The Essential Guide to Backpacking China’s Silk Road　絲路中國背包游

梅根·伊夫斯　鞏元越　賀鶯

The section of the ancient Silk Road that runs through China is an epic journey through desert dunes1 to the end of the Great Wall， a length of pink mud that ends abruptly in the magnificent beige2 towers of the Jiayuguan Fort.中國境內的這段古絲綢之路，呈現出絕美的風光：穿越沙山到達長城西端，一段淺紅色的泥土路在嘉峪關雄偉的褐色關隘前消失。

This is not a voyage that many travellers experience; its often and understandably overlooked in favour of more accessible and famous destinations in China.

But for adventurous travellers looking for something truly different， backpacking the Chinese Silk Road reaps glorious rewards： sand-sledding down a magical unmoving sand dune， a camel ride around an oasis， a trek3 up the end of the Great Wall and sipping wine under grape trellises4 are just a few of the possibilities. So don a sand-proof rucksack and check out our guide to backpacking the Silk Road through China.

The route

Historically， the Silk Road was not one but many routes that connected east and south Asia to Mediterranean Europe， so named because the largest commodity traded down the route was sought-after Chinese silk. The route traditionally started in Xian （then known as Changan）， China and continued northwest through modern-day Gansu and Xinjiang before reaching Central Asia.

Several historical splits in the road mean that you have options when deciding your route. By far， the most traversed portion of the route is from Xian to Lanzhou and Jiayuguan in Gansu. From here， you can choose to head northwest to Urumqi in Xinjiang， where fascinating Uygur culture， Chinas wine country， and the soaring peaks of the Tian Shan mountains await. Alternately， the southern route heads through the fiery desert of Gansu， with its huge dunes and ancient Buddhist caves， ending in the distinctly Central Asian city of Kashgar， renowned for its bustling Sunday livestock market. Adventurous travellers and those with extra time could potentially explore both routes by heading southward from Jiayuguan to Dunhuang in Gansu， then upwards to Urumqi and finally south again to end in Kashgar.

Dont-miss sights

Zhangye Danxia National Geo-park. This incredible desert landscape is striking for its orange， red and yellow hues of layered clay and sandstone， forming bizarre rainbow mountains. While youre in Zhangye， also be sure to see the Giant Buddha Temple， which contains one of the largest wooden reclining Buddha statues in China.

Jiayuguan Fort. The ancient Great Wall ends in this towering mud fortress， which rises out of the desert like a mirage. Just a few kilometres northwest of Jiayuguan town， the fort boasts a few touristy5 activities like archery and camel rides， but the real reason to come is for the sweeping views from its ramparts6.

Overhanging Great Wall. Named because it looks like a dragon hanging over a cliffside， this portion of the Great Wall is one of the most visually stunning： a mud maze that zigzags its way up a stark7 desert mountain. The wall is open for climbing and views from the top are incredible.

Singing Sands Dune. To call this a single dune would be an understatement. On the outskirts of Dunhuang， Singing Sands Dune is the first in a series of thousands of dunes that make up the Taklamakan Desert8. This particular dune， though， is legendary for having never covered the oasis below， despite thousands of years of sand erosion. Adventurous types can climb the dune for great vistas of yet more dunes—and then sand-sled back to the bottom.

Mogao Grottoes. Just outside of Dunhuang， this series of caves contains an incredible wealth of Buddhist art and murals.

Turpan Grape Valley. China may not be known for its quality winemaking just yet， but Turpan—an oasis town—is home to one of the oldest and most prolific wine-making regions in the country. No matter the quality of the wine （some is actually quite quaffable9）， sipping a fresh glass of white under grape trellises as a brook babbles nearby is great way to beat the desert heat.

Jiaohe Ruins. This 2300-year-old archaeological site contains the ruins of an ancient capital that was destroyed by Mongol invaders around the 13th century. What remains today is an elaborate network of structures in various states of decay， connected by a maze of streets.

Tian Chi Lake. This mountain lake， whose name means ‘heavenly， sits in the cradle of the Tian Shan mountains underneath the looming 5445m gaze of Bogda Peak. A popular destination with domestic tourists， the lakes serenity is sadly hampered by honking boat horns and tramping visitors， but if you can find a spot of solitude， the vistas are incredible. Its also possible to camp or stay in a yurt with a local Kazakh family—highly recommended for delivering a slice of the water and surrounding forest to yourself.

Kashgars Grand Sunday Bazaar. One of the largest and liveliest markets in all of Asia， Kashgars bazaar is open every day but is especially bustling on Sundays， when the livestock market adds cattle， horses， sheep and goats to the mix.

Getting around

Chinas northwest is historically one of its least connected regions. The Jiayu pass， where the impressive Jiayuguan Fort was built in the 1370s， marks the end of the Great Wall.

The region spreads over 2400km， most of which is separated by vast tracts of desert. Though you can still get on a long， bumpy bus ride if you want to， the region is now connected by high-speed rail， making getting around a breeze. Regular flights also connect most of the main airports in the region： Xian， Lanzhou， Jiayuguan， Urumqi and Kashgar all have commercial airports， and tickets are often discounted.

Part of the allure10 of this trip is the vast journey overland， which hearkens11 to a day when explorers， traders and Buddhists rode and walked for weeks across the harsh desert. Doing at least part of your journey by rail is a good way to experience these landscapes up close12. The entire journey could be done in 10 days by rail if pressed， but two to three weeks allow for explorations further afield13 and several days in each stopover to see the sights properly. Flying from Xian to Lanzhou and beginning your rail journey there would shorten the journey for those in a hurry.

An ideal Silk Road trip would include overnight or several-day stops in Lanzhou， Zhangye， Jiayuguan， Dunhuang， Turpan， Urumqi （or Tian Chi Lake） and Kashgar.

Tips and recommendations

Most of this route follows extreme desert， so pack for dry heat. Carry plenty of sunscreen and breathable clothing that covers the skin. A bandana14 or lightweight scarf can be useful for shade and breathing in dusty conditions.

If taking an overnight train trip， equip yourself with food and plenty of sealed， bottled water before you embark. Hot meals are offered on trains， but tend to be very basic Chinese staples like rice， vegetables and stir-fried meats. Trains also usually sell beer and wine， but at high mark-up15， so be sure to pack your own， as having a ganbei （bottoms up） is a great way to meet locals and make friends while travelling.

Officially， the entirety of China is in one time zone， China Standard Time， but the northwest， particularly Xinjiang， often operates on its own locally created time zones16. When purchasing train and bus tickets， double-check the departure time.

Mandarin is spoken throughout the region， but in some more remote areas and at smaller cafes， you may find older people only speak local dialects of Chinese or Uigher.

這并不是一條熱門游覽路線。較之中國其他交通便捷又赫赫有名的景區，這里常常被忽略也在情理之中。

但是，對于那些酷愛冒險、追求與眾不同的驢友而言，在中國背包走絲路，收獲的是無比愉悅的體驗：在神奇的固定沙丘上滑沙，騎著駱駝環繞綠洲，徒步登臨長城最西端，在葡萄架下品嘗美酒等，不勝枚舉。好了，趕快背起防沙背包，對照攻略，在中國來一場絲路暢游吧。

旅行路線

歷史上，絲綢之路指多條而非一條路線，聯通東亞、南亞和歐洲地中海沿岸。之所以稱作“絲綢之路”是因為沿線貿易量最大的商品是備受追捧的中國絲綢。傳統的路線始于中國西安（古稱長安），向西北方向延伸，途經今甘肅省和新疆維吾爾自治區，抵達中亞地區。

在歷史上有多條分支意味著今天有多條線路可供選擇。目前，最受游客青睞的線路是從西安出發，抵達甘肅的蘭州和嘉峪關。然后可以取道西北前往新疆的烏魯木齊，那里有引人入勝的維吾爾族文化、中國的葡萄酒之鄉，以及高聳入云的天山山峰。另外，也可以走南線穿越甘肅熾熱的沙漠，徜徉于巨大的沙丘和古佛窟之間，最后抵達具有濃郁中亞特色的喀什古城，那里因周日熱鬧的牲畜集市而聲名遠播。如果喜歡冒險或者時間充裕的話，不妨兩條線路都嘗試一下。先走南線，從嘉峪關至甘肅敦煌，再北上烏魯木齊，最后南下抵達喀什。

必看景點

張掖丹霞國家地質公園：這是一派大漠奇景，橙色、紅色和黃色的礫石、砂巖分層排列，呈現出彩虹般的山巒奇景。在張掖必看的還有大佛寺，那里藏有中國最大的木胎臥佛像。

嘉峪關：這座雄偉的要塞是古長城的終點，由泥土砌成，在大漠中拔地而起，宛若海市蜃樓。嘉峪關位于嘉峪關市西北方向僅幾公里處，有諸如射箭、騎駱駝之類的游覽項目，但真正值得到此一游的是城墻之上居高臨遠的壯觀視野。

懸臂長城：這是長城最具有視覺沖擊力的一段，因筑于山脊之上，形似龍狀長臂懸掛山脊而得名：黃土夯筑而成的長城宛如迷宮一般，沿著蕭瑟的荒漠高山蜿蜒而上。這段長城對外開放，游客可以攀上城墻，從高處俯瞰壯麗的景色。

鳴沙山：稱之為沙丘實在是輕描淡寫。鳴沙山位于敦煌市郊，是塔克拉瑪干沙漠千萬沙丘中的第一座。頗具傳奇色彩的是，歷經千年，風沙侵蝕，這座沙山卻從未吞噬腳下的綠洲。喜歡冒險的驢友可以爬上沙山，一覽沙丘連綿的宏偉氣象，然后滑沙回到山腳下。

莫高窟：位于敦煌附近的莫高窟由一系列洞窟組成，是佛教藝術和壁畫的神奇寶庫。

吐魯番葡萄溝：中國或許不以高品質葡萄酒釀造聞名于世，但吐魯番，這座綠洲上的城鎮，卻是中國最古老、最多產的葡萄酒產區之一。不管酒的品質如何（有些口感確實不錯），在葡萄架下品嘗一杯新鮮的白葡萄酒，身旁溪水潺潺，堪稱消解沙漠酷暑的絕佳方式。

交河故城：這是一座經考古發掘的古代都城遺址，有著2300年的歷史，約在13世紀被蒙古入侵者破壞。今天，這里仍保留著設計精巧的建筑群落，損毀程度各異，由迷宮一般的街道連接起來。

天池：意為“天境”，是天山一處高山湖泊，四周群山環抱，遙遙仰望海拔5445米的博格達峰。這里是中國國內備受青睞的旅游圣地，游船轟鳴，游人紛至沓來，無情打破了湖水的寧靜。但若是能找到一處幽靜所在，便可領略到俊美雄奇的天池風光。這里還可以露營或者和當地哈薩克族家庭一起住在圓頂帳篷里——強烈推薦試試，與天池水和周圍森林親密接觸。

喀什周日大巴扎：喀什大巴扎是全亞洲最大、最活躍的市場之一。這里每天都營業，周日的時候牲畜集市會增加牛馬羊交易，因此尤為熱鬧。

四處游覽

西北地區是中國歷史上最為封閉的地區之一。14世紀70年代，嘉峪關建起雄偉的要塞，成為長城的終點。

這一地區綿延2400公里，被成片的沙漠所分隔。雖說如今仍可以搭乘大巴車，在漫長的道路上顛簸前行，不過這里現已開通高鐵，四處游玩變得輕而易舉。當地主要機場之間有定期航班：西安、蘭州、嘉峪關、烏魯木齊以及喀什等地都有商用機場，機票經常打折出售。

這條路線的部分魅力在于廣闊的陸上旅行，讓人回想起當年，一眾探險家、商人和佛教僧侶騎著駱駝或徒步而行，在環境嚴酷的沙漠中一走就是幾周。如今，乘坐火車完成至少部分行程，不失為近距離欣賞這些風景的一個好辦法。時間緊的情況下，坐火車花10天就能走完整趟旅程。不過若是想深度游，兩到三周時間更為合適，可以在各處逗留上幾天好好游覽一番。著急的游客可從西安直飛蘭州，從那里乘坐火車開始旅行，從而縮短行程。

理想的絲路之行是能夠在蘭州、張掖、嘉峪關、敦煌、吐魯番、烏魯木齊（或天池）以及喀什等地各逗留一夜或停留上幾天時間。

提示和建議

這條線路大部分都是極端沙漠，所以要做好應對干熱的準備。帶足防曬霜和覆蓋皮膚的透氣衣物。頭巾或輕薄的圍巾可以用來遮陽或在多塵的環境中呼吸。

如果要在火車上過夜，出發前應準備好食物和充足的密封瓶裝水。火車上有熱餐供應，不過基本是些簡單的中餐主食，比如米飯、蔬菜和炒肉之類。火車上還有啤酒和葡萄酒出售，不過加價太多，所以最好自己帶上，畢竟喊一聲“干杯”是旅途中和當地人交朋友的絕佳方式。

根據官方規定，整個中國都使用同一個時區的時間，即中國標準時間。不過在西北地區，尤其是新疆，人們往往按照地方時作息。購買火車和汽車票時，一定要仔細核對發車時間。

整個地區一般都講普通話，但在一些偏遠地區的小飯館，可能會遇到年長的人只說當地方言或者維吾爾語。

（譯者單位：西安外國語大學）

1 dune沙丘。? 2 beige淺褐色。? 3 trek 跋涉。? 4 trellis（支撐攀緣植物的）棚，架。

5 touristy吸引很多游客的;為吸引游客設計的。? 6 rampart壁壘，城墻。? 7 stark荒涼的。? 8鳴沙山，位于巴丹吉林沙漠和塔克拉瑪干沙漠的過渡地帶。

9 quaffable（酒）味美的，醇和的。

10 allure吸引力。? 11 hearken （to sb/sth）傾聽。

12 up close靠近地。? 13 afield在遠方。? 14 bandana色彩鮮艷的圍巾（或頭巾）。? 15 mark-up加價。

16北京在東八區，新疆在東六區，新疆比北京晚兩個小時。