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The essential guide for hiking the Silk Road from China.
Route of China silk is an epic journey through the desert dunes to the end of the Great Wall a pink mud length that ends abruptly in the beautiful beige towers Jiayuguan fort This is not a journey that many travelers experience; and naturally it is often overlooked in favor of more accessible and popular destinations in China.
But for adventurous travelers looking for something really different, backpack Sleds the Silk Road Chinese glorious sand reap the rewards down a dune magic unmoving sand, ride camels around an oasis a hike to the end of the Great Wall and sipping wine by grape vines are just some of the possibilities DoN therefore a backpack sand bag to the test and see our guide for hiking the road silk across China.
Climbing the Great Wall at Jiayuguan Image Projection by Megan Eaves Lonely Planet.
Historically, the Silk Road was not one, but several roads that connected the east and South Asia to Mediterranean Europe, so named because the most traded product on the road has been sought after Chinese silk the traditional road began to Xi an then known as Chang year and continues northwest through modern Gansu and Xinjiang before reaching Central Asia.
Several historic divisions on the road means you have options when deciding your route far the most traversed part of the route is Xi an Lanzhou and Jiayuguan in Gansu From there, you can choose the head northwest in Urumqi in Xinjiang, where fascinating Uighur culture, country of China's wine, and the peaks of the Tian Shan mountains await Alternatively, the southern route heads through the fiery desert of Gansu, with its huge sand dunes and ancient Buddhist caves, ending in distinctly Central Asian city of Kashgar renowned for its travelers lively market cattle Sunday and adventurous who have extra time could potentially explore both southbound lanes Jiayuguan Dunhuang in Gansu, then up to Urumqi and then south again to end Kashgar.
peppers bags and colorful bunch of spices for sale at the Dunhuang market image by Megan Eaves Lonely Planet.
Jiayuguan Fort Ancient Great Wall ends in this imposing mud fortress that rises from the desert like a mirage a few kilometers northwest of the city Jiayuguan fort offers some tourist activities such as shooting rides archery and camel, but the real reason to come is for the panoramic view from its ramparts.
Overhanging Great Wall Named because it resembles a dragon hanging on a cliff, this part of the Great Wall is one of the most visually stunning mud maze that zigzags its way austere mountain desert The wall is open climbing and views from the top are amazing.
Mingsha Dune call this a dune alone would be an understatement on the outskirts of Dunhuang, Minghsha is the first of a series of thousands of dunes that make up the Taklamakan Desert Dune Mingsha, however, is legendary for never covered the oasis below below, despite thousands of kinds of sand erosion years adventurous can climb the dune to dune great prospects even more - and then sand sled down.
Flaming Mountains and the Mogao Grottoes These hills of red sandstone and strange featured orange gullies that, at certain times of the day like the look of sunset like they're on fire Dunhuang tours often take in the Mogao Grottoes, a series of caves containing incredibly rich Buddhist art and murals.
Turpan Grape Valley China can not be known for its quality wine yet, but an oasis Turpan city is home to one of the oldest wine regions and prolific country No matter how good some of the wine is actually quite easy to drink in sipping a cool glass of white under grape vines like a stream gurgles nearby is a great way to beat the desert heat.
Jiaohe ruins This old archaeological site of 2,300 years contains the ruins of an ancient city that was destroyed by Mongol invaders around the 13th century What remains today is a complex network of structures in various states of decay, connected by a maze of streets.
Tian Chi lake easily one of the most picturesque lakes in China, Tian Chi or the heavenly lake is in the cradle of the Tian Shan mountains in the sight of 5445m threatening Bogda Peak A popular destination for domestic tourists, serenity Lake is unfortunately hampered by horns boat and trampling visitors, but if you can find a lonely place, the views are incredible, it is also possible to camp or stay in a yurt with a local Kazakh family strongly recommended to provide a slice water and the surrounding forest even you.
Kashgar Sunday Market One of the largest and busiest markets in all of Asia, Kashgar bazaar is open every day, but is especially lively on Sunday, when the livestock market adds cattle, horses , sheep and goats to the mix.
item linked to the desert in Dunhuang Mingsha Dune Image by Megan Eaves Lonely Planet.
The north-western China is historically one of its least connected regions Jiayu pass, which was built a very impressive in 1370 years, marks the end of the Great Wall and the ancient Chinese border.
The region extends over 2400 km, most of which are separated by vast stretches of desert bus routes can be long, bumpy and sometimes dusty; in some cases, roads are still built or renovated for modern traffic regular flights from most major airports in the region Xi year, Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Urumqi and Kashgar have all commercial airports, and tickets are often discounted.
Part of the appeal of this trip, however, is the great overland trip, which listens for a day explorers, traders and Buddhists are mounted and walked for weeks through the inhospitable desert Make at least part of your trip by train is a good way to experience these landscapes near a regular train service connects Xian Urumqi via Jiayuguan, Dunhuang and Turpan latter offers a service branch in Kashgar This trip together could be done in 10 days by rail in such a hurry, but two to three weeks allows exploration further and several days in each stopover to see flying sites properly Xi an Lanzhou and start your journey by train it would reduce the journey for those in a hurry.
An ideal trip would include a night or more stops in Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Turpan, Urumqi Tian Chi Lake and Kashgar.
Great Wall at Jiayuguan Image Projection by Megan Eaves Lonely Planet.
Most of the route follows extreme desert, so pack for dry heat Carry plenty of sunscreen and breathable clothing that covers the skin of a bandana or a light scarf can be useful for shade and respiration under conditions dusty.
train travel here often go Equip yourself overnight with food and plenty of bottled water sealed before you get hot meals are offered on trains, but they tend to be staples Chinese very basic such as rice, vegetables and sautéed meat instant noodles, fruit, nuts and seeds are everywhere, easy to carry and keep good trains usually also sell beer and wine, but high-margin, so make sure you pack your own, as having a background Ganbei up is a great way to meet people and make friends while traveling.
Officially, the whole of China is in a time zone standard time in China, but the northwest, especially Xinjiang, often operates on its own time zones created locally When buying train and bus, check the departure time.
Whether it is your first visit or your twentieth, China is so big, so diverse and rapidly changing, it is still a Lonely Planet adventure you go to the heart of China, with incredible travel experiences and the best advice planning.
In general, Mandarin is spoken throughout the region, including taxi drivers and hotel staff and the great shops and restaurants, however, in some remote regions and in small cafes, you may find seniors only speak local dialects of Chinese or Uighur.
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