Cycling in Xinjiang!! 

Grilled meat, naan bread freshly cooked, sweet watermelons, the Xinjiang opens its doors to you! Obviously, the road is better than in Mongolia, most of the main ones being paved, but the Xinjiang province also has its share of difficulties, which in sum, makes this place a unique and charming one!

When to go?

We entered the province at the end of July, in the summertime. Hence, the weather was extremely hot, especially in Turpan, where the weather could reach 45°C. The Taklamakan desert, where sand dunes embrace the old foundations of villages from the Silk Road era, is also very hot. This is why it is important to travel very early in the morning and late in the afternoon, and to ask where the wells are located along the road. Violent sandstorms can also occur in this region, and the winds are very strong!

The North of Xinjiang and the road to Kashgar seem to be easier ways. Winters are not as harsh according to regions and snow accumulation varies from North to South, being not as important in the desert. It may be possible to bike during winter, as well as for the spring and the fall, but we can’t confirm. We will keep our ears open!!! One thing is sure, cycling in Xinjiang can become quite an adventure, depending on the chosen itinerary.

What to eat and what to drink…

The Xinjiang province offers a variety of fruits and vegetables, juices and soft drinks, breads and spices. Everywhere, you will find banmian, a typical Uyghur dish made of pasta, sauté vegetables and hot peppers. Water is abundant in certain regions, and some villages even have it cold! Therefore, food and water is not a real problem in Xinjiang, except in the desert, where it is important to get the proper information about existing villages and where water is located. We still carried with us 22L. of water and sometimes we would have taken more! With the proper information, you can cycle through the Xinjiang province without worries.

Costs in 2005:

Banmian: between 5 and 8 Yuan

Typical dish (ravioli soup, rice & vegetables) between 3 and 10 Yuan

Bottled water: 1.5 Yuan;   Juice and soft drinks: between 2 and 3 Yuan

We believe it’s essential to find out the right price before buying. People there have been merchants for centuries so they know how to do business! Some of them may try to trick you because you are a foreigner. Three Yuan may be nothing for you but for them, it’s a considerable amount. Try to let them with another impression than the one of a rich tourist who can be easily tricked!

Where to sleep?

To sleep, you will easily find a camping spot, the Xinjiang being composed of many desert lands. It may be harder to camp close to the large cities where you may need to find a hotel room. Rooms may cost between 45 and 200 Yuan (Urumqui, Kashgar, and Turpan being the most expensive cities).

Urumqui: the Gambuch Hotel, in the heart of the Uyghur neighborhood, has rooms for 100 Yuan. It is noisy and hot, but there is definitely atmosphere! It is approximately 500 meters from the Carrefour supermarket, and it is the cheapest in town (not to confuse with the luxurious hotel next door, in front on which a luminous fluorescent tower lights up the night).

Turpan: there are many sites of interest around the city, notably the grape valley and the ancient city of Jiaohe, but it’s the Uyghur suburb that is the most charming. Rooms are more expensive there; the cheapest we found was 140 Yuan.

Elsewhere, it was possible to find rooms costing between 45 and 70 Yuan, negotiating. Hospitality is also a tradition, so do not hesitate to take every opportunity that comes to you.

Find your way and how to communicate

We bought our map of Xinjiang before to leave, which was very useful for us. It is probably possible to by maps in Urumqui (and also in other cities like Turpan, Korla or Kashgar). The maps authorized by the Chinese authorities sometimes omit to mention the Uyghur villages… and sometimes they mention villages in the desert that have been abandoned for many years. It was the case on the road between Korla and Ruoqiang. It is necessary to ask for information to locals before to start your journey into the desert. If not, the road system is well developed.

Some regions in the Xinjiang province require special visas…

Tourist agencies can inform you on this matter…

*** China "freed" Xinjiang in 1950, and never left the territory since that time. The Uyghurs, who were the main population in this region for a long time, are today a minority due to the large migration of Hans from oriental China. Uyghurs today represent 40% of the total population of Xinjiang (they represented 70% not even 15 years ago). Hence, a small Phrasebook could be more than useful to share time with the Uyghur population. A Mandarin Phrasebook will be necessary as well, since Chinese represent 40% of the total population. Up north, you will also meet Kazakhs, another very welcoming culture. ***

A little more…

Money and cycling matters are not an issue in this part of the world, where people have been doing business for years… For us, this region was definitely one of our favorites. The Uyghur culture is wonderful and the local atmosphere gives us an idea of what could have been the Silk Road not that long ago…

Here, we have also learned how generosity can change a moment into a magical experience. Being generous is beneficial for others, and also for the person who does so!

BONNE ROUTE!!!