Private 2-Day Trip to Turpan From Urumqi including Jiaohe and Gaochang Ruins
This 2-day tour will let you explore almost all important attractions in Turpan in Xinjiang, China. This is ideal for those who love the history of ancient Silk Road!
Day 1. Urumqi -- Turpan by car (L, D)
At 9am, 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 local Uyghur restaurant. 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 that was built in 1777AD. Later you will your head back to your Urumqi hotel where this wonderful trip concludes.
