Xinjiang Attractions

Where to pull over on the 561 km Duku Highway: the Tianshan snow walls, the Bayinbuluke swan lake, the canyon near Kuqa, and the overlook above the Tarim basin.

The best Xinjiang photography spots, from Sayram Lake at dawn to the Karakoram Highway, plus the timing and gear that make them work.

The Kashgar-to-Tashkurgan Pamir Highway is the finest drive in Xinjiang. A practical self-drive guide: route, permits, altitude, stops, and season.

The best Xinjiang hikes for fit travellers: Koktokay, the Xiata ancient road, Tomur Grand Canyon, and the Pamir lakeshore, with season and altitude notes.

Yining is the relaxed, leafy gateway to the Ili Valley and my favorite base for Sayram Lake, Nalati, and the lavender country. Here is how to spend two or three days.

Most travelers skip Urumqi, and they miss out. This guide covers a perfect first day or layover: the bazaar, the museum, the food streets, and using the capital as a base.

Turpan sits 90 minutes south of Urumqi and holds some of Xinjiang’s oldest sites. Here are the day-trip loops, the heat strategy, and what the basin actually costs as a day out.

Kanas in autumn turns the larches gold and the crowds thin out. Here is when the color peaks, where to stand for the best view, and how to book the in-park rooms before they sell out.

Ride husky and mastiff-cross sled dog teams through the frozen valleys of Hemu, Kanas and Altay City. A winter guide to where to go, what it costs, and the ride itself.

Every November to April, thousands of whooper swans overwinter on Xinjiang’s open waters. Bosten Lake holds the largest flock; Sayram offers a smaller, more photographic gathering. A self-drive seasonal guide.