Atush Travel Guide

Atush City is the capital of Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. It is known as the "Town of Figs". It is located in the southwest of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains and on the western edge of the Tarim Basin. Atush is 1,200 - 4,562 meters above sea level, the border is 88.3 kilometers long, 11 boundary monuments, 15 key mountain passes to Kyrgyzstan. The city covers an area of 15,500 square kilometers. The city is home to 11 permanent ethnic groups such as Uygur, Kyrgyz, Han and so on, with a population of 285,357.

● What to do & where to go in Atush

The Kara-Khanate Imperial Court Site is located in Kumshak Village, Azak Township, Atush City, 10 kilometers away from the downtown area. It is the ancient site of Shule Kingdom of the Han Dynasty in the 2-3 century AD and the ruins of the Kara-Khanate Imperial Court of the Song Dynasty in the 10-13 century AD. The ancient towers and beacon towers of the Han Dynasty stand proudly here and the ruins of the Kara-Khanate Imperial Court of the Song Dynasty. The remains of Mongolian temples and pagodas of the Yuan Dynasty and the vaguely recognizable remains of the Qing Dynasty blockhouses and guard posts. 

Oyitake Scenic Spot is located at 127 kilometers of Atush City, 22 kilometers southwest of Oyitake Town, Aktau County, 2,820 meters above sea level. Here the unique natural landscape is refreshing. The forest landscape is set against the Gonger Jiubei Peak.

Atush Heavenly Gate is located in the Upper Atush Town of Atush City in the west of the southern Tianshan Mountains. On the right rock of the Heavenly Gate there is a cave like a beehive, you can hear the echo when you speak in front of it. The surface of the left rock is like a strange fresco. It has been identified as one of the world's 20 most adventurous scenic spots by the magazine American Adventure.

Harajun Bagsugeti ancient willow forest is located in the northwest of Harajun Township of Atush City, 130 kilometers away from Atush City. It is an ancient willow forest of nearly one thousand years and has become a well known tourist resort. 

Atush Grand Canyon is located in a mountain valley about 18 kilometers southwest of Tugumaiti Township in Atush City. The beautiful and magical canyon is surrounded by mountains and rivers. It has the primitive innocence of mountains, the crystal clear spring water and the magic of religious sites. It is a refuge for Shatuk, the founder of Islam in Xinjiang and later became a holy place for Muslims to worship with a history of more than 1,000 years.

Harajun Strange Stone Forest is in the northern part of Atushihara Basin. There is a long canyon into the Kalatike Mountain. The marble mountain on both sides of the canyon has been whittled by wind and rain for many years. The extraordinary workmanship of nature has carved the rock into a variety of strange stone mountains.

Doerkule Salt Lake water surface area is 50 square kilometers, divided into the upper and lower salt lake. The upper salt lake is mostly glauber's salt, occasionally visible patches of green plants, growing sparse poplar, magic willow trees, roots of the spring water flowing, the water is sweet. The area of the salt lake is large and the average water depth is 1.2 meters. This scenic spot has a unique local characteristics and rural characteristics.

● What to eat in Atush

Mutton pine, mutton cakes, chili chicken slices, cold noodles, Naan - crusty pancakes and so on

● Transportation

Railway: Atush is 26 minites from Kashgar,8 hours from Hotan, 14 hours from Urumqi, 38 hours from Xian and 47 hours from Chengdu. 

Highway: Atush City has a unique geographical advantage, north to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, there is the Turgat port, 165 kilometers to the border. West to the Central Asian states, there is Ilkestan port, 246 kilometers to the border. South to Pakistan, India, the Gulf and other places, there is the Hongqilapu port, 443 kilometers to the border. The city is 30 kilometers from Kashgar airport, the southern Xinjiang Railway important station, national highway 314 Line passes through the city, the traffic is convenient.

Airport: Kashgar International Airport is just 41km from Atush City which has flights to main cities in Xinjiang and inland China such as: Urumqi, Korla, Aksu, Yining, Hotan, Kuqa, Shihezi, Alar, Altay, Burjin, Tumushuk, Shache, Bole, Shihezi, Ali, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xian, Jinan, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Changsha, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Lanzhou, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Yinchuan and Xining.

● Climate

Atush City is a typical temperate continental climate with four distinct seasons, abundant light and heat, drought and little rain, fast warming in spring, changeable weather, more dust, light wind and less snow. The average temperature of the hottest month is 27.4℃ and the average temperature of the coldest month is -9℃. The annual sunshine duration is 2,500-3,000 hours. The frost free period is 243 days in the plain area and 170 days in the mountain area.