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.
The 700 km drive from Urumqi to Kanas Lake is northern Xinjiang’s signature road trip. Here is the real route, the fuel stops, the permit wrinkle, and the mistakes I made so you don’t have to.
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.
Foreign travelers in Xinjiang must register their stay within 24 hours. This guide covers what hotels file for you, how to register with friends or homestays, where the PSB is, and what documents to carry at checkpoints.
Ski down green summer slopes in Xinjiang’s Ili Valley. Our guide covers grass skiing at Nalati, Karajun and Zhaosu, what it costs, who it suits, and how to pair a run with a night at a yurt camp.
Kazakh and Uyghur artisans carve ram horn and camel bone into combs, snuff boxes, chess sets and figures. A guide to the materials, the tools, the motifs, and where to watch masters work and buy honestly in Xinjiang.
Before cinema, Uyghur shadow plays lit cut-leather puppets behind a screen in Kashgar and Urumqi. Here is where to watch the tradition today, the stories it tells, and how it is being saved.
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.
Xinjiang’s windy lakes are Asia’s best-kept sailing secret. Drive a self-guided loop from Bosten to Sayram and Kanas for reliable thermal wind, gear tips, and the best months to rig your sail.
Searching Xinjiang’s Tianshan and Pamir for the manul, the grumpiest cat in Central Asia. A first-person guide to seeing this elusive Pallas’s cat through camera-trap stations, research bases, and Urumqi’s rescue zoo.
