Bike Touring in China’s most sensitive region: Xinjiang

Notes about cycling across Xinjiang/China, coming from Kyrgyzstan:

– entry was smooth, friendly border officials who even spoke English– great road surface & cell phone reception everywhere– signs in Chinese & Uyghur (Arabic script)– cameras & fences almost everywhere– modern police stations even in tiny villages– Western Xinjiang has a beautiful reddish mountain landscape– frequent passport checks, sometimes 3 minutes, sometimes 30.– great food again! also cheap, less than $3 per meal– first time being invited by a Kyrgyz family was in a Chinese village, had to eat sheep intestines, not as good– WeChat & Alipay apps to pay for everything– wild camping is not an issue like it was in the past– was only followed by the undercover police once– Kashgar, ancient Silk Road city, beautiful and authentic apart from the less authentic city center which was rebuilt for tourists– Eldery Uyghurs wear traditional hats & dresses, everyone communicates in Uyghur (Turkic language) not Mandarin– cities are surprisingly silent because of eScooters & EVs, but buzzing bazaars– foreigners get lots of stares, some selfie requests– wasn’t allowed to board 11h train to Ürümqi with bike (more security and stricter rules than in airports), had to take a 30h sleeper bus with a bed that was too small for me– Ürümqi was less interesting, the ride through the countryside towards Mongolia was nicer– Years ago Kashgar was called an “open-air prison” and travelling through Xinjiang was a nightmare, the situation has improved for travellers a lot– if it has improved for the locals is another story