Far Northwestern Regions

Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, was considered an oasis on the Silk Road for centuries. Close to Lanzhou, in Bingling there are 34 early Buddhist caves. Another attraction of the region is the White Pagoda Mountain Park.

The millenary Dunhuang, ancient caravan stop of the Silk Road, is located at the limits of the desert. The legendary Mogao Caves of Dunhuang represent the oldest Buddhist shrines in China.

Their antique murals and hand-carved shrines – at least 500 - are a national treasure that symbolizes the devotion to Buddha during a thousand years. Other interesting places are the Yang Guan Pass, the Yueya (Crescent Moon) Spring and the Mingsha Hill.

The Muslim cities of Turpan and Urumqi are sited in the far northwest Xinjiang Province, next to the Chinese desert. Both cities are part of the traditional Silk Road and still conserve the distinctive Islamic culture in their people.

Turpan is the hottest region in China due to the Turpan Depression. Surrounding the city there are amazing sceneries including the Flaming Mountains, which glow brilliantly at sunset.

Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has a population of 13 different nationalities like Mongolian, Kazakh, Russian, Tartar and Uzbek. Most of them are Muslim Uygurs. Its language is a Turkish dialect absolutely unconnected to Chinese. In the northwest of Urumqi, is the lovely Tianchi (Heavenly) Lake, a clear turquoise-colored lake situated in the midst of the Tian Shan Mountains.

Where to go