Tuyuk Valley
Surrounded by the Flaming Mountains, Tuyuk Valley belongs to Shanshan County and lies more than 50 km east of Turpan. Like Grape Valley, it is a genuine Uyghur village,…
Tuyuk Valley, Turpan
Key facts
- Admission
- ¥30
- Opening hours
- 10：00—20：30
- Time needed
- 0.5 day
- Getting there
- Buses run to Tuyuk Valley from Shanshan and Turpan. From Turpan city, a private car charter costs about ¥150.
- Guidebook rating
- 3 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 831. Open in Google Maps
About Tuyuk Valley
Surrounded by the Flaming Mountains, Tuyuk Valley belongs to Shanshan County and lies more than 50 km east of Turpan. Like Grape Valley, it is a genuine Uyghur village, but it is even more natural and unspoiled.
On the hillside of Tuyuk Valley is a shrine (mazar) to holy men, where seven Islamic saints are buried. It is therefore an important pilgrimage site in Islam. Tuyuk Valley also has the Thousand Buddha Caves, the earliest cave complex carved in the Turpan Basin, begun more than 1,600 years ago. Today 94 caves and some murals remain. The shrine and the Thousand Buddha Caves are not far apart, and these two architectural expressions of different faiths have coexisted peacefully to this day.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Tuyuk Valley cost?
Admission to Tuyuk Valley is ¥30, as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
What are the opening hours of Tuyuk Valley?
Tuyuk Valley is open 10：00—20：30.
How do I get to Tuyuk Valley?
Buses run to Tuyuk Valley from Shanshan and Turpan. From Turpan city, a private car charter costs about ¥150.
How long should I spend at Tuyuk Valley?
Plan on 0.5 day for Tuyuk Valley.
Where is Tuyuk Valley?
Tuyuk Valley is in Turpan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in the Northwest of China.
More places in Turpan
Kumtag Desert Scenic Area
This is the desert closest to a city in the world, only 90 km from Turpan. The vast golden desert features compound, crescent-shaped and linear dune ridges, as well as grid-patterned, pyramidal and linear dunes. There are also feather-shaped dunes found nowhere else in the world. It is like a museum that condenses the typical landscapes of the world's great deserts.
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Grape Valley
Grape Valley sits at the western end of the Flaming Mountains. It is 8 km long and 2 km wide, and the entire valley is covered with grapevines. Beneath the leaves lie Uyghur villages, peaceful and relaxed. Manaizi (Horse's Milk), red and black grapes, Zhezaojing, seedless grapes, Rose Fragrance and many other fruits hang heavy from the branches. Here you can enjoy ethnic dances and taste fresh grapes. The grapes ripen around August, which is when Grape Valley is at its liveliest. Turpan now also has a New Grape Valley, which together with the Old Grape Valley forms the Grape Valley amusement park. If you follow a tour guide, you will most likely be taken to the New Grape Valley, as most of the newly developed commercial attractions are concentrated there. To experience authentic Turpan grape culture, however, head to the Old Grape Valley.
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Jiaohe Ancient City
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Flaming Mountains
Summer temperatures here reach as high as 47°C, and the ground surface can hit 80°C. The mountains, bathed in red light, and the shimmering heat rising from them look like flames, which is how they got their name. They are also the setting for the Flaming Mountains and the palm-leaf fan in *Journey to the West*. Located south of Turpan, the Flaming Mountains lie on the way to Gaochang Ancient City, the Astana and Karakhoja Ancient Tombs, the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves and Shanshan. Deep within the fiery heat are two 'fire-proof pearls': Grape Valley and Tuyuk Valley.
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Karez Well Paradise
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Emin Minaret (Sugong Pagoda)
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