Welcome to Turpan
Turpan (吐鲁番; Tǔlǔfān) is China’s Death Valley. At 154m below sea level, it’s the second-lowest depression in the world and the hottest spot in China. In July and August, temperatures soar above 40°C and even 50°C, forcing the local population to sleep on their roofs and visiting tourists into a state of semi-torpor.
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Turpan activities
5-Night Private Silk Road Trip from Urumqi to Dunhuang including Hotel Accommodations
Day 1: Arriving Urumqi Pick up from Diwopu International Airport or Urumqi Rail Station and transfer you to the hotel. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the streets of Urumqi.Accommodation: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, Urumqi Day 2: Urumqi - Heavenly Lake - Urumqi (B) Visit Xinjiang Museum where well-preserved Chinese mummies are exhibited. The spectacular one stands out from the rest named "Beauty of Loulan," who was buried 4,000 years ago near the town of Loulan in Taklimakan Desert. "Beauty of Loulan" was remarkably preserved in an open coffin under hot desert sands of the Taklamakan when she was excavated in 1980. After lunch, head up to Heavenly Lake, located on the north side of the Bodga Shan range of the Tianshan Mountains t. Later, return to Urumqi and stroll through the wonderful Erdaoqiao Bazaar before driving back your hotel.Accommodation: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, Urumqi Day 3: Urumqi - Turpan (B, L) Visit Turpan, the centre of a fertile oasis and an important trade center along the Silk Road that was once adjacent to the kingdoms of Kroran and Yanqi. Visit Emin Minaret, the symbol of Turpan before your authentic local lunch at a Uyghur home under the grape vine in open air. Explore the Ancient City of Gaochang, Bezklik Grottos, Astana Ancient Tombs before returning to your hotel.Accommodation: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, Urumqi Day 4. Turpan - Liuyuan (via bullet train) - Dunhuang (B) Explore ruin of ancient Jiaohe city, the capital of Anterior Jushi kingdom during 108 B.C. to 450 A.D. With Karez Irrigation System helps irrigating the oasis, Jiaohe was an important site along the Silk Road trade route leading west adjacent to Korla and Karasahr kingdoms. Catch a bullet train to Liuyuan and be transferred to Dunhuang hotel. Visit the night market nearby the hotel if you like.Accommodation: 4-Star Dunhuang Hotel Day 5: Dunhuang (B) Visit the highlight of Silk Road today, Mogao Grottoes (Caves of the Thousand Buddhas), where you will be impressed by the fresco and statues in the caves. These caves are examples of rock-cut architecture of soft gravel conglomerate not suitable for either sculpture or elaborate architectural details. Enjoy a fun hike on the sand dunes to visit the Crescent Spring.Accommodation: 4-Star Dunhuang Hotel Day 6: Departing Dunhuang (B) If time allows, visit Dunhuang Museum before heading to Dunhuang Airport where this 6 days trip concludes.
6-Night Private Silk Road Trip from Urumqi to Dunhuang and Jiayuguan with Accommodations
Day 1: Arriving UrumqiUpon arrival at Urumqi Airport or Urumqi Rail Station, your guide will send you to the hotel for check-in. Accommodation: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, UrumqiDay 2: Urumqi - Heavenly Lake - Urumqi (B)Visit Xinjiang Museum where well-preserved Chinese mummies are exhibited. Among which, you will find the spectacular one standing out from the rest named "Beauty of Loulan". Take lunch break, then take a one hour ride to Heavenly Lake, which is located on the north side of the Bogda Shan range of the Tianshan Mountains to enjoy fantastic mountain views and serene lake scenery. Later, return to Urumqi and stroll through the wonderful Erdaoqiao Bazaar before driving back your hotel. Accommodation: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, UrumqiDay 3: Urumqi - Turpan (B, L)Take a 3 hours ride to Turpan, the centre of a fertile oasis and an important trade center along the Silk Road. You will visit Emin Minaret which is the symbol of Turpan before sampling an authentic local lunch at a Uyghur home under the grape vine in open air. In the afternoon, you will explore the Ancient City of Gaochang, Bezklik Grottos, Astana Ancient Tombs before returning to your hotel. Accommodation: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, UrumqiDay 4. Turpan - Liuyuan (via bullet train) - Dunhuang (B)Explore ruin of ancient Jiaohe city that was once the capital of Anterior Jushi kingdom during 108 B.C. to 450 A.D. but abandoned in the 15th century. With Karez Irrigation System helps irrigating the oasis, Jiaohe was an important site along the Silk Road trade route leading west adjacent to Korla and Karasahr kingdoms. Then, catch a bullet train to Liuyuan arriving in approximately 4 hours and be transferred to Dunhuang hotel in about two hours. Be sure to explore the night market nearby the hotel in the evening! Accommodation: 4-Star Dunhuang HotelDay 5: Dunhuang (B)Visit the highlight of Silk Road today, Mogao Grottoes (Caves of the Thousand Buddhas). These caves are examples of rock-cut architecture of soft gravel conglomerate not suitable for either sculpture or elaborate architectural details.After lunch, enjoy a fun hike on the sand dunes to visit the Crescent Spring. Accommodation: 4-Star Dunhuang HotelDay 6: Dunhuang - Jiayuguan (B)Catch 4-hour train to Jiayuguan, the western end of the Great Wall for Ming Dynasty. Visit Jiayuguan Fort that is called The First Pass Under Heaven. Climb up the Overhanging Great Wall (reconstructed in 1980s based on the original site with a wonderful view). Accommodation: 4-Star Jiayuguan Great Wall HotelDay 7: Departing Jiayuguan (B)If time allows, visit Wei and Jin Tombs before heading to Jiayuguan Airport
All Inclusive Private Day Trip to Turpan from Urumqi including Bezklik Thousand Buddha Caves and Karez System
At 9 o'clock in the morning, your guide will pick you up at the lobby of your centrally located hotel in Urumqi. Then, you will take a 3-hour ride in a private vehicle from Urumqi to Turpan. On the way, you will see windmill farms, saltwater lakes, and valley of Tianshan. After arriving in Turpan, visit Bezklik Thousand Buddha Caves, which is an abandoned site that has ruins of fresco and statues from 15th century. Next, you will go to Astana Tombs where was a public cemetery from 1,000 years ago for the citizens of Gaochang Kingdom. From there, you will have an opportunity to see amazing mausoleum paintings in three tombs. Afterwards, you will go to ancient city ruin of Gaochang which was one of the most renowned kingdom along the Silk Road in the history. You can wander around to visit temples, stupas, city walls...etc among the ruin. Lunch will be provided in the yard of a local Uyghur house. Later, before you head back to Urumqi, you will learn why Turpan could sustain itself in long history by visiting the Karez Irrigation System. After the irrigation system visit, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Urumqi where this wonderful day trip concludes.
Private 6-Night Silk Road Tour From Dunhuang to Kashgar
Day 1. Arrival DunhuangUpon arrival, met by our guide and transferred to hotel. Overnight: Dunhuang Silk Road Hotel or similar hotelDay 2. Dunhuang(B) In the morning, you will visit Mogao Caves, the most important site on the Silk Road. Colorful fresco, statues telling you various stories about Buddha. In the afternoon, you will view the Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Spring in the desert. Explore the night market in the evening. Overnight: Dunhuang Silk Road Hotel or similar hotelDay 3. Dunhuang/Turpan(B) via Bullet TrainYou will visit the Dunhuang Museum(Close on Mondays). Afterwards you will be transferred to Liuyuan railway station catch 3.5-hour bullet train to Turpan. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to hotel. Overnight: Turpan Huozhou Hotel or similar hotelDay 4. Turpan/Urumqi(B)Today you will visit Bezklik Grottos, Astana Ancient Tombs, the Ancient City of Jiaohe and Gaochang, Karez Irrigation System, and Emin Minaret. Afterwards you will take 3-hour ride to Urumqi.Overnight: Urumqi Wanda Vista Hotel or similar hotelDay 5. Urumqi/Kashgar(B) Via FlightIn the morning you will visit Xinjiang Museum, mummies are a must-see in it, particularly Loulan Beauty and Xiaohe Beauty. Then you will take one-hour ride to Heavenly Lake where you can wander around the lake to view the stunning snow-capped mountains. Then you will be transferred to Urumqi airport to catch flight to Kashgar. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to hotel.Overnight: Kashgar Tianyuan International Hotel or similar hotelDay 6. Kashgar(B)It is a busy day, you will see the well-known Grand Bazaar, Apa Hojia Mausoleum, Idkar Mosque, old town of Kashgar.Overnight: Kashgar Tianyuan International Hotel or similar hotelDay 7. Departing from Kashgar(B)Transferred to the airport to catch your flight heading your next destination.End of the trip.
5-Night Private Silk Road Trip from Dunhuang to Urumqi including Hotel Accommodations
Day 1: Arriving DunhuangUpon arrival at Dunhuang Airport or Dunhuang Rail Station, meet your guide at arrival lobby and go to the hotel for check-in. You may spend the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the streets of Dunhuang. Be sure to explore the night market nearby the hotel in the evening!Accommodation: 4-Star Dunhuang HotelDay 2: Dunhuang - Liuyuan (via bullet train) - Turpan (B) You will visit the highlight of Silk Road today, Mogao Grottoes (Caves of the Thousand Buddhas), where you will be impressed by the fresco and statues in the caves. These caves are examples of rock-cut architecture of soft gravel conglomerate not suitable for either sculpture or elaborate architectural details. In the afternoon, you will catch a bullet train to Turpan arriving in approximately 4 hours and be transferred to Turpan hotel in about 30 minutes. Accommodation: 4-Star Huozhou Hotel, TurpanDay 3. Turpan (B, L)After breakfast, you will start to visit Turpan, the centre of a fertile oasis and an important trade center along the Silk Road that was once adjacent to the kingdoms of Kroran and Yanqi. You will visit Emin Minaret which is the symbol of Turpan before sampling an authentic local lunch at a Uyghur home under the grape vine in open air. Later in the afternoon, you will explore the Ancient City of Gaochang, Bezklik Grottos, Astana Ancient Tombs and Karez Irrigation System before returning to your hotel.Accommodation: 4-Star Huozhou Hotel, TurpanDay 4: Turpan - Urumqi (B) After breakfast, you will take a 3 hours ride to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. In Urumqi, the impressive stop of the day is Xinjiang Museum where well-preserved Chinese mummies are exhibited. Among which, you will find the spectacular one standing out from the rest named "Beauty of Loulan," who was buried 4,000 years ago near the town of Loulan in Taklimakan Desert. "Beauty of Loulan" was remarkably preserved in an open coffin under hot desert sands of the Taklamakan when she was excavated in 1980.Later, you will head to stroll through the wonderful Erdaoqiao Bazaar before driving back your hotel.Accommodation: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, Urumqi Day 5: Urumqi - Heavenly Lake - Urumqi (B) Today you will take a one hour ride to Heavenly Lake, which is located on the north side of the Bodga Shan range of the Tianshan Mountains to enjoy fantastic mountain views and serene lake scenery. Then you will be taken back hotel.Accommodation: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, Urumqi Day 6: Departing Urumqi (B) Transferred to Urumqi Airport
Private 2-Day Trip to Turpan From Urumqi including Jiaohe and Gaochang Ruins
Day 1. Urumqi -- Turpan by car (L, D) At 9 o'clock in the morning, your guide will pick you up at the lobby of your centrally located hotel in Urumqi. Then, you will take a 3-hour ride in a private vehicle from Urumqi to Turpan. On the way, you will see windmill farms, saltwater lakes, and valley of Tianshan. After arriving in Turpan, you will you will learn why Turpan could sustain itself in long history by visiting the Karez Irrigation System. Lunch is at the nice yard of Uyghur house. After lunch, you will visit Bezklik Thousand Buddha Caves that is located in the valley of Flaming Mountain, which is an abandoned site that has ruins of fresco and statues from 15th century. Afterwards, you will go to ancient city ruin of Gaochang which was one of the most renowned kingdom along the Silk Road in the history. You can wander around to visit temples, stupas, city walls...etc among the ruin. Later, you will continue to visit Toyuk Uyghur Old Village that is situated in the valley with a history more than 1000 years before you heading to the hotel in Turpan. Accommodation: Turpan 4-star Huozhou Hotel or Shuangcheng Hotel or equivalent Day 2. Turpan-- Urumqi by car (B,L) After hotel breakfast, you will be transferred to visit the well-preserved ancient city ruin of Jiaohe. Afterwards you will visit the treasure of Uyghur architecture, Emin Minaret which was built in 1777AD. Later you will your head back to your Urumqi hotel where this wonderful trip concludes.