Xinjiang is the largest area in China. It is an autonomous region located in the extreme northwest of the country and is home to the Southern Silk Road and the huge Taklamakan Desert.
Save a handful of airports, the main way to get about is by bus and there are no real major highways, as with eastern China. In addition, bar the capital Urumqi, there are no major towns to speak of and hotels, entertainment, and shopping are generally limited.
It will really appeal to the adventure-type traveler, though, with its massive desert, remote national parks, and small dusty outposts. Xinjiang is mostly populated by ethnic minority groups, like the Mongols and Kazakhs, and getting about without knowing at least some Mandarin is tough.
Urumqi is the capital of Xinjiang Autonomous Region and the entry point to Xinjiang for fliers. It is on China Highway 312 and can also be accessed by train. Urumqi has the most facilities of any town in Xinjiang and comes with the mega Da Bazar night market.
Trips to Bu’erjin (Burqin) from Urumqi are popular in order to access Kanas National Nature Reserve, right up in the north. To the east of Urumqi is Turpan, China’s hottest town (temperature wise). It lies on the Silk Road and provides access to the Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Caves and Flaming Mountain.
Tian Chi (Heaven Lake) is also near to Urumqi and is a major side attraction. It sits at 2,000m above sea level and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a two-hour trip from Urumqi and you can camp out and buy local silks near the lake.
Between Urumqi and Kashgar, the main southern Xinjiang town, is the massive Taklamakan Desert. It is the world’s second largest, after the Sahara, and is boiling hot and almost featureless. Herein lies its beauty and you can skirt it via the Tarim Desert Expressway when taking in the Southern Silk Road.
The city of Kashgar is quickly modernizing and losing its ancient, adobe-clad appeal. It was a major connection on the Silk Road and is also the start point of the important Karakoram Highway.
Hotan is the nearest large city to Kashgar. It is also part of the Southern Silk Road and is big into silk and jade production. Between Kashgar and Hotan is the Karghilik district. If you’re into knives, this is the pace to head to, and it also presides over the start of the Xinjiang-Tibet Highway.
Getting There & Away
Xinjiang has several airports and the best way in is to fly to Urumqi. Diwopu International Airport receives flights from Beijing (4 hours) as well as from Shanghai in 5 hours. The southern city of Kashgar is an hour’s flight away and has the second airport in the region. Urumqi is also served by train and major highway.