a more in-depth and comprehensive manner. You can also meet local people through tour guides and experience the real Xinjiang customs in depth.

Self-driving

You have free travel time. You don’t have to catch the bus every day. You can stop and look at the beautiful scenery on the road at any time. More than 1/3 of travel expenses in Xinjiang are spent on transportation. Xinjiang's expressway tolls are not high, so you can save a lot of money. If you are tired, you can rest in the car.

Accompany

Xinjiang is a place not suitable for traveling alone. If you want to eat well in Xinjiang and eat all kinds of delicious food, it is best to have company. Public transportation in some places in Xinjiang is underdeveloped, so chartering a car is the only way to go. Moreover, the company can share the transportation costs equally and reduce transportation costs. Of course, traveling in groups is safer.

Is it safe to go to Xinjiang?

Many people’s bad impression of Xinjiang stems from an incident that happened a few years ago. But generally apart from a few bad guys who want to make money, there are many friends along the way. Most of our compatriots in Xinjiang are very hospitable and honest, especially in southern Xinjiang, which is really not as scary as everyone thinks.

In Xinjiang, no matter where you go, even if you go to a supermarket or market, you have to go through security check. There are even three or four security checkpoints at train stations and bus stations, and there are basically police stations on every street, so it is very safe in Xinjiang. When there are difficulties, the police uncle often comes to help.

What ethnic minorities are there in Xinjiang?

Xinjiang has many ethnic groups, with as many as 12 local ethnic minorities. The most important ethnic minorities are Uyghurs and Kazakhs. Generally speaking, the Uyghurs are distributed in western Xinjiang, including Kashgar, Hotan, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture and Aksu, as well as Turpan in eastern Xinjiang. The Kazakhs are concentrated in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northern Xinjiang; the Han people are mainly distributed in the eastern and northern areas of Xinjiang (especially northern Xinjiang, where most of the Han people are), including Urumqi, Karamay, Hami and other northeastern regions. Race is a sensitive topic. As tourists, they need to understand and respect the differences in culture and customs between some different ethnic groups.

Will there be no language exchange in Xinjiang?

In the big cities in Xinjiang, communicating in Chinese is basically no problem, but some ethnic minority autonomous prefectures in northern Xinjiang may encounter language barriers. When you meet ethnic minorities, you should speak Chinese as slowly as possible. In southern Xinjiang, the language problem is even more prominent. Except for scenic spot ticket sellers and store cashiers, few adults can speak fluent Chinese. So when asking for directions or shopping, try to type on your mobile phone or write on paper for the other party to see.

If the other party doesn't understand, you can try asking your child, because now Xinjiang is basically bilingual, and many children understand some basic Chinese.

How is the mobile phone network in Xinjiang?

The Internet is available in major cities and some counties in Xinjiang. Internet service is available in most high-end hotels. However, it is very difficult to access the Internet in tourist attractions or some small places, and the Internet speed is generally not fast. Due to national defense needs and in order to prevent some overseas separatist forces and terrorist information from being introduced into Xinjiang, Xinjiang will completely shut down the 4G network and slow down the 3G network starting from this year. So in Xinjiang, most of the time, if you are lucky, you only have 2G or 3G signals. The Internet speed is relatively slow, and some attractions even have no signal at all. Please remember to explain the situation clearly to your family, keep in touch, and report that you are safe in a timely manner to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

: What should I eat when going to Xinjiang?

1. Large plate of chicken

2. Grilled mutton kebabs

3. Grilled buns, thin-skinned buns.

4. Na'an

5. Roast whole lamb.

6. Seize the time to eat

7. Oily meat noodles

8. Cut the cake

9. Yili handmade ice cream

10. Ili Kavas/Kvass

1. Yogurt, yogurt pimples

12. Naren

13. Burqin Roast Dog Fish

14. Cold fish in Altay region

15. Storage tank surface

16. Indian liquid cream

17. Oil tower , oil cake

18. Noodle soup

9. Jelly

20. Milk, mare's milk and camel milk

1. Blood sausage

2. Fish stew.

3. Pull a strip

24. Lamb tripe stuffed with meat

25. Soup and rice

26. Rice sausage, noodles Hefei, haggis

27. Wusu beer

28. Spreading seeds

29. Cold noodles, noodles

30. Ili’s horse sausage and smoked horse meat

31. Doudou Noodle House

32. Milk tea

Tips:

Lactose-free People with tolerance should not try any milk produced locally in Xinjiang, including yogurt! Otherwise, you may have diarrhea and vomiting. The branded yogurt in the store is produced in a factory and is safe to eat.

There are many halal restaurants in Xinjiang. When dining in a halal restaurant, be sure not to eat non-halal food (especially pork products), don't drink alcohol (don't order beer in a halal restaurant), don't smoke, and don't make loud noises. If you can finish it, don't leave food behind. Don't waste it.

Because mare’s milk is fermented, alcohol is produced. Motorists are advised to drink alcohol after driving (kawas will become a little drunk if they drink too much). But remember, mare’s milk generally has a short shelf life, so drink it as soon as possible. What fruits and dried fruits are available in Xinjiang?

In Xinjiang, there is a well-known jingle: grapes from Turpan, melons from Hami, pears from Korla, and pomegranates from Yecheng. This is a well-known hometown of fruits and vegetables. Fresh and dried fruits and vegetables are everywhere in the market all year round.

1. Walnuts and figs from Hotan Cele

2. Grapes and raisins from Turpan (grapes only ripen in mid-August)

3. Kashgar Shache almonds

4. Mulberry trees in southern Xinjiang

5. Aksu’s “rock candy heart” apples

6. Watermelon)

7 .Hami melon from Hami

8. Yecheng pomegranate

9. Korla pear (ripens in October)

10. Aksu Hotan red dates

11. Kuqa Xiaobai Xing

What specialties to buy in Xinjiang

In Xinjiang, people often go to the Grand Bazaar for shopping, which means a big market. If you want to shop in Xinjiang, large bazaars and farmers' markets are good choices.

Special products:

1. Dried fruits

2. Flower hats

3. Carpets

4. Yinji Sand Knife

5. Hotan Jade

6. Lavender Products

7. Musical Instruments

8. Adele Silk

9. Hami paper-cut

10. Ottoman eyebrow pencil

1. Xinjiang pottery

12. Various jewelry

Tips:

1. Because Jisha Dao is not allowed to take trains, it can only be checked by plane. You will not be able to pass all security checks in Xinjiang with a knife. It is recommended that you buy it and send it home directly.

2. There is a duty-free shop on the China-Kazakhstan border at Horgos Port. Friends who like to chop hands have missed it. Products from Central Asian and European countries are available here. For women who like to buy cosmetics, this is your paradise.

What do you need to prepare for going to Xinjiang?

Valuable items and documents

1. ID card (all kinds of security checks you know)

2. Sufficient cash

3 .Bank card

4. Discount IDs (student ID card, senior citizen ID card, teacher ID card, disability ID card, etc.)

5. Change (convenient for riding)

Medicine

1. Gastrointestinal drugs/antidiarrheal drugs (berberine tablets)

2. Cold drugs

3. Heatstroke prevention drugs (Huoxiang Zhengqi water)

4. Tiger Balm/Fengyoujing

5. Band-Aid, sterile cotton balls, gauze

6. Motion sickness medicine (Halohaining)

7. Shuang Renfei

8. Analgesic and antipyretic drugs (Tylenol or aspirin)

Other items

1. Cosmetics

2. Daily necessities

3. Electronic products

4. Skin care products (sunscreen)

5. Clothing (Xinjiang has a large temperature difference between day and night, Even in summer in Altay and some mountainous areas, the temperature will drop to 3-4 degrees, so you need to take measures to keep warm. )