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2024 Qiemo Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in October)
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2024 Hainan-Tibet-Xinjiang Self-Driving Tour: Day 15 Minfeng County - Tazhong Town
Woke up around 11 AM in Minfeng County. The hotel we stayed at had a Sichuan restaurant downstairs, the food was delicious, Ken said it was the best meal we've had in days; the restaurant was very clean, including the restroom, which was a stark contrast to what we experienced in the Tibetan area.
At 1:40 PM, we were ready to leave Minfeng County. We took a brief look at the county, surrounded by farmland, with grapevines at the farmhouse doors, lush trees, and many roadside stalls selling fruits. Couldn't help but sigh: Xinjiang and Tibet are so different!
Today we are going to cross the desert highway, destination: Kuqa. Oh, the temperature difference is so big! Yesterday we had hats, scarves, and gloves all on, today it's sunglasses, t-shirts, and sandals.
What is the desert highway like? Is it a road in the desert? The section of the desert highway we are taking is about 560 kilometers, then we will switch to the Tuhe Expressway and drive another 100 kilometers to reach Kuqa.
Shortly after getting on the desert highway, we encountered a gravel road. At first, Ken didn't say anything, but after a while, he couldn't help but ask: Is it going to be like this all the way?
Of course not! After a while, the road condition became smooth again. I took over driving, and Ken started flying the drone. Photos 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 were taken by the drone.
To be honest, the desert highway is much more monotonous compared to the uninhabited area we passed the day before. Around 7 PM, it was still very bright, we passed by Tazhong Oilfield's Tazhong Town. We learned that the desert highway was initially built for the Tazhong Oilfield. I suggested to Ken that we should stop here for the night and complete the second half of the desert highway tomorrow.
About 3 kilometers from Tazhong Town, we saw the desert landscape house in photo 7. Out of curiosity, we drove into the side road to take a closer look at the house, but it seemed just average. The owner even dug a swimming pool in the desert, which was... a bit awkward. The room rate was over 800.
Tazhong Town has restaurants and small supermarkets. The hotel we stayed at was newly built in 2024, with a large courtyard surrounded by buildings. There were quite a few guests, and they even provided us with free breakfast. The room conditions were excellent, clean, and tidy, which was quite a surprise.
Dinner was lamb skewers and Xinjiang noodles. We chatted a bit with the girl who took our order at the restaurant. She told us that in the desert, as soon as the sun sets, mosquitoes 🦟 come out, very large mosquitoes, and their bites cause big swellings. It gave me the creeps, especially since I was wearing short sleeves today! We quickly went back to the hotel to rest. Tomorrow we continue our journey.
Autumn in Xinjiang · Qiemu Poplar
🍁In the golden autumn of October, the leaves of the poplar trees in Qiemu County turn yellow with the wind, presenting the most beautiful scenery of the year at this moment.
🗒️Travel Guide
🕛Time: The leaves start to turn yellow from the end of September, and October is the best time to enjoy the view.
📍Route: 🚞Take a train to Qiemu Station, ✈️fly to Qiemu Yudu Airport, 🚗drive along G315.
⚠️Note:
🏜️The desert area has a dry climate, remember to stay hydrated!
🍂Autumn is already a low-temperature period, bring warm clothes!
🏔️The highland has thin air, bring oxygen as needed on the road!
🍁Late autumn belongs to the poplars.
🎈The vast poplar forest in the Tuogebulake Poplar Forest Scenic Area makes people feel like they are in a golden world.
🎈The poplars on both sides of the Tati Poplar Forest road are particularly spectacular, and you can take great photos 📷 without going to the scenic area.
📎Check-in
🍜Qiemu's red dates, lamb, garlic, and Xinjiang's special delicacies are all worth tasting.
🏛️Qiemu Museum, Tuohulak Manor, and Zagunluk Ancient Tombs are worth checking out.
🏕️Accommodation
Although Qiemu is large in area, the county town is not big. For convenience, it is best to choose accommodation in the county town.
Highly recommended 【Qiemu Guest House】‼️‼️
1️⃣Qiemu Guest House has a high rating, making it an excellent choice for both business trips and holiday travel 👍
2️⃣Located at 297 Silk Road West, in the county town, it is very convenient. It is very close to attractions such as the museum and People's Park, and only a 15-minute drive to the airport and train station.
3️⃣The hotel has comprehensive facilities, including a free laundry room, a large conference hall, and large private dining rooms to meet various needs of guests.
4️⃣Professional and thoughtful service, with a large outdoor parking lot, can easily accommodate large tour groups and park buses.
Afternoon tea with yogurt and nuts, and the restaurant's Xinjiang specialties make guests feel satisfied 🥰
⚠️As the top hotel in Qiemu, the accommodation environment is naturally comfortable and hygienic, with excellent heating, softened hot and cold water, and spacious rooms for a comfortable stay.
✨✨Cross the desert, come to Qiemu to find the poplars, and feel the tenacity and beauty of life‼️
The starting point of the Sea of Death - Qiemo Welcome Hotel
Xinjiang Grand Loop Day 12, from Ruoqiang to Qiemo County, ready to start the thousand-mile crossing of the Sea of Death - Taklamakan Desert, staying at the best hotel in the county - Qiemo Welcome Hotel.
The hotel is at the intersection, a standalone building with a very spacious parking lot, convenient for self-driving travel. Opened for a year in '23, the facilities are also very new, indeed the best choice in Qiemo, and the price of just over 200 with breakfast is very reasonable. However, it's worth noting that this hotel has many guests who leave early, and the breakfast is quite simple and not replenished, so if you go after 9 o'clock, there's only the bottom of the dishes left. If you want to have breakfast, try to go early. There are a few hot dishes, porridge, steamed buns, etc., as the main food, no noodle stall, quite simple so I won't write separately.
The hotel lobby is double-height with a left and right orientation, the floor is shiny, and both the stone materials and chandeliers are quite luxurious. There are rest areas designed on both sides of the lobby, the public area is roughly equivalent to brands like Courtyard by Marriott and Holiday Inn, about 4-star level.
The room facilities are also very new, but there is a strong peculiar smell when opening the door, well, a unique ethnic scent of the Northwest, those who know, know. Changing to another room did not significantly improve it, which is actually rare in Xinjiang, so be cautious if you mind.
To the left of the entrance is a mini bar and wardrobe, to the right is the bathroom, free water from Nongfu Spring, equipped with 4 packs of domestic tea bags, luggage rack, TV cabinet, standard office desk, sofa and small coffee table by the window, all of these are nice, but the basic rooms do not come with a mini-fridge, so if you need something chilled, you can book a higher room type.
Aside from the smell, there are no problems with room cleanliness, and the shower area is also quite spacious, it's just that the toilet area is a bit cramped.
Overall, it's worth the price and is indeed the best choice in Qiemo.
Recommended Attractions at Popular Destinations
Popular Restaurants in Qiemo