UNESCO World Heritage SiteNational 5A Scenic AreaNorthwest China
Turpan: Flaming Mountains & Jiaohe Ruins
吐鲁番火焰山·交河故城 · Xinjiang, Turpan
Silk Road oasis country: red-hot Flaming Mountains and the cliff-carved ruined city of Jiaohe.
Turpan, in a scorching desert basin below sea level, combines striking geology with Silk Road history. The Flaming Mountains are glowing red sandstone ranges made famous by Journey to the West, while the Jiaohe Ruins are a 2,000-year-old city carved entirely from compacted earth on a cliff plateau between two rivers, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world.
Turpan was a key Silk Road oasis and Buddhist kingdom (Gaochang) in the Tarim Basin, with irrigation by underground qanat (karez) channels. Jiaohe served as capital of the Cheshi kingdom around 100 BC–450 AD. The Silk Roads network sites of the region, including Jiaohe and Gaochang, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014.
Day-by-day routes you won't find online — now starting with an 8-day, 1,500 km loop through western Sichuan. New regions are added regularly; tell us where you want to drive next.
