Travel Guide

Uyghur literature isn’t locked away in a library. From Kashgar bookstalls to muqam lyrics, here’s how travellers can meet Xinjiang’s poetry and poets.

Xinjiang mazar shrines are the tomb-shrines of the southern Tarim oases. Learn what they are, when the festivals happen, and how to visit respectfully.

Borsak in Xinjiang is the sweet golden fried dough of the Kazakh table, eaten with milk tea at Ili yurt homestays. A traveler’s guide to where to try it.

Xinjiang mosque architecture is a readable language of domes, iwans and minarets. Learn the vocabulary and read Kashgar and Turpan mosques on your visit.

A runner’s guide to a Xinjiang marathon: the Sayram Lake and Kanas races, with altitude, weather, transport and where to stay before race day in 2026.

Xinjiang chili, tomato and pepper define the regions red industry. How to see the Changji tomato harvest and Yanqi chili drying without trespassing.

Mi changzi and mian feizi are Xinjiang’s offal street classics. Find where to eat them in Urumqi, Kashgar and Yining, and how to order with confidence.

Xinjiang hostels are rare outside Urumqi, Kashgar and Yining. Here is where to find real budget beds in 2026 and what they cost, plus real alternatives.

Watch Xinjiang films and documentaries before you go: where The Kite Runner and others were really filmed, and how to stand in those Kashgar, Pamir and

Xinjiang sunflower fields bloom across the Tacheng Plain from late July to August. Find where to see them, how to get there, and the best photo dates.