Blog

A Xinjiang harvest calendar by month and region: when melons, grapes, figs, pears, pomegranates, walnuts, cotton and jujubes actually ripen, with a ten-day route.

A field guide to Xinjiang insects, ticks and UV: where each nuisance bites, what to pack, and what to do after — drawn from a dozen summers on the ground.

Xinjiang farm stays and fruit picking are not like Western pick-your-own. Booking, costs and etiquette across the oases of Turpan, Korla, Hotan and Ili.

A practical guide to Urumqi airport layovers: who can leave the terminal, Metro Line 1 vs taxi, and hour-by-hour plans for 3, 6 and 10-hour connections.

A first-hand look at the Tuva people of Kanas and Hemu in the Chinese Altai: language, log cabins, herding life, beliefs, and how to visit respectfully.

Plan the Yizhao Highway (S237) from Yining to Zhaosu — a 122 km seasonal road across the Wusun Mountains with opening dates, Baishi Peak, driving tips.

Meet Xinjiang’s Uzbeks — the Silk Road traders behind Kashgar, Yining and Urumqi bazaars. A first-hand guide to where they live, trade and eat.

Plan around Xinjiang sandstorm season with this forecast guide: warning colours, PM10 levels, flight delays, safe spring routes and Tarim Basin timing.

Drive the G219 southern Xinjiang section from Yecheng to Hotan along the Kunlun: passes, permits, fuel and altitude tips for China’s wildest border road.

Xinjiang Tatars: one of China’s smallest ethnic groups, from their Volga roots to Kazanqi’s blue doors in Yining, with food, faith and a girls’ school.