An ancient city carved out of the ground, go see these ruins at sunset when the light shows it off at its' best. More

JiaoHe is perhaps better maintained than GaoCheng (which in my view adds to the charm of the latter) but is also more popular, so you will be fighting through the crowds on the main alleys. However, both cities are very impressive. At JiaoHe, head all the way to the ravine at the back, where you will see a little oasis... More

This town is very interesting with well defined temples, monastery and houses in the ruins. Take water and protect yourself from the sun as there is no shade and it gets very hot. The best pieces are at the end of the marked out trails and expect to spend about 1.5 - 2.5 hours here. More

The ancient city of Yarkhoto (also known as Jiaohe) is well worth a visit. Mysteriously abandoned during the Yuan Dynasty for reasons still unknown, it sits high up on a bluff in the fork of a river. Many of its ancient walls and buildings are still standing and there is good signage identifying key buildings. You must stay on marked... More