The Tian Shan Grand Canyon near Kuqa is one of the highlights of the Xinjiang: China’s Wild Wild West – Photography Workshop. Its easy access, looming canyon walls, textures and colours make the Tian Shan Grand Canyon a veritable photographers playground.
Part of the Tian Shan Mountain range, the Mysterious Grand Canyon extends quite some distance back into the mountain range. Rising some 5,000 ft (1,600m) above sea level this enormous canyon complex is part of the Keziliya (red cliff in Uyghur) mountain complex and is within an hours drive of Kuqa.
The Grand Canyon runs for some 3.4 miles (5.5km). Many years of natural erosion over the red rocks have formed this natural wonder. The canyon is characterized by oddly-shaped rocks, craggy pinnacles, rugged cliffs and deep ravines. The breadth of the canyon changes due to the terrain, at its widest its 150 feet (50m) wide, at its slimest 1.3 feet wide (0.4m), too slim to pass.
The sheer grandeur of this walkable Canyon is a photographers dream. There are leading lines all through the canyon, numerous textures in the canyon walls and of course amazing colours as the sun licks the walls of the canyon. The Grand Canyon was pretty quiet with us seeing only a few other people whilst we visiting. As we composed frames, talked, shot some video, we could only hear the echo of our own voices bouncing around the canyon.
