Visit The Silk Route
The city of Dunhuang has been a centre for Buddhist art and sculpture for over 1,500 years. There is nowhere along the Silk Route quite like it, with cave frescoes that have withstood the test of time nestled between massive sand dunes and barren mountains. The splendid frescoes date back to the Tang dynasty and beyond, and have stood sentinel to the changing times ever since. A visit here is richly rewarding, showing not only the extraordinary mix of cultures along the Silk Route but also the brilliance of the artists themselves. An onward flight or overnight train brings you to Turpan. This town, nestling in the world’s second lowest depression, is an improbable success story. For over 2,000 years it has been inhabited by various peoples despite receiving almost no rain at all. It owes its curious longevity to an ingenious irrigation system once prevalent throughout Central Asia. Here 5,000 kilometres of underground tunnels channel glacier water from the high mountains down to the valley, sustaining a population of over 250,000 people and the grapes for which the area is famed. Surrounding the town are numerous fascinating sites, including ruined desert cities and ancient Buddhist caves.