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Xinjiang: North and South Are a Flight Apart

Regions
Aug 21, 2026
Snow-capped Muztagh Ata reflected in Lake Karakul on the Pamir plateau, southern Xinjiang

Xinjiang breaks itineraries because of one number. The region covers 1.6649 million square kilometres — one sixth of China (Information Office of the State Council, 2003). Fit that inside a European frame and it runs from Lisbon to Warsaw. Yet trip plans keep arriving with Kanas in the north and Kashgar in the south stitched into the same week, as though a road connects them. Nothing sensible does. Between the two sits the Taklamakan, and the honest answer is a flight.

So this guide is organised around the two things that actually decide the trip: distance, and paperwork.

Where Xinjiang Is, and How It Splits

Far northwest China, bordering eight countries. The Tianshan range runs east to west across the middle and divides the region cleanly in two.

North of the mountains is the Junggar Basin: grassland, conifer forest, alpine lakes, a climate closer to Kazakhstan or Siberia. South of them is the Tarim Basin, which is mostly the Taklamakan desert, ringed by oasis towns that were Silk Road cities long before they were Chinese prefectures.

Two landscapes, two seasons, two trips. Urumqi, the capital, sits on the northern side and functions as the hinge — almost every route starts or ends there.

What Makes Xinjiang Worth the Effort

The scenery does a lot of the arguing. Xinjiang Tianshan was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 2013 as four components — Tomur, Kalajun-Kuerdening, Bayinbuluke and Bogda — totalling 606,833 hectares, and holding 477 rare and endangered species along with 140 endemic plants and animals (UNESCO World Heritage Centre, 2013). Our guide to Xinjiang Tianshan covers the practical side of reaching them.

Beyond that, four things pull travellers this far:

  • Alpine north. Kanas Lake and the Altai valleys, which look nothing like anyone’s mental image of China.
  • Silk Road south. Kashgar old town, Hotan’s jade markets, the buried cities out toward Ruoqiang.
  • Turpan. One of the lowest and hottest places in the country, with the karez irrigation tunnels and grape trellises that make it liveable.
  • Food. Lamb, cumin, hand-pulled noodles, nan bread baked against the wall of a clay oven. Distinct from anything else on the Chinese map.

The Distance Problem, in Numbers

Urumqi to Kashgar is roughly 1,400 kilometres. Urumqi to Kanas is another 700 or so, north, on the opposite bearing. Neither is a drive you slot between two sightseeing days.

The railways have improved things a great deal, mind. The Lanzhou–Urumqi high-speed line opened across its full 1,776 kilometres in December 2014, bringing the run in from Gansu down from over 23 hours to under 12 (People’s Daily Online, 2014). And in June 2022 the 825-kilometre Hotan–Ruoqiang line closed a 2,712-kilometre loop around the Taklamakan — the world’s first rail circuit around a desert, with 65% of the new track laid inside it (Xinhua, 2022).

That loop is genuinely useful for the southern oases. It is still a loop around a desert, though, not a shortcut across one. Plan flights for the long north–south hops and trains for everything else.

Permits and Paperwork in Xinjiang

Straightforward, as long as you check before you book rather than after.

  • Most of the region needs no special permit. A valid Chinese visa covers Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar city, Kanas and the main Tianshan sites.
  • Border counties are different. Frontier areas — the Pamir road up to Tashkurgan is the usual example — require a border pass, normally arranged in Kashgar before you travel. Allow a few working days.
  • Some areas need a travel permit rather than a border pass. Rules differ by county, and they do change, so confirm with the local exit–entry administration or a licensed agency at planning time. Our China travel permit guide explains what the document is and where it is issued.
  • Hotels must be licensed to receive foreign guests. Not every property is, particularly in small towns. Confirm this when booking, not on arrival.
  • Carry your passport at all times. Document checks are routine at stations, hotels and some road checkpoints. They are quick, and they go faster when you have the passport in hand rather than in a bag.

Follow the rules as written and the process is unremarkable. Guess at them and you lose days.

Best Time to Visit Xinjiang

The north and the south do not share a season, which is another reason to stop combining them.

  • North, June to early October. Kanas and the alpine meadows are only comfortable in summer, and late September brings the birch colour everyone photographs. The Duku Highway across the Tianshan opens seasonally, roughly June to October.
  • South, April to May and September to October. Turpan and the Tarim oases pass 40°C at the height of summer.
  • Avoid the first week of October nationwide, when domestic crowds fill every scenic area.
  • Winter works for skiing near Altay, and for very little else.

One quirk worth planning around: the whole country runs on Beijing time, but daily life out here shifts about two hours later. Breakfast at nine, dinner at nine, sunset near eleven in midsummer. Book early flights with that in mind.

Getting There and Moving Around

Urumqi Tianshan International is the gateway, with flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu and Guangzhou, plus regional international services. Kashgar and Altay have their own airports, and domestic fares between them are usually modest.

Overland, the classic approach is the Silk Road railway through Gansu — Lanzhou, Dunhuang, then on to Turpan and Urumqi. It is a long, scenic, entirely comfortable ride, and it makes the geography make sense in a way flying never does.

Within the region, hire a car with a driver for the mountain and desert legs. Public transport reaches the towns but rarely the viewpoints, and the distances between fuel stops are longer than most visitors expect. Getting around China covers the booking mechanics.

Practical Tips and Common Mistakes

  • Do not plan north and south in one week. Pick a half. Ten days does one properly; a fortnight does both without a rushed feeling.
  • Book internal flights early. Summer seats to Kanas and Kashgar go quickly, and last-minute fares climb hard.
  • Bring layers. Alpine mornings and desert afternoons in the same trip. The daily swing alone can reach twenty degrees.
  • Payment. Mobile payment is standard everywhere, cash increasingly rare — sort it out via how to pay in China before you fly.
  • Ask before photographing people. Ordinary courtesy, and it is appreciated in the bazaars.

Frequently Asked Questions About Xinjiang

Can foreign tourists travel in Xinjiang independently?

Yes. Independent travel is normal across the main routes. Border areas need their own paperwork, and a licensed local agency is worth using where permits are involved.

How long does Xinjiang need?

Eight to ten days for one half. Fourteen for north and south together, including the flight between them. Under a week, stay near Urumqi and Turpan.

Is Mandarin enough, or do you need Uyghur?

Mandarin works throughout. Uyghur is widely spoken in the south, and a couple of greetings go a long way in a bazaar. English is limited outside hotels.

What is the food like?

Lamb-heavy, cumin-forward, halal, and excellent. Polo rice, laghman noodles, samsa pastries, nan. Vegetarians will find it harder than in eastern China.

Can international students study in Xinjiang?

They can. Xinjiang University in Urumqi and Shihezi University both take international students, both hold 211 status, and living costs are low by Chinese standards.

The Short Version

Choose a half and commit to it. Xinjiang north is alpine and best in summer; Xinjiang south is desert Silk Road and best in spring or autumn. Check permits before booking, licence-check the hotel, keep the passport handy, and let a plane cover the middle. Do that and the region is one of the most rewarding trips in China. Ignore the map and it becomes a fortnight of transit.

References

Information Office of the State Council. (2003, May 26). White paper on history and development of Xinjiang. Retrieved from http://en.people.cn/200305/26/eng20030526_117240.shtml

People’s Daily Online. (2014, December 26). Urumqi-Lanzhou high-speed rail starts full operation. Retrieved from https://en.people.cn/n/2014/1226/c90882-8828374.html

UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (2013). Xinjiang Tianshan. Retrieved from https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1414/

Xinhua. (2022, June 16). China opens last section of rail loop around its largest desert. Retrieved from https://english.news.cn/20220616/4aac7c064a60443391589f680ebbee7c/c.html