Turpan Travel Guide

Don't do a whirlwind tour of the area through CITS agency.  It looks cheaper upfront, but it isn't.  You must also pay for each entrance fee.  You see more places, but are rushed.  Emin Minaret is a wonderful walk on the out skirts of town, and is best seen at sunrise.  In the bus station lobby there are a few agencies where you can hire a car for the day - don't be afraid to bargain!  You should be able to hit up a few places for well under Y200/person.  Don't bother paying to see the "Flaming Mountains".  You can get your driver to slow down (sometimes local cops keep people from doing so in order for them to buy a Y40+ ticket to see them), and grab a few shots from your window.  Tuyok is a must see!  There are pictures galore and is best done in the morning due to temperatures.  Be careful of taking pictures of locals, they may insist on your paying for the picture.  Gaochang ruins can be seen on the way back from your car ride.  Jiaohe ruins is a short taxi ride away or a pleasant bike ride.  The cheapest and cleanest place to stay is the bus station hotel and its much easier to travel back to Urumqi via bus to catch a train to your next location.  The best time to visit is during the fall or spring seasons since the region does get bloody hot and cold.

Traces have been found of humans living there, dating as far back as 6,000 years ago.Turpan means 'the lowest place' in the Uygur language located to the southeast of Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang .The city is the hottest place in China.Turpan is praised as the 'Hometown of Grapes' and the Grape Valley is a good place to enjoy the grapes of hundreds of varieties.Emin Minaret is the largest ancient Islamic tower in Xinjiang; and Jiaohe Ancient City and Gaochang Ancient City are witnesses to the long history of Turpan. Aydingkol Lake, at the bottom of Turpan Basin, is the lowest point in the country, and Astana-Karakhoja Ancient Tombs, Bizalkik Thousand Buddha Caves, Tuyu Valley are also popular attractions. Karez System is one of the four great irrigation system of China.As well as the usual vehicles, there is a special 'donkey taxi' here. It is a kind of flatbed drawn by donkey. Visitors can sit and ride on the vehicle to get a broad overview from a leisurely look around the city.Traditional Uygur singing and dancing shows can be seen

Turpan is an oasis in the big Taklamakan Desert in China. A very old watering system helps to bring water to this oasis. This fact and the climate are perfect for growing grapes, so Turpan is full of vineyards. Outside the city there's sand, sand and sand. And still the desert offers nice surprises like the flaming mountains or for people interested in culture the 1000 Buddha Caves with its mural painings. Hire a (taxi) driver for a day so he can drive you to all the sights surrounding Turpan, it's defenitely worthwhile (I'm not sure if you can get there by public transportation). But BARGAIN. Nice souvenirs (scarfs, fabrics, knives, etc.) can be bought in Turpan, too, but again, bargain.