7-day journey through the secrets of southern Xinjiang

7-day journey through the secrets of Southern Xinjiang! Kashgar → Hotan → Tashkurgan County → Desert Poplars, with a per-person price of 8,000 RMB, you'll feel like a "Western Regions Traveler"! Enjoy all-you-can-eat steamed buns, browse the bazaar, experience the stunning eagle dance, and take stunning photos in the poplar forests. A veteran blogger reveals his secret autumn itinerary!

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This time, I'll take you deep into southern Xinjiang—China's most mysterious, wildest, and most poetic frontier.

For 7 days and 6 nights, journey from the thousand-year-old bustling Kashgar Old Town to the snowy eagles of the Pamir Plateau in Tashkari County.

Cross the edge of the Taklamakan Desert and into a thousand-year-old poplar forest.
✅ Stay in century-old teahouses, Tajik homes, and yurts on the edge of the desert.
✅ Enjoy authentic Uyghur flavor in every bite: baked buns, ganzi meat, pilaf, and fig pie.
✅ With a local driver and off-the-beaten-path routes, avoid the tour groups and explore hidden gems only photographers know.
✅ Capped at 8,000 RMB per person, including airfare, accommodation, transportation, food, drinks, and experiences. Worth it! Capture stunning photos and explore the world!

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🏨 Accommodation (6 nights, budget 2400 RMB)
- Kashgar: Century-old Teahouse Converted B&B (View of the Id Kah Mosque from the Terrace) | 400 RMB/night x 2 = 800 RMB
- Tashkurgan County: Tajik-style B&B (Fireplace + Snow Mountain View) | 500 RMB/night x 2 = 1000 RMB
- Hotan/Desert Edge: Unique House + Yurt Experience | 300 RMB/night x 2 = 600 RMB
✔️ Total accommodation: 2400 RMB

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🧳 Day 1: Arrive in Kashgar | First Baked Bun in the Millennium City!
Arrive at Kashgar Airport and stay in a century-old teahouse guesthouse in the Old City, with a terrace facing the mosque.

Lunch: Yawag Baked Buns (a local staple since childhood).

Freshly baked lamb buns, bursting with oil, cost 30 RMB per person.

Afternoon: Stroll through the maze of alleyways in Kashgar Old City, taking photos of colorful wooden doors, donkey carts, and elderly people smoking Mohe cigarettes.

Evening: Check in at Khan Bazaar Night Market.

Must-try: Glutinous rice, baked eggs, fig jam pie, and rose milk tea, 60 RMB per person.

Overnight in the Old City, drifting off to sleep to the call to prayer.
💰 Cost: Approximately 600 RMB

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🧳 Day 2: Kashgar → Tashkurgan County | Pamir Plateau Road, Khunjerab Outpost!
- Chartered car departure (approximately 300km, local driver, 800 RMB/car)
- Highlights along the way:
- Baisha Lake: turquoise waters, snow-capped mountains, and white sand create a magical landscape
- Karakul Lake: Muztagh Ata reflected in its shadow, a fairyland-like scene
- Stone City Ruins: A beacon tower from the ancient Silk Road
- Evening: Arrive in Tashkurgan County (Taxian County) and check into a Tajik B&B
- Dinner: Tajik family feast: pilaf, yogurt dumplings, and butter tea, 70 RMB per person
- Overnight on the plateau, with the silhouette of Muztagh Ata visible from the window
💰 Cost: Approximately 1000 RMB (including shared transportation)

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🧳 Day 3: Taxian County in-depth exploration | Eagle Dance, Golden Grass Beach, and the stunning National Gate!
- Morning: Sunrise over the Golden Grasslands, yaks slowly gliding through the morning mist, a scene as beautiful as an oil painting.
- Morning: Visit a Tajik family, listen to eagle flutes, and watch the Panying Dance (an intangible cultural heritage performance).
- Lunch: Enjoy highland yak beef soup and rice at the B&B, a warming experience for both the body and soul, 60 RMB per person.
- Afternoon: Depart for the Khunjerab Pass (border pass required, obtain in advance).
- Stand at Boundary Marker No. 1, marking China's westernmost border, and experience the awe of the "Westernmost Point of the Motherland."
- Dinner: Enjoy Tajik-style grilled lamb chops at the B&B, 80 RMB per person.
- Overnight in Tashkurgan County.
💰 Cost: Approximately 500 RMB.

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🧳 Day 4: Tashkurgan County → Hotan | Crossing the Kunlun Mountains, sunset over the desert's edge!
- Charter a car south (approximately 400km, good roads, driver fee 800 RMB)
- Cross the Karakoram Mountains along the way, with views of Kongur Peak in the distance
- Evening: Arrive in Hotan and stay at a residence in the old town
- Dinner: Hotan Night Market
- Must-try: Roasted whole lamb ribs, fig pilaf, pomegranate juice, almond milk
- Cost per person: 70 RMB
- Stroll through the Hotan Grand Bazaar at night and buy Hetian jade seed material (even if you don't buy, it's still a learning experience)
💰 Cost: Approximately 900 RMB

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🧳 Day 5: Hotan → Desert Poplar Forest | A Millennium-Old Golden Myth!
- Morning: Depart for the Populus euphratica forest on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert (round-trip chartered car, 600 RMB)
- Afternoon: Deepen the pristine Populus euphratica forest to photograph golden leaves, lake reflections, and hawks perched on a tree.
- Evening: Camp in the desert for sunset, enjoy hot milk tea, and enjoy a BBQ.
- Overnight in a desert yurt, gaze at the Milky Way.
💰 Cost: Approximately 700 RMB

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🧳 Day 6: Sunrise at the Populus euphratica forest → Return to Hotan | Collect Populus euphratica wood and make souvenirs.
- Morning: Photograph the sunrise at the Populus euphratica forest, the light and shadows are breathtaking.
- Morning: Collect weathered Populus euphratica wood (take it home for bookshelves/decorations).
- Return to Hotan to purchase souvenirs:
- Hotan jade beads (from 100 RMB), Idlais silk, rose jam, and almonds.
- Budget: 800 RMB
- Dinner: Enjoy another meal of ganzi meat and grilled buns, bidding farewell to the flavors of southern Xinjiang.
💰 Cost: Approximately 1,000 RMB

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🧳 Day 7: Return to Kashgar → Fly home
- Return flight/train from Kashgar
- You can pick up a Kashgar dried fruit gift pack along the way: dried apricots, dried figs, raisins, and walnuts
- Budget: 500 RMB
💰 Cost: Approximately 600 RMB

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🧮 Total Budget (Per Person)
| Item | Cost |
|------|------|
| Accommodation (6 nights) | 2,400 RMB |
| Transportation (airfare + chartered car + city tours) | 2,600 RMB |
| Meals (12 meals + snacks) | 800 RMB |
| Entrance fees + activities (optional) | 300 RMB |
| Souvenirs + miscellaneous expenses | 1,900 RMB |
| Total | 8,000 RMB ✅ (Precise Control, No Hidden Costs)

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📌 Blogger's Secret Tips
- 📅 Best Season: Late September to Late October (Golden Poplar Trees, Stable Weather, Sweet Fruits)
- 🍽️ Must-Try 3: Baked Steamed Buns, Glutinous Rice with Glutinous Rice, and Fig Pilaf; Missing One is a Lost Trip
- 🛂 Border Pass: Required for Tashi County and Khunjerab Prefecture, but available for free at the Kashgar Tourist Service Center
- 💡 Money-Saving Tips:
- Charter a car or join a group tour (Best value for 4 people)
- Snacks at night markets are 50% cheaper than in restaurants
- Dried fruit is cheapest at the Kashgar Central Asia West Asia Market
- 🚫 Pitfalls to Avoid:
- Avoid buying "Hetian Jade" near scenic spots; 99% of it is fake
- Choose desert off-roading with caution; you can be easily ripped off
- Respect ethnic customs and avoid taking photos inside mosques

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This time, we're not just traveling; we're measuring the millennial echoes of the Silk Road with our footsteps.
From the bustling bazaars of Kashgar to the isolated, snow-covered city of Tashkurgan County,
from the desert poplars of Hotan to the soaring eagles of the Pamirs,
every frame is an epic of the Western Regions.