Deep in the heart of Xinjiang, where vineyards are caressed by the blistering sun and the dust still carries whispers of the Silk Roads, Turpan offers a day of unforgettable discovery. From ancient ghost cities covered with thousand-year-old sands to bustling bazaars and modern vine factories, this desert oasis is a cultural journey unlike any other. Here is the way to make the most of a day in Turpan – a city where every corner whispers the history of the great Silk Roads.
Underground wonders and living traditions
As every great story has a beginning, a perfect way to kick off your city trip is with a visit to the Karez Folk Garden. Located in Xinchengximen Village, Gaochang District, about 3 kilometres from downtown Turpan, it offers a unique blend of Uyghur folk culture and a comprehensive look into the history of the region. Park is divided into three main sections – Karez Ruins Area, Folk Culture Area, and Grape Planting Area – each offering a different perspective on Turpan’s heritage. Together, they create an immersive experience that combines cultural displays, hands-on experiences with folk traditions, and educational insight into the region’s unique agricultural and engineering achievements.
At the entrance to the tunnels, Uyghur performers dressed in vibrant traditional attire warmly welcome visitors with a lively show featuring instrumental music, singing, and dancing, inviting guests to join in and become part of the celebration. And it’s hard to resist, as the traditional Uyghur tunes are very upbeat and catchy.
This village is recognised as one of the birthplaces of the region’s Karez culture and the foundation of Turpan’s ingenious water heritage, serving as a living testament to how communities adapted to the harsh desert environment. The Karez is an ancient underground irrigation network transporting water from wells to the surface through a series of tunnels. Historical records indicate that these systems were constructed during the Ming Dynasty and have been in continuous use for over 400 years. This park preserves a 200-meter stretch of Karez ruins, making it one of the most well-preserved ancient remains in Turpan.
Today, these accounts and the still-functioning underground channels offer valuable insight into the evolution of water engineering across western China. Visitors can descend into these cool passageways and explore key elements of the Karez water conservancy system, including vertical shafts and an underground network of tunnels, while also enjoying cultural experiences like traditional dance performances, tours of local homes, craft-making, and, of course, shopping at the bazaar, where among stalls of silk scarves, jewelry, traditional clothes and souvenirs, tourists can also taste some local delicasies.
At the end of the tour around the village, the route leads visitors to the Grape Planting Area — an inviting garden where grape vines stretch under the open sky. Here, you can stroll between rows of sun-soaked grapes, grown with the very water brought by the ancient Karez system. It’s a quiet, fragrant finale to the experience, where the legacy of Turpan’s agriculture lives not only in history but in tradition and every glistering, juicy grape.
A sip of Turpan: where the desert pours its soul into wine
Tucked at the foot of the Flame Mountain in Xinjiang’s Turpan Basin, Yimao Winery is a modern facility built by Turpan Yimao Investment Co., Ltd., which combines cutting-edge technology with the region’s ancient grape-growing tradition. Established in 2017 with a total investment of 250 million yuan, the winery spans over 10,000 square meters and has been in production since 2018. It features advanced Italian equipment, 800 imported French oak barrels, and a temperature-controlled system to ensure the quality of its wines. Yimao makes dry reds, crisp whites, brandy, and other smooth wines, producing about 500 tons of wine a year right now.
Like a cool breeze cutting through the Turpan heat, the white wine is crisp and refreshing, offering subtle fruity notes and a smooth, balanced finish, while the red is rich and full of character, layered with warm berry notes, a hint of oak, and a velvety finish, creating a tart and pleasant taste, as if it was warmed by the rays of the ardent Xinjiang sun.
The Thousand Buddhas: Crossroads of faith on the Silk Roads
Yarhu Grottoes is another fascinating location along the tourist trail. More than a thousand years ago, these 22 caves served as a monastery for Buddhist monks, dating back to the fifth century AD. The temple complex is situated in mountain caves, several dozen meters above the ground. All the walls and ceilings of the grottoes are painted with frescoes of Buddha, and at first glance, it would appear that they are identical, but with a closer look, it’s noticeable that each one has a unique name and distinct hieroglyphs that belong to several languages, including Chinese, Uyghur, and Sogdian. These multilingual inscriptions on the murals provide tangible proof of religious exchange along the Silk Roads and are a valuable resource for researching traditional Chinese culture.
The site reflects a unique combination of several styles: Gandhara, Kucha, Central Plain and Uyghur. The paintings depicting the “Thousand Buddhas” and sermon scenes demonstrate high craftsmanship, creating the unique aesthetics of the “Flame Mountain”. And as it is one of the largest Buddhist monuments in China, it serves as a key site for studying the spread of Buddhism along the Northern Silk Roads and the merger of interethnic cultures. This place offers incredible views of the mountains and valley, where tourists can feel the spirit and energy of China and truly appreciate the country’s ancient heritage.
After a recent restoration, the site now has the opportunity to experience AR guides, which allow visitors to experience the artistic power of the caves in an immersive format. Today, two grottoes, No. 4 and 7, are open to the public after a year of restoration work and digitisation of the artefacts.
Ancient sounds under desert skies – visiting Jiaohe Ruins
For those travellers seeking fairytale views and a breathtaking atmosphere, the best evening getaway, right around sunset time, is certainly the ancient Jiaohe ruins. Once the capital of the Tocharian kingdom of Jushi, Jiaohe stands as a remarkable testament to the ingenuity of ancient Silk Roads civilisations. The city was initially located on a leaf-shaped plateau between two steep river valleys meant that it didn’t need external walls for defence. Due to its advantageous location, it was not only defendable but also flourished as a centre of governance, trade, and culture in the hostile Turpan Basin desert. Built in 200 BC and destroyed in the 14th century, Jiaohe is considered the world’s largest, oldest, and best-preserved earthen city, offering a glimpse into ancient urban planning, defence constructions, and the rich cultural exchanges that took place along the Silk Roads. As a key stop along the Silk Roads, Jiaohe connected East and West for centuries, welcoming caravans, scholars, and pilgrims travelling between China and Central Asia.
By moonlight and lantern glow, the Ancient City of Jiaohe – a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site – quietly reawakens each evening through the Jiaohe Night program. Launched in 2016, this immersive experience invites visitors to explore the ancient ruins after sunset, when the desert heat fades and a profound stillness settles.
Small groups of tourists walk slowly through the site’s towering mudbrick walls and empty streets, enjoying quiet, calming melodies of traditional instruments. There, it seems like you can hear the echoing footsteps of history, passing by places where thousands of years ago, it might have been a lively bazaar or a cave with some hidden treasures. Going down the route, guests arrive at the Great Buddha Temple Square, where traditional Uyghur musicians, poets, and storytellers perform by candlelight. Visitors can take their seats and enjoy a beautiful performance that lasts more than half an hour. No amplifiers, no bright lights – just tranquillity, music, and memory accompanied only by the wide sky, moon, and shining stars.
The candles create an atmosphere, encouraging to put down your phone and remain silent, so that the pure sounds of music and singing immerse you in history. Close your eyes and trust your hearing and imagination, and you will be transported to the Jiaohe era. Jiaohe Night is a quiet, meditative experience that immerses visitors in the spirit of the ancient city through music, poetry, and ritual. The main storyteller has his foreword before each instrumental part, telling a legend that traces history through the ages. As gentle rappa melodies come from behind a wall, performers slowly emerge through a gap in the ruins, faces barely visible in the dim light.
The program features a carefully curated lineup: the rappa solo “Ananurhan,” inspired by a Uyghur epic heroine; the poetic narrative “Emotions of the Thousand-Year-Old Jiaohe”; a satar piece titled “Mother”; the reflective essay “If I Were a Monk Wandering Jiaohe”; and the dutar song “Peony Hansha.” The evening culminates in a candlelit procession, as guests can place candles in ancient niches — each “flame” is a silent wish left glowing in the darkness.
It’s more than a performance, Jiaohe Night is a sensory return to the ancient roots, cultural heritage, with a sense of intimacy and reflection. It’s an invitation to listen deeply to what time has not yet erased. Beautiful and inspiring.
A day in Turpan is more than just a journey through a city — it’s a passage through time, tradition, and taste. From the ingenuity of the ancient Karez system and the vivid echoes of Silk Roads faith in the Yarhu caves, to the sensory richness of local dance, crafts, and sun-soaked wine, every moment tells a story shaped by resilience and beauty. In this desert oasis, where history is carved into stone, culture is not simply preserved — it’s alive, abundant, and waiting to be experienced.
