Hotan Silk Festival: November Is the Wrong Month, and Here’s the Real Silk Calendar
There is no November silk festival in Hotan. Here is the real Atlas silk calendar, the cocoon year behind it, and what an off-season Jiya visit is like.
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Urumqi to Kashgar by Train: What 1,453 Kilometres Actually Involves in 2026
Urumqi to Kashgar train guide: the 11.5-hour direct sleeper, the slower daytime trains, the 2026 track works and what each stretch of the line looks like.
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Bayanbulak Swan Count in February: What the Winter Census Really Finds
Bayanbulak swan count in February is a winter census, not a migration: what the numbers show, how to reach the frozen wetland, and what to expect there.
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Yengisar Hand-Painted Craft: Stone Glazes, Plant Dyes and Painted Handles
Yengisar hand-painted craft: stone-ground pottery glazes, boiled plant dyes and painted knife handles, with workshop visits and a Kashgar day-trip plan.
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Korla Fragrant Pear Harvest: Inside Xinjiang’s September Picking Season
The Korla pear harvest in Xinjiang runs from early September to mid-October. What the picking season really looks like on site, and how to plan a visit.
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Bayi Reservoir, Xinjiang: A Working Dam North of Urumqi, Not a Scenic Lake
Bayi Reservoir in Wujiaqu, Xinjiang is a working irrigation dam with a dramatic past, not a scenic lake. Here is what to expect, and where to go instead.
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Aksu National Wetland Park: Where Tianshan Water Meets the Taklamakan
Aksu National Wetland Park guide: 23 free lakes at the edge of the Taklamakan, 100,000 migratory birds, bus routes from Aksu city and best months to go.
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Bosten Lake Wetland Park: The Winter Reed Harvest and the Crafts Made From It
Bosten Lake wetland park in Bohu county, Xinjiang: the winter reed harvest on the ice, 40,000 hectares of reeds, cormorant beds and reed-art workshops.
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Hongshan Lake, Karamay: How a Sewage Reservoir Became a Campus Lake
Hongshan Lake Karamay was the Donggou sewage reservoir before 2012. How it became a university-town lake, plus buses, seasons, food and a half-day plan.
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Karatokay Wild Duck Lake: Birds on the Tekes River Reservoir
Karatokay wild duck lake east of Tekes draws herons, cranes and a thousand wintering ducks. Seasons, birds, access and honest tips from the north shore.
