[2025 Kuqa Attraction] Travel Guide for Kuche Temple (Updated Mar)

Departing from Urumqi, Xinjiang, embark on a fantastic nine-day journey through Southern Xinjiang, experiencing the unique regional customs. This is a beautiful route you won't want to miss! -- 📅Itinerary: Day 1: Gather in Urumqi📍, ready to embark on a wonderful journey through Southern Xinjiang! Day 2-Day 3: Depart from Urumqi and visit the beautiful Bosten Lake, then travel to Korla City to experience the charm of the "Pearl of the Gobi." Next, we will visit the Kuqa Royal Palace and the Kuqa Grand Mosque for an in-depth experience of the local culture. Day 4-Day 5: Continue south to admire the magnificent Tianshan Grand Canyon and visit the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves. Afterward, we will cross the desert highway, experiencing the solitude and beauty of the vast desert, and savor authentic local cuisine at the Hotan Night Market. Day 6-Day 7: Arrive in Kashgar and explore the charm of Kashgar Old City, witnessing the opening ceremony of the old city. Next, we will set foot on the Pamir Plateau, enjoying the beautiful scenery of White Sand Lake and Karakul Lake, and experience the Tajik culture. Day 8: On the way back to Kashgar, we will visit Lake Bandi'er and enjoy free time in Kashgar Old City, experiencing the unique charm of this ancient city. Day 9: The tour ends in Kashgar👋, concluding this unforgettable Southern Xinjiang journey. We will provide airport transfer services and look forward to seeing you again! -- Must-visit attractions: Tianshan Grand Canyon ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Address: G217, Kuqa City, Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Opening hours: 10:00 am–7:00 pm Duration: 2–3 hrs The reddish-brown mountain ranges stand tall like flames, with grotesque rocks in various shapes and forms, making you feel like you've stepped into a mysterious alien world. Kashgar Old City ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Address: Jiefang North Road, Kashgar City, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Opening hours: Open all day Duration: 1 day The exotic buildings and intricate alleys within the old city make you feel like you've traveled through time, experiencing the ancient cultural atmosphere. Kuqa Royal Palace ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Address: Former Hereditary Palace of the Kuqa Kingdom, Linji Road Street, Kuqa City, Aksu Prefecture Opening hours: October 1, 2024–April 30, 2025, 10:00 am–7:30 pm Duration: 2 hrs This place blends the rich Uyghur and Kucha cultures, with colorful scenery, making it a great place to learn about local culture. White Sand Mountain-White Sand Lake Scenic Area ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Address: National Highway 314, Bulunkou Township, Akto County, Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Opening hours: 9:00 am–10:00 pm Duration: 1 day The rocks on the top of White Sand Mountain are weathered into powder, contrasting with the crisscrossing lakes and rivers below, forming a beautiful picture. -- Travel preparations:🧳 👗 Clothing: A 3-in-1 jacket to cope with the temperature difference between morning and evening, a set of short sleeves and long pants. Ethnic shawls or skirts can be purchased locally. 🎒 Accessories: Prepare a pair of boots and a pair of comfortable sneakers. Sunglasses and a sun hat are essential, and bring a portable sun umbrella as well. 📂 Documents and medicine: ID card, driver's license, student ID, and other documents, as well as common medicines such as cold medicine and painkillers. Don't forget your power bank and charger to stay connected. Remember to check the weather forecast and take sun protection and moisturizing measures!🌞💧 Come to Xinjiang and enjoy the beautiful scenery!🌄✨ -- Come to Urumqi-Southern Xinjiang and experience the unique local customs and culture. Trip.com group tours will make your journey even more wonderful and unforgettable!

📍Address of scenic spot: Kuche, Xinjiang 🚗Transportation method: Self-driving tour 👍️Must-visit scenic spot: Qiuci Alley 🎟️Ticket related: No ticket required 💗Other tips: The alley is close to Kuche Palace, Kuche Grand Temple, Kuche Big Gluttony City, and Huamao Alley. There are small markets around, in the form of stalls. They basically sell fruits and vegetables. There are also coffee shops and photo studios in the alleys. Maybe it was because it was the off-season, many shops in the alleys were closed when I traveled. However, it does not affect the check-in. Traveling itself is about mental experience. Under the warm winter sun, I passed by scattered travelers and nodded to the passers-by. We all understood the meaning of traveling at this moment. The nights in Kuqa are also decorated with lights and it was only after coming to Xinjiang that I deeply appreciated the rich atmosphere of lights and decorations. I can't help but think of a sentence I learned when I was young: [For people who live happily, every day is a holiday] [Joyful]Additional information: There is a parking lot in the alley, so parking is convenient.

Kuqa Grand Mosque is a must-visit attraction in Kuqa, located in the old town of Kuqa, not far from the Kuqa Palace and also close to Resitan Road. You can walk along Resitan Road from the palace to reach Kuqa Grand Mosque. Kuqa Grand Mosque is the second largest mosque in Xinjiang, with the largest being in Kashgar. It has a long history and a large scale, and it is the only remaining religious historical building. Its long history and large scale make it very helpful for understanding the history and religious history of Kuqa. Address: Pahatabazar Road, Kuqa City, Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Kucha is the center of the thirty-six countries of the Western Regions, Guizi. A road called Restan leads straight to the Kucha Palace. The old city is composed of this main road and the Uighur compatriots living on both sides. 🌟Highlights: The old city of Kucha is not like those ancient cities that are stereotyped due to commercialization. Here are residents who have lived here for generations, quiet and indifferent to the world. When you step into the old city, the exotic style is revealed. Except for a few Han tourists, everything here is restoring your 'imagined South Xinjiang' look. 👍Most recommended: The most famous and most exotic culture here is the colorful old walls and courtyard doors on both sides of the street. They seem to have similar decoration styles but are full of personality. Although most shops and courtyard doors are closed, you can still smell the unique charm of the old city of Kucha on the street. It is full of traces of years of polishing, but it is difficult to stop you from imagining its former glory. ✨In addition to the colorful doors, my personal favorite is the alley leading to Restan Road, with white walls and blue doors, a little bit of Chefchaouen feeling, there are few people on the road, very suitable for taking pictures and checking in. 🚉Traffic strategy: You can navigate to the Kucha Grand Mosque to go to the old city of Kucha. After visiting the Grand Mosque, walk along the blue streets and lanes to Restan Road. This is the main street of the old city. At the end is the Kucha Palace, and there are city wall ruins next to it. On the other end is the Unity New Bridge, there is a market next to it, if you are interested, you can buy a Kucha big naan, which is several circles larger than an adult's face.