A Comprehensive Guide to Spring and Summer Flower Viewing Spots in Southern and Northern Xinjiang

Spring has arrived! The sea of flowers across Xinjiang is a luxurious visual feast. Afraid of missing the blossoms? We've compiled a super detailed guide to Xinjiang's flower viewing spots and blooming periods for 2025. Save it now! ———— ⭕ Northern Xinjiang 💐 Apricot Blossoms in Toksun, Turpan 🔸 Blooming Period: Mid-to-late March - early April 🔸 Features: The "vanguard" of spring in Northern Xinjiang, boasting thousands of acres of apricot blossoms stretching as far as the eye can see, resembling a dreamy snowfield when in full bloom. . 💐 Turgen Apricot Blossom Valley 🔸 Blooming Period: Early April 🔸 Features: Home to the largest primitive wild apricot forest dating back to the Middle Ages. However, the blooming period is short and heavily influenced by weather, with the peak lasting around 7 days. The apricot blossoms cover the mountains and plains like pink clouds. . 💐 Wild Lilies in Nalati 🔸 Blooming Period: Late March - early April 🔸 Features: An early spring exclusive landscape. While the ice and snow haven't completely melted, wild lilies emerge from the ice, blooming amidst the remaining snow and grasslands. The golden yellow stamens intertwine with pure white petals, vibrant with life. . 💐 Apricot Blossoms in Daxi Valley 🔸 Blooming Period: Mid-to-late April 🔸 Features: With a later blooming period, Daxi Valley not only has vast apricot blossom clusters but also over 60 varieties of wild fruit trees blooming in competition, painting the mountains and plains in a myriad of colors. . 💐 Peach Blossoms in Shihezi 🔸 Blooming Period: Mid-to-late April 🔸 Features: 8,000 acres of peach blossoms in full bloom transform Shihezi into a wonderland. A grand and lively Peach Blossom Festival is also held here, offering a chance for everyone to revel together. . 💐 Wildflower Clusters at Sayram Lake 🔸 Blooming Period: Mid-May - mid-June 🔸 Features: Dense clusters of wildflowers, with wild tulips on the sunny slopes gleaming golden under the sunlight, reflecting against the azure Sayram Lake, creating a picturesque scene. . 💐 Roses in Hotan 🔸 Blooming Period: Mid-May 🔸 Features: Mostly cultivated rose gardens. Wandering through the dense rose bushes, you'll feel like a flower-picking maiden. The roses here are not only for viewing but also used to make rose jam or for medicinal purposes. . 💐 Tianshan Safflower in Nileke 🔸 Blooming Period: Mid-May 🔸 Features: On the gentle slopes of the Tianshan Mountains in Mus Township, Nileke County, grow fiery wild safflowers. Bathed in gentle sunlight, the blooming safflowers dye the grasslands a blazing red. Under the scorching sun, the flowers quietly close, leaving only a hint of resilient poetry. . 💐 Sunflowers, Perilla, and Rapeseed Flowers in Zhaosu 🔸 Blooming Period: Early July - mid-August 🔸 Features: Undulating golden waves of flowers spread from the foot of the mountains to the clouds, intertwining with the snow-capped Tianshan peaks in the distance and the faintly visible purple perilla fields, creating a visual marvel of "snow reflecting golden silk, sunset glow falling upon the earth." . 💐 Windswept Wheat Waves in Jiangbulak 🔸 Blooming Period: July-August 🔸 Features: Hundreds of thousands of acres of wheat fields in Jiangbulak shed their greenness, transforming into a rolling golden ocean. Wheat waves surge from the foot of the mountains to the clouds, interweaving with the azure sky, snow-white peaks, and dark green spruce trees to form a giant palette. This is also a filming location for the movie "Fengshen." . 💐 Tianshan Flower Sea in Ili (Huocheng) 🔸 Blooming Period: May-October 🔸 Features: A wide variety of flowers, each with its own blooming period. The most eye-catching is lavender, with its long blooming period and vast area. Strolling through it, every frame feels like stepping into a fairy tale. ———— ⭕ Southern Xinjiang 💐 Apricot Blossoms on the Pamir Plateau (Along Datong Township) 🔸 Blooming Period: Late March - early April 🔸 Location: Along Datong Township, Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County, Kashgar Prefecture, including Kukosiluk Township, Tal Township, etc. 🔸 Features: Apricot trees fill the ancient villages, blending with the towering snow-capped mountains in the distance. Along the Tasha Ancient Road, passing through Datong Township, Kukosiluk Township, Tal Township, all the way to the No. 5 Happiness Bridge and Apricot Blossom Island, the yellow earth houses and pink-white apricot blossoms complement each other, giving the apricot blossoms of Southern Xinjiang a touch of resilience and tenacity. ———— 📈 Recommended Flower Viewing Itinerary D1: Arrive in Urumqi D2: Urumqi - S21 Desert Highway - Five Colored Beach - Stay in Burqin D3: Burqin - Birch Forest - Beautiful Peak - Stargazing at Night - Stay in Hemu D4: Hemu - Kanas Lake - Fish Viewing Platform - Stay in Kanas D5: Kanas - Light Hike in the Three Bays - Devil City Sunset - Stay in Karamay D6: Karamay - Sayram Lake Loop - Stay at Sayram Lake D7: Sayram Lake - Nalati Aerial Grassland - Snow Lotus Valley - Stay in Nalati D8: Nalati - Kurdening + Forest-themed Afternoon Tea - Ili Tianshan Flower Sea - Stay in Yining D9: Yining - Kazanqi - Liuxing Street - Dushanzi Grand Canyon - Stay in Kuitun D10: Kuitun - Urumqi Return Trip . D1: Arrive in Kashgar D2: Kashgar - Oytagh Red Mountain - White Sand Lake - Karakul Lake - Distant View of Muztagh Ata - Pamir Scenic Area - Taxkorgan D3: Taxkorgan - Kukosiluk - Tal Township - No. 5 Happiness Bridge - Apricot Blossom Island - Tasha Ancient Road - Taxkorgan D4: Taxkorgan - Panlong Ancient Road - Lake Bandi - China-Pakistan Friendship Highway - Kashgar D5: Kashgar Return Trip ———— 📌 Flower Viewing Tips ⚠️ Check the blooming periods before traveling and plan your itinerary accordingly to avoid missing the best viewing time. ⚠️ Xinjiang, especially Northern Xinjiang, covers a vast area with long distances between attractions. It's recommended to arrange transportation in advance and avoid self-driving if unfamiliar with the roads. ⚠️ Xinjiang experiences significant temperature differences between day and night. Pack warm clothes and sun protection. ⚠️ Appreciate the flowers responsibly and protect the environment. Please do not pick flowers.