Private Day Tour from Urumqi to Turpan

SilkRoadTrips

Drive 3 hours ride from Urumqi to Turpan to explore the wonderful old city with well-preserved ancient Gaochang, Karez Irrigation System, and Emein Minaret. This is a must-do travel in your life to visit Turpan, an oasis town.

Urumqi

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At 9 o'clock Beijing time 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 mausoleum paintings in three tombs.

Afterwards, you will go to the Ancient City of Gaochang which was one of the most renowned kingdom along the Silk Road in the history where you could still wander around to visit temples, stupas, city walls...etc among the ruin. Lunch will be provided in the yard of a local Uyghur house before you move to visit the impressive Emin Minaret bult in 1777 with traditional Uygur architecture style.

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.