Attractions

Urumqi Water Park Guide: what this lakeside city park is really like, free entry, ride prices, bus access, best season and a half-day plan that works.

Tashkurgan Eagle Festival Guide: real dates, eagle dance and bone flute, buzkashi, border permits, altitude advice and honest costs on the Pamir plateau.

Xinjiang Museum Mummies Guide: free entry, booking steps, opening hours and which Tarim mummies to see first in Urumqi, drawn from six on-site visits.

Kashgar Sunday Bazaar Guide with real opening hours, taxi fares, food prices and livestock market timing, based on four Sunday visits from 2017 to 2024.

Flaming Mountains Movie Set Guide: what the Journey to the West sculpture park in Turpan actually looks like, plus ticket prices, heat limits and timing.

Tianshan Tianchi Boating Guide: cruise ticket prices, dock location, sailing season, and honest advice from my own trips on Heavenly Lake near Urumqi.

Plan Urumqi International Bazaar with our on-the-ground guide — top sights, how to get there, where to stay, what to eat, and the best time to visit.

Alagou Grand Canyon Guide: free unticketed Toksun valley with Saka tombs and Cold War ruins. Real road conditions, best months, costs and a 2-day plan.

Plan Abakh Khoja Mausoleum with our on-the-ground guide — top sights, how to get there, where to stay, what to eat, and the best time to visit.

Plan Id Kah Mosque with our on-the-ground guide — top sights, how to get there, where to stay, what to eat, and the best time to visit.