This guide is part of our complete Xinjiang Travel Guide series.
If you’ve read anything about Xinjiang, you’ve probably seen the phrase “Silk Road” mentioned. It’s not just a historical reference — the Silk Road runs directly through Xinjiang, and you can still visit the same oases, bazaars, and trading posts that were active 1,000 years ago.
This guide explains what the Silk Road actually was, which parts of it are in Xinjiang, and which sites you can visit today as a traveler.
What Was the Silk Road?
The Silk Road wasn’t a single road. It was a network of trade routes connecting China to Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. It was active from roughly 200 BCE to the 15th century. The name comes from silk, which was one of the main goods traded from China westward.
But silk wasn’t the only thing moving along these routes. So were spices, glass, wool, gold, religions (Buddhism, Islam, Christianity), and ideas. Xinjiang was the corridor — the stretch of territory that connected China to the rest of the world.
The Xinjiang Section of the Silk Road
The Silk Road through Xinjiang had two main branches:
The Northern Route went along the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, passing through what are now Urumqi, Shihezi, and Bortala. This route was safer and better watered, but longer.
The Southern Route went along the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, passing through Turpan, Korla, Kuqa, and Kashgar. This route was shorter but had to cross the desert.
Most travelers today follow the southern route — it has the best-preserved historical sites and the most interesting cities.
What You Can Still See Today
The Silk Road sites in Xinjiang aren’t ruins behind glass. They’re living cities and active trading posts.
Kashgar’s Old City is the best example. The layout of the old city hasn’t changed much in 500 years. The Sunday Bazaar is still one of the largest open-air markets in Central Asia. If you walk through the old city’s alleyways, you’re walking the same paths that Silk Road traders used.
Kuqa (about 700 km west of Urumqi) has Buddhist cave temples and the ruins of an ancient Qiuci Kingdom city-state. The Kizil Caves have murals dating back to the 3rd century.
The Ancient City of Jiaohe (near Turpan) is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was the capital of the Jushi Kingdom, and the mud-brick ruins are remarkably well preserved.
How Buddhism Came to China Through Xinjiang
Before Islam arrived in Xinjiang (around the 10th century), Buddhism was the dominant religion. Monks from India and Central Asia traveled the Silk Road into Xinjiang, then into China proper.
The Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves (near Turpan) have murals showing this period. Some murals show monks from different countries — India, Persia, China — all depicted with different facial features. It’s a visual record of the Silk Road’s cultural mixing.
Most of these caves were damaged during the Cultural Revolution, but you can still see enough to get a sense of what they looked like.
Planning a Silk Road Itinerary in Xinjiang
If you’re interested in the Silk Road, the best route is:
Days 1-2: Urumqi — Visit the Xinjiang Museum (has Silk Road artifacts and the Tarim Basin mummies).
Days 3-4: Turpan — Jiaohe ruins, Bezeklik Caves, and the Grape Valley.
Days 5-7: Kuqa — Kizil Caves, the Kuqa王府 (old palace), and the Grand Bazaar.
Days 8-10: Kashgar — Old City, Sunday Bazaar, and the Id Kah Mosque.
This is roughly the route that our 10-day itinerary covers.
What to Read Before You Go
If you want to understand the Silk Road beyond the tourist sites, two books are worth reading:
“The Silk Roads” by Peter Frankopan — a history of the world through the lens of Central Asia. It’s not specifically about Xinjiang, but it gives you the big picture.
“Foreign Devils on the Silk Road” by Peter Hopkirk — a history of the Western explorers and archaeologists who rediscovered the Silk Road sites in the early 20th century. It reads like an adventure novel.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need to be a history buff to appreciate the Silk Road sites in Xinjiang. The cities are alive, the bazaars are active, and the sense of place is real. Standing in Kashgar’s old city, it’s not hard to imagine what this place looked like 500 years ago — because it still looks a lot like it.
If you’re planning a 7-day Xinjiang trip or longer, make sure to include at least one Silk Road site. Kashgar is the best place to start.