Most people take a bus or taxi across the Karakoram. I decided to take a bicycle.

I have been across the Chinese side of the Karakoram Highway a few years ago but this would be the first time that I would turn it into a bicycle adventure.

I filmed the entire adventure and below is Episode 1 of 8 that will be published over the next couple months. If you enjoy the video, please give it a thumbs up!

Don’t miss the rest of this season! Subscribe to FarWestChina on YouTube.

Biking the Karakoram Highway | The Plan

The trip was organized by a good friend of mine here in Urumqi and we were able to get a total of five guys on board – three Americans (including me), one Aussie and one Chinese.

The plan was to take a bus from the old Silk Road city of Kashgar (喀什) up the Karakoram Highway to Tashkorgan (塔什库尔干) and take our time riding back. We planned a total of about 460 km (285 mi) of biking, a trip which could reasonably be done in about three days but we decided to stretch it out to nine so that we had time for other activities, including:

• Exploring the Tajik town of Tashkorgan
• Witnessing a Tajik game of “Goat” (Buzkashi)
• Hiking to Base Camp of Muztaghata
• Camping at Karakul Lake

We knew from the start that it was going to be an incredible adventure and looking back I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed in the least with both the journey and the scenery.

State of the Karakoram Highway

When we departed from the Pamir Hostel in Kashgar, we were told to expect up to 12 hours of driving on a stretch of road that usually only takes about 6-8 hours on a normal day.

Why? Heavy rains in early August had prompted flooding in the area, which meant washout on the highway. It’s for this very reason that the Karakoram Highway has been a nightmare and a bottomless pit of money for the Chinese government. Constant floods, mudslides, rockslides and snowdrifts disrupt traffic and require constant maintenance on the road.

I’ll go into this in more detail in Episode 4, but there are actually a number of different iterations of the Chinese Karakoram Highway which we saw along the way. It’s been rebuilt so many times that we often cycled alongside older roads that were no longer in use or which, in one case, actually disappeared into the middle of a lake (the building of a dam caused waters to rise which, in turn, required a section of the highway to be rebuilt…again).

The most noticeable change in the Karakoram Highway, however, was seeing what was yet to come. In a few years, a brand new highway will be opened with large stretches that are elevated so as to avoid the problems with washout and mudslides.

For cars this is good news. On a bike, however, I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the rough, unpaved sections of the Karakoram Highway that let me truly experience “mountain biking” at its best.

More from FarWestChina Season 1

This is just the beginning of the new 8-part series of videos on biking the Karakoram Highway! I hope that you’ll stick around for the remainder of Season 1, either by subscribing on YouTube or getting email alerts each week.

If you’re just looking for some beautiful photos and videos, I promise you’ll enjoy what’s coming up.

If you want to plan your own trip up the Karakoram Highway, each episode and corresponding writeup will end with a “How to” section that will give you details of what we did and how much it cost (see below). I hope it can be of help to you!

Don’t forget, if you’re traveling to Xinjiang your best bet is to grab a copy of the FarWestChina Xinjiang travel guide (free chapter download available).

I know this is a bit of self-promotion, but if you don’t believe me that it’s the best guide available for the region, just read all of the Amazon reviews yourself.

That’s me on the left in the lovely bike shorts ;)

How to Bike the Karakoram Highway

Ok, now for the details. What I’m about to share here is how we organized the bike trip. There are many other ways to do it and I’m not advocating one over another, just sharing what we did.

• Kashgar Lodging: We stayed at the Pamir Hostel but I’ve also spent time at the Old Town Youth Hostel, both of which are excellent options. If you want something a bit more comfortable, I highly recommend the remodeled Qini Bagh Hotel.
• Tashkorgan Lodging: We stayed at the K2 Youth Hostel which was awesome. For a more comfortable stay, I recommend the Crown Inn.
• Bike Rental: there are a couple options for renting a bicycle. The first is to rent a bike at the K2 hostel in Tashkorgan (50RMB/day), although this might be difficult since they want you to return the bike to the hostel. In my opinion, the best option is to rent either at the Pamir Hostel or at the Giant store in Kashgar (0998-6401616), both of which rent for 50RMB/day. You can put the bike on a bus up to Tashkorgan. No matter which option you choose make sure to reserve your bike ahead of your trip. They don’t have many bikes available and from what I saw, they go fast.
• Organizing the Trip: While it’s possible to organize this trip on your own, it’s a bit risky. Our group had all the appropriate paperwork stamped with the all-powerful red stamp, so our dealings with the area police and checkpoints were thankfully simple. We heard of others getting turned back on the journey because of incorrect paperwork. The problem isn’t biking: the problem is setting up a tent on the side of the road (permit needed) or hiking up Muztaghata (permit needed along with payment of an “environmental protection” fee). Working with a travel group also let us know what was strictly forbidden (i.e. hiking on the west side of the highway near Karakul) and gave us the opportunity to experience incredible cultural events in Tashkorgan that we wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

I’ll share more of the “how to’s” with each new episode, which will be published weekly over the next 8 weeks. If this has been helpful or if you have any question, please leave a comment below!

The post Biking the Karakoram Highway in Xinjiang appeared first on The Nanfang.

I realize that this isn’t a Chinese problem. Tourism has this same effect all across the globe. I’m just a little disappointed to see it happening here in my backyard, in one of my favorite cities in China.

Below is a short set of photos that will take you through the evolution of tourism at Turpan’s Jiaohe Ancient City.

For those of you who might not know, Turpan is an ancient desert oasis that became an important stop along the old Silk Road. It was at one point the capital of the region until it was abandoned in the early 13th century.

The mud-built city, situated on a plateau between two rivers, has been well-preserved thanks to Turpan’s extremely dry climate and features residential areas, government offices, temples and burial sites. It truly is a blast to visit.

Changes in the way tourist visit Jiaohe are coming soon, but I find it interesting to note what changes have already taken place over the past couple decades.

1980s to early 1990s

In the early 1990s, visitors would drive from Turpan city along a dirt road for almost half an hour before reaching Jiaohe. Upon arrival, camels would provide passage through the sandy ancient streets, likely one of the primary means of transportation during the time the city was actually inhabited.

1990s to early 2000s

Once authorities realized the money-making potential of Jiaohe, a number of changes were made to the ancient city to make it more accessible. Streets were widened, brick roads were added and staircases were provided to allow guests to climb select structures.

Instead of camels, buses would drive visitors into the heart of the city where an old temple was used as a viewing deck. Very little oversight meant that visitors could do pretty much whatever they wanted or climb on whatever structure they wanted.

Mid-2000s

In the late 2000s, wooden pathways were built to provide even more direction for visitors. The viewing platform on the old temple was shut down in favor of a new deck located in the center of the city.

Security cameras were added to make sure that visitors didn’t stray from the paths, which they often did. Should you happen to leave the path, the “Voice of God” will serve a warning (a number of hidden speakers were installed throughout the city as well) and if you persist a staff member will come to escort you out.

Even the hills surrounding Jiaohe have cameras installed to make sure visitors don’t try to get a good birds-eye-view of the city. I’m not entirely sure why they won’t permit this but again, should you try to climb the nearby hill a man on a motorcycle will come driving up to escort you away.

As of 2015, a parking lot at the foot of the Jiaohe entrance is where visitors park their car or get off their bus. Vendors selling hats, water, ice cream and Mao memorabilia (notice not a single Jiaohe souvenir) line up near the entrance.

In 2014 the price to enter was 40 RMB (US$6.50). In 2015 the price to enter is 70 RMB (US$11). In 2016 that price is expected to double because…

The Future of Jiaohe

…a new tourism and ticket center is being built about half a mile southeast of the city.

Once completed, tourists will have to stop here to buy their tickets and then hop on a mandatory shuttle running the half mile to Jiaohe. On its way, the shuttle will likely stop at an “Ancient Uyghur Village” (interestingly built only 8 years ago) before dropping visitors off at a vendor-infested entrance.

Needless to say, if you have a chance to visit Jiaohe in Turpan before next year…DO IT! Grab a copy of the FarWestChina Xinjiang travel guide and make your way out here soon before these and many other changes go into effect.

My Soapbox on Tourism in China

Forgive me, but I have to take a moment to vent my frustration here.

Tourism all over the world is a double-edged sword, I realize. On one hand it can provide much-needed money for preservation while on the other hand it can completely suck the life out of a destination if not kept in check.

As recently as a decade ago, foreigners fueled the tourism industry here in Xinjiang. We loved the Uyghur culture and the adventure of trekking through mostly uncharted territory. For the most part, we didn’t mind the dirt roads or the rough accommodation since that was what we came to experience.

At some point in the 2000s, however, China’s tourism machine discovered Xinjiang. Tourist groups from all over China began to head west and they expected more than what was already being offered. For this reason, roads were paved, massive ticket booths were built, and monstrous 5-star hotels were constructed.

In an effort to reach Xinjiang, they ended up transforming it.In an effort to reach Xinjiang, they ended up transforming it.

The good news is that Xinjiang is more accessible than ever. Whether you prefer a cheap hostel or a luxurious hotel, the region is being set up to accommodate both. This also means that much of the charm that made Xinjiang special is being slowly drained away.

Like I said, it’s a double-edged sword that, at least for the moment, is making me quite unhappy.

The post Evolution of Xinjiang Tourism: A Photo Essay in the Ancient City of Jiaohe appeared first on The Nanfang.

These first two months of 2015 have been quite eventful for the region of Xinjiang! While one Kazakh man stumbled upon a fortune just sitting on the ground another Uyghur man baked the world’s largest nut cake.

Here I’ll quickly run down five of the most interesting news stories that came of out Xinjiang in February of 2015. I’ll also note that while there were other, more somber events that were reported outside of China, I’m going to stick here only with what I can verify.

So without further ado, here is what you missed in Xinjiang in February:

1. Villager Finds Massive Gold Nugget

Berek Sawut, a Kazakh herder who lives in Xinjiang’s northern Altay region has never played the lottery and yet he just won the jackpot.

While Berek was just walking around outside near an old mine (there are quite a few in the region) when he randomly ran across a 7.85 kg (17 lbs.) rock of gold. This rock has been valued at over 1.6 million yuan (US$255,000) by official reports, although he was reportedly offered US$480,000 by an unknown buyer. Berek declined.

While initial speculation was that he wouldn’t be able to keep his find, officials have made no steps to take it from him.

Meanwhile, Berek’s house has been so flooded with people, family and a load of new “friends”, that he disappeared for a time.

News Sources:

• Xinhua News – Xinjiang Herdsman Finds 17-Pound Gold Nugget
• New York Times – Herder Waits to See if He Can Keep It

2. Why Not to Travel the Karakoram Highway in Winter

Ever wanted to travel along the Karakoram Highway in western Xinjiang during the winter months? Here’s why that might not be such a good idea.

That’s a car that was trapped in a mudslide triggered by melting snow along the Karakoram Highway. Over 100 vehicles and 500 people were stranded and forced to turn back to Kashgar while crews cleared the road.

Source: CRI English

3. Xinjiang Now Connects to UAE

Most people have never heard of Air Arabia, a low-cost airline based out of the UAE (United Arab Emirates) but they’ve made news here in China after they opened a direct flight from Urumqi to Sharjah, UAE.

Flights are on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from the Urumqi International Airport.

Source: Albawaba

4. World’s Largest Uyghur Nut Cake

Because a regular-sized nut cake just doesn’t have the same impact, one Uyghur entrepreneur decided to bake and sell the world’s largest nut cake.

Adili Maimaititure first opened his online nut cake store in 2012 and he had no idea how popular it would become. The plant in Changsha now produces over 5 metric tons of nut cake every day. Not sure what a Uyghur nut cake is? Check out this closer view of one.

My only question is this: Why isn’t he doing this in Xinjiang?

Source: ChinaDaily

5. Buying Fireworks? Bring Your ID in Xinjiang

For anybody who wanted to buy fireworks within Xinjiang for the Chinese New Year this last month, a new rule required one to supply an ID in order to purchase.

The official report claims that the “move is meant to reduce safety risks caused by illegal firework outlets and poor quality fireworks on the market.” In reality, this all has to do with security.

As with most rules, though, rarely are they enforced. I bought firecrackers last week without one request for my ID or any indication that ID numbers were being recorded. Oh well.

Source: EastDay

The post Who Says There’s No News in Xinjiang? appeared first on The Nanfang.

In Kashgar, an ancient Silk Road town on the western edge of Xinjiang, one man wakes up at 9am on a chilly January morning to prepare for the day. Three thousand miles away, the city of Beijing is already busy at work, but here in Kashgar very few residents are stirring.

Why bother? The sun isn’t going to rise for another hour and fifteen minutes, at 10:15am.

In Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, another man boards an airplane headed to Almaty in Kazakhstan. A look at his flight ticket shows that he is scheduled to leave at 9pm. Somehow, the flight will land in Kazakhstan an hour and a half later…at 8:30pm.

There are very few places in the world today where a question as simple as “What time is it?” must often be accompanied by a qualifier: “Beijing time or Xinjiang time?”

Living in Two Time Zones

It’s a well-known fact that the Xinjiang region in China operates on a two-time zone system: the official “Beijing Time” and the unofficial “Xinjiang time” or “local time” which is two hours behind.

The use of Xinjiang time, although practical in some cases, is often a minor form of rebellion for a portion of the local Uyghur population. As a long-time resident of Xinjiang I’ve learned to live with the inconvenience of the two-time zone system but it didn’t come without plenty of frustration.

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve arranged to meet with somebody – this usually happens with other foreigners – only to find that there was a two-hour difference between when we both expected to arrive at the same location. The ensuing conversation usually goes something like “I’m sorry! I just assumed you were going on local time/Beijing time…”

You would imagine that clarifying the time zone would help but even that doesn’t always do the trick.

Here’s how you spot a seasoned Xinjiang expat: a seasoned expat will text you 30 minutes before the scheduled meeting time to ask “So I’ll see you in half an hour?” It’s a very polite way of making sure that we’re both on the same page regarding time.

Time Zones in China?

Technically speaking, China should be divided into five time zones where Kashgar is two and a half hours behind Beijing. That’s the way it used to be between 1912 and 1949.

It wasn’t until after the Chinese Civil War in 1949 that a single time zone was implemented.

That was more than 60 years ago. I have yet to meet anyone here in Xinjiang who remembers living under a different time zone. Perhaps that’s because when the clocks changed in 1949, daily life stayed the same.

Banks, schools, government offices and most shops still start their day at 8am local time just like most everywhere else in the world. The only difference is that the clock says that it’s officially 10am. We all break for lunch between noon and 1pm even though our watches may say 2pm or 3pm.

And everybody still despises 5 o’clock traffic…at 7pm.

Mixing Politics with Time

Despite how it sounds, people of every ethnic group in Xinjiang spend very little time thinking about time zones. Sure, I’ve had conversations with good Uyghur friends who expressed their resentment toward the imposed time zone. We talked about it once and it never came up again.

I once read in reference to Xinjiang time that “Friendships are won or lost on the basis of the hands on your watch.” In my opinion, this simplistic view tends to overstate the importance of time within the broader issue of ethnic tensions.

Besides, it’s not just two ethnic groups that are at odds over the time. Some companies have decided to get in on the action.

I landed at the Urumqi airport last week, back from a nice vacation outside the country. I turned on my iPhone to get caught up on any messages I had missed and was met by a lock screen displaying Xinjiang time in large block numbers.

When I navigated to my Time & Date settings on the phone I realized that even though I had asked my phone to set time automatically, Apple had decided that my location was in the “Urumqi” time zone – one that according to Beijing doesn’t officially exist.

It’s not just a specific ethnic group or the sun that defies Beijing’s time zone. Apparently my phone does, too.

A Note to Travelers

As a postscript to this article, I did want to address the confusion I know that a lot of travelers experience when they come to Xinjiang. Should you set your watch to Beijing time or Xinjiang time?

Here’s my two cents: if I were you, I would set my watch to Beijing time just because any transportation you use – from buses to trains to airplanes – run on official time. It’s better to be on time for these departures than trying to “be local”. Contrary to the quote mentioned above, you won’t lose any friends for doing this!

Just keep in mind that generally speaking, most Han Chinese will speak to you using Beijing time while the Uyghur, particularly in southern Xinjiang, will speak to you in local Xinjiang time. Always clarify, of course, with a simple “北京时或新疆时?” (Beijing or Xinjiang time?)

The post It’s Hard to be Punctual in Xinjiang, the Land of Two Time Zones appeared first on The Nanfang.

Because I have over five years of first-hand experience with over 15 different VPN services, I get more than a few emails every month from people asking me my recommendation for VPNs. It’s an obvious need for anybody living in China but more and more people are realizing that online security is something netizens in every country should consider.

I’m not trying to hard-sell anybody here…more than anything I just want to provide some helpful information for those people who need to get a new VPN. I wouldn’t recommend these VPNs if I hadn’t used them extensively myself, though, and I’ve used each of these VPNs for at least six months.

So take a look at this breakdown of the top 5 VPNs for China and then you can scroll down further for a more detailed summary of each.

Top 5 VPNs for China

	VyprVPN	12VPN	ExpressVPN	Witopia	PureVPN
Founded:	2009	2007	2009	2003	2007
Pros:	Chameleon encryption 3-day FREE trial	Mobile-only option China-specific protocols	Simple setup Easy to Use Beautiful design	Longevity (10+ yrs) Low Price	Low Price Fast Streaming
Cons:	Pricey	Simple software	Pricey	Requires special China config	Lower encryption
Torrent	Yes*	No	Yes	Yes*	Yes
Dedicated Apps	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Trial Period	3 day trial	14 day MBG**	30 day MBG**	30 Day MBG**	3 Day MBG**
Pricing:	Monthly: $14.99/mo Annual: $8.33/mo	Monthly: N/A Annual: $8.25/mo	Monthly: $12.99/mo Annual: $8.33/mo	Monthly: N/A Annual: $5.83/mo	Monthly: $7.95/mo Annual: $3.99/mo

*They allow torrenting but will pass on DCMA notices for illegal activity.
**”MBG” refers to a Money Back Guarantee

As I mentioned in the video above, there are literally hundreds of VPNs to choose from on the market and there are quite a few good ones that didn’t make this list.

These, however, have stood the test of time (they are all at least 5 years old), have made a specific effort to reach the China market, all offer hundreds of servers across the globe and they all have unlimited bandwidth.

VyprVPN

VyprVPN has a special offer for the Chinese New Year where you can get 25% off annual plans. It only runs for a couple weeks, so if you’re interested you can click here to get the limited time discount!

I was turned on to VyprVPN this past year and have been incredibly impressed with both their software and their special “Chameleon” encryption protocol. It’s simple to use and best of all…you can try it for free for 3 days to see how it works for you.

For those of you who use a VPN on their tablet or mobile device, VyprVPN has one of the best apps on the market for both Android and iOS. Just plug in your login information and you’re good to go.

VyprVPN has been around since 2009 but the parent company, GoldenFrog, has been around for more than a decade providing online services. I’ve spoken at length with some of their representatives and really like their focus on the China market, which is comforting considering how much the Chinese internet landscape changes.

If all of this sound good to you, click here to give them a try for 3 days…free.

12VPN

I’ve been a 12VPN customer since 2013 and it’s been my go-to VPN on my computer and phone. Why? It’s simple and it just works…every time.

The software isn’t flashy and they don’t have a dedicated iPhone or Android app but setup for both was an easy download of one file that took me all of 5 minutes.

One of the things I’ve truly appreciated about 12VPN is their commitment to communication. I get periodic emails informing me of changes in the VPN and changes in the Great Firewall. For example, last year one of the submarine cables that connects Asia with North America was severed. Out of the 10 VPNs I had running at the time, 12VPN was the only one that let me know what was happening and why I should expect slower speeds on the Los Angeles servers.

If 12VPN seems to fit your needs, you can give them a try here.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is another VPN that I spent much of 2014 testing out. I’m a huge fan of their overall design – the website, desktop app and mobile app are all beautiful.

I always recommend this VPN to anybody I know who doesn’t consider themselves tech-savvy. Perhaps they didn’t know what a VPN was to begin with or they always have somebody else install new software for them. With ExpressVPN, you can easily do it all yourself.

For those who desire simplicity and easy, ExpressVPN has been a solid option here in China for the past few years. You can check out their pricing here, and even enter to win ExpressVPN free for a year from The Nanfang here.

Witopia

Witopia has been one of the longest-running VPNs in China. I remember back in 2008 when I was first looking for a VPN and it seemed like 90 percent of all expats were using Witopia.

That’s changed of course, not because Witopia’s service is any worse but mainly because the competition has become much more fierce since then. Witopia has also decided not to offer an affiliate program (one of the reasons they can offer such low prices) so most of their advertising is word-of-mouth, like this.

Witopia is an excellent choice for desktop users but less-so if your primary use is mobile. The VPN works, it was just a huge pain to get set up – and this coming from a guy who set up 10 different VPNs this past year.

That one complaint aside, I can confidently recommend Witopia as a good option here in China.

PureVPN

PureVPN Discount Code: For the Chinese New Year, enter code “888” to get a 10 percent discount on PureVPN!

Last but not least, PureVPN is another popular option here in China. They boast over one million users world-wide and their market share in China seems to be growing at a rapid pace.

While I’m not a huge fan of their software, which feels like it was coded back in the 1990s, the service works well. Their speeds are excellent and I found them to be the best in terms of streaming – at least for me out here in Xinjiang.

What you might find useful is their “Server Selection Tool” where you tell the software what you want to do (download, stream US content, stream UK content, etc) and it will tell you which servers best suit you needs.

Considering the price – which is often one of the lowest around – PureVPN is an excellent VPN option for the price conscious buyer.

So that about covers it! If you’re here in China and using a VPN, leave a comment below to let us know what you use.

The post The Top 5 VPNs for China appeared first on The Nanfang.

It used to be that Xinjiang tourism practically shut down between the months of November and March. Travelers were so few that most tourism sites shut down completely for the winter and weather often prohibited transportation to some locations.

While Xinjiang’s weather still plays an active role in what you can and cannot see, a lot has changed over the past decade in terms of winter tourism options in Xinjiang. Not only is it possible to experience this different aspect of Xinjiang travel, it can prove to be a remarkable experience you won’t easily forget.

I often get questions from travelers asking me about traveling to Xinjiang in the winter – particularly over the Spring Festival break – so I thought it might be helpful to share a few thoughts on what’s worth seeing/doing in Xinjiang and how best to get there.

I welcome your own thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Northern Xinjiang | Winter Skiing Paradise

I’m going to go ahead and make a prediction here: by 2020, northern Xinjiang will become China’s winter sports mecca. The region is already set to host the Chinese National Winter games in 2016 and they’ve recently completed a massive sports complex for the event near the capital of Urumqi.

There’s still a long way to go before Xinjiang is ever considered among the great places to ski in the world but there’s still plenty of beautiful scenery and nice slopes to be had here. According to China Daily there are over 200 ski resorts in Xinjiang, although I would caution that this is a very loose interpretation of the term “ski resort”.

For most travelers, there are really only three possible places you should consider skiing:

• NanShan (Urumqi): just an hour south of Urumqi there are plenty of places to ski and this is also where that new winter sports complex has been built. The skiing isn’t fantastic but it’s convenient. If you don’t have the time/money to go further north, it’s not a terrible option. Also, it’s possible to hike NanShan during the winter.
• Heavenly Lake: there is skiing near Heavenly Lake which can be a great option. The scenery is gorgeous but it takes about an hour longer to get to Heavenly Lake than NanShan, potentially cutting your skiing time.
• Altay: if you have the budget to take the flight north into beautiful Kazakh country, these slopes are more of the real deal. Ski tourism is still young but it’s growing and there’s plenty of opportunity.

Slopes at Urumqi’s NanShan

Outside of winter sports, traveling northern Xinjiang during the winter is doable but tough. Places like Heavenly Lake and Kanas Park are usually open but are prone to close after a strong snow. Expect very cold temperatures and virtually no other tourists.

Traveling by car to various places usually isn’t bad but again, it’s all dependent upon the weather. There is a train from Urumqi to Burqin (the closest city to Kanas) and flights to Altay that can be incredibly cheap in the winter (I saw them for 160RMB last week!).

There are some tourist agencies in Urumqi that can arrange a hiking or cross-country skiing tour through northern Xinjiang. The views of places like Hemu Village covered in snow are great but they come at a high cost in personal comfort!

Southern Xinjiang | Frozen Silk Road

The good news is that if you’re coming to Xinjiang to see the ancient Silk Road, it’s still open for business during the winter.

Keep in mind, though: some people are under the mistaken impression that the presence of the massive Taklamakan Desert in southern Xinjiang means that it won’t be cold during the winter. Not so. In fact, the Taklamakan is considered a “cold desert climate” and is sometimes covered in a thin blanket of snow.

So let me walk through a few of Xinjiang’s more popular locations and give a clearer picture of what they’re like in the winter:

• Turpan: considering that much of what makes Turpan interesting is made of mud-brick, it’s going to be the same color whether in winter or in summer! Seriously, though, Turpan can get really cold in the dead of winter but most all of the tourist destinations will be open for business. I recommend hiring a driver for the day just so you never get stuck waiting outside for transportation. It’s also quite convenient to take the new high speed train from Urumqi to Turpan.
• Hami: for most people I would recommend skipping Hami during the winter. Sites of interest within the city are few and the grasslands that are popular outside the city will be dead.
• Kashgar: Definitely go to Kashgar! The weather is cold but still worth walking around outside. Taking a trip up the Karakoram Highway is hit or miss but there’s still plenty to see within the city – the Id Kah Mosque, Apak Khoja Mausoleum, the Old City…the list goes on and on. If you do want to travel up the Karakoram Highway to Karakul Lake, you’ll need to hire a tour guide that can arrange a home stay. All the yurts will be abandoned and unusable during the winter.
• Khotan: if you’re intent on taking a trip down to Khotan, I wont’ stop you. Daily life isn’t quite as interesting in the winter – which is part of the allure of Khotan – but you can always take a bus across the Taklamakan Desert on your way back to Urumqi.

Bottom line: it’s entirely possible to take a trip along the ancient Silk Road during the winter, just make sure you’re well-dressed for the journey.

Tips for Successful Winter Travel

If you are planning a trip to Xinjiang anytime between November and April (yes, even as late as April), keep these tips in mind:

• Getting a Taxi Sucks: whether you’re in Urumqi, Kashgar or Turpan, expect that finding a taxi will be difficult. Hiring a car and driver during the winter isn’t a bad investment.
• Expect Flight Delays: it’s not the cold weather, it’s the fog at the Urumqi airport. Delays, especially for morning flights, are common.
• Dress Appropriately: obviously this is common sense but I just want to stress just how REALLY COLD it gets here in winter. This is especially true if you plan to travel anywhere up north.
• Bargain Like Crazy: tourism in Xinjiang has been slow during the summer months recently. Tourism during winter is dead. Which is good because that means everything should be discounted: flights, hotels, car hires, etc. Bargain hard!

I hope that helps. If you’ve traveled to Xinjiang during the winter please leave a comment below and let us know how it went!

The post Xinjiang in Winter? Yes, It’s a Great Time to Visit appeared first on The Nanfang.