It's lunchtime. Liu Zhen and her travel buddies pull over at a highway rest stop in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Using an induction cooker powered by a new energy vehicle, they heat up a pot and cook a simple yet nutritious meal — rice mixed with vegetables and salted meat — to ease the exhaustion from the long journey.
For this group of six, mostly in their 60s, this is just another day of their adventurous road trip across western China. A month ago, the three couples set off from their hometown in Southwest China's Chongqing in three SUVs. Since then, they have driven over 7,000 kilometers to Xinjiang, passing through the provinces of Sichuan and Gansu.
"The most stunning scenery is always the kind you encounter unexpectedly," Liu says. "The highlight of this trip for me is when we catch sight of some beautiful landscapes from the car window. We stop, hop out, and enjoy the view."
Among all the scenic spots they encountered, one in particular left the deepest impression on Liu — the sight of horses galloping through a river in a wetland park in Zhaosu county, part of northern Xinjiang's Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture.
"It was breathtaking, and we took lots of great photos," Liu says. One of her greatest pleasures on the trip has been sharing those photos online.
Their entire journey revolves around their vehicles, which are equipped with portable water boilers. They refill at highway rest stops and prepare meals on the induction stove using ingredients bought along the way. When night falls, they transform their SUVs into cozy bedrooms by folding down the back seats and laying out a soft mattress.
"This way of traveling may be a bit tough, but it is economical and offers much flexibility and freedom. You travel as long as you want," Liu says.
She adds that Xinjiang's well-developed highway network and driver-friendly infrastructure have made the trip much easier. "The roads are wide and smooth and easy to navigate, and self-driving camps are easy to find. Plus, the well-equipped rest stops enable us to refresh and recharge," she adds.
Silver-haired travelers are becoming a growing force in China's tourism industry. According to data from the China National Committee on Aging, seniors now make up over 20 percent of the country's total tourist population.
Many retirees are embracing self-driving tours as a rising trend. According to zuzuche.com, a Guangzhou-based self-driving tour platform, during this year's five-day May Day holiday, the number of outbound self-driving tourists aged 60 and above increased by 6.5 percent year-on-year. The number of senior tourists choosing domestic road trips grew by 27 percent.
Liu and her companions are all members of a self-driving club in Chongqing, which organizes group trips. Among the over 400 club members, most are seniors.
For Liu's friend Tu Jianping, road trips are nothing new. Over the years, her SUV has taken her to explore the plateaus of western Sichuan and traverse the border regions of Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Heilongjiang province. Next year, she and her husband plan to tackle the high altitudes of Xizang autonomous region.
"The children have to go to school. The young people have to work. For us retirees, we have savings and plenty of time on our hands; and this is our time to enjoy life," she says.
By the end of 2024, China's population aged 60 and above exceeded 310 million. As living standards and health improve, the country's growing elderly population is driving a booming consumer market.
According to a plan on special initiatives to increase consumption, released earlier this year, China will develop industries such as antiaging and senior tourism to unleash the potential of the silver-haired consumer market.
Tu also keeps a habit of documenting her daily travel experiences and sharing them on WeChat Moments.
In one post, she describes driving along a section of National Highway 216, which runs through extreme terrain, including deserts and high plateaus: "Outside the car window, visibility is extremely low. The swirling sands seem alive, at times gathering into towering dunes, at others dissolving into a haze of dust and fog. My heart is clenched tight, my palms grow damp.
"The road ahead is but a slender thread, leading us into a 600-km stretch where the altitude soars beyond 5,000 meters. Our drivers' eyes gleam with the thrill of adventure, but my heart remains as restless as the howling wind outside."
For Tu, writing down her daily reflections isn't just about sharing with family and friends — it's a gift to her future self.
"I want to preserve these memories in words," she says. "So that when I'm too old to move, I can still travel through them, reliving every moment as I read."
