Buying Cashmere and Pashmina in Xinjiang: A Shopper’s Guide
How to buy real cashmere and pashmina in Xinjiang: where to shop, how to spot fakes, fair prices, and caring for your purchase.
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Wild Mushrooms and Morels in Xinjiang: Foraging, Markets, and Cooking
A field guide to Xinjiang’s wild mushrooms and morels: where and when to forage, how to buy them at market, and three dishes worth making.
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Mongol Culture in Xinjiang: Oirat Yurts, Buddhism, and Naadam on the Northern Steppe
Explore Xinjiang’s Mongols in Bortala and Hoboksar: Oirat heritage, the 1771 Torghut return, Tibetan Buddhism, Naadam games, and where to experience it.
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Kyrgyz Culture in Xinjiang: The Turkic Keepers of the Pamir’s Northern Flank
Meet the Kyrgyz of Xinjiang’s Kizilsu: Turkic nomads of the Pamir, keepers of the Manas epic, yurt life, horse games, and how to visit them from Kashgar.
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Xinjiang Koumiss (Qymyz / Airag): The Sparkling Fermented Mare’s Milk of the Grasslands
Xinjiang koumiss (qymyz/airag): the fizzy fermented mare’s-milk drink of Kazakh and Kyrgyz nomads. How it’s made, where to try it, and etiquette.
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The Sunnat Toy: Xinjiang’s Circumcision Celebration and Rite of Passage
The sunnat toy in Xinjiang: the Uyghur and Kazakh circumcision feast, its food, music, and how visitors can witness it respectfully.
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Glaciers of Xinjiang: Muztagh Ata, Tianger and Where to See the Ice Mountains
Where to see Xinjiang’s glaciers without climbing — Muztagh Ata above Karakul Lake, Tianger Glacier No. 1, the best season, and how to visit safely.
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Xinjiang Breads Beyond Naan: Sangza, Girdeh, Katlama and the Tone Oven
Naan is only the start. A field guide to Xinjiang breads — sangza, girdeh, katlama, toghach — how they are baked in the tone oven and when to eat them.
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Xinjiang Land Border Crossings: Khorgos, Torugart, Irkeshtam and Khunjerab Explained
A practical guide to Xinjiang’s land border crossings — Khorgos, Torugart, Irkeshtam and Khunjerab: permits, guides, seasons and pitfalls.
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Xinjiang Dinosaur Fossils: A Guide to the Region’s Jurassic Basins and Where to See Them
Xinjiang’s dinosaur fossils: the Junggar and Turpan basins, major sites, museums to visit, and how to plan a fossil-themed trip responsibly.
