Yarkand (Shache) is one of the Tarim Basin’s oldest oasis towns — a former Silk Road kingdom with a living Uyghur music tradition, a vast royal cemetery, and none of the crowds of Kashgar. Our complete guide covers history, what to see, and how to get there.
Sayram Lake sits at 2,000 meters in the Borohoro Mountains, the last stop of Atlantic moisture before the deserts take over. Here’s how to visit Xinjiang’s most photogenic alpine lake, what to do there, and when to go.
Deep in the Altai Mountains, Kanas Lake is Xinjiang’s most famous alpine lake — glacial water, Tuvan villages, and a decades-old ‘lake monster’ legend. Here’s how to visit, where to stay, and when to go.
Nalati is the poster child of Xinjiang’s Ili grasslands — rolling alpine meadows, herds of horses, and Kazakh yurts. Here’s how to visit, what to do, and when the meadows are at their best.
The Flaming Mountains are the red sandstone ridge made famous by the novel Journey to the West — and one of the hottest places in China. Here’s when to visit, what to see, and how to beat the heat.
Kuerdening is a quieter alternative to Nalati — a UNESCO-listed grassland and spruce forest in the Ili Valley with few crowds. Here’s how to visit and why it rewards the extra effort.
Hemu is the Tuvan village at the heart of the Kanas area — timber cabins, birch forest, and a morning mist that photographers cross the country for. Here’s how to visit and where to stay.
Karakul Lake sits at 3,600 meters on the Pamir Plateau, reflecting Muztagh Ata — the ‘Father of Ice Mountains.’ Here’s how to visit, where to stay, and why this is the most photogenic stop on the Karakoram Highway.
The Kanas River folds into three famous bends — Immortal Bay, Moon Bay, and Wolong Bay. Here’s how to see all three, the best viewpoints, and when the autumn birch forest makes them unforgettable.
Yining (Ghulja) is the relaxed heart of the Ili Valley — tree-lined streets, a famous night market, and apricot blossom in spring. Here’s what to see, when to go, and how to use it as a base.