Turpan

Background

Turpan lies in the Turpan Basin in eastern Xinjiang, at the southern foot of the eastern Tianshan Mountains, about 150 kilometres southeast of Urumqi. This entry covers the Turpan area as a whole: the Grape Valley is shaded green with hanging bunches of grapes, the ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City stand on a loess terrace, the Flaming Mountains are bare and red without a blade of grass, Ayding Lake at the lowest point of the basin lies 154 metres below sea level, and karez channels criss-cross beneath the oasis. Turpan has long been an oasis and trading centre on the Silk Road, watered by the karez system. The centre of the area moved several times: first at Jiaohe, about 10 kilometres west of the modern city, then at Gaochang, about 30 kilometres to the southeast, and finally at Turpan itself. The Jushi Kingdom once ruled here until it was conquered by the Han dynasty in 107 BC; from then until the 5th century AD, the capital of the local kingdom remained at Jiaohe. Today grapes are the mainstay of oasis farming, and Turpan is China's largest raisin-producing area.

Local customs

• Taste fresh grapes and raisins in the Grape Valley
• walk the loess lanes of Jiaohe Ancient City to see the layout of the old city
• gaze at the red slopes of the Flaming Mountains
• visit the karez to learn how the oasis channels its water
• stop at the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves along the way.

Travel tips

• Summers are long and extremely hot, so visit in the early morning and evening, and please bring plenty of water and sun protection
• winters are shorter but very cold. Ticket prices for each sight are as officially announced.
• From Urumqi you can travel by train (high-speed trains stop at Turpan North Station) or by bus, then continue by road to the sights
• as the sights are spread out, a chartered car for a one-day tour is the most convenient. Late summer and early autumn, when the grapes ripen and fruit is plentiful, are the best times to visit.