Xinjiang Turpan Tour: 2-Day Private Tour From Urumqi to Turpan

Day 1 Urumqi -Turpan

Pick up service is arranged at your Urumqi hotel lobby with a welcome signage "Turpan Private Tour"  and transfer you to Turpan - one of popular destinations in China. It takes around 2 hours for one way.

Upon arrival, start your Turpan tour with a visit the Ruins of Jiaohe Old City. It is considered one of the oldest, largest and best preserved earthen cities of its time in China. It was built 2,300 years ago and its ruins are located along the Silk Road. As wood was rarely used in those times, all its buildings were constructed out of earth. People dug houses and rooms downward from the earth and built with dried bricks.The Ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City is very unique and rare.

Next, move on to the famous site in Turpan to visit the Karez Well, it is one of the UNSECO World Heritage Sites in China. Karez well system is the underground transmission and water harvesting system in the Turpan Depression of Xinjiang. For over 2000 years, it has provided the water supplies to the communities of Xinjiang Uygur region. Karez well system works as an impressive hydraulic engineering project. The commuters here consider it as the “Mother River” and “spring of life” because of its safe and reliable water process. This project was initiated by ancient people and it benefits both later generations and contemporaries.

After lunch, you will visit the Emin Minaret, it is the tallest minaret in China, it was built in 1777 during the Qing Dynasty. In order to commemorate the general Emin Khoja and patriot who defended unifying China throughout his life,hence its name "Emin." It is the largest ancient tower in Xinjiang as well as the only Islamic old tower among China's one hundred famous towers.

After the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel in Turpan.

Day 2 Turpan -Urumqi

After breakfast, our guide will take you to visit the Grape Valley, it is one of most popular places in Turpan. As Turpan known as the "Land of Fruits", especially grapes. Turpan grape valley has become a unique tourist spot where visitors come to get refreshed and enjoy the different varieties of grapes.

Then, drive you to visit the Flaming Mountain, it is combination of red sand and rocks that makes the mountain looks like a red dragon sleeping on the area basin. If you look the mountain from a distance, under the sunlight, the heat wave and the floating clouds will make you have the illusion that the mountain is on fire as tongues of fire. Every summer when the sun shines, the mountain could reach 80°C in temperature. There is a huge thermometer at the centre of the Flaming Mountain Museum will show you how hot it is.

In the afternoon, our guide will show you the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves. It is a complex of Buddhist cave grottos along the silk road. The history can be dated from the 5th to 14th century between the cities of Turpan and Shanshan. It's very close to the Flaming Mountains,and most of the surviving caves date from the West Uyghur kingdom around the 10th to 13th centuries.

When you finish your tour in Turpan, drive you back to your hotel in Urumqi or drop off at Urumqi airport for your next place.

Price Per Person in US Dollars