Complete Travel Guide to Turpan
How to plan Turpan: Highlights of the two ancient cities, the principle of the Karez irrigation system, the season for Grape Valley, summer schedule to avoid high temperatures, and high-speed rail transportation.
Two Ancient Cities
Jiaohe Ancient City is the excavated city of the Cheshi people, with the entire city dug down from the terrace to the ground. The evening light is the most desolate; Gaochang Ancient City is larger in scale and easier to tour by donkey cart. Spend half a day at each.
Karez and Grape Valley
The Karez is a project that channels snowmelt from the Tianshan Mountains into the oasis through underground tunnels. At the museum, you can go down and walk through a section of the tunnel; Grape Valley has grapes from July onward, and in other seasons you can see drying sheds and folk customs.
Logic of Seeking Cool
Surface temperatures in summer can reach 70°C: outdoors activities are limited to early morning and evening, with museums or underground facilities visited at noon. April-May and September-October are comfortable seasons.
Transportation
The high-speed train from Urumqi to Turpan takes one hour; city attractions are scattered, making chartered cars or taxis convenient. There are very few tourists in winter, ideal for photographing empty scenes.