South Xinjiang 10D9N

• Today visit the Handicraft Street, a cultural street with over 400 years of history.
• Id Kah Mosque – a grand Islamic building with a history of 500 years.
• Continue exploring the centuries-old Kashgar Old City, a representative of Kashgar and Uyghur classic culture. Stroll through the old city, admiring the architecture full of Islamic and Uyghur styles, as if stepping into a exotic Central Asian land, truly magical. Afterwards, proceed to Xiangfei Garden.
• Overnight at Wanda Yuehua Hotel or similar.

• Drive through the Qaz Gorge to Karakul Lake, a high-altitude lake bordering China and Pakistan. Along the way, enjoy the stunning scenery of the Pamir Plateau and the unique culture of the Tajik people, known as the "Eagles of the Mountains." Beside the deep blue lake rises the majestic Muztagh Ata, the "Father of Ice Mountains," and the beautiful Bulunkousha Lake. This breathtaking scenery will surely be etched in the hearts of every visitor. Karakul, meaning "Black Sea," is a high-altitude glacial lake. The water reflects the majestic and mysterious Muztagh Ata, its snow-capped peaks blending seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, creating a truly captivating scene.
• Overnight stay in a Pamir hotel or similar.

• Visit the Pamir Plateau Alar Plateau National Wetland Park – Golden Grassland. The Tashkurgan River flows through this area, making it lush with vegetation, teeming with cattle and sheep, and creating a beautiful contrast with the distant snow-capped mountains, white clouds, and blue sky.
• Stone City – a famous ancient city ruin on an ancient road in Xinjiang. The castle is built on a high hill, in a very strategic location. Multiple layers of walls, some continuous and some broken, surround the city, with overlapping stone hills and piles of rocks forming a unique Stone City landscape.
• Later travel by business vehicle along the Panlong Ancient Road, passing Bandir Blue Lake. Return to Kashgar in the afternoon.
• Overnight at Wanda Yuehua Hotel or similar.

• After breakfast, travel to the Dawakun Desert. This scenic area is 100 kilometers from Kashgar, adjacent to the 42nd Regiment of the Third Agricultural Division. Established in 2000, it was approved as a national desert scenic area by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2001. The area features interconnected sand and water, offering thrilling and exciting desert and camel adventures. The food is unforgettable. Visitors can also experience the ancient willow tree, the military reclamation culture of the 42nd Regiment, and the ancient poplar tree, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the unique regional culture and customs of Yuepuhu. (Horse-drawn carriages will be replaced with electric vehicles in the Dawakun Desert.)
• After the tour and dinner, check into your hotel in Kashgar.
• Overnight at Wanda Yuehua Hotel or similar.

• In the morning, head to Bachu, home to the beautiful Red Sea Poplar Forest Park- is one of Xinjiang's 100 most beautiful scenic spots for photography. Located in Village 14, Anakule Township, Bachu County, 12 kilometers from Bachu County seat, the Red Sea Scenic Area is a national 4A-level scenic area. Established in 2009, the Red Sea Scenic Area comprises four major tourist areas: Kashgar River Wetland, Red Sea Water Park, Ancient Silk Road Post Station, and Poplar Forest. Its main attractions are an ecological landscape area integrating lakes, rivers, grasslands, wetlands, Gobi Desert, and poplar forests.
• After lunch, proceed to Aksu.
• Overnight at Haichuan Century Hotel or similar.

• After breakfast, travel to Wensu Grand Canyon – once a vital passage on the ancient Muzart Road, a vital post road connecting the northern and southern Tianshan Mountains, where, according to legend, Xuanzang passed through on his journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures. In June 2002, Aksu outdoor hikers published their first photos and articles about a large-scale geological relic of canyons discovered on the southern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in northeastern Wensu County. Major attractions in Wensu Grand Canyon include the Five-Colored Mountain, the Twin Poplar Trees, and the post road beacon towers. Enjoy a hike through the canyon and appreciate its unique scenery.
• Overnight at a hotel of similar standard in Kuqa.

• Travel by car to Kuqa, located in the middle of the southern route of Tianshan Mountain. Known as Kucha during the Han Dynasty, it was one of the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions. Historically, the Han Dynasty established the Protectorate of the Western Regions here, and the Tang Dynasty established both the Anxi Protectorate and the Kucha Governorate here, making it a key tourist destination in southern Xinjiang. It was also the capital of the Kucha Kingdom during the Western Han Dynasty. Visit the Kucha Royal Palace.
• In the afternoon, proceed to Korla.
• Overnight at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel or similar.

• After breakfast, the tour will take you through the world's longest scenic tunnel, the Tianshan Tunnel (22 kilometers long), to Urumqi, oering breathtaking views along the way.
• In the afternoon, visit the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, the world's largest bazaar. Meaning "market" or "farmers' market" in Uyghur, it's a complex integrating Islamic culture, architecture, ethnic commerce, entertainment, and dining.
• Overnight at the Jianguo Platinum Hotel or similar.

• Free at own leisure till time transfer to airport for departure flight back home.
• Arrive home with happy memories and till we meet again.

10D9N South Xinjiang