The Journey in Xinjiangthe South

Continuing from the previous post, this time it’s the Southern Xinjiang chapter of my Xinjiang journey.
The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region covers a vast area and can generally be divided into Northern and Southern Xinjiang by the Tianshan Mountains.

This trip took me to Korla, lasting 4 days and 3 nights.
Most of the time was spent on the road, but amid the fatigue, I was rewarded with breathtaking golden autumn scenery unlike anything I had ever seen before.

Itinerary

Day 1 — Departure

I booked a rideshare to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1 at 4 a.m.
It took less than half an hour to get there, so I had plenty of time and spent about an hour playing The Legend of Zelda in the departure hall.

The flight to Urumqi took about five hours.
Everywhere we passed seemed to be sunny or partly cloudy, with excellent visibility — the landscapes below were incredibly clear.

Not sure where this is

I saw so many magnificent mountains — absolutely stunning!
Before even landing, I had already taken several gigabytes of photos and videos.

It has a very "mountain" shape

Bogda Peak.

I saw a solar thermal power plant in Gansu along the way.

There’s also a surface that looks like an alien planet.

Just before landing, I caught sight of Urumqi — truly living up to its name as an industrial city, with tall chimneys billowing smoke.

I took a taxi from the airport to Wanda Plaza in the Economic Development Zone, grabbed some lunch, bought a cup of milk tea, and then walked to the Urumqi High-Speed Railway Station.

Winter had already arrived in Urumqi — there was still snow by the roadside that hadn’t melted from a couple of days ago.
I had been to Urumqi Station just last month, so it felt oddly familiar to be back.

I had bought a second-class seat this time. The day before departure, there were still plenty of tickets left, so I assumed the train wouldn’t be full. But once onboard, I realized it was quite packed — even the aisles were full of passengers.
I quickly rescheduled my return ticket to a first-class seat (an extra 70 RMB) — hopefully that’ll be more comfortable.

Along the way, I could see vast stretches of Gobi Desert. Many areas looked completely uninhabited, with no signal at all.

Arrived in Korla at last. Checked into the hotel, ordered takeout, and called it a night.

Day 2 Yuli-Lop Nur Village

I joined a small one-day tour group — six people in total including the driver.
We departed around 9:30 a.m., and along the way I saw many poplar trees that had already turned yellow, giving off a strong sense of autumn.

As we continued driving, we passed large cotton fields.
The driver kindly stopped by the roadside so we could get out and take a look.
This grove of poplar trees had already begun to turn golden.

After a brief stroll around, we continued on our way to the scenic area.

Scenic Area Entrance

The sightseeing bus had no glass on either side — it was completely open, letting the cool breeze brush against my face.
Looking out to both sides, the vast landscape gave off a feeling reminiscent of the African savannah.

Today happened to be the Poplar Festival, and I arrived just in time for the opening ceremony with songs and dances.

There were some small houses displaying handcrafted items and daily utensils made by the Luobu people.

We walked down to the banks of the Tarim River.

The water of the Tarim River was full of silt.

Calm Water Surface
Perfectly Crisp Fries
Black Swan

The fisherman was actually an actor — haha.
Getting Paid to Row

We continued on the shuttle to Goddess Lake, enjoying the vast desert scenery along the way.

A boardwalk surrounds the lake.

Stepping into the desert.

An endless ocean of sand.

The wind stirred waves across the sea of sand.

The sand sparkled like bling-bling.

Some visitors were feeding the fish with snacks they brought.

We took the shuttle back.

I couldn’t help but marvel — people can live to 100 even in such harsh environments.

Centenarian
Centenarian

Adorable Camel
Look at its cute pouting mouth

Dinner — there was way too much food to finish.
Just that bowl of noodles was enough, and it was delicious.

Beef Mixed Noodles
Spicy Pepper Chicken

Day 3 — Luntai to Tarim Park

I joined another small one-day tour — five people in total including the driver.
We set off at 8 a.m. for a three-hour drive to Tarim Park in Luntai County.

Along the way, both sides of the road were lined with severely alkaline soil, its surface looking as if it were covered with a layer of snow.

Inside the park, we took the shuttle bus to the terminal stop — Qia Yang River Station.
This is also where the boat rides and the miniature train start.
The park’s route is designed to start from the terminal and gradually loop back to the main entrance.

The miniature train doesn’t depart until 2:30 p.m., so we first went on the boat ride, which lasts about 30–40 minutes.

Elsewhere in the park, I also saw even more robust poplar trees, which I imagine must be very old.

Took a ride on the little train.

I bought a half-route miniature train ticket, riding to Qian Niao Lake and back.
A one-way trip takes about 30 minutes, and the train moves at a leisurely pace, allowing passengers to enjoy the scenery on both sides.

Along the way to Qian Niao Lake, I spotted some white swans, but ironically, when I reached the lakeside, I couldn’t see any.

Staff members were helping visitors retrieve a drone.

A majestic swan.

A tree with a striking, tree-like shape.

The background looks so fake!

Returned to Korla, had dinner, and rested.

Day 4 — Return

I had a wonderful sleep, then got up to wash, have breakfast, and pack my luggage.
I took a taxi to the train station just in time for ticket inspection.

Once on the train, I played The Legend of Zelda during the roughly four-hour ride back to Urumqi.

Had a large plate of chicken with stir-fried rice noodles at Wanda — only 25 RMB, huge portion, and very tasty.

Skyscrapers towered at the entrance of Wanda Plaza.

Haha, I checked my blog on a Huawei tablet at the Huawei Experience Store.

Beautiful Sunset

Around 10 p.m., the flight attendant announced that we would arrive in Shanghai 35 minutes early — so nice!

About to Arrive

Took a taxi home, washed up, and went to bed.
Back to work the next day — a perfect end to this trip.

Impressions

Xinjiang is Huge

I felt it last time, and haha, no matter how many times I visit, it always feels enormous.

Southern Xinjiang is Arid

The Gobi Desert and vast sandlands dominate most of the region.
Luckily, the meltwater from the Tianshan Mountains forms the Tarim River, nourishing this land.

Poplar Trees are Stunning

Their shapes vary greatly, and in the golden autumn, the leaves begin to turn yellow.
When a gentle breeze blows, the leaves flutter like wind chimes.

Expenses

Finally

Having visited both Northern and Southern Xinjiang, this year’s trip was incredibly satisfying!
In the future, I’d like to explore Altay and Kanas in the north and Kashgar in the south.