Classic Xinjiang Cross-Country Route (Northern Xinjiang + Southern Xinjiang)

Spend 10,000 yuan to traverse China’s longest highway! This “legendary” full Xinjiang cross-country journey has left countless travelers saying upon return: I finally understand the vastness and deep affection of this land. Have you ever thought— At the westernmost edge of China’s territory, there is a route, Starting from the snowy mountain peaks, passing through grasslands, deserts, plateaus, and ancient cities, Stretching 5,000 kilometers, connecting a landscape half made of water’s tenderness and half carved from stone’s epic. Recently, a trip hailed by backpackers as the “ultimate dream route” has completely exploded: “The Classic Xinjiang Cross-Country Route” — Northern Xinjiang + Southern Xinjiang all in one go! 📍 Urumqi → Tianshan Tianchi → Northern section of Duku Highway → Nalati → Bayinbuluke → Entire Duku Highway → Kuqa → Aksu → Kashgar → Taxkorgan (Tashkurgan) → Return to Kashgar 💰 Average cost 8,000-11,000 yuan｜⏰ Prime season from June to September｜🚗 Explore both Northern and Southern Xinjiang in one trip, a double hit of nature × culture This is not just travel; it’s an immersive answer to “How big and beautiful is China?” Why is this route called “a national business card you must travel once in your life”? Because it compresses China’s ultimate scenery and millennia-old civilization into a dual expedition of geography and soul. Imagine your journey: 🌤️ Day 2: Tianshan Tianchi A fairyland lake descends to the mortal world, snowy peaks reflect in the lake’s heart. When the morning light shines, you might think you’ve stepped into a page of the Classic of Mountains and Seas. 🔥 Day 4-6: Full stretch of Duku Highway Experience four seasons in one day, landscapes changing every ten miles. From the rolling green waves of Nalati, to the sunset melting gold over Bayinbuluke’s winding rivers, to the snow and wind at Tielimaiti Pass—this road is a “hero’s road” paved with youth and passion. 🕌 Day 8: Kuqa Old Town Walking the streets of the ancient Kingdom of Kucha, Uyghur children ride bicycles through alleys, the call to prayer from the mosque mingles with the aroma of baked buns. This is a Silk Road hub and living history. 🏔️ Day 10: Pamir Plateau · Taxkorgan The “cloud-edge border town” at 3,200 meters elevation, backed by the Kunlun Mountains, facing K2. A Tajik elder stands beneath the white tower, smiling at you: “Welcome to the heartbeat of the motherland.” 🌀 Day 12: Panlong Ancient Road day trip 608 hairpin turns spiral skyward, “Today you’ve passed all the bends, from now on life is smooth.” When you reach here, you’ll feel—no matter how hard life is, it’s just another turn. Is this travel? It’s measuring the motherland’s latitude and longitude with tires, reading the earth’s growth rings with your eyes. What’s even more touching are those “moments only Xinjiang can give”: 👉 At Bayinbuluke Wetland, a group of strangers squat by the river waiting for sunset; as the sun dips, someone suddenly starts singing “My Motherland and I,” voices growing stronger and brighter; 👉 A tire bursts beside the desert highway, a passing truck driver stops without hesitation to help, after fixing it just waves: “We’re all Xinjiang people, no need to say thanks.” 👉 In a small tea house in Taxkorgan, an old man who doesn’t speak Chinese insists on pouring you a bowl of hot milk tea, pointing at Beijing and Urumqi on the map, making a “connection” gesture. Some netizens said: “I’ve lived in big cities for ten years, and this is the first time the words ‘Chinese people’ feel so real.” “Not because the scenery is stunning, but because—on this land, kindness needs no translation.” Stop saying “too expensive, too far, too exhausting.” Do the math and you’ll understand: ✅ All-terrain vehicle/business car + professional guide + tickets and accommodation all included ✅ Small group travel (6-8 people), social and friendly, easy to join even if single ✅ June to September is Xinjiang’s most beautiful season: grasslands green, fruits sweet, starry skies bright For less than 600 yuan a day, you can sleep at the foot of snowy mountains, wake up on the edge of the desert, and eat in a thousand-year-old city. Compared to a concert plus dinner in a first-tier city costing thousands, This isn’t spending money; it’s a huge recharge of life experience. And— 🔸 Xinjiang’s security is as stable as Mount Tai, security checks are so strict they even test bottled water 🔸 Drivers are all local Xinjiang natives, who can tell history, sing folk songs, and bake excellent naan 🔸 The route is scientifically designed to avoid altitude sickness, with a well-paced rhythm So, if you are experiencing: Being numb from daily information overload, feeling the world is no bigger than your phone screen Wanting to set off but fearing loneliness, trouble, or “leave requests denied” Living in China but feeling like you’ve never truly understood how vast and affectionate it is I want to tell you: One trip across Xinjiang is worth more than a hundred short check-ins. Just like the girl who took off her sunglasses at the end of Panlong Ancient Road said: “I took annual leave, left the work chat group, not to escape, but because—I want to remember, I still have a heart that trembles for mountains and rivers.” In this lifetime, you must travel the long road across China once. See how Tianchi reflects faith, Hear the Duku Highway tell stories of sacrifice, Feel, under the sunset in Kashgar Old Town, A vastness called—thousands of miles in one glance; a deep affection called—no regrets entering China in this life.