Why Xinjiang, China Is Worth Adding To Your Travel Bucket List
From old Silk Road routes to mountain lakes and desert landscapes, Xinjiang offers travelers a very different side of China.
Xinjiang isn’t just a quiet corner of Northwestern China anymore. In recent years, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region became a destination for international travelers looking for stunning landscapes. Read on to find out why it’s worth adding to your bucket list.
Geared For Tourism
The biggest problem in years gone by was the fact that it was logistically hard to visit the area, and the distances are no laughing matter. But the area is better geared up for tourists now, and it has the advantage of being relatively safe to visit.
You only need a standard Chinese visa and passport to get in and no special permit is needed for major places like Urumqi, Kashgar, or Turpan, so it’s become easier for folks to visit.
You can fly into Urumqi Tianshan International Airport, or you can take the Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed Railway from major Chinese cities. However, travelers should anticpate high prices for inter-city flights.
Importantly, you should always carry your passport with you because there are checkpoints and roadblocks where officials will want to see your identification.
The Silk Road
The old history still pulls people in, but the experience of traveling there got a lot easier. As Far West China points out, you don’t need special travel permits for basic travel in major cities, but “if you want to travel to sensitive border areas, you will need to get an Alien’s Travel Permit.”
A border permit is needed for other frontier zones like Tashkurgan and the Pamir Plateau. If that sounds daunting, most travel agencies can arrange those for you.
You also need to book hotels in advance because not all accommodation accepts folks with foreign passports.
In a YouTube video titled “Xinjiang: The UNREAL Side of China You Never Knew Existed,” Eureka Travel Explorer noted that “for many travelers it remains one of the least familiar parts of China.”
In the video, they reminded folks that the history of the place is fascinating: “More than 2,000 years ago the Silk Road crossed this extraordinary landscape.”
The channel explained that the Panlong Ancient Road “is only 36 km long but it has more than 600 bends.” The narrator also added that “from above the road coils across the mountains like a black dragon.”
Interesting Features
Xinjiang gives you more than the old Silk Road and ancient cities because of the many unique geological features.
Northern Xinjiang is best for nature and it has alpine lakes like Kanas and Sayram Lake, grasslands, and pine forests. Peak seasons there run from June to September.
The travel blog also shared that Sayram Lake sits “at more than 2,000 meters above sea level” and “has an unusual feature” because “no river flows out of it.”
Southern Xinjiang is great for people who enjoy the cultural aspects of travel. There’s the Uyghur heritage, for a start. Then you can also travel the Karakoram Highway, and grab some Instagram-worthy pics of the desert landscapes.
China Xian Tour wrote, “Due to its scattered attractions and uniqueness and diversities in climate, culture, religion and traditions, planning ahead and learning some insider tips seems so necessary to enhance your Xinjiang travel experience.”
In Turpan, you’ll be wanting some light clothing as it gets really hot during the day, but you will need a jacket as well because it gets very chilly once the sun sets.
New Places To Explore
Many travelers like looking beyond the usual old routes through Europe, and the idea of visiting a place like Xinjiang becomes more attractive.
Have you ever been to Xinjiang? Let us know in the comments below, and then come back for more travel news and updates.