How to experience the unique cultures of Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 70 days (Stop 2 Trupan)

From Urumqi, I next headed to Turpan, 180 km away. I provided my passport number and bought my train ticket online. At the train station, after they verified my passport in a split second, I queued with hundreds to board the train. Within a short 10-20 minutes we were whizzed away by the train. Soon the coach’s front notice digitally displayed a real-time speed of 180 km/hour. I think the intent is that we help ensure the driver was not overspeeding. I arrived in Turpan an hour later. The trains go this fast even at this far-flung corner of China. It worked like clockwork.

I did not see historical buildings worth mentioning, so that was disappointing. I tried great Xinjiang snacks, baked off roadside traditional ovens – the crunchy beef and mutton dumpling, and crispy flatbread with dates and seeds. The mutton rice with carrot and colored pepper was also delicious.

The next day I chartered a taxi to a few tourist attractions just outside the city. The first stop was the Flaming Mountain (Huo Yan Mountain). They say this is the hottest place in China. The mountain looked red-hot and barren. It looks like the Martian surface, so scorched that any rain will just sizzle and evaporate.

I was then driven to Kanerjing (Karez Well System), housing the indoor display of an underground stream. Known as one of the 3 great constructions of ancient China, this water system provides water for agriculture and daily use for thousands of years. They are made up of  5k km underground man-made rivers and 1600 surface wells, with the majority in Turpan. 

The last stop was the Jiao Cheng Ancient City, built more than 2000 years ago. This is said to be one of the best-preserved earth cities in the world, although the structures are regrettably so worn out and look quite unrecognizable from their original form. It is so extensive that I took more than an hour to walk through it. 

They are interesting attractions worth seeing. But if you are cheap, wait till you retire to come – the entrance fees will be mostly free of charge or at a minimal charge.

To go to the next Stop, click the link below:

How to experience the unique cultures of Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 70 days (Stop 3 Kuerle)

To start from Stop 1, click the link below:

How to experience the unique cultures of Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 70 days (Stop 1 Urumqi)

The Stops on this Trip:

China Urumqi > Turpan > Kuerle > Kuqa > Kashgar > Kuqa > Nalati (via Duku Scenic Drive) > Kuerdening > Yining > Sailimu Lake > Yining > Urumqi > Buerjin > Kanas Lake > Hemu > China Urumqi > Kyrgyzstan Bishkek > Bokonbayevo (Issyk kul Lake) > Karakol > Kyrgyzstan Bishkek > Uzbekistan Tashkent > Tajikistan > Khujand > Panjakent (and Haft Kul/The Seven Lakes) > Iskanderkul > Dushanbe > China Urumqi > Hami > Dunhuang > Jiayuguan > Zhangye > Lanzhou > Xian