Things to know before traveling
Xinjiang is located in the northwest of my country, accounting for one-sixth of the country’s total land area. It is the largest province in my country, together with Russia, Mongolia, India, and Kazakhstan. It borders eight countries including Stan, and its strategic location is very important. It mainly has a temperate continental climate. To put it simply, Xinjiang can be summarized in two words: "big" and "Qian". ① "Big": Friends who have traveled to Xinjiang will not deny one point of view, that is: traveling to Xinjiang is really tiring because Xinjiang is so big! (How big is Xinjiang? I roughly calculated it. Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong = Xinjiang area 4) The distance between various attractions in Xinjiang is calculated in hundreds of kilometers, and the tourist attractions are very scattered, sometimes from one city to another In cities, it often takes more than ten hours to travel by car or train from one scenic spot to another. Moreover, some scenic spots cover an area of ??nearly 100 square kilometers and can only be visited by shuttle bus. Therefore, almost every day when traveling in Xinjiang, more than 1/3 of the time is spent in cars. Friends who want to travel to Xinjiang must be mentally prepared to sit in a car for a long time. It is worth mentioning that the scenery on both sides of the highway in Xinjiang is really good. Sometimes the most beautiful scenery is on the road. ② "Dry": Xinjiang is located in the middle of the Eurasian continent. This geographical location makes it difficult for water vapor from the ocean to reach. Urumqi is the city farthest from the ocean in the world. Therefore, the climate in Xinjiang is generally dry and the air humidity is low. It is indeed a bit difficult for friends from the east coast, especially the southeast, to adapt. Therefore, when traveling to Xinjiang, you must do a good job of hydrating. If you want to go to Hotan area and Taklimakan Desert area, you should also take measures to prevent wind and sand.
Travel time selection
The best travel seasons in Xinjiang: July, August, September, and October ① March-April: Windy, cold wave invasion, strong winds and windy sand and dust are prone to occur. Precipitation increases. It is a good choice to go to southern Xinjiang at this time. Peach and apricot flowers are in bloom, and the prairie has just recovered. Wild apricot flowers can be viewed in Turpan, Shanshan and other places.
② June: In the Yili area, you can enjoy the sea of ??flowers and the most beautiful lavender (most beautiful in mid-June), but the fruits are not yet ripe at this time.
③ July-August: You can still see the sea of ??flowers all over the mountains and the vast grasslands with rich water and grass. The mountainous area is a good summer resort. At this time, the grassland welcomes the Naadam and Pegasus Festivals. But the lavender harvest has been completed, and the fruits will begin to mature in mid-August. ④ September-October: It is the most beautiful harvest season in Xinjiang. The weather is comfortable, it is the real golden autumn season, and the fruits are fragrant. Kanas in autumn is recognized as the most beautiful autumn scenery in China. The Populus euphratica forest in southern Xinjiang is also dyed with golden autumn colors, and the harvest season of melons and fruits has also arrived. However, these two months are also the busiest tourist season in Xinjiang, and accordingly prices and ticket prices for scenic spots have increased accordingly.
⑤ Winter: The temperature is as low as 20 to 30 degrees below zero, many places have closed mountains and roads, and many attractions are also closed. However, this is the off-season for tourism, prices are low, and tickets for some scenic spots are discounted. Some scenic spots can even be viewed for free, and you can see the snow scenery in the northwest. But I think the viewing value in winter is not as good as in summer and autumn.
Selection of travel methods
Personally, I think the order of advantages and disadvantages of travel methods to Xinjiang should be: self-driving with a group, chartered car with a group, self-driving alone, traveling with a group, traveling alone, traveling with a group 1. Self-driving: travel You have free time, you don’t have to rush to catch the bus every day, and you can stop and enjoy the beautiful scenery at any time on the road. More than 1/3 of the cost of traveling in Xinjiang is spent on transportation, and the road tolls in Xinjiang are not high. You can save a lot of money, and you can rest in the car when you are tired. 2. Go with a group: Xinjiang is a place not suitable for traveling alone. First of all, the food in Xinjiang is very big. For example, Xinjiang’s most famous big plate of chicken, even if it is a medium dish, it will take at least three people to finish it. If you want to eat well and eat a variety of foods in Xinjiang, it’s best to go together.
Secondly, in some places in Xinjiang, there are no buses or shuttle buses to scenic spots. Sometimes, if you can't catch the shuttle bus or bus, you can only charter a bus. If you carpool with others, you have to wait for the driver to solicit passengers to gather the number of people, which wastes a lot of time. If time is awkward and you can't get enough people to carpool, you will have to bear the high charter fares, so you can share the transportation expenses equally and reduce transportation expenses by going with a group. Of course, traveling in groups is also safer. ① Self-driving together: the highest degree of freedom, the most time-saving, and the most economical. The cost of renting a car and driving together is not much more expensive than catching a bus every day. It would be better if you drive your own car to Xinjiang. ② Chartering a car together: Driving together as a group is similar to chartering a car together. The difference is that when you charter a car, you also hire a driver. In this way, you don’t have to drive for a long time and can quietly enjoy the beautiful scenery. Moreover, the chartered taxi masters are very familiar with nearby attractions and can take you to the most beautiful places and even act as your tour guide. But if you charter a car, you have to cover the chartered driver’s three meals and accommodation expenses, which is more expensive than driving by yourself. ③ Driving alone: ??The benefits of self-driving are as above. If you are alone, no one will share the traveling expenses with you, but you will have more freedom. If you are traveling on a budget, you can sleep in the car. ④ Travel freely in a group: You can share the food and transportation expenses equally, the expenses are smaller, and it is more interesting. Of course, the premise is that the person has the same three views as you:) However, it will be difficult to travel together. ⑤ Traveling alone: ??There are many inconveniences. It is difficult to save money on food and transportation. It is even more lonely for friends who are not good at striking up conversations. But a person is freer and has a deeper experience. It depends on personal choice! ⑥ Group travel: Xinjiang is the least suitable place for group travel. Because there are time limits for group tours, and the scenic spots in Xinjiang are very large, the one or two hours the tour guide gives you is actually not enough to allow you to see it in depth and comprehensively, and there are not many opportunities for you to contact the locals and experience it in depth. True Xinjiang style, so this is the way I least recommend.
Four
Consumption level
Do you think prices in Xinjiang are very low? Actually you are only half right. In southern Xinjiang, prices are indeed very low. You can basically eat a full meal for only a dozen yuan, and fruits are extremely cheap. For example, watermelon in Kuqa costs 50 cents per kilogram, which is one kilogram! And it’s big and sweet. Therefore, I especially recommend that you save buying specialties, dried fruits, souvenirs, etc. in southern Xinjiang. but! Focus on it! Prices in Northern Xinjiang are not low at all, especially the level of tourism consumption is very high. I can definitely say that the level of tourism consumption in Northern Xinjiang is comparable to first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou! ! What caught me off guard most in Xinjiang was the price of food and beverages. In northern Xinjiang, a full meal often costs at least 30-40 yuan (more expensive near scenic spots). Because the food in Xinjiang is relatively large, it is also expensive. A plate of noodles costs at least 20-25 yuan. It would be even scarier if you are in a scenic area. I saw such a small plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes in Kanas Scenic Area for 48 yuan, which is not delicious:) If you want to eat meat in the scenic area during the peak season, it will basically cost 55-65 yuan. Starting (except barbecue). Tickets for scenic spots are not cheap, especially for famous scenic spots that cover a large area. Including inter-regional tickets, they basically cost more than 150 yuan, and some even cost more than 200 or 300 yuan. So before coming to Xinjiang, make sure you have enough travel funds. Traveling in Xinjiang may cost you a lot. If you don’t go to southern Xinjiang but want to buy specialties, dried fruits, and souvenirs, I still recommend going to the Ili area in northern Xinjiang to buy them cheaper.
Five
Tourism routes
Xinjiang’s classic tourism routes are generally divided into east, west, north and south.
If you want to travel through Xinjiang's Grand Ring Line, the order is generally: North Line, West Line, South Line, East Line
The following are four classic lines, each of which contains the most famous and beautiful scenic spots. Make a choice based on personal preference, budget and time: ① Northern route (mainly Altay region): 7-8 days a. Urumqi-Kokotuohai-Burqin-Jiaden Valley-Hemu-Kanas Lake - Baihaba - Habahe County - Colorful Beach - Burqin or: b. Urumqi - Keketuo Sea - Burqin - Colorful Beach - Habahe County - Baihaba - Kanas Lake - Hemu - Jiadeng Valley - Burqin PS: Altay region hiking route: a. Eastern route hiking: 3-4 days Jiadeng Valley - Banlu Inn - Hemu Village - Black Lake - Kana Si b. Western route hiking: 4 days Kanas - Tubeike - Shuanghu - Naren Ranch - Baihaba
② Western route tourism (mainly in Ili area): 8-9 Tianburjin - Urho (Devil City) - Sailimu Lake - Guozigou Bridge - Horgos Port - Yining - Zhaosu - Tekes - Kalajun - Qiongkush Terrace—Nalati—Bayinbuluk PS: Qiongkush Terrace—Kalajun Hiking Route: 2-3 days Qiongkush Terrace Village—Camping Terrace—Flower Terrace—Xikala Jun
③ Southern route tourism (Southern Xinjiang customs route): 9-10 days Bayinbuluk - Duku Highway - Kuqa - Kashgar - Hongqi Lafu Port - Taxkorgan County - Ta County - Kashgar - Hotan - Minfeng - Desert Highway - Korla - Urumqi ④ Eastern route travel: 4-5 days Urumqi - Tianshan Tianchi - Urumqi - Turpan - Shanshan - Hami
Six
Security Issues
Many people’s bad impression of Xinjiang stems from something that happened several years ago. But I, a 19-year-old girl, traveled in Xinjiang for a month on a budget. I didn’t meet any bad people except for a few people who wanted to steal money. Moreover, many of the traveling friends I met along the way also didn’t encounter or see anything bad. So I personally think that the compatriots in Xinjiang are still very hospitable and honest, especially in southern Xinjiang, which is really not as scary as everyone imagines. There are bad people everywhere, and there are always one or two rat droppings in every place that spoil the pot of porridge, but we must believe that there are always more good people than bad people. In Xinjiang, no matter where you go, even if you go to a supermarket or market, you have to go through security checks. There are even three or four security checks at train stations and bus stations, and there is basically a police station on every street, so I feel that in Xinjiang Very safe. Sometimes when I can't book a hotel or I arrive in a city in the middle of the night and I'm wandering on the street, the police will come to help. So don't be afraid or shy. If you have any difficulties, just ask the police. They will be happy to help you. , of course there is no chance to find a better one.
Seven
Ethnic Minorities
Xinjiang has many ethnic groups, the most important of which are Uyghurs and Kazakhs. Generally speaking, the Uyghurs are distributed in western Xinjiang, including Kashgar, Hotan, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture and Aksu, as well as Turpan and other areas in eastern Xinjiang; the Kazakhs are concentrated in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northern Xinjiang; the Han people are mainly distributed in eastern Xinjiang and The north includes Urumqi, Karamay, Hami and other northeastern regions. As for the differences in culture and customs between different ethnic groups, tourists need to understand and respect them in advance. It is a good choice to do as the locals do.
8
Language issues
In the big cities in Xinjiang, it is basically no problem to communicate in Mandarin, but in some minority autonomous prefectures in northern Xinjiang, it is difficult to communicate in Mandarin. Language barriers may be encountered. When meeting ethnic minorities, try to speak Mandarin as slowly as possible. In southern Xinjiang, the language problem becomes even more prominent. Except for ticket sellers in scenic spots and cashiers in stores, few adults can speak fluent Mandarin.
Therefore, when asking for directions or buying things, try to type in advance on your mobile phone or write on paper for the other party to read. If the other party cannot understand, try to ask the children, because now Xinjiang basically has bilingual education, and many children know some basic mandarin.
Nine
Network problems
Internet access places can be found in major cities in Xinjiang and some counties. Most high-end hotels can provide Internet services. However, it is very difficult to access the Internet in tourist attractions or some small places, and the Internet speed is relatively slow. There are even no signals at all in some scenic spots. Please remember to explain the situation clearly to your family, keep in touch, and report safety in time to avoid this. Unnecessary misunderstanding. PS: Xinjiang tourism website resources: ① Tianshan Net (www.ts.cn): Xinjiang portal website, providing tourism and cultural news from various places in Xinjiang ② Xinjiang tourism official website: www.xinjiangtour.gov.cn
10
Travel Notes
1. Weather: As the saying goes, "Wear a cotton-padded jacket in the morning, wear a gauze in the afternoon, and eat watermelon around the stove." The weather in Xinjiang is changeable, and one day can experience four seasons. Please be sure to prepare sun protection, cold protection, and rain protection equipment; 2. Clothing: Xinjiang has a large temperature difference between day and night. Even in July and August, the nights are relatively cold. You should wear clothing with good breathability and warmth. Also, try to wear loose, cotton-made pants. If you want to ride a horse, be sure not to wear sandals barefoot, as the stirrups will wear out your feet before long. 3. Sun protection and heatstroke prevention: Some areas in Xinjiang have high altitudes and strong ultraviolet radiation, so please bring sun protection items (such as high-level sunscreen, sunglasses), preferably long sleeves and long pants, otherwise, you will definitely lose one layer of the sun in one day. Skin. In addition, the highest temperature in Turpan in summer can reach over 40 degrees, so you should be equipped with heat-clearing and heatstroke-preventing drugs or granules; 4. Transportation: Xinjiang’s straight roads are prone to visual fatigue and speeding; roads in places such as Daban in Tianshan are very steep and the road conditions are It's also very bad, so drive carefully; and most of Xinjiang is a pastoral area, and there are often cattle, sheep and other livestock on the roads. If you hit the livestock with your car, you have to pay compensation and apologize. Friends who are traveling by car, please pay attention to safety! In addition, the journey may take a long time, so travelers who suffer from motion sickness need to be careful. 5. Rent a car: It is best to rent a car with more than one person who can drive, because Xinjiang has a vast territory and it is normal for each scenic area to be five to six hundred kilometers apart. Driving alone will be very tiring. Usually three or four people rent an off-road jeep together for 15 days at 500-600 yuan/day. The cost of renting a car to travel throughout Xinjiang is about 7500-9000 yuan, with an average of 1875-2250 yuan/person. At the same time, because there are relatively few vehicles on Xinjiang’s expressways, many people speed, so be sure to pay attention to safety. 6. Shopping: Everything sold in Xinjiang is measured by kilogram. If you ask how much a kilogram is, you will be ripped off. Even if the other party says how much per kilogram, it also means how much per kilogram. Don’t make a mistake and pay them twice as much. 7. Accommodation: Generally speaking, except for modern hotels in a few cities such as Urumqi and Karamay, accommodation conditions in other places in Xinjiang are relatively simple and expensive. Many places do not have air conditioning, and some places do not even have showers and separate toilets. We must have these basic understandings before going there. Staying in a residential house with ethnic characteristics, although the conditions are simple, is a different experience from another perspective. Of course, there are also luxuriously decorated modern hotels in some scenic spots, but it is said that the prices are in the three to four digits. Accommodation in sparsely populated remote areas is not very convenient. Some places that are rarely visited by tourists not only have no hotels or guest houses, but also no residents. They only have their own cars and other means of transportation and tents. 8. Banks: There are many banks of various types in the capital of each state, such as Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, etc. However, there are very few banks in counties and townships, so you need to prepare a certain amount of cash. You can pay with WeChat Pay or Alipay in most places, but it may not be possible in some remote places with poor signal, so please prepare enough cash and store it in several separate parts to reduce the risk of loss.
9. Time difference: There is a two-hour time difference between Xinjiang and the mainland. The commuting hours of most service agencies and government departments are different from those in the Mainland. The morning starting time is usually 10 or 11 o'clock, and the lunch break is longer, usually starting after 15:00. In addition, although the passenger terminals all use Beijing time, local ethnic minority drivers are accustomed to speaking Xinjiang time, so they should pay special attention to confirm the time when chartering or taking a bus. 10. Acclimatization: The water in Xinjiang is alkaline and relatively hard, so people who are not used to it may suffer from constipation after drinking it. People in the east are prone to diarrhea if they eat various mutton and dairy products from Xinjiang, and there are also disadvantages if they are too fresh. Similarly, fruits contain much more sugar than in mainland China, so don’t eat too much at one time. 11. Security inspection: The security inspection in Xinjiang is very strict (and you may have to go through security inspection again or multiple times during the trip). At the airport, you need to empty your pockets and take off your shoes, and then scan the soles of your feet. There is also a second security check at the boarding channel; transportation hubs such as train stations and bus stations generally have to go through 3-4 security checks, so no matter Whether by plane, train, or car, go at least an hour in advance. Even if you go to a supermarket, bazaar, or market, you have to go through security check wherever there are many people. 12. Due to the dry climate in Xinjiang, we are reminded not to wear contact lenses. Especially in some areas, the accommodation conditions are not good, and washing and other things are inconvenient. If you need to bring them, bring a few extra pairs. 13. Borders: There are many military restricted areas, national borders and other places in Xinjiang where it is prohibited to visit or take photos. You must remember this clearly, otherwise you will cause unnecessary trouble; go to Baihaba, Horgos, Hongqi In places such as Lafu, you need to apply for a border pass at the armed police border brigade in Burqin County, Huocheng County and Taxkorgan County. You can also apply for it at the police station where your household registration is located in advance. Otherwise, you may have to wait in line for a long time if you go to the local area to apply again. 14. Insurance: Since accidents and illnesses can happen at any time during travel, especially when going to special areas to carry out special activities, such as mountain climbing, desert crossing, ancient trail hiking, etc., even if you are strong and agile, it is best to get insurance before traveling. There is relevant insurance. 15. If you have the opportunity, it is recommended to ride a horse. Yili horses are the best horses in Xinjiang. If the price is more than 50 yuan (one hour), you can negotiate the price (if you can negotiate, it will be much lower). Remember, if you are riding a horse, it is best not to go to scenic spots because it is too expensive. If a child is riding, the price can be reduced. But it won’t work if it’s officially operated.
National Day
Food
1. Large plate of chicken (depending on the number of people, at least three people can finish the middle plate, add some belt noodles after finishing) It’s better to eat it with the sauce) 70-150 yuan
2. Grilled mutton skewers (remember, mutton in Xinjiang is not spicy!) 3-10 yuan/skewer 3. Grilled buns (mutton stuffed), thin-skinned buns 3-5 yuan/piece 4. Naan (necessary dry food for long-distance travel) less than 5 yuan 5. roasted whole lamb 6. hand rice (with mutton) starting at 20-25 yuan 7. oily meat Mixed noodles (wall crack recommendation! The best noodles!) Starting at 20-25 yuan 8. Cut cake (actually it feels like a very sweet Saqima) 9. Yili’s handmade ice cream (only a few yuan but I think it’s similar to Comparable to Haagen-Dazs, recommended!) 3-8 yuan 10. Kavas/Kvass from Yili (kavas goes better with mutton skewers) 4-8 yuan/cup 11. Yogurt, yogurt pimples (so sour) To lose teeth, it’s better to add some sugar) 12. Naren 13. Grilled pike in Burqin starts at 25 yuan 14. Cold fish from Altay region (personally, steamed is better) 15. Canned noodles 16. Ghee 17. Oil tarts, oil cakes 18, noodle soup 10-20 yuan 19, jelly (the best in Ili) 5-10 yuan 20, milk, mare's milk (the bargain price is about 20-30 per kilogram), camel milk 21, blood Intestine (the best in Ili) 22, stewed fish (the best in Ili) 23, pulled strips 24, haggis 25, rice soup starting at 15 yuan 26, rice intestines, noodles, haggis 27, Wusu beer (than Mainland beer is easy on the brain and goes well with barbecue!) 28, steamed rice noodles 29, cold noodles (also called yellow noodles, not as delicious as those in Xi’an), noodles starting at 15 yuan 30, Yili’s horse intestine meat and smoked horse meat 31 , Doudou Noodles 32, milk tea (very distinctive) Note: ① People with lactose intolerance must not try any milk originating in Xinjiang, including yogurt! Otherwise, you will have vomiting and diarrhea all day long. Don’t ask me how I know:) The yogurt with a trademark in the store is produced in a factory and can be eaten with confidence. ②Don’t waste food. Guests should not compete with the host for work, especially for filling the teapot. Do not throw water on your hands before eating. It is considered impolite to throw water on your hands. Please wipe or hang them dry. ③ Because mare’s milk is fermented, alcohol is produced. It is best for drivers to drink after driving (even if you drink too much Kavas, you will be a little drunk). But remember, mare’s milk usually has a short shelf life, so drink it as soon as possible.
Twelve
Fruits and dried fruits are measured by kilograms
In Xinjiang, there is a well-known jingle: grapes from Turpan, melons from Hami, fragrant pear people from Korla People praise that the pomegranates in Yecheng are croaking. This is a well-known hometown of fruits and vegetables, with fresh and dried fruits on the market all year round. 1. Walnuts and figs from Hotan Cele 2. Grapes and raisins from Turpan (grapes only ripen in mid-August) 3. Almonds from Kashgar Yarkand 4. Mulberries from southern Xinjiang 5. “Rock candy heart” apples from Aksu region 6 , Watermelon (Kuqa watermelon costs 50 cents per kilogram) 7. Cantaloupe from Hami 8. Pomegranate from Yecheng 9. Fragrant pears from Korla (ripe in October) 10. Red dates from Aksu and Hotan 11. Small white apricots from Kuqa
Shopping Guide
In Xinjiang, people often go to the Grand Bazaar for shopping, which means Big Bazaar. If you want to shop in Xinjiang, grand bazaars and farmers’ markets in various places are good choices. Special products:
1. Dried fruits 2. Flower hats 3. Carpets 4. Yingjisha knife 5. Hotan jade (it is best to buy from Hotan, you must have certain identification ability) 6. Lavender products (essential oil, facial mask, Sachets, etc.) 7. Musical instruments (dombra, drum, dutar, etc.) 8. Adelai silk 9. Hami paper-cutting 10. Ottoman eyebrow pencil 11. Xinjiang earthenware 12. Various jewelry TIPS: 1. Yingisha Knives are not allowed to be taken on trains, but can only be checked on planes. Carrying a knife will make it impossible to pass all the security checks in Xinjiang, so it is recommended that you buy it and send it home directly.
2. There is a duty-free shop on the China-Kazakhstan border at Horgos Port. Friends who like to shop should not miss it. There are products from Central Asia and European countries. For women who like to buy cosmetics, this is your paradise.