Transport questions: Qinghai -- Xinjiang -- Gansu

Transport questions: Qinghai -- Xinjiang -- Gansu
Jun 27, 2007 05:41
ELLYSE Points: Join Date: Oct 30, 2005 Status: offline	My friend and I will have about 20+ days to do the route(s) outlined below. We'll be arriving on 1/7 evening in Xining, and he needs to fly out of Hong Kong on 28/7. We need to get back to Shanghai before Hong Kong in order to take the train to Hong Kong by 26/7, or fly to Guangzhou by 27/7. Option 1: Xining -- Huatugou -- Charklik (Ruoqiang) -- Hotan -- Karghilik (Yecheng) -- Yarkand (Shache) -- Kashgar -- Karakul/Tashkurgan -- Tashkurgan/Karakul -- Kashgar -- Yining -- Bu'erjin -- Hanas Lake -- Tian Chi -- Urumqi -- Turpan -- Dunhuang -- Lanzhou -- Shanghai Option 2: Xining -- Lanzhou -- Dunhuang -- Turpan -- Kuqa -- Luntai -- Cross-Desert Highway -- Niya (Minfeng) -- Hotan -- Karghilik (Yecheng) -- Yarkand (Shache) -- Kashgar -- Karakul/Tashkurgan -- Tashkurgan/Karakul -- Kashgar -- Yining -- Bu'erjin -- Hanas Lake -- Tian Chi -- Urumqi -- Shanghai 1) For option 1, are Cherchen (Qiemo), Niya (Minfeng), Keriya (Yutian) and Yengisar also worth stopping at? 2) For option 2, what bus timings would be best scenery-wise? Leaving early or late from Luntai/Urumqi? 3) We want to go on the Karakoram Highway but NOT all the way to Pakistan, only as far as Tashkurgan. Is it easier to do Kashgar -- Karakul, Karakul -- Tashkurgan and then Tashkurgan -- Kashgar? Or easier to do Kashgar -- Tashkurgan, Tashkurgan -- Karakul and then Karakul -- Kashgar? How long does it take for each of these journeys? How much would be the bus fare? How much time should we allow for going on the KKH round-trip this way? 4) From this thread, I see that the road for Yining -- Kuqa is under construction. Are there buses for Yining -- Kuytun, Yining -- Karamai or even Yining -- Bu'erjin? Would like information about price, duration of journey, schedule and road conditions. For option 1, is Kashgar/Kuqa/Korla -- Yining possible without going through Urumqi? Might Kuqa -- Yining be possible with a transit at Kuytun? 5) Is there ANY way to go directly from Xining/Golmud to anywhere in Xinjiang province? 6) What would be the average amount of time needed for Xining/Golmud -- Huatugou -- Ruoqiang (Charklik)? From some online searches it seems that there're now direct buses for Xining -- Huatugou? Someone said on another forum "1 long day can do if you get a good connection (and pay for it)". How much money are we talking about? 7) I read somewhere about a direct bus for Xining -- Bird Island. By any chance, does anyone know what time this bus leaves? And what time is the return? 8) Just curious, how do the sceneries of Cross-Desert Highway and KKH compare up? 9) Is the bazaar in Hotan on Friday or Sunday, or on both? In general, which of the 2 options would be easier to do? Do we have enough time? If not, what should we skip? Our primary must-sees are: Kashgar Sunday bazaar, Hotan bazaar, Hanas Lake, Tian Chi, Tian Shan and Mogao Grottoes. Secondary on the list would be: EITHER KKH or Cross-Desert Highway, Karakul, Turpan and Yining.

Jun 27, 2007 05:41

ELLYSE
Points:
Join Date: Oct 30, 2005
Status: offline

My friend and I will have about 20+ days to do the route(s) outlined below. We'll be arriving on 1/7 evening in Xining, and he needs to fly out of Hong Kong on 28/7. We need to get back to Shanghai before Hong Kong in order to take the train to Hong Kong by 26/7, or fly to Guangzhou by 27/7.

Option 1: Xining -- Huatugou -- Charklik (Ruoqiang) -- Hotan -- Karghilik (Yecheng) -- Yarkand (Shache) -- Kashgar -- Karakul/Tashkurgan -- Tashkurgan/Karakul -- Kashgar -- Yining -- Bu'erjin -- Hanas Lake -- Tian Chi -- Urumqi -- Turpan -- Dunhuang -- Lanzhou -- Shanghai

Option 2: Xining -- Lanzhou -- Dunhuang -- Turpan -- Kuqa -- Luntai -- Cross-Desert Highway -- Niya (Minfeng) -- Hotan -- Karghilik (Yecheng) -- Yarkand (Shache) -- Kashgar -- Karakul/Tashkurgan -- Tashkurgan/Karakul -- Kashgar -- Yining -- Bu'erjin -- Hanas Lake -- Tian Chi -- Urumqi -- Shanghai

1) For option 1, are Cherchen (Qiemo), Niya (Minfeng), Keriya (Yutian) and Yengisar also worth stopping at?

2) For option 2, what bus timings would be best scenery-wise? Leaving early or late from Luntai/Urumqi?

3) We want to go on the Karakoram Highway but NOT all the way to Pakistan, only as far as Tashkurgan. Is it easier to do Kashgar -- Karakul, Karakul -- Tashkurgan and then Tashkurgan -- Kashgar? Or easier to do Kashgar -- Tashkurgan, Tashkurgan -- Karakul and then Karakul -- Kashgar? How long does it take for each of these journeys? How much would be the bus fare? How much time should we allow for going on the KKH round-trip this way?

4) From this thread, I see that the road for Yining -- Kuqa is under construction. Are there buses for Yining -- Kuytun, Yining -- Karamai or even Yining -- Bu'erjin? Would like information about price, duration of journey, schedule and road conditions. For option 1, is Kashgar/Kuqa/Korla -- Yining possible without going through Urumqi? Might Kuqa -- Yining be possible with a transit at Kuytun?

5) Is there ANY way to go directly from Xining/Golmud to anywhere in Xinjiang province?

6) What would be the average amount of time needed for Xining/Golmud -- Huatugou -- Ruoqiang (Charklik)? From some online searches it seems that there're now direct buses for Xining -- Huatugou? Someone said on another forum "1 long day can do if you get a good connection (and pay for it)". How much money are we talking about?

7) I read somewhere about a direct bus for Xining -- Bird Island. By any chance, does anyone know what time this bus leaves? And what time is the return?

8) Just curious, how do the sceneries of Cross-Desert Highway and KKH compare up?

9) Is the bazaar in Hotan on Friday or Sunday, or on both?

In general, which of the 2 options would be easier to do? Do we have enough time? If not, what should we skip? Our primary must-sees are: Kashgar Sunday bazaar, Hotan bazaar, Hanas Lake, Tian Chi, Tian Shan and Mogao Grottoes. Secondary on the list would be: EITHER KKH or Cross-Desert Highway, Karakul, Turpan and Yining.

Jun 28, 2007 01:55

EVENING
Points:
Join Date: Dec 5, 2006
Status: Offline

7) I read somewhere about a direct bus for Xining -- Bird Island. By any chance, does anyone know what time this bus leaves? And what time is the return?

Yes there is direct bus leaves from Xining Bus Station on 7:45 every morning, and the ticket is 44yuan.

9) Is the bazaar in Hotan on Friday or Sunday, or on both?
Seems on both day, but not quite sure.

Maybe someone from Xinjiang will answer you......

Jun 28, 2007 20:28	#2
MAY001 Points: Join Date: Sep 28, 2005 Status: Offline	9) Is the bazaar in Hotan on Friday or Sunday, or on both? Sunday

Mar 1, 2008 02:11	#3
GUESTALIP	sunday will be the best . but saturday also intresting .

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