Xinjiang Attractions

The Kizil caves hold Xinjiang’s oldest Buddhist murals: what the diamond-grid paintings show, how the blue was made, and where the looted panels went.

The Kumtagh desert stops at the edge of Shanshan town. Our guide covers the two wind geology, sand therapy, tickets, trains from Urumqi and best hours.

Lop Nur village near Korla pairs Tarim poplars, desert dunes and the fishing culture of the Lop people. Our practical guide to tickets, timing and food.

Tarim Poplar Forest guide: Luntai’s golden woodland along the Tarim River, with the best time to visit, how to get there and where to stay on a day trip.

Plan a visit to Bayinbulak grassland, the Tianshan wetland plateau known for Swan Lake, wild swans, and the famous nine-bend sunset over the Kaidu River.

The Jiangbulak grassland in Qitai pairs terraced wheat with a Han dynasty fort and Kazakh summer pasture. Tickets, drives, stays and food, checked in 2026.

Tianshan Shenmu Garden in Wensu holds a hundred ancient trees, some over a thousand years old, in a green Gobi oasis below Tomur Peak in southern Xinjiang.

Turpan Prefect’s Mansion guide: the old compound behind the gate, with what to see, how to get there, ticket tips and why it matters to Turpan’s history.

Koktokay No. 3 pit in Xinjiang’s Altay is the rare-metal mine that repaid a Soviet debt and helped build China’s first atomic bomb, satellite, and more.

Sandao Haizi in Qinghe County is a remote Altai site with a giant Bronze Age stone ring, deer stones, and three alpine lakes near the Mongolian border.