The Silk Road
The Silk Road is a route merchants have travelled for thousands of year's. It was originally used by the silk traders of Xi'an to transfer their goods to Europe and stretched for over 12,000 kilometres. Later in history, it became the main access route to China from the west, for the great explorers such as Marco Polo.
Lanzhou
Located in the heart of China, Lanzhou is the capital of Gansu Povince and has the Huanghe (Yellow) River running right through it. The city has been important for industry since the Communist Revolution, but is also famous for fruits and is often referred to as the City of Fruits.
Its two main attractions are the Gansu Museum, which is the largest museum in the province and houses over 70,000 relics dating back to the New Stone Age and Han Dynasty (206BC - AD220). The other is the Stele Forest, which encapsulates the history and culture of the ancient Silk Road. It is located on Mt. Baita, from where you get an exceptional view of the Huanghe River.
Dunhuang
In ancient times Dunhuang was known as Shazhou and is one of China's most famous cultural and historical cities. Located at the end of the Hexi corridor it is surrounded by mountains and the Gobi Desert. In ancient times it was considered the hub of the Silk Road, where East met West and has many tourist attractions:
The Mogao Grottoes can be found 25 kilometres from Dunhuang City and are at the foot of Mingsha Hill. There are a total of 491 grottoes, which pre-date the Qin Dynasty and house 45,000 square metres of murals and over 2400 sculptures. These sculptures, murals and the grottoes architecture, perfectly depict the cultural exchanges between the East and West, for more than ten dynasties. They are considered the largest, oldest and one of the best preserved Buddhist sites, in the world.
Mingsha Hill and Cresent Moon Spring can be found 6 kilometres from Dunhuang City. The lake, not surprisingly, is shaped like a crescent moon and is surrounded sand dunes. Tourists have the opportunity here of surfing the dunes as well as taking camel rides and even parachuting.
The White Horse Pagoda is a nine-story structure, standing only 12 metres tall. It was built during the pre-Qin Dynasty and its name derives from the heavenly 'dragon horse' it commemorates.
Leiyin Temple comprises of over 100 rooms, including The Grand Hall and two secondary halls. Within the temple there are 37 statues of Buddha, Arhats and Disciples.
Yumen Pass is also known as the Small Square Plate City. The city is square in shape, with well-preserved city walls, streets, squares and churches. In ancient times travellers had to pass through Yumen Pass, in order to continue their journey along the Silk Road.
Turpan
Turpan is a town, famous for its grapes. Within China it is an important producer of sultanas and wine. In ancient times it was a major centre for Buddhism, before being converted to Islam.
The Flaming Mountain is 100 kilometres in length, 10 kilometres wide and comprises of red sandstone. Its colour, combined with the suns reflections on the rocks, give a flaming image, hence the name.
Grape Valley is situated at the foot of Flaming Mountain. The lush green valley, a maze of vines, paints a picture in stark contrast to the surrounding desert landscape.
The Ancient City of Gaochang was once a town of major importance along the Silk Road. It was in fact the capital of the Uyghur people, when they arrived from Mongolia. The city was however deserted during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and now only the well-preserved ruins remain.
Urumqi
Located at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, Urumqi is the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is a fairly small city, with a population of just over 2 million, made up from 36 ethnic groups. Tourists are drawn to Urumqi by its combination of beautiful natural scenery and interesting mixed cultural traditions.
Hongshan (Red Hill) stands in the middle of Urumqi. At its summit are the Subduing-dragon Pagodas, built in 1788 during the Qing Dynasty. From the top of the hill there are fantastic views of the whole city.
The Nanshan Scenic Area runs for 50 kilometres from Urumqi to the northern side of the Tianshan Mountains. The scenery is breathtaking, with mountains, glaciers, ravines and waterfalls.
Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) is over 120 kilometres from Urumqi, but the journey is well worth making. The lake is situated within the Bogda Mountains, is approx. 5 square kilometres in size and is surrounded by huge pines and cypresses. Tourists have the opportunity of taking a cruise around the lake during the spring and summer or ice-skating on it, in the winter.
Kashgar
For over 2000 years Kashgar has been a trading post and to this day it is famed for its colourful silks and exotic bazaars. It is a city with a clear mix of the old and the new, modern China hand in hand with China from the medieval times.
The Id Kah Mosque is one of the largest in China, originally built in 1442. With the vast majority of Kashgar's population Muslim, it is the main place of worship in the city.
The Three Immortal Caves are 20 kilometres from Kashgar City and are one of very few shrines to Buddhism in the area. They consist of three grottoes, containing statues and frescoes.
The Sunday Market or Xingqiri Shichang as it is known locally is a must for all visitors. The streets come alive on market day, with all array of goods for sale, from silk to sheep and horses to hardware.
