Northwest China

Region

Desert, mountains and the old Silk Road. Xi'an has the Terracotta Army and its city walls, Gansu has the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, the Zhangye rainbow hills and Jiayuguan fort at the end of the Great Wall, Qinghai has its great salt lake, and Xinjiang has the Uyghur cities of Kashgar and Turpan. Summer and autumn suit most of the region.

Northwest China Qinghai-Tibet RailwayAltai MountainsTaklamakan DesertKunlun MountainsKarakoram HighwayLop NurQin LingBosten LakeKongur TaghMuztagh AtaGreat Mosque of Xi'anQaidam BasinAltyn-TaghGiant Wild Goose PagodaHua ShanQinshihuang LingKhunjerab PassHuangtu GaoyuanId Kah MosqueEbi LakeQilian MountainsHexi CorridorGaochangKanas LakeZhangye Danxia National Geological ParkAydingkolKarakul (Xinjiang)Sayram LakeBezeklik Thousand Buddha CavesXi'anKashgarÜrümqiDunhuangLanzhouTerracotta ArmyMogao CavesQinghai LakeXiningYinchuanKaramayXianyangZhangyeJiuquanYan’anJiayuguan CityWuwei, GansuHanzhongPingliangWeinanBaiyin

Northwest China essentials

Country: China
Driest months: Jan-Mar
Pay in: Yuan Renminbi (¥)
Language: Chinese
Emergency: 110

Where to Go in Northwest China#

City Xi'an Xi'anAncient city known for its terracotta warriors City Ürümqi ÜrümqiCity in Xinjiang known for its ethnic diversity City Lanzhou LanzhouCity known for its Yellow River location City Kashgar KashgarCity in Xinjiang, China History Qinshihuang Ling Qinshihuang LingMausoleum of China's first emperor, near Terracotta Army History Gaochang GaochangAncient Silk Road oasis city ruins in Xinjiang History Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves Bezeklik Thousand Buddha CavesSeries of Buddhist grottoes with ancient wall paintings History Kizil Caves Kizil CavesAncient Buddhist cave complex in Xinjiang Nature Mogao Caves Mogao CavesDesert caves housing extensive Buddhist murals and manuscripts Nature Altai Mountains Altai MountainsMountain range spanning Central Asia, rich biodiversity Nature Qinghai Lake Qinghai LakeChina's largest salt lake on the Tibetan Plateau Nature Lop Nur Lop NurFormer saline lake and historical nuclear test site

Regions & Cities#

Xi'an Explore Xi'an Ancient capitals stack in Xi’an: visitors queue at the Terracotta Army, cycle the Ming city wall, and rattle through the Muslim Quarter eating yangrou paomo and lamb skewers. Kashgar Explore Kashgar At the Silk Road crossroads, Kashgar’s Id Kah Mosque and the sprawling Sunday bazaar draw traders and travelers. Ürümqi Explore Ürümqi Far from China’s eastern coasts, Ürümqi sits at a Silk Road crossroads beneath the Tianshan. Dunhuang Explore Dunhuang Dunhuang sits at an ancient Silk Road bend; travelers come for the Mogao Caves’ painted grottoes, sand-dune climbs at Mingsha Mountain, camel rides, and evening lanterned tours of the desert. Lanzhou Explore Lanzhou Lanzhou sits astride the Yellow River; travelers stop under the arched Zhongshan Bridge for hand‑pulled beef noodles, walk the riverside promenades and use the city as a gateway west along historic Silk Road routes. Terracotta Army Explore Terracotta Army Near Xi’an, the Terracotta Army comprises thousands of life‑sized clay warriors and horses buried with the First Emperor; visitors view excavated pits, workshops and the site’s preservation laboratories. Mogao Caves Explore Mogao Caves The Mogao Caves at Dunhuang preserve hundreds of painted Buddhist murals and sculptures along the Silk Road; visitors see cave temples, ancient sutras and art that documents religious and commercial exchange across centuries. Qinghai Lake Explore Qinghai Lake Qinghai Lake, China’s largest inland salt lake on the Tibetan Plateau, attracts birdwatchers and cyclists who circle its shoreline, and visitors interested in nearby Tibetan and Mongol cultural sites.

Northwest China at a Glance#

Local Time
2:21 AM
GMT+8
Population
103,527,786

Best Things to Do in Northwest China#