2025 Zepu Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in July)

A golden world that fills the sky and ground, melting into your eyes Trendy Maillard colors form the gilded Zepu In this hidden paradise, a fairy-tale world sends letters through falling leaves ✉️ At this moment, the sky stretches far, the lake is mirror-like 🍂 The world is so pure that you forget to breathe

In late fall, step into the Zepu Poplar Forest Take photos and check in here, capturing the honey-gold autumn 🍂 Leaves swirl to the ground in the breeze See the azure sky, listen to the flowing waters 🌊 This is the breathtakingly beautiful autumn of Zepu that makes you never want to leave

Reunite with old friends in Urumqi and Southern Xinjiang, and explore the Pamir Plateau and Muztagh Ata. This 6-day itinerary is relaxing and enjoyable, perfect for seniors too! / 🏜️Itinerary: DAY 1: Urumqi → Kashgar, Southern Xinjiang. Private transfer from the airport and check in to a 5-star hotel. Start your Southern Xinjiang journey. Upon arrival in Kashgar, enjoy a VIP private transfer to a luxurious hotel for a relaxing stay. DAY 2: Dawakun Desert Tourist Scenic Area - Kashgar Old City Start your day exploring the vast Dawakun Desert, followed by a stroll through the old city to experience the historical charm of Kashgar. DAY 3: Karakoram Highway - Pamir Plateau - Oytagh Red Valley - White Sand Mountain-White Sand Lake Scenic Area - Kongur Tagh - Kongur Jiubie Peak Travel along the Karakoram Highway, ascend the Pamir Plateau, explore the Oytagh Red Valley, and then head to the White Sand Mountain-White Sand Lake Scenic Area for stunning views of Kongur Tagh and Kongur Jiubie Peak. DAY 4: Kashgar Old Stone City - Muztagh Ata Glacier Park Visit the historic Kashgar Old Stone City, and then head to Muztagh Ata Glacier Park to experience the magnificence and mystery of the glacier. DAY 5: Golden Lake Poplar National Forest Park - Kashgar Old City - Apak Hoja Mausoleum - Kashgar Grand Bazaar Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Golden Lake Poplar National Forest Park, then return to Kashgar Old City to visit the Apak Hoja Mausoleum and experience the bustling Kashgar Grand Bazaar. DAY 6: Departure from Kashgar Your wonderful Southern Xinjiang journey concludes with a VIP private transfer to the airport. We look forward to seeing you again! / Packing List: 👕 Clothing: The temperature in Urumqi and Southern Xinjiang is moderate in March, but there is a large temperature difference between day and night. We recommend bringing light jackets, long-sleeved shirts, and warm coats. Don't forget a pair of comfortable hiking shoes for exploring the scenic spots! 🎒 Accessories: Hats and sunglasses are essential for sun protection, and scarves can protect you from the sun while adding a touch of style. Power banks and chargers are also essential travel companions, ensuring you can capture every beautiful moment. 📇 Documents and Other Items: Don't forget your ID card, student ID, and other discount-eligible documents. Also, remember to apply for a border pass in advance. To prevent unforeseen circumstances, we recommend bringing common medications and sunscreen to stay healthy and safe. / 🎉We hope you have a wonderful and memorable trip to Urumqi and Southern Xinjiang!

North and South Xinjiang Road Trip (12): Gobi Desert Pearl - Zepu Golden Poplar National Forest Park Kashgar Prefecture June 5, 2023 Weather: Sunny, 26-13°C, 1,300 m above sea level. After breakfast, we left Yecheng and headed to Zepu Golden Poplar National Forest Park. Poplar trees in China are in Xinjiang, poplar trees in Xinjiang are in southern Xinjiang, and poplar trees in southern Xinjiang are mainly in the Tarim Poplar Forest in the northeast and the Zepu Poplar Forest in the southwest. We chose the latter. The best time to see poplar trees is in late October. Although it is not the right season now, we still stopped by on our way to Kashgar (Figure 1). Zepu Golden Poplar National Forest Park (5A), a pearl on the Gobi Desert, is located on the edge of the Yarkant River alluvial fan, surrounded by water on three sides, with pleasant scenery (Figures 2-4). The poplar forest covers 30,000 mu, and the unique natural landscape of "poplar, blue water, oasis, and Gobi Desert" presents a unique and beautiful picture of the frontier. In late autumn, the yellow leaves must be as beautiful as a painting. The scenic area is large, and you need to take a shuttle bus or carriage to get around. There were very few tourists, so the park arranged a carriage for us (Figure 5), which stopped whenever we wanted. In addition to the natural scenery, there are also cultural attractions in the park. Zhiqing Courtyard: It was rebuilt on the original Zhiqing site. The exhibition hall inside displays a large number of objects and photos of the life of Zhiqing, which is a restoration of the life of Zhiqing, and resonates with those of us who have lived through that era. The hardships of life at that time are incomparable to today (Figures 6-7). Longevity Folk Culture Village: It is a pilot village for the integration of the resettlement project and tourism industry in Zepu County, with 86 households and 352 people. All the houses have been renovated and expanded on the original basis. We visited one of the houses, and the enthusiastic host, Azuguli, invited us to visit. The three students she hired were helping her make handicrafts. Unlike the Uyghurs we met yesterday, they all spoke Chinese, so there was no communication barrier (Figures 8-9). At present, the scenic area is still being upgraded and renovated, with more amusement and family-friendly projects to change the single landscape and the obvious seasonal low and peak seasons. We spent 4 hours in the scenic area and left at 2 pm. We drove more than 200 km and arrived in Kashgar at 5:30 pm. Tomorrow we will go to the Kunlun Mountains and Tashkurgan.

[Rainbow] "Zepu", which means "river with floating gold" in Uyghur, is the smallest county in Kashgar Prefecture. When you come here, you will find that it is different from other cities in southern Xinjiang, with rows of green plane trees on both sides of the streets. In autumn, as the poplars turn from green to gold, Zepu is dyed into a beautiful picture of green and yellow by the plane trees and poplars. [Rainbow] Highlights: [Leaf] Plantain Tree Ecological Park: The only Plantain Tree theme park in southern Xinjiang, with thousands of acres of plane tree branches intertwined in the air and reflected in the lake. In addition to plane trees, there are many kinds of flowers and trees such as red-leaf peach, lilac, and elm-leaf plum, as well as national protected animals such as pheasants and red-billed geese, making this place a place of blooming flowers in spring, summer and autumn. At the entrance of the park, there stands a sculpture of a "Golden Phoenix". Since ancient times, there has been a saying that the phoenix roosts on the paulownia tree, which represents auspiciousness. ⏰ The park is open all day and admission is free. [Taxi] Address: Junction of Park Road and Tuanjie West Street, Zepu County [FallenLeaf] Jinhuyang National Forest Park: The poplars in Zepu are different from the desert poplars in other parts of Xinjiang. They belong to the waterside poplars. The park is backed by the Kunlun Mountains and surrounded by the Yarkand River. Mountains, lakes and forests are integrated here, giving it a sense of "Jiangnan outside the Great Wall". ⏰ Opening hours: 10:00-20:00, last admission at 19:30 🎟️ Ticket price: 40 yuan/person; shuttle bus (horse carriage) 20 yuan/person [Taxi] 40 kilometers southwest of Zepu Town, Zepu County [GreatWall] Yarkand Folk Culture Museum: The various cultural relics and text pictures in the museum show the unique charm of the Yarkand River Basin in terms of natural geography, history and humanities, folk customs, social development, and the customs and folkways of ethnic minorities. ⏰Opening hours: 10:30-18:30 free of charge, closed on Mondays [Taxi] No. 60, Fatong Street, Zepu County [Rainbow] Zepu's Three Treasures: Apples, Walnuts and Red Dates [Rainbow] Special food: Roasted pigeon in a glutinous rice pit. Locals joke that no pigeon can fly out of Zepu, hahahaha! There are also secret grilled fish, grilled lamb skewers, grilled meat, big plate chicken, and various kinds of noodle. In short, it is a paradise for meat and carbohydrate lovers.

Wandering in Xinjiang (Season 3) - Zepu (Jinhu Yanglin)|||Zepu, the abbreviation of Zelepushan, means "the river with floating gold" in Uyghur and "Guangze Huipu" in Chinese. Zepu County, which belongs to Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is located in the southwest of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The most convenient way to get from Kashgar to Zepu is by train, which takes only two and a half hours. In the golden autumn of October, the most beautiful thing in southern Xinjiang is the Populus euphratica forest, among which the Zepu Jinhu Poplar Scenic Area is the one that many people visit. You can take a seven-seater van from the bus station for HKD15 and arrive in half an hour. In addition to the Populus euphratica forest in the scenic area, I am particularly interested in the "Sent-Down Youth Memory Cultural Garden" inside, especially the various objects on display, which are living witnesses of history. I thought the Educated Youth Canteen was just a tourist attraction, but it turned out to be a canteen. Surprisingly, the chef was actually a real chef. No matter what I ordered, I could taste something very special and delicious. After asking the boss, I learned that the chef used to be the head chef in a big hotel in another city and now works here. The Jinhuyang Hotel where I stayed in Zepu has an excellent geographical location. The most surprising thing is that the hotel is next to the county party committee office area, only less than 30 meters away. To enter the hotel, one must go through the county party committee gate with strict security, which gives a full sense of security. As this is the hotel of the county committee, as soon as I entered the door and saw the layout of the desk, I felt it was very serious and very county committee style. I had to turn on the desk lamp to study for five minutes. Zepu's Plane Street is lined with sturdy plane trees, and it looks very charming when the lights are on. The small Zepu welcomes tourists from all over the world because of the Populus euphratica forest. This is the busiest time of the year in Zepu.

🌳 Zepu's golden poplar trees are a must-see in autumn in Xinjiang! The golden poplar forest is like a fairy tale world. ✨ Each poplar tree is like a guardian of time, witnessing the changes of history. Here, you can take as many photos as you like to capture these beautiful moments. 📷 Photography tips: 👉 Choose bright dresses to contrast with the golden poplar forest for stunning photos. You can also try ethnic costumes to blend in with the local culture. 👉 The best time to take photos is early morning or late afternoon when the light is soft and the colors are rich. 👉 Use different angles to shoot the poplar forest. Low angles highlight the tall trees, while high angles show the vastness. You can also use the lake's reflection to capture symmetrical beauty. 👉 Bring props like balloons and garlands to make your photos more vivid and interesting. You can also use carriages and camels to add a sense of story. 📍 Zepu Golden Poplar National Forest Park 🚗 Travel time: Shache/Zepu: 1 hour, minibus: 25/person 🎫 Ticket: 40/person 🐴 Transportation: Scenic area shuttle bus, carriage: 20/person 🚂 Take a small train through the poplar forest and let the sunlight shine on your face through the leaves. It's like a fairy tale.

As the sun gradually sets, the afterglow spreads across the entire poplar forest. The river meanders through the forest, which glows with a golden light. The trees lean on each other, entwined like a couple in love. A couple declares their love under the poplar trees. Love requires tenderness and unwavering devotion, like the gentle glow of the sunset, or the resilient and tenacious poplar trees. I waited until the sun had completely set. As night fell, the poplar trees showed no unease or hesitation, but instead became more resolute.

Xinjiang, especially the Tarim River Basin, is the main distribution area of poplar in China. 61% of the world's poplar is concentrated in China, and 91% of China's poplar is in Xinjiang. Poplar is known as the "desert hero tree" and has the unyielding vitality of resisting drought, wind and sand, and salt and alkali. [One] Tarim Poplar Forest National Forest Park: Located in Luntai County, it has a large area of natural poplar forest and is suitable for sightseeing by small train. [Two] Luobu Village: Located in Yuli County, you can experience the primitive lifestyle of the Luobu people and enjoy the poplar forest. [Three] Yuli County National Wetland Park: The Tarim River and the Wei River complement each other, and there is the beauty of poplar in the water. [Four] Mulei Poplar Forest: Located in Mulei County, it is one of the oldest primitive poplar forests in the world. [Five] Zepu Jinhuang National Forest Park: Located in Zepu County, it has beautiful poplar forests and is surrounded by the Yarkant River. [Six] Yiwu County Poplar Forest Scenic Area: Located in Yiwu County, Hami City, it is famous for its unique tree trunk shape. [Seven] Bachu Red Sea Poplar Forest: Located in Bachu County, it is an ecological landscape area integrating lakes, rivers, grasslands, wetlands, Gobi, and poplar forests. [Eight] Shayar Poplar Forest: Located in Shayar County, there are relatively few tourists, quiet and beautiful. [Nine] Andir Township Poplar Forest: Located in the desert highway, there are few people and you can take pictures at ease. [Zero] Taklimakan Desert: Primitive poplar forests are distributed along the desert highway, which is very spectacular in the golden autumn. The above attractions are all good places to enjoy poplar in the golden autumn in October.

#Greater Bay Area must-visit check-in spots Jinhuyang National Forest Park is located in Yasidun Forest Farm, 36 kilometers southwest of Zepu County. It is situated on the upper edge of the Yarkand River alluvial fan. The scenic area covers an area of ​​40,000 mu, and the area of ​​natural poplar forest is as high as 20,000 mu. In the distance are the towering Kunlun Mountains, and at its feet a tributary of the Yarkand River flows endlessly, passing through the park. The snowy Kunlun Mountains and Yarkand have together given birth to this magical land. This is a national 4A-level scenic spot. Jinhuyang National Forest Park has a unique natural landscape with its vast natural poplar forest, the open Yarkand River and the flat and barren Gobi desert on both sides of the river. The park is surrounded by the Yarkand River and has long been nourished by the Kunlun snow water, so people also call them noble poplars and water town poplars. The poplar forest is golden in autumn, contrasting beautifully with the lake, hence the name "Golden Lake Poplar". Any shot you take here will turn out to be a great blockbuster, the scenery is really amazing. On both sides of the park are barren Gobi deserts, which form a sharp contrast with the oasis environment of poplar forests with lush grass and water. The strong environmental difference and unique geographical landscape make people marvel at the magical creation of nature! ! Detailed address: 40 kilometers southwest of Zepu Town, Zepu County