Turpan's Kumtag Desert is know
by 湯湯水水
Sep 19, 2025
East Xinjiang secret adventure!
8 days and 7 nights crossing guide, taking you to explore 90% of Xinjiang's hidden side that most people don't know about✨
🚗 Daily itinerary highlights:
D1: Urumqi → Beiting Ancient City (Site of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions) → Jiangbulake
👉🏻 Cross through on the first day! Watch the sunset over the rolling wheat fields in Jiangbulake, like stepping into a Van Gogh painting🌾
D2: Mulei Mingsha Mountain & Populus Euphratica Forest (The singing desert!)
👉🏻 Barefoot on Mingsha Mountain + photo shoot in the thousand-year-old Populus Euphratica forest, red outfits recommended for great photos📸
D3: Barkol Lake → Barkol Ancient City
👉🏻 "Pearl of the Grasslands" reflected by snow-capped mountains, enjoy authentic lamb stew pancakes in the ancient city🥘
D4: Hami East Tianshan → Dahai Road (Feels like the surface of Mars!)
👉🏻 Off-road through the Yardang landforms, remember to bring enough water and power banks🔋
D5: Loulan Winery → Kumtag Desert
👉🏻 Taste Western Region red wine at the desert winery, thrilling desert off-roading at dusk🏜️
D6: Tuyugou → Flaming Mountains → Grape Valley
👉🏻 Shoot exotic style photos in Mazha Village, eat freshly picked seedless white grapes under the grape trellis🍇
D7: Karez Irrigation System → Gaochang Ancient City → Thousand Buddha Caves
👉🏻 See the ancient underground Great Wall, hold your breath in front of the mural sites🖼️
D8: Jiaohe Ancient City → Salt Lake → Return to Urumqi
👉🏻 The world's largest adobe site, take "sky mirror" photos at the salt lake💎
💥 Must-try TOP 3:
1️⃣ Camping under the Dahai Road starry sky (Milky Way visible to the naked eye!)
2️⃣ Desert camel riding + sand sliding
3️⃣ Visiting a Uyghur family in Grape Valley
👗 Dressing guide:
• Yardang landforms suit workwear style
• Ancient cities recommend ethnic-style shawls
• Desert recommends flowing long dresses
⚠️ Notes:
☑️ Some sections have no signal, download offline maps in advance
☑️ Hami Dahai Road requires a 4WD vehicle + local guide
☑️ Do not touch murals at cultural heritage sites
"Only after traveling this route do you understand
why every grain of sand in Xinjiang
tells a thousand-year story" 📜
👉🏻 Save this! Waiting for a spontaneous holiday!
Post by BEATRICE NEAL | Jun 28, 2025














