A Aynur Rahman · Xinjiang-based travel writer & licensed local route plannerUpdated 2026-08-10 · Accommodation camping-xinjiang-road-trip-3.jpg A German backpacker I gave a lift on the Duku said he judges a…
A Aynur Rahman · Xinjiang-based travel writer & licensed local route plannerUpdated 2026-08-10 · Accommodation 6-day-family-friendly-xinjiang-loop-3.jpg Driving the Duku with a 5-year-old, what I cared about was ‘can I park…
A Aynur Rahman · Xinjiang-based travel writer & licensed local route plannerUpdated 2026-08-10 · Accommodation turpan-grape-festival-2026-3.jpg Turpan hits 47°C in summer; I once stayed in a guesthouse with no AC…
A Aynur Rahman · Xinjiang-based travel writer & licensed local route plannerUpdated 2026-08-10 · Accommodation 5-day-kanas-and-hemu-short-loop-3.jpg I paid the ‘National Day’ tuition twice in Kanas and Hemu — holiday prices…
A Aynur Rahman · Xinjiang-based travel writer & licensed local route plannerUpdated 2026-08-10 · Accommodation taklamakan-desert-highway-guide-3.jpg In a yurt on the edge of the Taklamakan a gust lifted the tent…
A Aynur Rahman · Xinjiang-based travel writer & licensed local route plannerUpdated 2026-08-10 · Accommodation kashgar-old-town-complete-guide-3.jpg The lanes of Kashgar’s old town are so narrow my SUV needed three backing…
A Aynur Rahman · Xinjiang-based travel writer & licensed local route plannerUpdated 2026-08-10 · Accommodation urumqi-nanshan-pasture-guide-3.jpg My first group tour landed in Urumqi and I booked a hotel near Erdaoqiao…
New expressway sections opening in Xinjiang: what is being added, which loops get faster, and what it means for international self-drivers.
Updates on the 240-hour visa-free transit policy and what it means for international travellers driving into Xinjiang via Urumqi.
The 2026 Turpan Grape Festival: expected dates, what happens, how to drive there, and tips for international visitors on a Xinjiang trip.