Xinjiang

File:Xinjiang banner1 - The Sandy Mountains and Sandy Lake along the Karakoram Highway Xinjiang (officially Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region; Uyghur： شىنجاڭ ; Chinese： 新疆维吾尔自治区 Xīnjiāng wéiwú'ěr zìzhìqū) is located in the North West (China)|North West of China, in the Mongolian Uplands. It is on the traditional Silk Road. The region has historically been populated by the Uighurs, a Muslim people more closely related to those in Central Asia than to the Han & Hui Muslims.

Regions of Xinjiang

Regions of Xinjiang

Dzungarian

Tarim (China)

Cities

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• Urumqi - the capital
• Aletai
• Cherchen (commonly called Qiemo)
• Hami
• Kashgar (Kashi)
• Khotan (commonly called Hotan)
• Turpan
• Yarkand (commonly called Shache)

More Destinations in Xinjiang

• Hanas National Nature Reserve
• Karakol Lake|Karakul Lake
• Sayram Lake National Park
• Tianshan Tianchi National Park

  Xinjiang Halal Travel Guide

Karakul-muztagh-ata-d09 - Karakul muztagh

The northwestern border region of Xinjiang, is lauded variously as a land of song and dance, melons and fruits, precious stones and carpets. Xinjiang was a key link on the Silk Road and a hub for east-west cultural exchanges in ancient times. The local folklore is rich and varied. The historical name of the region is East Turkestan. The province is largely populated by mainland ethnic minority groups, such as the Mongols, Kazaks, Kyrgyzs and Uyghurs.

Local Language in Xinjiang

As everywhere in China and the official language is Mandarin. However, many other languages are spoken in Xinjiang. The most common is Uyghur phrasebook| Uyghur, a Turkic language similar to Uzbek but written in Arabic script. Other languages include Kazakh phrasebook|Kazakh, Kyrgyz phrasebook|Kyrgyz, Tajik phrasebook|Tajik, Mongolian phrasebook|Mongolian, and Xibe (mutually intelligible with Manchu phrasebook|Manchu).

Travel as a Muslim to Xinjiang

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Xinjiang

More than 50 cities in China have domestic direct connecting Flights to Xinjiang's provincial capital Urumqi, as have 14 cities internationally: Almaty, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Bishkek, Osh, Tashkent, Dushanbe, Istanbul, Baku, Dubai, Islamabad, Kabul, Kiev and Tbilisi. There are direct connecting Flights from Urumqi to prefectural centres like Kashgar, Khotan, Aksu, Koerla, Karamay, Altay, Yining (ghulja), Tacheng(chochak) and Hami(kumul).

Muslim Friendly Rail Holidays in Xinjiang

Xinjiang is connected with the rest of China by Lanxin railway. Direct train runs from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and most other cities. A trip from Beijing to Urumqi is scheduled to take slightly over 33 hours. There are also two international trains weekly to Kazakhstan.

How to get around in Xinjiang

Xinjiang is the biggest province in China. If you have more money than time, considering taking a flight between cities such as Urumqi and Kashgar might be a better option than the 22-hour train ride.

By shared taxi (客运)

In most cities in Xinjiang there are shared taxi/shuttle vanes that travel between cities. It is especially useful if you want to travel to smaller ones, visit a sight nearby, or go to border towns. Since they are public the price is often much less than taking a taxi by yourself. There will be a time printed on your ticket but they usually leave before if the vehicle is full. You can find them at the intercity bus station, 客运站 (Keyunzhan), make sure to bring your passport.

What to see in Xinjiang

Halal Tours and Excursions in Xinjiang

During the Han and Tang dynasties, silk products and other goods were shipped to the capital city of Chang'an (present-day Xi'an), where the Silk Road started, and then they were transferred by a constant flow of caravans along the Hexi Corridor to Europe by way of Xinjiang, where three routes were used to avoid the Taklimakan Desert

What to do in Xinjiang

You can visit the best preserved ancient city Ruins around Turpan; study Uighur culture in Kashgar; enjoy amazing scenery of snow capped mountains on the Karakoram Highway; camel trekking into the desert near Hotan and live with nomadic people on the grassland in North Xinjiang

Halal Restaurants in Xinjiang

Urumqi (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) (28639529784) - Urumqi

Lamb. Barbecued, grilled, fried, boiled, you name it and they eat it. Try it in KǎoBāozi (烤包子), on a shiskabob called Chuàr（串) or in certain places stuffed into naan called RòuNáng （肉馕).

Naan. Náng (馕) in Mandarin. Comes in all sizes and will be sold on the street in every city - some plain, some with onion or spring onion added in. You can also ask them to warm it for you it has gone cold (if your Mandarin is rusty, gesture at the oven - it is much better warm).

Watermelons. Ubiquitous small round tasty watermelons, in some cities at every second street-corner. Renowned throughout all of China.

Grapes & raisins. Particularly sweet because of the high amount of sunlight and low amount of water where they're grown, particularly in Turpan.

Walnuts, for which the region is known.

Muslim Friendly hotels in Xinjiang

eHalal.io offers special deals with a limited number of hotels in .ehalal.io//2023-09-16&checkOut=2023-09-17&children=&cityId=26256&currency=eur&Urumqi&&.Zzb3c7f12857b7476d9761cb1-206204#s%3Drating Urumqi, .ehalal.io//2023-09-16&checkOut=2023-09-17&children=&cityId=26249&currency=eur&Kashgar&&.Zz8fe938a734d24b8a8ce83f9-206204 Kashgar] and Turpan.

Stay Safe

Theft

Xinjiang is home to a lively bazaar culture where anything and everything is traded. But hordes of people crammed into confined spaces also present a prime opportunity for pickpockets, who often operate in teams and can be very efficient at what they do. Be very careful with your valuables when you are out and about. As a foreign traveller, you are a prime target.

Counterfeit notes

Be careful when paying with ¥200 notes in smaller restaurants or shops. The owner may switch the note with a counterfeit one and claim that you gave him/her a fake note. You should also check your notes when you are returned your hotel deposit.

Explore more Halal friendly Destinations from Xinjiang

Xinjiang borders eight countries, making it ideal for adventuring the surrounding countries. Korgas and Alashankou lead to Kazakhstan and the Torugart and Irkeshtam passes lead to Kyrgyzstan and the Kulma pass leads to Tajikistan, and the Karakorum Highway leads south to Pakistan (which is closed). You can get visas for Kazakstan and Kyrgystan in Urumqi.

To/from Mongolia, Hovd Province.

Takeshiken (塔克什肯镇) – Bulgan border crossing

This border crossing links the western Mongolian province of Hovd with the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (新疆维吾尔族自治区) in the far west of China. This crossing is less frequented by all kinds of travelers, although it’s gaining more popularity owing to its geographical and cultural location.

It traverses the ever impressive Altai Mountains, a cordillera that gives name to the (rather disputed) ethno-linguistic group and the Altaic people. It is a broad term that frames together the Mongolian, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and Turks.

From China (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region):

Buses leave daily from Urumqi to Qinghe county （青河县), a small town 150 kilometers from Takeshiken and it takes 8 hours during the day, at night 11 hours – 160 rmb (Takeshiken is administratively a part of Aletai Prefecture （阿勒泰市）, Qinghe County). Then it’s 15 kilometers more to reach the border, should be a quick ¥25 cab. After the border, a ride to Bulgan shoud be easy to find.

From Mongolia:

Start from the aimag (province) capital of Hovd. Go to the bazaar or market and see whose van is taking people to the town of Bulgan. Price is 25,000 Mongolia#Money|Mongolian togrog per person and journey time is around 5 hours. Much less then what it’s mentioned in other online sources, due to a new paved road that has been built (by the Chinese). It is still another few kilometers to get to the actual border crossing so ask the same driver that took you here or somebody else in town take you there. It’s another 5000 togrog to get there.

There is a town half way to the border, called Jargalant. Beware if you get stuck here and there are a million mosquitoes waiting to suck your blood and it’s quite an unpleasant experience. Prepare repellants.