3 Days Turpan Highlights Tour with Kumtag Desert

Full Itinerary Day by day

Day 1 Urumqi – Turpan (B, L)

Welcome to Turpan – China's hottest city that its highest temperature reaches about 50°C in summer and an outpost on the Silk Road and a lot of cultural heritage sites can be explored. Meet your tour guide and driver at the airport/train station or hotel.

You will first discover the brilliant project of Karez System. Together with the Great Wall and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Karez System is regarded as one of China’s Three Greatest Ancient Projects. It is a special kind of irrigation system consisting of vertical wells, underground canals, ground canals and waterlogging pond. The vertically dug wells are linked together to channel the water which occurs during summer rain season, or is melted from snow mountains of Tianshan range to desired farmlands in the desert area. Visiting Turpan Karez Museum, you will not only see the pictures and models detailing the history of Karez System, but also visit the real underground tunnels.

Next, drive to Turpan Museum, an informative museum with great collections as well as a good place to avoid summer heat. The first floor has exhibits (like dinosaur fossils, terracotta figurines, clothing, utensils, weapons…) from prehistoric ages to the Tang Dynasty (618 ~ 907) in the history of Turpan. There are also many Silk Road displays from which you will understand why Turpan plays a crucial role on the Silk Road for trading, water and agriculture. Getting to the second floor, you will be awed at the millennia-old mummies well-preserved as to how they were found in their tombs.

Your last stop is the famous relic - Jiaohe Ancient City - an ancient city that was strategically located along the ancient Silk Road. Perching on a plateau, it acted as a natural barrier from the attacking enemies in the old times. Now, it is renowned as the best-preserved earthen architecture in the world. The interesting sculptures, videos and some other displays in Jiaohe Cultural Village Museum will give you an appreciation of the history of Jiaohe City before you start exploring. Then, take a shuttle bus to the core scenic area. Walking up along the pathway uphill, you can see many historical structural remains, including the residential area, official area and Buddhist temples. It is also available to walk to the central platform for a more awesome view of the whole park. When the night drops, you will feast on a breathtaking sunrise over the ruins.

Stay overnight in Turpan.

How to get to Turpan? There are nonstop flights to Turpan from Lanzhou (2.5 h), Changsha (4.5 h), Zhengzhou (4.5 h)… as well as high speed trains from Xian (12.5 h), Xining (8 h), Lanzhou (10 h), Zhangye (6.5 h), Dunhuang (3.5 h)…

Warm Tip: Be ready for the hot weather in Turpan, especially in Flaming Mountain and always remember to drink more water.

Day 2 Turpan - Shanshan (B, L)

After breakfast, you will be taken to have a cultural visit to Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, a group of grottoes with rich murals. They are high on the cliffs of the west Mutou Valley of Flaming Mountain. Originally drilled in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420 ~ 589), the caves have gone through about 15 centuries. There are 57 existing caves, and about 40 of them are preserved with brightly-colored murals on the stone-walls. Appreciating the glorious murals in an artistic style and listening to the old Buddhist legends, you may imagine how Buddhism spread to China's mainland via Xinjiang.

After enjoying the cultural relics in Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, you will drive to Tuyu Valley along Flaming Mountain Grand Canyon, which condenses the essence of the landscape of Flaming Mountain - the hottest spot in Turpan. Flaming Mountain is immortalized in the Chinese classic Journey to the West as a blazing mountain that the monk Xuan Zang has to pass through. Finally, they use a magic fan to extinguish the blaze and go on with their trip. Flaming Mountain Grand Canyon splits the whole mountain in half and you will clearly admire the unique landform - red sandstones looking like flaming fire, distinctive rocks showing the uncanny workmanship of nature and deep gorge with crisscross valleys. The magnificence, strangeness, danger, and elegance of Flaming Mountain are fully shown here.

The winding road on the cliff of Flaming Mountain will soon lead you to Tuyuk Valley (Tuyugou in Chinese) which is a Uighur valley with lots of historical sites. Mazar Village, the oldest existing Uighur village with a history of over 2,600 years, is a big highlight of the valley. Mazar Village holds a significant status in Buddhism and Islam. It is said that 6 Muslims came to China and started preaching there, so Mazar Village is called Eastern Mekka. Before Islam, it once was a Buddhist center as well. Many Buddhist caves can be found in the village, but the statues and murals failed to survive. The villagers still live peacefully in the village, and you can clearly see how they run their daily lives in the old mud adobe houses. Some villagers kindly ask the travelers to visit their vineyards and taste their fresh grapes or preserved fruits.

After the great time in Mazar Village, you will drive 55 km (about 1 hour) to Shanshan County. Stay overnight in Shanshan.

Day 3 Shanshan Departure (B, L)

After your breakfast in the hotel, you will drive to Kumtag Desert for an entertaining day. Just adjacent to Shanshan County, Kumtag Desert is the nearest desert to the city in the world. It has coexisted with local people harmoniously for thousands of years.

You will start today's sightseeing by taking a sightseeing car and firstly stop in Sand Lake. It is a picturesque lake with greenery which makes you wonder if you are in a beautiful water town in the south region of the Yangtze River instead of an arid desert. Then, continue with your trip to Happy Sand Valley – the core scenic area of Kumtag Desert. With the change of sunlight, the desert takes on more fascinating colors, light yellow, yellow, orange, red, gray, etc. The sand of Kumtag Desert is as soft as the smooth, so a desert walk is quite comfortable. Climbing to a high sand dune is a little strenuous for travelers, but the view is striking – you will not only savor the endless desert land with rolling waves but also an awe-inspiring vista of the city with fascinating green color. There are many interesting programs in Happy Sand Valley to please you, including sand sliding, camels ridding, desert kart racing, desert motorbike riding, etc. Both grown-ups and kids can enjoy the desert by joining some exciting activities (optional). After a wonderful time here, continue your sightseeing car driving to the Base Camp where many camps are set. It is also possible to enjoy a great performance (like a concert here), especially when you visit during Turpan Grape Festival which always takes place in late August.

After the memorable experience in Kumtag Desert, drive to Shanshan North Railway Station to catch your train to your next destination.

Tips: 1) bring enough water to protect you from dehydration and use a hat, sunglasses, scarf and sunblock to avoid sunburn especially in summer; 2) it is necessary to prepare water-proof boots if you visit in winter, because the sand might be wet in the early; 3) pay attention to protecting cameras, lenses, and other items to prevent sand from damaging the equipment; 4) wearing a dress with pure color of high saturation (such as bright red, jewelry blue, brilliant yellow, etc.) is a good idea for girls if you want to take some nice pictures.

Departure Ideas: 1) it is available to drive back to Turpan City or drive to Urumqi to catch a flight or train if you need, and just tell your travel consultant your plan in advance; 2) there are daily high speed trains from Shanshan to Dunhuang (Liuyuan, about 2 hours), Jiayuguan (4.5 hours), Zhangye (about 6 hours), Xining(about 8 hours), Lanzhou (about 9.5 hours), etc.

The quotation for this trip is from Request Per Person

1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in a 4-star hotel and traveling with our private tour in low seasons.
2. This price is subject to change according to your traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2025.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1=RMB 7.00. The final quote is based on current exchange rate. It may change according to the currency fluctuation, while the RMB quotation will be remained the same.

How Our Teams Serve you at China Discovery

"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.

Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.

1-on-1 Travel Consultant

Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!

After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.

Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.

We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.

Local Tour Guides

Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.

Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.

Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!

Local Drivers & Vehicle

Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!

Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.

Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!

Comfortable & Homelike Hotels

In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!

The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.

If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.

Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.

Meals & Dining

We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.

The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.

There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.

All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!

Check What our delighted customers are saying about our services

Hi Jack,

My wife and I returned from our China trip yesterday. The crowds at most sites were overwhelming and something that we are not used to. However, I want to let you know that we had a wonderful time mostly due to China Discovery's wonderful tour guides!

Each guide enriched our experience with both their knowledge of the cities, sites, cultures, people, and foods. They were all prompt, patient, and engaging. They were very helpful in navigating the complexities of visiting China. My wife and I enjoyed their company and conversation greatly. I don't believe we would have had the same experience in China if we had traveled there by ourselves.

All the drivers were also very courteous, on-time, and helpful!

Unfortunately, my wife caught a respiratory illness on the Yangtze River Cruise and was quite sick at ZJJ. Our guide Tim, however, was there to assist at night and brought her to the hospital to see a doctor. Tim helped us navigate the Chinese health system, stayed with us throughout the hospital visit, and brought us back to the hotel late at night! We are very grateful to Tim's extraordinary assistance!

Although we provided a paper review at the end of each location, if China Discovery has an overall review of our trip that needs to be completed, please let me know!

Again, thank you for your assistance in all the planning prior to the trip and your quick responses to my questions during the trip. Knowing you were there to assist us throughout our journey was a great source of comfort!

Regards,

Alex

Alex‚ USA, October 31, 2024

Hi Wonder,

Yes, you responded swiftly and clear. Both drivers pick up and drop off were good. Our guide, Gavin was a very good guide, and driver, he's attentive, knows history well, kind and well organized. We're very happy with him. Hotels Holiday Inn Express were OK, they served good breakfast. Location might be a bit stranded but perhaps chosen because most our trips are outskirts and not inner city.

Vivi

Vivi‚ Indonesia, October 31, 2024

Hi Wonder,

Yes! The suzhou & hangzhou tour are fantastic. I will prepare the review soon when I return to Singapore tomorrow.

Shirley

• 
• 
• 
• 

Shirley‚ Singapore, October 31, 2024

Hi Wonder,

Very lucky whole journey no rain at all...The weather was good...So we can enjoy amazing view.

Stevany

• 

Stevany‚ Indonesia, October 30, 2024

Hi Reya,

Loved the entire trip planning and journey. Ms Lily our tour guide was remarkable and very informative. We had a great journey throughout the trip.

You were very responsive and what can I say, our guide Lily made the trip enriched with her hospitality. Beijing is indeed memorable.

Tqvm. This is really so kind of a 7-seat private car and thoughtful of your agency. Transportation in Beijing is so convenient and your upgrade did help. Tq again.

It was indeed a great trip! Loved every moment of it.

Thank you and your agency have made this trip memorable. Tq China Discovery!

Dan

Dan‚ Malaysia, October 30, 2024

Check What our customers are saying about us on Tripadvisor.com

We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years

Ginagerri

"My email to China Discovery started in April, 2024 for a trip to Cheng du in September. Our travel consultant Phoebe Gao from Chengdu office was patience and extremely helpful. She had put together..." read more »

Reviewed on October 13, 2024

Lily T

"My trip to Guilin was successfully planned & executed with the help of Reya, our travel consultant with Chengdu Bamboo tours (part of China Discovery). We're a group of 4 elderly people..." read more »

Reviewed on October 31, 2024