Local News

The grassland season and National Day holiday are the busiest periods for vehicle hire in Xinjiang. Booking early gives you a better choice of vehicles and drivers.

The Duku Highway is a seasonal road. Opening and closing dates differ each year, and a navigation app showing the route as open does not mean it is passable.

Photographing the vehicle at pick-up is the most effective way to avoid deposit disputes at return. Here is the checklist of what to capture.

Xinjiang winters bring icy roads and snow in the mountains. If you plan to drive yourself, confirm the vehicle has winter tyres or chains.

Altitude rises quickly along the Karakoram Highway, with Tashkurgan at about 3,200 m. Allow time to acclimatise and arrange your border permit in advance.

In Xinjiang, petrol stations in desert and mountain areas can be 100–200 km apart. Fill up before entering remote stretches.

Peak autumn colour at Kanas and Hemu falls between mid-September and early October. It is the photography high season, so arrange accommodation and vehicles early.

The vehicle deposit is collected at the counter on pick-up and refunded after the return inspection. It is not part of the online payment.

Charter products with a driver normally include a daily mileage allowance; excess kilometres are charged separately. Tell us your route in advance for long itineraries.

Driving experience, documents, itinerary intensity and group size are the four most practical factors when choosing between self-drive and a charter.