4.6/5
乐观小妮子The Millennial Wonder of "Green Never Retreats, Sand Never Advances" Who says deserts can only be barren? The Kumtag Desert has been adjacent to Shanshan City in Xinjiang for millennia, forming "the world's only desert connected to a city"🌆! The sand dunes here have graceful lines like a maiden's spine, shimmering with golden ripples under the sunlight—every snapshot is a masterpiece📸! Legend has it that it's a remnant of the Flaming Mountains, passed by the Tang Monk and his disciples, carrying the legendary color of the Silk Road~🗺️ 🌅 Sunset: The Desert's Golden Hour After 6 PM, the desert begins its "cooling performance"! We recommend climbing to the top of a dune to watch the sunset paint the sand sea into a gradient of orange and red🎨. Light and shadow dance on the sand ridges, the shadows growing longer and longer, leaving only the sound of the wind and your heartbeat in the world—remember to wear a red or white dress! When the wind lifts your clothes, you'll be snapping photos non-stop! (Friendly reminder: Sunset time is approximately 9:30 PM in summer and 6:50 PM in winter. Please check in advance! ⏰) 🚙 Sandboarding Experience: Desert Roller Coaster + Soul Massage A must-do! The off-road sandboarding experience is incredibly thrilling! The driver takes you on a 60-degree descent into the sand dunes, the feeling of weightlessness is comparable to a roller coaster 🎢, and the billowing sand spray looks like a golden waterfall! You can also try sandboarding, sliding down a hundred-meter sand slope – pure fun!
4.3/5
M34***05The architectural style is indeed the same as the one on the way there. The main reason for buying a ticket to go in is to take pictures of the mosque-themed building. You can also go up to the roof. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same. The panoramic view seems to be accessible by car from the opposite mountain.
4.7/5
小龙丨追景的人A First Look at Tuyugou Grottoes: A Millennial Secret with a 300-Person Limit, Murals Revealing the Silk Road Code Who understands?! Gazing upon the millennia-old murals at Tuyugou Grottoes, I was immediately struck by the profound weight of Silk Road civilization! As a "Silk Road Buddhist Kingdom" even earlier than Mogao Grottoes, it holds countless unknown surprises and details. Here's my honest, heartfelt experience after my first visit! 🚨 Key Points: The grottoes limit visitors to 300 per day, and reservations must be made 3 days in advance via Ctrip! Going in without a reservation will result in disappointment—don't ask me how I know 😭 The 5 newly opened grottoes (opened in 2025) are definitely worth seeing. The murals are more vibrant than I imagined, and the Western Region musical instruments and flying apsaras are breathtakingly clear—far from being just "damaged frames." ✨ Must-Experience Immersive Moments: Be sure to visit Grotto 3 at 11 AM! Sunlight slants into the caves, casting shadows on the flying apsara murals, making it seem as if immortals from a thousand years ago are flowing across the walls. Wearing white for photos creates a natural light and shadow filter, making every snapshot a stunning, time-traveling masterpiece. The new caves in the Goudong area contain multilingual Buddhist scriptures, with faint traces of Han and Uyghur script, bearing witness to the prosperous Silk Road where multiple religions coexisted. Those in the know will linger for a long time. 🌿 Bonus Activities: After visiting the caves, don't rush off! A 10-minute walk will take you to Tuyugou Mazar Village, with its earthen-yellow honeycomb walls and donkey carts, reminiscent of a secluded Moroccan village. At the village entrance, freshly baked buns for 1 yuan each burst with juicy oil, and 5 yuan plum juice is refreshing and thirst-quenching. Enjoying these under a century-old mulberry tree is far more delicious than in the tourist area restaurants. From May to June, the mulberry trees are laden with red fruit, and from July to October, you can interact with the villagers to pick grapes – a truly authentic experience. ⚠️ Real Tips to Avoid Pitfalls: 1. The ground in the scenic area is covered in loose soil. Don't walk too fast, or your nostrils will get muddy. Wearing non-slip shoes and a mask is recommended. 2. If you're driving, park directly in the newly opened large parking lot and walk 600 meters to the visitor center. Don't waste money on the shuttle bus. 3. Smell the clothing at the photography studios before renting. Some may have an odor, so avoid making a mistake. 4. The layout of the scenic area is a bit confusing. If you get lost, just return the way you came. The panoramic view of the mosque from the highest point is absolutely stunning. Here, there's no excessive commercialization or hustle and bustle, only the tranquility of the cliffside grottoes, the warmth of the ancient villages, and the thousand-year-old stories in the murals. As a living fossil of civilization on the Silk Road, Tuyugou is worth a special trip. The awe-inspiring experience of facing history head-on will truly stay with you for a long time. #TuyugouGrottoes #XinjiangTravel #SilkRoadSecrets #TurpanGuide #OffTheBeatenPath #MillennialGrottoes #RealTravelReview #MazarVillageFood
An Early Winter Invitation to the Kumtag Desert | Nov 2025-Nov 2025
No. 1 of Family-friendly Attractions in Shanshan
