【Crossing the Duku】Xinjiang Dushanzi Grand Canyon + Full Duku Highway + Bayanbulak + Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves + Xiangfei Garden + Kashgar Old Town + Mosque + Karakul Lake + Panlong Ancient Road + Oytagh Glacier Park 10-Day 9-Night Private Car Custom Tour

Welcome to Xinjiang, known as the hometown of song and dance, food, and beautiful scenery. Our agency will send a private car to pick you up at the airport and take you to the hotel for check-in and rest. If it is still early, you can arrange your own activities in Urumqi. If you want to learn about Xinjiang's humanities and history, the first recommendation is the 【Xinjiang Museum】 (free, no entry after 16:30 in the afternoon; closed on Mondays); if you want to experience exotic customs, you can go to the 【Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar】, where the unique Western Regions culture and dazzling array of goods may let you find quite a few good bargains. If you want to taste delicious food, you can go to the Grand Bazaar Night Market to eat and stroll, such as the nationally famous big plate chicken, crispy outside and tender inside roast lamb chops, lamb skewers, Ili horse sausages, various specialty noodles, and so on

After breakfast, drive along the S101 Provincial Road, which starts at the Xishan Farm junction of National Highway 216, about 20 kilometers south of Urumqi, and ends at the Bayin Gou mouth of Dushanzi. Once a little-known defense road, it extends east-west along the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains at an altitude of 1,000 meters, offering a route of brilliantly colored and extraordinarily spectacular landforms shaped by hundreds of millions of years of crustal movement and wind-and-rain erosion. Afterwards, head to the [Dushanzi Grand Canyon Scenic Area], a newly renovated attraction with many high-altitude amusement activities, such as high-altitude swings, high-altitude two-person bicycles, and more. Of course, the magnificent canyon scenery is also a photo spot not to be missed. Today's Scenic Area Strategy Recommendations [How to Play] Dushanzi Grand Canyon A: Overlook the spectacular scene of Dushanzi Grand Canyon B: Glass bridge at your own expense, 100 yuan/person C: Ground rail slide at your own expense, 60 yuan/person [Suggested Visit Time] 1.5h-2h for Dushanzi Grand Canyon. [Warm Tips] 1: Today's drive is relatively long, please prepare your favorite snacks and movies. 2: Most entertainment facilities at Dushanzi Grand Canyon are high-altitude activities, so please arrange your visit with care.

After breakfast, enter Xinjiang's internet-famous highway — the 【Duku Highway】. Stroll and stop along the winding mountain road, passing snow-capped mountains, lakes, pine forests, and grasslands, crossing the Tianshan Daban. Experiencing four seasons of scenery in one day will surely be a wonderful experience of your trip! You can stop at every stop along the way for photos. Then head to 【Bayanbulak Grassland】, following the Kunges River Valley all the way. One side of the road faces snow-capped mountains, the other faces the river valley — the scenery is very beautiful. Upon arriving at Bayanbulak and entering the scenic area by shuttle bus, visit Swan Home. If the weather is clear, at sunset you can enjoy the rare "Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns" sunset. Check into the hotel. Today's Scenic Area Tips 【Activities】 1. Duku Highway A: At the Martyrs' Cemetery, listen to the old squad leader tell stories of those years. Take a photo with the old squad leader as a keepsake B: At Hashilegen Daban, experience a snowball fight and eat watermelon in the snow C: Check in at the internet-famous "Sky Waterfall" and take a group photo D: Check in at the "Watching Tianshan" stone monument and feel the martyrs' deep patriotic sentiments 2. Bayanbulak A: Take the shuttle bus to the first stop, Swan Home, to see swans or water birds nesting and playing in the water B: Take the shuttle bus to the second stop, Bayinbuluke, to experience ethnic culture C: The final stop is Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns. Find a good angle and wait for the sunset. If lucky, you can photograph nine suns reflected on the water surface of Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns D: Those interested in performances can pay extra to watch "East Return Impression" (298 yuan/person) 【Suggested Duration】3h; Bayanbulak: 3h-4h 【Warm Tips】 1: The Duku Highway is a winding mountain road. If you get carsick, you can prepare motion sickness patches in advance 2: The Duku Highway reaches about 3,000 meters at its highest point. You'll see unmelted snow walls on both sides of the road. Four seasons in one day, different weather every ten miles, with changeable climate along the way. Please prepare warm clothing. 3: Bayanbulak has many mosquitoes in summer, please prepare mosquito protection 3: Sunset is relatively late, it's recommended to bring some snacks into the scenic area 4: Bayanbulak has low temperatures, pay attention to keeping warm

Today we head to the ancient Qiuci city—Kuqa. After about 1.5 hours' drive, we arrive at the [Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon]. Inside the canyon, it winds and twists, with each turn revealing a new view. The bottom is a sandy gravel surface, and streams appear and disappear. When we reach Yunu Spring, we make a wish, then slowly walk deeper into the canyon to explore the mysteries that have puzzled people for years. Afterwards, go to visit the [Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves]. The long history and rich cultural and artistic background of the Qiuci Kingdom, together with the exquisite murals, make people linger for a long time. Today's Scenic Area Strategy Recommendations [Things to Do] A: Hike through the narrow canyon and raise your camera, looking up to feel the pressing, imposing red cliffs. B: Reach out and touch the crisscrossing ravines on the cliff walls, feeling the traces of millions of years and wind-and-rain erosion. C: At the canyon entrance, check in at "Naitou Mountain, Liren Mountain, and Buddha Face Mountain," marveling at nature's wondrous creations. D: Step into the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, return to the ancient Qiuci Kingdom, and admire the diligence and wisdom of the ancients. [Time to Spend] Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon is recommended for 2.5h; Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves are recommended for 1.5h. [Warm Tips] Pay attention to sun protection, and wear comfortable shoes since the canyon requires hiking.

After breakfast, drive to Aksu and arrive at 【Wensu Grand Canyon】 in about 3 hours. The sightseeing route in the scenic area features "one peak and one valley." In the canyon, the distribution of red mountain rock layers is clear, the folds formed by compression and the curved lines are very distinct, and fractured rocks are sandwiched within the cliff rock layers. After hundreds of millions of years of wind and rain erosion, they have formed a peculiar landscape of towering precipices, towering grotesque peaks, varied shapes, jagged and bizarre forms, intense colors, and a riot of colorful splendor. Today's Scenic Area Guide Recommendations 【Things to Do】 A: Hike from Valley No. 4 to Valley No. 3 and admire the spectacular Danxia canyon group B: Gaze at the distant Tianshan Mountains from Valley No. 4 C: Prepare nice clothes and pose for great photos in the canyon. 【Suggested Visit Time】2h for Wensu Grand Canyon 【Warm Tips】Pay attention to sun protection, and wear comfortable shoes since the canyon requires hiking

After breakfast, drive to [Kashgar Fragrant Concubine Park], where you will feel as if you are in a vivid scroll of Xinjiang Uyghur folk customs. Afterwards, visit [Kashgar Old Town]. When you reach the old town, you must not miss the city-opening ceremony here and feel the local warm atmosphere. Holding our cameras, we slowly enter the old town and capture everything here—people, events, and objects—all worth collecting as memories; walking through the deep alleys will give you a sense of time travel, as if you have returned to ancient Kashgar. When you are tired from strolling, sit in a teahouse and fully experience the local folk atmosphere. Today's Scenic Area Strategy Recommendations [How to Play] A: Join the city-opening ceremony (10 AM/12 PM/6 PM). The Uyghur uncles and Guli will let you feel the passion of Xinjiang dance. B: There are many surprising alleys in the old town. Stroll through the alleys, meet the honest Uncle Gurban, and see Uyghur children with innocence in their eyes... C: Sit in groups of three or five in a century-old teahouse, sip tea, chat, and zone out while feeling the slow rhythm here. [Suggested Visit Time] 4h for Kashgar Old Town. [Warm Tips] A: The old town is suitable for slow strolling and slow browsing; you can visit according to your own preferences. B: Kashgar Old Town is a Uyghur gathering area; please respect local ethnic customs and habits.

After breakfast, drive to Tashkurgan County, passing through the Ghez Checkpoint. Along the way, view Bulun Kou's 【White Sand Lake】, where the lake surface is like a mirror and the white sand reflects in the lake, making it very photogenic and a great spot for photography. Follow the China-Pakistan Friendship Highway (Karakoram Highway) all the way to 【Karakul Lake】, hidden at an altitude of 3,600 meters on the Pamir Plateau, the "Roof of the World." In the distance, you can see Muztagh Ata Peak, its reflection shimmering in the water under the sunlight. If lucky, you may spot flocks of sheep, camels, and yaks. Then arrive at 【Tagharma Wetland】, surrounded by mountains on all sides. Due to its low terrain, countless mountain springs converge here, gradually forming the entire Tashkurgan grassland base, with herds of cattle and sheep roaming freely. Overnight stay in Tashkurgan County. Today's Scenic Area Tips 【Activities】 A: Gaze at White Sand Mountain from the Pamir Plateau B: Photograph the reflection of White Sand Mountain by the lake. C: On the way to Karakul Lake, film a video of the highway merging with the azure lake water D: Experience horseback riding and yak riding by the lake (at your own expense, about 80-100 RMB per person), and live like a local E: Climb the Tagharma Wetland viewing platform to see the wetland streams crisscrossing and flowers blooming everywhere. If lucky, you may also see rare plateau birds flying freely 【Suggested Visit Duration】White Sand Lake: 0.5h-1h; Karakul Lake: 1.5h; Tagharma Wetland: 0.5h 【Warm Tips】 1: A border pass is required to travel to Tashkurgan County; Processing location: Kashgar International Self-Driving and RV Camp; Required documents: original ID card. 2: Tashkurgan County is a high-altitude area. If you experience altitude sickness, please prepare medicine and oxygen bottles in advance 3: High-altitude areas have strong UV rays and strong winds. Please prepare warm clothing and sun protection items.

After breakfast, head to the internet-famous highway — [Panlong Valley Road]. The winding mountain road resembles a sleeping dragon in the mountains; as sunlight shines down, the shadows of clouds rest quietly at the foot of the snow mountains, as if the distant scenery is an oil painting waving to us. Afterwards, proceed to [Oytak Glacier Park]. When it comes to southern Xinjiang, what likely leaves the deepest impression is its rich cultural charm, but the Oytak Glacier in Kizilsu will refresh your understanding of southern Xinjiang — towering and precipitous snow mountains, vast snow-covered forests, crystal-clear and magnificent glaciers, spectacular snow-mountain waterfalls, and majestic yardang landforms, all of which are awe-inspiring. After the visit, return to Kashgar. Today's Scenic Area Tips [Things to Do] A: Prepare your phone, camera, drone, and other equipment to take photos at the internet-famous highway. B: Take a photo at the sign that reads "Today you have walked through all the winding roads of life; from now on, life will be a smooth path." C: The majestic and spectacular Oytak Glacier, with its beautiful scenery and winding roads, offers great material for your travel photos. [Suggested Time] 1.5 hours for Panlong Valley Road, 2 hours for Oytak Glacier. [Warm Tips] 1: Today's drive is relatively long, so please prepare snacks and your favorite movies. 2: Panlong Valley Road has many curves; those prone to motion sickness may want to prepare motion sickness medication in advance.

After breakfast, head to 【Kashgar Old Town】, where it feels like being in a vivid scroll of Xinjiang Uyghur folk customs. When you arrive at the old town, you must not miss the city-opening ceremony here and feel the local warm atmosphere. Holding cameras, we slowly enter the old town and capture all the people, things, and scenes here, all very worth keeping as memories; walking through the deep alleys will give you a sense of time travel, as if you have returned to ancient Kashgar. When tired from strolling, sit for a while in a teahouse and fully experience the local folk atmosphere. Then go to 【Id Kah Mosque】, where you can see a grand prayer scene and feel the strong religious atmosphere. Id Kah Mosque is a courtyard-style temple, and right at the main entrance on the east side of the temple is the huge Id Kah Square, a landmark of Kashgar. Usually many people relax and play on the large square, and long-bearded grandfathers sit with children by the square basking in the sun, very leisurely, and the scene is also very peaceful. Today's Scenic Area Guide Recommendations 【Things to Do】 A: Attend the city-opening ceremony (10 am/12 pm/6 pm); Uyghur uncles and guli will let you feel the enthusiasm of Xinjiang dance B: There are many alleys in the old town that will surprise you. Stroll through the alleys and meet the honest Uncle Gulban, and Uyghur children with innocent eyes...... C: Sit in groups of three or five in a century-old teahouse, sip tea, chat, and space out while feeling the slow rhythm here. 【Suggested Visit Time】4h for Kashgar Old Town, 1.5h for Id Kah Mosque 【Warm Tips】 1: When visiting the mosque, do not wear revealing clothing, keep quiet and do not make noise, and take off your shoes when entering the hall. 2: During prayer times, you cannot enter the temple and may only visit from outside

After breakfast, airport transfer will be arranged according to flight time. Happy times always pass quickly, and the day has come for us to say goodbye. We hope this short trip to Xinjiang can leave you with beautiful memories, and we look forward to meeting you again~