Introduction: It is widely known because of “Journey to the West”. Here, the mountains are barren and devoid of vegetation, and not a single bird can be seen. In midsummer, when the red sun is high in the sky, the reddish-brown mountain body glows under the intense sunlight, and the hot air rolls up like raging flames, with tongues of fire licking the sky, so it is also called the Flaming Mountains.
Tourist Tips: You can visit the thermometer shaped like a golden cudgel in the Flaming Mountains scenic area, which has become one of the iconic landscapes of the Flaming Mountains. Tourists can take photos here and experience the high temperature. You can also visit the underground water conservancy project the Karez exhibition area to understand the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancient Turpan people.
Grape Valley
Introduction: It is the largest valley among the valleys of the Flaming Mountains. It is like a green ribbon floating in the center of the basin. Inside the Grape Valley, streams flow around with pure water quality. On both sides of the streams, grape trellises are everywhere, and the grape vines are layered upon layer, lush and green.
Tourist Tips: In the Grape Valley, you can visit the grape plantation gardens to learn about the cultivation knowledge of different varieties of grapes, view the traditional Uyghur residential buildings, and enjoy the enthusiastic Uyghur song and dance performances. Be sure to taste the locally freshly picked grapes and various grape-based delicacies such as raisins and grape juice.
Jiaohe Ancient City
Introduction: It is the largest, oldest and best-preserved earthen architecture city in the world and also the most complete urban relic preserved in China for over 2,000 years. The Anxi Protectorate, the highest military and administrative institution in the Western Regions in the Tang Dynasty, was first established in Jiaohe Ancient City.
Tourist Tips: Tourists can visit the ruins of official residences, temples, residential houses and other buildings in the ancient city along the main road in the city to experience the unique style and profound historical atmosphere of the ancient Western Regions city. It is recommended to visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the intense heat at noon.
Karez Paradise
Introduction: Karez is a special underground water conservancy irrigation project in the Turpan area. In the Karez Paradise, you can directly understand the structure and operation principle of Karez.
Tourist Tips: In the park, you can visit the Karez Museum and comprehensively understand the history, excavation process and great significance to local agricultural production of Karez through models, pictures, real objects and other displays. You can also go down into the underground canal of Karez in person to experience the magic of this ancient project.
Best Tourist Season
Turpan is very hot in summer, with the highest temperature reaching over 40℃. However, this is also the season when fruits are ripe, and you can taste a variety of fresh and delicious fruits. If you want to avoid the intense heat, it is recommended to visit between the end of August and October. At this time, the temperature is relatively more comfortable, and grapes and other fruits are still in the picking period.
Transportation
External Transportation
Airplane: Turpan Jiaohe Airport has opened routes to some domestic cities. You can check whether there are direct flights according to your own city.
Train: The Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway runs through Turpan. Both Turpan Station and Turpan North Station have many trains stopping. It only takes about 1 hour to travel from Urumqi to Turpan North Station by bullet train.
Internal Transportation
Bus: There are bus routes in Turpan city that can go to some scenic spots, but the number of trips is relatively small, so you need to plan the time in advance.
Taxi: It is more convenient to take a taxi to travel within Turpan city and its surrounding areas. But when going to faraway scenic spots, it is best to negotiate the price with the driver in advance to avoid disputes.
Chartered Car: If there are many people in your group and you want to arrange the itinerary freely, chartering a car is a good choice. It can be charged by the day, which is convenient for visiting multiple scenic spots.
Food Guide
Specialty Foods
Grilled Mutton Skewers
Features: The grilled mutton skewers in Turpan have tender meat with a proper mix of fat and lean. High-quality local mutton is used and skewered with red willow branches for grilling. During the grilling process, the red willow branches secrete unique juice, giving the mutton skewers a special delicate fragrance.
Recommended Restaurant: Astana Food. The grilled mutton skewers in this restaurant have delicious meat and just the right combination of seasonings, and are deeply loved by both locals and tourists.
Hand-grabbed Rice
Features: It is made mainly of rice, mutton, carrots, onions, etc. and stewed. The rice grains are distinct, the mutton is tender, and the carrots and onions become soft and sweet after stewing. The whole dish combines the flavors of various ingredients.
Recommended Restaurant: Halbag Restaurant. Its hand-grabbed rice is made with fine craftsmanship and authentic flavor. You can also add dried fruits such as raisins and dried apricots according to personal taste to add a unique flavor.
Nang (Baked Flatbread)
Features: There are many flavors, such as sesame nang, onion nang, rose nang, etc. The surface of the nang is golden and crispy, and the inside is soft and chewy. It is easy to preserve and is a common staple food on the table of Turpan people.
Recommended Restaurant: Sulaiman Nang Kebab Restaurant. The nang here has a rich variety, and the freshly baked nang is fragrant and has an excellent taste.
Big Plate Chicken
Features: Although Big Plate Chicken originated in Shawan, Xinjiang, the Big Plate Chicken in Turpan also has its own unique characteristics. The chicken is tender and juicy, the potatoes are soft and flavorful, and the belt noodles absorb the rich soup and have a chewy texture.
Recommended Restaurant: Xuezhan Big Plate Chicken. Its Big Plate Chicken has a large portion and rich flavor, and is a good place to taste Big Plate Chicken.
Grapes and Raisins
Features: There are many varieties of grapes in Turpan, such as Thompson Seedless, Manaizi, Muscat, etc. The fresh grapes are plump and sweet and juicy; the raisins are naturally air-dried and retain the sweetness of the grapes and are rich in nutrition.
Purchase Location: There are many local farmers selling their own grapes and raisins inside and around the Grape Valley scenic area. You can taste them before buying, and the quality is guaranteed.
Food Streets
Wenhua Road Food Street in Gaochang District
Here, various Turpan specialty foods are gathered. In addition to the above-mentioned foods, there are also snacks such as baked buns, thin-skinned buns, yogurt zongzi, etc. There are many restaurants on both sides of the street. You can randomly choose a restaurant that catches your eye to taste the delicious food and experience the lively market atmosphere.
