Let’s Start with the Good News Most of Xinjiang is NOT at high altitude. Urumqi (the gateway city) is at 800 meters. Kashgar is at 1,200 meters. Turpan is at -154 meters (below sea level). Your body barely notices these…
The Taklamakan hid whole civilisations under its sand. Niya, Loulan, and Jiaohe are the lost cities of the Tarim, and here is what archaeology has recovered.
The Moment It Clicked I remember the exact moment I fell in love with Kashgar. It wasn’t at some famous landmark. It was 10 PM on a Tuesday, I was lost in the old city, and this old Uyghur guy…
Hiking the red rock Tianshan Grand Canyon near Aksu, what the Ghost Canyon looks like, and how to visit without a guide.
Five days gets you from Urumqi to Kanas Lake and the wooden village of Hemu. Here is a tight loop I have driven, with honest advice on what to skip.
The Moment It Clicked I remember the exact moment I fell in love with Kashgar. It wasn’t at some famous landmark. It was 10 PM on a Tuesday, I was lost in the old city, and this old Uyghur guy…
Three days in Urumqi is enough to taste the city and escape to Heavenly Lake and Turpan. Here is how I would spend a short stopover.
Three weeks covers the whole region and the Pamir Highway fringe. Here is how I would pace a long trip so you finish energized instead of drained.
Two weeks lets you cross both halves of Xinjiang from Kanas to Kashgar. Here is a pacing plan I have tested, with logistics that actually work on the ground.
The Moment It Clicked
