Xinjiang trip completed, this journey was definitely worth it!

🩵 November 15 to November 20, six days and seven nights, departing from Urumqi, with temperatures around 0 to -10°C. Our group of five are like-minded peers, easygoing and friendly when it comes to eating, drinking, and having fun. Despite an average of 5 hours of driving each day, we chatted and laughed the whole time and never felt tired. When traveling, the most important thing is to be happy. 🚌 The itinerary is mainly time-pressed. If you have time, sisters should ideally plan for seven days and eight nights or even longer. Considering time, airfare, daily travel time, and energy, if you don’t want to be too tired or rushed, it’s best to allow more time so you can enjoy each place more fully. The key is having enough time to visit every attraction. 🔆 When going to Xinjiang, be sure to check the weather carefully because it changes drastically! Temperatures in the same area can vary by about ten degrees, especially between morning and evening. We were very lucky during our trip; every day was sunny. 💃 Important highlight!!! Sisters who love taking photos must bring plenty of beautiful clothes! While keeping warm, bring whatever clothes you want. I recommend dopamine-colored clothes—they look amazing at Sayram Lake and Hemu Village. Every photo taken with a phone or camera looks like it has a natural filter, no editing needed! Dress warmly, but skirts are okay. Don’t forget essential items like sunglasses 🕶 because the sun in Xinjiang is very glaring, especially on the snow. Although it’s not the coldest season yet, you should have one or two warm down jackets. I also recommend a down vest, which is really lightweight and easy to carry. 🌊 On the first day, after arrival, we had time to explore around Sayram Lake for an hour. The second day was spent circling the lake all morning, stopping to take photos. We also filmed a long-desired video of “dry land scallion pulling,” which was super impressive! The third day was mostly spent on the road, with some small scenic stops for photos. On the fourth day, we headed to Hemu Village and stayed in a fairy-tale-like wooden cabin. During winter peak season in Hemu, it’s not recommended to wash your hair or take a shower. Since it’s a village, the water supply can be insufficient with many people, and hot water might run out. Also, it’s not advisable to bring a suitcase because you can only take a shuttle bus, and walking on slippery roads dragging a suitcase is very inconvenient. Bring some simple toiletries and travel light with a small bag per person. If staying more than two days, you can bring an extra set of clothes. The fifth day was spent in Hemu. Our itinerary originally included Kanas Lake, but the tour leader kept persuading us not to go, saying the roads were bad, it would take too much time, and we wouldn’t enjoy either place properly, so we only visited Hemu. In Hemu, we did a morning photoshoot, then went to the horse ranch to ride horses up to the viewing platform. This activity is a great way to experience horseback riding and offers a panoramic view of the entire Hemu Village—absolutely stunning! In the afternoon, we went to the nearby Jikepulin Ski Resort. The beginner ski slope 🏂 was not open, but sisters who really want to ski can pay extra for the intermediate slope. We chose to pay 180 yuan for a round-trip cable car ride, about 20 minutes each way. The ski resort is huge and international-level, a paradise for ski lovers. The sixth day was the return trip to Urumqi. If you want to buy local specialties, it’s best to search for the dry fruit wholesale market yourself, as going with the tour leader tends to be more expensive.