Urumqi Turpan 4-Day Tour

Arrival in Urumqi, met by our tour guide in Urumqi and transferred to your hotel in Urumqi. After lunch, drive 120km to Tianchi Lake. Tian Chi - The name literally means "Heaven Lake" or "Heavenly Lake. This Tianchi lies on the north side of Bogda Peak of Tianshan Mountains, about 120 km east of Urumqi. It is an alpine drift lake shaped in the Quaternary Glacier period.

Then return to the city center of Urumqi. Return to your hotel in Urumqi.

Pick up from your hotel in Urumqi, then take a private vehicle and escorted by our tour guide and drive 200km to Turpan. Stay at your hotel in Turpan. The afternoon tour in Turpan include:

1. Jiaohe Ruins - The Jiaohe Ruins is the place of ancient Chinese ruins found in the Yarnaz Valley, 10 km west of the city of Turpan. The city of Jiaohe was the capital of the Anterior Jushi Kingdom, concurrent with the Han Dynasty, Jin Dynasty and Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. It was finally abandoned after its destruction during an invasion by the Mongols led by Genghis Khan in the 13th century.

2. Karez Well - It is a loacal Turfan water system, called karez well in Turfan. It is a qanat system that has been regarded as one of the three greatest water projects of ancient China together with the Du Jiang Yan Irrigation System, and the Grand Canal.

3. Flaming Mountains - The Flaming Mountains are barren, eroded, red sandstone hills in the east of the city of Turfan. The mountain climate is harsh and the temperature is extremely hot in the summer, the hottest site in China.

4. Grape Valley - Situated in the Flaming Mountain 13 km east of Turpan, the Grape Valley is 8km long from north to south and 0.5km wide. This green paradise of 400 hektares is covered with layer upon layer of grapes.

After breakfast, have the following city tour in Turpan:

1. Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves - Situated at the foot of Flaming Mountains lying 13km east of Turpan city, they are a group of Buddhist cave grottos dating from the 5th to the 9th centuries. There are 77 rock-cut caves at the site. Most have rectangular spaces with rounded arch ceilings often divided into four sections, each with a mural of Buddha.

2. Sugong Pagoda - The Sugong Pagoda lies in the southeast suburb, six kilometers away from Turpan City. The cylindrical Sugong Pagoda is 37 meters high and 10 meters in diameter from the bottom. The pagoda was built in 1181 by the ruler of the Turpan Prefecture, to honor his father.

3. Astana Grave - The Astana Graves are a group of underground tombs about 40 km to the southeast of Turpan. The tombs were the burial sites by the inhabitants of the ancient city of Gaochang, both officials and commoners.

After lunch, take the private vehicle back to Urumqi. Before dinner, have a short tour of the Urumqi International . Also locally called "Erdaoqiao Bazaar", located at No.160 Shengli Street of Urumqi city, it boasts a total area of 100,000 square meters, largest bazaar in the world. Stay at your hotel in Urumqi.

After breakfast, visit Xinjiang Regional Museum. Xinjiang Regional Museum is a large integrated museum and centre for the collection and study of cultural relics in Xinjiang. It is divided into 2 sections - one for archeological treasures from the Silk Road and the other for the province' minority cultures.

Transferred to Urumqi airport, or train station, or free on your own.