The northern and southern parts of Xinjiang are very different, each with its own unique charm, depending on your travel preferences. Here is a comparison of the two for your reference:
Northern Xinjiang: the ultimate in natural beauty
Suitable for: like grassland, lakes, snow mountains, forests and other natural landscapes, prefer photography, hiking, self-driving travelers.
Best season: June-September (green in summer), September-October (forest in autumn).
Features:
Kanas Lake: known as "God's private land", colorful autumn, winter like a fairy tale world.
Hemu Village: Tuvan village, wooden houses in the morning fog smoke like oil painting.
Yili Grassland: Narati, Karajun, Sayram Lake (" the last tear in the Atlantic "), summer flowers and snow mountains set off.
The Duku highway : through the Tianshan Mountains north and south, a day to see the four seasons, steep and magnificent coexist.
Keketohai: a geological wonder where canyons and rivers intersect.
Features: Northern Xinjiang is dominated by nomadic culture such as Kazakh and Mongolian, and the scenery is more Nordic style, suitable for tourists who pursue fresh and natural experience.
Southern Xinjiang: The collision of culture and exotic customs
Suitable for: Travelers who are interested in history, culture and folk customs, like deserts, canyons, ancient cities, etc.
Best season: April-May (apricot blossom), September-October (poplar forest), October-November (avoid heat and cold).
Features:
The ancient city of Kashgar: A living fossil of Uyghur culture, with its maze of alleys and century-old teahouses.
Pamir Plateau: Muztagh Peak, Karakuri Lake, Panlong Ancient Road, plateau scenery and Tajik customs.
Taklimakan Desert: Crossing the "Sea of Death", feel the vast desert road.
Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves: a treasure of Buddhist art even older than the Mogao Grottoes.
Hotan and Shache: thousand-year-old marks of the Silk Road, Uyghur crafts (carpets, jade) and cuisine.
Features: Southern Xinjiang is dominated by Uyghur culture, with the convergence of diverse religions and history, which is more exotic in Central Asia and suitable for in-depth cultural exploration
How to choose?
Time constraints: Northern Xinjiang (7-13 days to cover classic routes).
Plenty of time: Southern Xinjiang (more than 10 days) + Pamir Plateau
Greedy play: The southern and northern Xinjiang in tandem (at least 15 days), starting from Urumqi, take the Duku highway to connect the north and south of the Tianshan mountain.
Tips:
Summer in northern Xinjiang is cool, summer in southern Xinjiang is hot (desert areas need sun protection).
Southern Xinjiang pays more attention to human experience, and it is recommended to learn about local customs (such as mosque etiquette) in advance.
If you prefer "fairyland nature", choose northern Xinjiang; If you want to feel the "rich foreign culture", choose southern Xinjiang. The combination of the two is a complete Xinjiang!
