For those who love hiking, camping and everything having to do with the “great outdoors”, there is no better place than Xinjiang, China.

You would imagine that Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong or one of many other cities might top China’s list of richest cities. But you’d be wrong. China’s richest city is in a place you would least expect…in Xinjiang. In a Desert.

What is a yurt? Technically, a yurt is a portable housing structure constructed with a wooden frame and wool covering. For the majority of us, however, a yurt is something completely different. A yurt is an adventure.

For most people who travel to Xinjiang and around China, there are two concerns that direct how they plan their entire journey: time and money. There’s not much I can do about your time, but what if I could help you with some simple yet very effective ways to save you money?

It is considered one of the greatest Uyghur engineering feats and has been nicknamed “The Underground Great Wall”. It is the reason that cities like Turpan exist and is still a primary source of water for many Taklamakan Desert towns.

In Xinjiang, camels aren’t just for riding. Take a look at this crazy photo captured by a FarWestChina reader during her travels through Hotan, Xinjiang.

Do you like Xinjiang? Do you like free stuff? Then read this. You’ll be glad you did.

If you have unlimited time – if you already know Xinjiang – if you really love adventure travel – then you can probably skip exploring the region with a tour.

One of the most frustrating realities for any Xinjiang enthusiast or activist is the relative obscurity of the province and its Uyghur people. Unlike their Tibetan neighbors to the south, international understanding of Uyghur culture is tainted by the only kind of news that makes it out of the province: bad news.

So you’ve heard of Khotan – also spelled Hotan – and you’re interested to travel there. As early as a decade ago such a journey would have taken days, but recently that time has been cut dramatically.