Challenging the taklamakan desert at Xinjiang Festival

The second Xinjiang Exceptional Tourism Festival is scheduled to open on the first day of China's National Day Holiday, also marking the beginning of a six-day journey through the Taklamakan Desert involving thousands of enthusiasts from across the country. The festival, initiated in 2010, distinguishes itself from other tourism promotional events by emphasizing the exploration value of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's landscape for outdoor activities and extreme sports. The "Crossing Taklamakan Desert" project is the first highlight of the festival. The nearly 3000-kilometer route threads up cities including Urumqi, Korla and scenic regions such as the Gobi Desert in Hami and the mountain basin in Turpan. Participants will be divided into several teams and progress in sports cars, SUVs or tour buses. In addition to the commencement ceremony, organizers have planned various entertainment activities at the major stops along the way. There will be a rock concert, a treasure hunting competition, a walking marathon and a bonfire binge in the Gobi desert. Running through the end of December, the Exceptional Tourism Festival also consists of other sections such as a photography exhibition and reporters' experience tours.