Kuqa

Site of the ancient Kingdom of Kucha, with the Kizil Caves, the Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon and the Kuqa Palace; the southern start of the Duku Highway and a hub for in-depth cultural travel in southern Xinjiang.

Kuqa lies in the east of Xinjiang's Aksu Prefecture at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains. It was the capital of the ancient Western Regions kingdom of Kucha (Qiuci), at one point hosted the Tang dynasty's Anxi Protectorate, and is the hometown of the eminent monk Kumarajiva. A major stop on the northern Silk Road, it is dense with Buddhist cave temples, monastery ruins and Han dynasty beacon towers; the Kizil Caves, the Subashi Buddhist Temple Ruins and the Kizilgaha Beacon Tower are all components of the World Heritage Site 'Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor'. Kuqa is also the southern starting point of the G217 Duku Highway, with the Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon on the way north.

Best time to visit: Apr–May and Sep–Oct are most comfortable, and in autumn you can also take in the desert poplars along the Tarim River. From Jun to Sep the Duku Highway is open and many road-trippers heading north to Bayanbulak and Nalati stop here, though summer days are hot. Winters are cold and dry with few visitors.

Routes: ① City day – Kuqa Palace, Kuqa Old Town and the Kuqa Grand Mosque, and the ruins of the ancient Kucha city; ② Western day trip – Kizilgaha Beacon Tower and the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves (in Baicheng County, about 70 km from the city); ③ Northern half- or full-day trip – Subashi Buddhist Temple Ruins and the Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon. Suggested stay: 2–3 days.

Getting there: Kuqa Qiuci Airport has flights to Urumqi; Kuqa Station on the Southern Xinjiang Railway has trains to Urumqi and Kashgar. The sights are spread out and mostly not served by public transport, so hire a car or drive.

Tips: Xinjiang runs on Beijing time, but local schedules are about 2 hours later, so sights open late; some areas require ID and there are many checkpoints; photography is prohibited inside the caves; respect local religious customs.

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