Xinjiang liangpi are cold wheat-starch noodles dressed in garlic, vinegar, and chili oil, sold from summer street carts in Turpan, Urumqi, Kashgar, and Yining for eight to fifteen yuan a bowl.
A first-person traveler’s guide to Uyghur soups of Xinjiang, from Kashgar mutton-bone shorpa to milk-noodle suytash, pumpkin kawa, and laghman soup, with tips on where to eat and what to pay.
Salt built more of the Silk Road than silk did. Explore Xinjiang’s rock-salt mines, pink lakes and the old mineral roads, and how to visit the white basins safely.
The cliffs and high plateaus of Xinjiang hold ibex and the giant argali sheep. A field guide to where they live, how to watch them, and the safety and ethics of the chase.
Xinjiang’s saline lakes turn pink with flamingos each spring and autumn. Find the best lakes, learn why they colour up, and how to watch them without flushing the flock.
Behind the deserts lie vast reed marshes that filter the water and hide the wildlife. A guide to Xinjiang’s wetlands, when to visit, and how to explore them without harm.
Skip the orchards and gather wild raspberries, currants and gooseberries along Xinjiang’s mountain streams. A seasonal foraging calendar, safe-ID tips, and what to pack.
Hang above the red rock on a zip line, clip into a via ferrata, or float in a balloon. A practical guide to Xinjiang’s aerial adventures, what they cost, and how to stay safe.
From Kazakh steppe ponies to golden Akhal-Teke bloodlines, Xinjiang is horse country. This guide covers where the herds roam, the festivals, and how to meet the animals safely.
Nan gets the fame, but Xinjiang’s fried sangza and ring-shaped girde breads are the real road snacks. Here is where to find them, how to pack them, and how to fry your own.
