Xinjiang

Deserts, mountains and old Silk Road oasis.

Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region is one of the most exciting destinations in China. The Muslim Uigur people remain ethnically and culturally entirely distinct from the Han Chinese and most of the Uigur look more like southern Europeans than Chinese. The scenery is spectacular with the Tian Shan and Pamir mountains reaching almost 7800 m, separated by the feared Takamaklan desert where the oasis of Turpan is below sea level. The area is more than 3000 km from the nearest coast and still comprises the same old Silk Road oasis settlements strung out along the ancient routes. Many of these settlements are still producing the silk and cotton for which they were famed in Roman times. The most fascinating of the Silk Road oasis cities are Turpan and Kashgar with its incredible Sunday marked. It is now possible to follow both the northern Silk Road from Turfan to Kashgar via Aksu and Kuqa, and also the southern route via Khotan. There is also a new 700 km road crossing the Taklamakan (north – south), a desert adventure that is hard to beat! The most spectacular way of entering the Xinjiang is along Karakoram Highway from Pakistan across the 4780 m Kunjerab Pass, a road labelled “The World’s Eight Wonder” by National Geographic.