Xinjiang

About Xinjiang

Xinjiang is China’s largest province-level region, one sixth of the country’s land, where snow peaks, grasslands, lakes, deserts and oases share the same territory — historically the core of the Silk Road. Many travellers consider a northern Xinjiang summer the most beautiful scenery in China: Kanas Lake shifts between jade and deep blue with the light, smoke rises through the morning mist at Hemu village, and Sayram Lake and the Narati grasslands unfold one after another. Southern Xinjiang strings together Kashgar’s old town, the Pamirs and Kuqa for a more human, cultural route. Distances run to hundreds of kilometres between sights and public transport rarely covers them, so a private car or self-drive is standard; the Duku Highway opens only from June to October. Ürümqi and Yining airports are the main gateways, and local hours run about two hours behind Beijing. Allow at least seven to ten days.