The Great Trade Route of the Far West
Plan My Trip →By China Wonder Tours
Xinjiang is where the Silk Road lived — the oases, deserts, and cities where the great trade route flourished for two millennia. Here's how to explore its mysteries.
Xinjiang sat at the heart of the Silk Road — the network of routes that carried silk, spices, ideas, and faiths between China and the West for over 2,000 years.
The oases — Kashgar, Turpan, Hotan, and others — were the Silk Road's lifeblood, where caravans rested and trade flourished. Their bazaars and ruins tell the story.
Around the Taklamakan lie the ruins of buried cities — temples, fortresses, and settlements abandoned to the sands. They're among the most mysterious sites in Asia.
The Silk Road carried Buddhism eastward, and Xinjiang preserves the evidence — cave temples, stupas, and murals along the route of the faith's great journey.
The Silk Road lives on in Xinjiang's cultures — the music, food, and crafts of the Uyghur and other peoples are the living heritage of the trade route.
Travel with a guide who knows the history — the sites mean far more with context. Spring and autumn are the best seasons. The region's Silk Road heritage is among China's treasures.