What are the tourist attractions in southern Xinjiang? Recommended tourist attractions in southern Xinjiang

When traveling to Xinjiang, people say that northern Xinjiang is for the scenery and southern Xinjiang is for the customs. Southern Xinjiang is more mysterious than northern Xinjiang. So, what are the must-visit tourist attractions when traveling to southern Xinjiang? The following are the top ten tourist attractions in southern Xinjiang recommended by editors. Let’s take a look at some places!

1. The Mysterious Grand Canyon of Tianshan Mountain

In the canyon, you can look up and see endless cliffs.

The mysterious Tianshan Grand Canyon is called "Kizil Asia" in Uyghur, which means "Red Cliff". Since entering the Grand Canyon, dark red mountains stand on both sides, steep and changeable, which is quite visually impactful. Standing in the middle, I can only sigh that this is the uncanny workmanship of nature, spectacular and shocking! The entire Grand Canyon is about three kilometers of walking, and cars are not allowed to enter the scenic area. You can experience this feeling of close contact with the Grand Canyon while walking.

2. The Ancient City of Kashgar

As the saying goes, if you don’t come to Kashgar, you don’t come to Xinjiang. Its predecessor was Shule City during the Western Han Dynasty, and there are many attractions here. Walking on the streets of Kashgar, you have a feeling of traveling through time and space: on one side is the new city with tall buildings, on the other is the ancient maze-like building complex; on the one hand is the tinkling sound from the traditional blacksmith shop, on the other hand is the wafting sound of coffee shops. The fragrance.

Every morning there is a lively Kaicheng performance at the gate of the ancient city.

The ancient city is not big and you can experience various shops. The century-old teahouse inside is always packed.

3. Pamir Plateau

The Pamir Plateau is a charming place. In this desolate and mysterious land, there are glaciers that never melt all year round, the majestic Gongger Peak, the snow-capped Muztagata, Karakul Lake, and the White Sand Lake, which is known as the The Karakoram Highway, one of the eight wonders of the world.

4. Karakul Lake

Karakul Lake is located 191 kilometers southwest of Kashgar, Xinjiang, at the foot of the Muztagh Iceberg. It’s an alpine lake eroded by ice, and time is running out. The lake is surrounded by ice and snow and is very picturesque.

5. Muztag Peak

From the Kunlun Mountain section of National Highway 314 to the Taheman Township section, Muztag Peak can be seen from various angles. You can see different scenery. If you have time, it is recommended to visit each observation deck, because the scenery you can see is really completely different. Because only when you stand in front of Mt. Mustaq will you know why it is called the "Father of Glaciers."

Mountains, rivers and lakes are intertwined with different scenery.

6. Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves (Kuqa)

It is the earliest grotto excavated in China, and its artistic value is comparable to the mural art of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. The Kizir Grottoes are a typical representative of Qiuci Grottoes art. They are also the earliest, largest, longest-lasting, best-preserved, and most influential Buddhist grotto temple relics discovered in the Western Regions.

Kizir Grottoes had a profound impact on the spread of splendid ancient Western civilization and Buddhist culture and art to the Central Plains. She is the cradle of Chinese Buddhist culture, which to a certain extent influenced the development of Hexi and Central Plains grottoes and became the starting point of Chinese grottoes.

7. Wensu Grand Canyon

Here is the endless Yadan landform. Sand, flowing water, and time have carved it into a large natural geological museum. The Wensu Grand Canyon is very large, with crisscrossing ravines and twists and turns, which is very spectacular.

8. Baisha Lake

Baisha Lake is not only embedded in Zhouke Akto County on the Pamir Plateau, but also nestled tightly in the Kunlun Mountains. It is said that Baisha Lake is the place where Tang Monk surrendered to Sha Monk in "Journey to the West". Half of Baisha Lake is white sand and half is lake water. Due to long-term erosion by wind and sand, the sand around Husha is gray-white, forming Baisha Mountain.

Continuous white sand beaches, rippling blue lakes, sand mountain lakes, white sand and black rocks, and the clouds in the sky rolling and relaxing in the wind. When you come here, you can only admire its extraordinary beauty endlessly.

9. Panlong Ancient Road

Panlong Ancient Road is a famous road in Kashgar. It is winding and winding, hence the name "Panlong".

Panlong Highway has many curves, including 180 degrees and even 270 degrees. Here’s a famous quote, pictured below.

10. Taheman Wetland

Tahman is not only the "kidney of Xinjiang" because it is not restricted by the valley bottom. The melted glaciers and snow water rotate and jump randomly here, forming landscapes such as nine twists and turns, meadows, meandering streams, snow-capped mountains, flowers, etc. The changes of the four seasons here are also different.

From a distance, Tahman Wetland is like a green brocade falling from Muztagh Ata, sparkling!