Travel Notes on Southern Xinjiang - Highway Crossing the Taklimakan Desert

There are three roads to choose from across the Taklimakan Desert. The first one is from Hotan to Aksu. This is the shortest road and a specially developed tourist route. The second one is from Minfeng County to Luntai County, with a total length of more than 500 kilometers. This is the oldest desert highway and a transportation artery connecting the north and south of the desert. The third route is from Minfeng to Qiemo to Ruoqiang, and finally to Yuli, which is equivalent to half a circle around Taklimakan. It is the longest distance and requires a day of rest in the middle.

We took the second route from Minfeng to Luntai. From south to north, it passes through Minfeng - Desert No. 1 Village (Lancheng) - Tazhong Service Area - Tarim Populus euphratica Forest Park (Lunnan Town). I have been on the road all day, starting at 9 a.m. and not arriving at Tarim Poplar Forest Park until 6:30 p.m.

This 500-kilometer-long road has ever-changing scenery from south to north. Near Minfeng, it is a place where oasis and desert are evenly matched. You can still see grassland, where cattle, sheep and camels graze leisurely. You don't feel that you have arrived on a desert road. As we go deeper into the hinterland of the desert, the vegetation gradually fades away, leaving only sand-fixing shrubs on both sides of the road, protecting this fortress from being swallowed up by the yellow sand.

Set off!

The morning sunshine is particularly good

About 60 kilometers away from Minfeng County, and 10 kilometers further east from the desert highway, there is a village, formerly called Yatonguzi, with only a dozen households and isolated from the world. It is now called Lancheng. It is hard to imagine that there are villages in the hinterland of Taklimakan. On the road leading to the village, Populus euphratica gradually appeared in the desert on both sides. It can be seen that there is a water source here, and it is not surprising why there is a village. The sand-fixing grass on the ground covers a larger area than before, and is densely packed in a neat grid shape, which shows the huge amount of work.

On the way to Lancheng

Lancheng Village is not mysterious. It is no different from other rural areas. It has hardened roads, trees planted on both sides, and cultural stations, primary schools and other infrastructure. People can't help but sigh at the magic of the desert oasis and how humans adapt and transform nature. Ability.

Leave Lancheng, return to the desert road and continue heading north, arriving at the Tazhong Service Area after more than an hour. The desert highway is not only a tourist route, but also a lifeline for material transportation that runs through the north and south of Tarim. Therefore, many long-distance transport vehicles need to rest and replenish here. The service area located in the center of the Tarim Desert is the only supply station and accommodation on this road. , meals and refueling are all available. We took a short rest here and then continued on the road.

The camel on the roadside is so cute

Signs on the road, full of motivation to move forward

Continuing forward for more than 2 hours, when approaching Lunnan County, the scene on both sides of the desert road changed again. In the vast sea of ​​sand, patches of Populus euphratica trees began to appear. From here on, we enter the world's largest Populus euphratica forest belt, and Populus euphratica also shows off this unique autumn desert scenery in various postures.

Populus euphratica in the desert sometimes resembles the warm desert autumn colors: half-yellow leaves and gentle undulating sand dunes echo each other. Sometimes I see pieces of dead Populus euphratica, which have either fallen down or are still standing stubbornly. The branches are weird and jagged, but they are also desolate and solemn.

When we arrived at the Tarim River area, we saw the Populus euphratica forest by the water. That touch of gold is reflected in the water, and it is a desert scenery full of tenderness.

In order to see Populus euphratica, we stayed here specifically and entered Tarim Populus euphratica Forest Park early the next morning. Located on the northern edge of Taklimakan, here is the largest Populus euphratica forest in the world. Drive along the park road deep into the Populus euphratica forest for more than ten kilometers, and you will be dyed in a dazzling golden color.

In this boundless Populus euphratica forest, the living use the strength they have accumulated for three seasons to ignite golden poems, while the dead use their firm bodies to turn into silent sculptures. Populus euphratica survives for a thousand years when it is born, survives for a thousand years when it dies, and remains immortal for a thousand years when it falls. Everything you look at is shocking. In just a dozen kilometers, we seem to have traveled through thousands of years.

I bought a painting of Populus euphratica at Daolang Painting Village a few days ago, and now I am immersed in the painting

In addition to Populus euphratica, there are also red willow forests here, echoing the golden color of Populus euphratica.

"Look at the scenery in northern Xinjiang, and the culture in southern Xinjiang." Compared with northern Xinjiang, the natural scenery along the trip to southern Xinjiang does not change much. But if you walk along this 500-kilometer desert road, take a look at China's largest desert, its villages, and the Populus euphratica that coexist with the desert, you have to re-examine this sentence.