Scenery along Silk Road

Xi'an Terra-cotta Warriors

The Silk Road is a significant international passage connecting the oriental and the occidental, and much notable scenery and historic relics are scattered along this historical museum and natural art corridor. There are lots of branches and sub-branches of the route, such as the Silk Road on the Sea, and the Southern Silk Road. The Silk Road usually mentioned in a common sense refers to the branch across the oasis, mainly traversing Shaanxi, Gansu, Hexi Corridor and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Xi'an (called Chang'an in ancient time) was the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. Silk and  other commodities were gathered in this prosperous city from all parts of the country. Nowadays, this sparkling ancient capital still attracts numerous visitors with its Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum and many other famous attractions.

Climbing up the Loess Plateau and enter Gansu Province. Passing Lanzhou Binglingsi Monastery, Gansu Provincial Museum, Five Spring Mountain Park and visiting the famous Labrang Monastery of Xiahe, there comes the Hexi Corridor where Jiayuguan and Dunhuang are must go destinations. In addition to Wuwei Confucius Temple, Jiayuguan Pass, Maiji Mountain and over one-thousand-kilometer Great Wall of Han Dynasty and Great Wall of Ming Dynasty, grottoes art is the most striking part of traveling in Gansu. Mogao Cave, Binglingsi Grottoes, Maiji Mountain Grottoes and Yulin Grotto are four pearls of grotto art in the Silk Road in Gansu.

Mogao Caves, Dunhuang

Camel Team of Tourists on the Echoing-Sand Mountain

The Silk Road crosses Qinghai and is divided into three sectors after stretching into Xinjiang. Urumqi is an important tourist city in the north route. Lake Tianchi there must not be missed. Ancient City of Gaochang and Bizaklik Thousand-Buddha Caves make Turpan a frequently visited place in middle route of the road hot not only in summer weather but also in its exotic flavor. Marvelous Yardang Spectacle and Ancient City of Loulan in Korla are paradise for explores. Kashgar is the last stop on the central route and its busy Grand Bazaar show best the local customs. Jade and ancient cities of Niya, Yoktan and Malikawate make this unsophisticated stop on the southern route of Silk Road, Hetian, ever enchanting.

Among the lofty peaks of Kala Kunlun Mountain, the Khunherab Pass on the Pamirs is the west section of and the last stop of the ancient Silk Road in China. During 1966 and 1978, the most grand and beautiful highway on plateau was built there to Pakistan helped by Chinese government.

Heavenly Lake, Xinjiang

Bazzar in Xinjiang