Off-Roading DEEP in the heart of China's gorgeous western landscapes of Wusu, Xinjiang
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Josh takes an off road vehicle to places that very few foreigners have ever been in China's western region of Xinjiang. From unbelievable canyons to massive sand dunes, he explores the remote corners of Wusu.
If you're thinking of a trip to Xinjiang, make sure you grab a copy of the FarWestChina Xinjiang travel guide: www.xjtravelgui...
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Equipment I use:
my drone: amzn.to/2rCaxbm
my stabilized camera: amzn.to/2tz3ug5
my big DSLR: amzn.to/2tyQPd8
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The town of Wusu in central Xinjiang, China is usually known for only one thing: beer. But in this episode of FarWestChina, Josh goes searching for what else there is to do around Wusu.
The locals here say that you can view every season all year round and experience all kinds of contrasting natural scenery. That may be a bit of a stretch, but not by far! From the Dushanzi Grand Canyon to the Tianshan mountains to the sand dunes of a desert, this place does seem to have it all.
If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more great video content!
About Josh
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Hi! My name is Josh Summers and I have been living and traveling all over Xinjiang since 2006. I'm fascinated by the Uyghur culture, Silk Road history and the great outdoors!
I first started FarWestChina.com as a way to share my adventure with family and close friends but I now use my expertise to help others explore and understand this incredible corner of the world.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram! / farwestchina
Thank you for watching another FarWestChina video! I'd love to hear your comments and feedback here. While you're at it, don't forget to subscribe to the FarWestChina UA-cam channel and follow me on Instagram!
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thanks, now I know where my next vacation goes.
Cool video. Well done! We really loved it.
+Delightful Travellers Thanks!
I want to BE Josh! I love his authentic bliss in living in China.
Haha! You're too funny, Sally ;)
Just want you to know you are bringing JOY to an art studio in Santa Fe! Raising your children in China is the best gift of all! Carry on!
What a diverse landscape!
Such great video and experience. Excellent job, Josh! Wow, it's so refreshing to have an apolitical perspective on China from an American! Keep it up with the beautiful nature and food!!!
I appreciate it! I'm excited about the plans for this summer...it's going to be a fun time of filming.
Perfect. I like this format very much. Much better than just talking heads in front of the camera... By the way, I advice to use sand board (snow board also good...) getting down from the sand dunes.
+Arturas Dainius Haha! Thanks. I was looking for some sort of board to use but couldn't find one.
Really amazing. A must see in my book. Won't be long, and I'll be there.
Thanks, Damien! Glad you enjoyed it ;)
Josh yiu are the best for videos, and fab info on Xinjiang and we are really looking forward to out trip to Urumqi next June. Ian and Ginny
Sounds great, Ian & Ginny! I really hope you have a good time next June. I think you'll enjoy your time 😀
I loved everything about your newest travel video. The drone shots are wonderful and add much to the project. Your face plant in the sand dune is terrific and well choreographed. The music is perfect and added to my enjoyment of the video. Of course it looks professional; you are a professional and you want a finished project. When you are in a city with lots of sights and people, the feel will be different. The feel you personally add makes the video a joy. Keep up the good work. Glad you have returned to Xinjiang. I look forward to enjoying your next project.
Very brave of you to climb despite your fear of heights! Also, I love your drone videos! So smoothly integrated into your narrative!
Thank you!
If ever there was a place that would be considered a perfect adventure destination, Xinjiang would be the epitome of it. It's such a massive region, that within in, there's so much things to do and places to go and see!
loved it, makes me want to visit Wusu. Only thing missing is a map early on so to locate it.
Good point, Richard...I should have included that. Thanks for the feedback!
@@FarWestChina can't you add a link to a map of the points where you went to in the description of the video?
Awesome episode! Western China has been on my radar for awhile and this just furthered my curiosity even more. I love that you kept the fall at the dunes, so funny and REAL. Keep up the great work.
wow, that landscape! I didn't realise China had such variety. I'm excited to watch more of your videos now.
It truly is a unique landscape, isn't it? This whole region is like no other part of China, in my opinion.
We loved this. Wusu truly an amazing place. And a very doable trip from Urumqi. Great video!
Well thank you, Emily! :)
Great story telling! I love varying geology landscapes too. Very cool to see more of unknow China. Ouch on the run down.
Thanks Josh. I've followed your videos and blog since 2013(?). My wife and I lived in Karamay from 2012 to 2014. It is a beautiful place with so many contrasts and the Chinese people so friendly and welcoming. I look forward to your posts. Keep safe.
Thanks so much, Bob! I love Karamay...left there in 2010 after spending a few years there.
Love the video, Josh. You're doing a great job making Xinjiang more accessible for the rest of us. This is a great video as usual - the drone footage gives a real sense of the scale and the variation in the landscape. Such a lot of content in a short video. Looking forward to more!
Thank you, Heidi! I appreciate the feedback ;)
WOW! Breathtaking view of the mountains! I've been to the Grand Canyon too and think that these rock formations are much more unique and interesting
Thanks! Both canyons offer different yet interesting geological formations :)
i don't care for beer either,so good thing you showed us other things to do. woah! i love the formations of the chinese grand canyon!! and wow, camels on the road! good thing you braved the heights! and ouch on the fall!
Loved how you taught us about Xinjiang. I'm sorry to see you are no longer producing videos.
I just want to say "wow"
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it ;)
Thank you for showing us around xinjiang
What a great video! I love how you document the unknown gems of Far Western China - it's a great education and also a better understanding of the Chinese landscapes
So glade to see some company support you. Good job.
once again awesome footage and quality as always!!! Its good to see you back again! I would love to see more of the unique landscapes and also what a typical home looks like!
Good deal! Thanks for the ideas, Charissa :)
Wow, China is SO beautiful. I haven't seen much from this area, but I love your drone videos. What an incredible landscape.
That Canyon looks absolutely incredible! Very spectacular! Amazing video
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
Immediately love your editing and filming style! It's so cool!!
Awesome! Thanks ;)
Truly breathtaking scenery made possible due to top class production quality. Bravo Josh.
Great video. I'd love to see Wusu, and I've never heard of it before.
Yea, most people haven't heard of it! ;) Thanks, Deirdre.
Great Channel.. You must have really enjoyed yourself.
I love the scenery there and in particular the drone shots. Xinjiang is already high on my bucket list, and a visit got more imperative after seeing your video.
Thanks so much, Jim! Glad you liked it :)
I would never think of China and off roading. Not the first or second thing that would come to mind. Pretty awesome though! I would love to explore all of this, pretty awesome.
Yea, not many people have the privilege of off roading in China :)
Always enjoy these videos. They definitely deserve more views!
found you from the video with Trevor James, but when i get into yours, oh man, you absolutely deserve at least half millions of subscribers
+Roger Liao Ha! I appreciate that, Roger. Maybe someday... :-)
excellent video my friend, I think you're the only one covering Western China on YT. looking forward for the next one.
Much appreciated! I hope I can keep them highly entertaining for you :)
good video ! thanks for sharing.
My pleasure! Thanks for watching :)
Just subscribed your channel and appreciate your good work, This let me know more about XinJiang. Video is amazing, 加油！
Thank you for subscribing! :-)
thanks for sharing!! hope to see more
topography, is the best word to describe the variations you saw at the "Grand canyon". Great new video, great to see some new content from you.
Thank you! That is probably a much better word to use in that case.
Great video! Nice shots of the landscapes! Never knew china has these. 👍
Thanks!
Hi Josh,
I liked the quality and content of the video. It served as a good appetizer for people to watch and either pique their interest in a little known area of China and/or assist them in planning a trip to XinJiang. As I have said before the XInjiang tourist office should be providing you a subsidy for showing the potential tourists why they should travel to the area. I am looking forward to more of your videos.
Ha! I keep trying to get them to pay me, but nothing yet... :-)
Great video, Josh! The only thing I knew about Wusu was the beer (not because I like it, but because it seems to be everywhere!), but wow! The scenery is amazing!
No edit from the camera you were holding when you took your trip down the sand dune? That would've been really interesting! :-)
+Mike Kee Ha! The dumb thing is that I found out later that the camera I was holding wasn't actually filming 😂😂
Hey Josh, how u doing? Im Ghalip, we met at Meseta Cafe few days before u took this trip to Wusu, really enjoyed this amazing episode! Thanks
Thank you, Ghalip! So glad you had a chance to watch it. We'll have to get together again sometime soon. I'm headed off to Kashgar this Friday ;)
Very interesting video Josh...it's wonderful that you keep finding unusual places in the west of Xinjiang! You certainly have the technical skills to make very "polished" and accomplished short films, keeping the viewers attention all the time. As you've asked for a bit of feedback.....Excellent photography and shots from your hand held and drone. Music, a little too "Western" and sometimes quite obtrusive over the gorgeous scenery. I for one, would have watched the material in a video twice as long, not so quickly moving on to the next location. Obviously most of your subscribers are interested in this area of China, and maybe would be prepared to spend more time watching a little more "in depth" of what you are allowing us to see. Personally I like a little more "raw" product, most of the time, although I do appreciate your all around skills at film making. Maybe a mix of styles, perhaps depending on the subject matter? But overall...fantastic stuff Josh...really enjoy seeing whatever you produce. ps. how about going to Hotan / Khotan, especially to see people looking for jade in the river and following on with the carving and working of the rock.
I agree, Marc. I think I'll enjoy doing a mix of styles here and seeing what sticks. Thanks for the feedback...very helpful!
this channel deserves more subscribers,i'm chinese ,and im interested in xinjiang's beauty of nature. thanks for showing us such an amazing place,cheers!
My pleasure, David!
Amazing, More and more please! Xinjiang Ranger :D
Haha! Thank you...I'm glad you enjoyed it ;)
Awesome video on a place, known least to the outsiders
Thanks so much!
Was that one camel's hump flapping? awwww! I hope it was okay, that seemed weird. Your video was amazing though - top quality!! Big thumbs up from me.
Love all your videos
Thank you, Susan! 😉
I like your video :) wish to go to Xinjiang one day!
+H. Liao I hope you can too!
How about showing us Sayram Lake? I heard it's the only alpine lake in Xinjiang. I think it's pretty far, almost at the border with Tajikistan?
I have taken some video at Sayram Lake before both here: ua-cam.com/video/0weMGoQi3Vc/v-deo.html and here: ua-cam.com/video/8A8hR5J8pMU/v-deo.html
And just to clarify, Sayram is the *largest* and *highest* alpine lake in Xinjiang, but not the only one. It's near the border with Kazakhstan.
omg that fall made me lol!
Nice video
Much appreciated, Lawrence!
It's an excellent views and If I got an opportunity then I must be visit there thanks my dear
My pleasure. Thank you for stopping by to watch and comment! I hope you'll subscribe as well 😀
Well Josh, I really enjoy your videos! It is an excellent medium to reminiscence on my Xinjiang experience, the food, the landscape, the people. It was just amazing. Really wish to return there one day. Here are my two cents worth, I love this new style of vlogging. More scripted? hmmm, to be honest, we all know how difficult it is to be non-scripted on film so yes it would be good to have some prepared content but you are not a news anchorman so be flexible. Lengthwise I wouldn't watch anything more than 10 minutes on youtube, perhaps that's just me. But keep it up Josh!
Thank you so much, Carlos! I appreciate the feedback ;)
I hope that you get a chance to return here.
Thanks for sharing! Love your well made and fun informative videos.
If we are looking to visit that canyon and area, are you organising or can recommend a company to deal with?
We're hoping to get out that way in September.
Thanks
Yusuf
Hey Yusuf! Thanks for your comment. Personally, I recommend visiting the canyon from the Dushanzi side since it's a whole lot easier and you don't need to off road to get there. There are plenty of travel companies that can arrange a driver, but honestly all you need to do is hire a taxi while you're in Dushanzi and you'll be good to go. It's not that far away from the city center.
Also, keep in mind that if you're looking for good recommendations for your trip to Xinjiang, you should grab a copy of the FarWestChina Xinjiang travel guide. You can get it here on Amazon (amzn.to/2rznfU8) or download the PDF (gum.co/xinjiang-travel-guide). Enjoy your trip!
Thanks for the quick reply and info. I bought the guide a couple of weeks ago, been going through it slowly since, 😀
what time of the year was this
What a discovery! Thank you for sharing it with us. I'm not going to tell anyone else about it, though, in the (vain) hope that it might still be untouched by the time I get back there to see it myself. :P
+Jason Bechtel Ha! Most of the places I went weren't really "tourist material"...but those are usually the places I prefer :-)
me too :o)
wusu beer is my best love
Ha! Glad you enjoy it :)
very nice but too short want to see longer
I do my best!
big fan of the FWS!
The what??
Oops! FWC!
Can we book a day tour there?
so many questions! How big is the desert? is it isolated or part of a bigger desert? why is it even there among the lush steppe and forests?
Ha! The desert isn't that big and is a separated part of the Djungar Desert in northern Xinjiang. The region has such a diverse landscape in a (relatively) small amount of space.
Thanks for responding. Maybe you can get in touch with a geologist from local University or oil companies? I am sure it would make an interesting interview for your channel.
哇了个天，大美新疆。
Awesome!
May Allah bless you and keep you in good health.
+Jat Jot Thank you.
I like this video, WUSU actually name is XI HO, in uyghur language.
Thanks for sharing, Adil! I know most of the Uyghur names of towns but I'll admit that I didn't know the Uyghur name for Wusu :)
Hi Adil nice to meet you I'm an Turkish Turk how are you doing.
nice but long day time ride ~
That’s part of what makes it fun!!
That fall over...LOL
My wife keeps making fun of me for it :)
this is originally shiho before it was renamed to wushu
you don't care for the taste of beer? what?! Second, could you just ship your drone to me in Nigeria? those shots are amazing! counting down to some black Friday deals this November. #GadgetEnvy. I was gonna ask you how come the police let you in until you mentioned getting registered first, I heard that visiting random local spots is not overly welcome in China, is that true? kudos to you for climbing up the tower despite your fear of height too.
Haha! Yea, I prefer a good whisky if I'm going to ingest the calories.
Glad you enjoy the drone shots! If you get the opportunity, I definitely recommend the Mavic Pro from DJI. Small drone, great picture quality and not terribly expensive (comparatively).
Travel Xinjiang: Far West China yeah that's what i have my eyes on also
It better to show the location on the maps. Thanks.
Josh, is your wife chinese? the lady at the end of the video?
No, that's not my wife. Just someone from Wusu who accompanied us. My wife is American :)
Please make a video of you speaking Uyghur with a native speaker! 😀
First, I need to learn a lot more. I'm pretty bad right now ;)
0:31 😂
This is east turkestan