2 days in Xinjiang, China

Xinjiang, as another minority autonomous region in China, is a place dwelled by Uygur people. It is a wonderful place with rich fruits and passional Uygur minority. Here are the best places to visit in Xinjiang, to help you find your way to get close touch with the unique minority culture.

Jiaohe Ancient City

Jiaohe Ancient City is renowned as the "perfect ruin of earth building" because it has been well preserved for almost two thousand years. It is incredible that these earth buildings dug from soil used to be the capital city of the former Cheshi State which housed 700 households, 6500 residents plus 865 soldiers. The whole city covers 360,000 square meters. Most of buildings we can see so far were built during Tang Dynasty. Small but complete, there are specific buildings for manufacture, military defense, official work, etc.

Tianchi Lake

Tianchi Lake or Heavenly Lake is a lake with water from melted snow around. As a natural alpine lake, it has an elevation of 1,980 meters. With limpid water, the lake shines like a sapphire under the sun and is surrounded by green mountains. At the southeast end of the lake is the magnificent Bogda Peak, meaning “Sacred Mountain” in the Mongolian language.

Tianchi literally means ' Heaven Lake ' or ' Heavenly Lake ' and can refer to several lakes in China and Taiwan. Formerly known as Yaochi (Jade Lake), it was named Tianchi by Mingliang in 1783, the Qing Dynasty Commander of Urumqi Command.

Xinjiang Regional Museum

Xinjiang Regional Museum is integrated museum, located in the Urumqi City. It is a beautiful building decorated by Uygur style, and has more than 5,000 arts and history relics. It features in three exhibition hall including Ethnic Exhibition, History Reclics Exhibition, Mummy Exhibition.

Mori Forest of Diversiform-leaved Poplars

Photo www.news.cn

A forest of diversiform-leaved poplars, a tenacious ancient species, can be found at the south edge of Junggar Basin, 150 km away from Mori County, covering an area of 35 square kilometers. With a history of 65 million years, the forest is the oldest primeval forest of diversiform-leaved poplars in the world, and is known as a "living fossil".

Faced with broiling heat and droughts, the forest stills stand in the desert, brimming with energy and life. The trees are described as "having the ability to grow erect for a thousand years, live for a thousand years after falling, and the life remain undying after death for another thousand years."

Karakul Lake

Karakul Lake is located about 190 km from the Kashgar City, Xinjiang. It seats at the foot of the Muztagh Ata (7546m), and along the China Pakistan Highway. At an altitude of 3600m, Karakul Lake is the highest lake of the Pamir plateau. It also features in the amazing combination of lake and snow mountain views.

At its surrounding, there are three giant mountains such as Muztagh Ata (7546m), Kongur Tagh (7649m) and Kongur Tiube (7530m) which remain snow-covered throughout the year. The best season to visit Karakul Lake are Summer and Autumn when travelers come in great numbers to see the unreal scenery and the clarity of its reflection in the water, whose color ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue.

Id Kah Mosque

Photo Matteocolombo Photography

Id Kah Mosque is the largest mosque in China, and one of three largest in middle Asia. It is located on the west of Id Kah Square in Kashgar. Getting close to Id Kah Mosque, you will be impressed by the elegant blue gate of mosque. Id Kah Mosque is the holy land for the Muslims. Every day, there are thousands of Muslims worshipping here. In the history, Id Kah Mosque used to be a school where taught Islam culture. Many scholars and honored clergies graduated from here.

See more: What to eat in Xinjiang, China

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What to eat in Xinjiang, China

The food you'll find in the Xinjiang region is quite different from that of the rest of China. Here's a quick primer on the kinds of things you'll come across while you travel.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates are in season in the late summer and fall months. You’ll find them piled up outside markets and are sold by the kilo.

Naan Flatbread

These flatbreads are on sale throughout the region by small bread makers. Best bought warm, straight from the naan oven, they are a breakfast staple. Some are baked plain but you can also find some baked with cumin, salt, scallions or sesame seeds baked in. The bread is often decorated with traditional round circles.

Leghman Noodles

The Xinjiang version of “lamian” is called leghman. Traditionally hand-pulled, they are first boiled and then topped with a stir-fry of different ingredients, depending on where you have them. Usually, the topping is a mix of vegetables and we ate them with mixes of tomatoes, peppers, onions, potatoes, and beans. They are not served in a soup but rather cooked and topped with the vegetable mix.

Polu Rice Pilaf

Another very typical dish that you’ll find being sold often outside restaurants from an enormous wok-type dish is Xinjiang’s polu, or rice pilaf. This dish is made from cooked mutton along with onion and yellow carrots – a type of carrot I’ve only come across in Xinjiang. The meat and vegetables are cooked with some spices, including cumin, and then steamed along with the rice. Sometimes you’ll find raisins added in giving the dish a salty-sweet taste. This is a good dish to get to-go if you’re in a hurry. Most places that sell it will have plastic ware and they’ll pack you up a dish to go.

Lamb and Mutton Skewers

Kawaplar is piled up on tables at every market. These skewers of mostly mutton meat and mutton fat are a staple in Xinjiang. Outside of the market, there will be a line of men selling grilled skewers from small stalls. Each little stall will have a table, a pile of pre-grilled skewers and an enormous electric fan that blows the billowing smoke from the charcoal grill away and into your face if you're not careful.

The skewers are typically sprinkled with a mix of spices that includes some cumin and hot chili flakes. Pantomime that you don't want the spices if you don't like chili.

Samsa Mutton Dumplings

One of the most delicious foods we came across in Xinjiang were street-side Samsa. Baked in an oven similar to a naan-oven, these dumplings had a delicious mutton and onion filling. We ate them right as they came out of the oven.

See more: Where to visit in Xinjiang, China

Source: tripsavvy