Atlas of China
Tuyoq Valley 吐峪沟Tǔyùgōu
4A scenic area · National heritage site · Turpan, Xinjiang
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Days to budget
- Half a day
- City
- Turpan
- Region
- Xinjiang
- Type
- Heritage
- Listed as
- 4A scenic area, National heritage site
About Tuyoq Valley
Tuyoq is an oasis village of mud-brick Uyghur houses in a gorge through the Flaming Mountains, with Buddhist cave temples cut into the valley walls above it. The caves, begun in the 5th century, are among the earliest in the Turpan basin: 157 caves, three temples and nine stupas survive, and after long conservation work several caves with murals opened to visitors in May 2025. The 4A scenic area takes in the restored village, with craft workshops and food stalls, the grottoes and walks or viewpoints over the canyon.
How to get to Tuyoq Valley
About an hour by road east of Turpan, roughly 40 km west of Shanshan town; go by taxi or hired car.
Nearby
- Turpan & Jiaohe Ruins 吐鲁番交河故城 50 km
A 2,000-year-old city carved out of a river island, in China's hottest basin
Also within 20 km: Liuzhong Ancient City Ruins 柳中古城遗址 (10 km), Astana Cemetery 阿斯塔那古墓群 (10 km), Gaochang Ruins 高昌故城 (10 km), Taizang Pagoda Ruins 台藏塔遗址 (10 km), Flaming Mountains 火焰山 (20 km), Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves 柏孜克里克千佛洞 (20 km).
On the map
Open Tuyoq Valley on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it and what else is close, and to add it to a trip.
Open Tuyoq Valley on the map