梅根·伊夫斯　巩元越　贺莺

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.中國境内的这段古丝绸之路，呈现出绝美的风光：穿越沙山到达长城西端，一段浅红色的泥土路在嘉峪关雄伟的褐色关隘前消失。

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.

這并不是一条热门游览路线。较之中国其他交通便捷又赫赫有名的景区，这里常常被忽略也在情理之中。

但是，对于那些酷爱冒险、追求与众不同的驴友而言，在中国背包走丝路，收获的是无比愉悦的体验：在神奇的固定沙丘上滑沙，骑着骆驼环绕绿洲，徒步登临长城最西端，在葡萄架下品尝美酒等，不胜枚举。好了，赶快背起防沙背包，对照攻略，在中国来一场丝路畅游吧。

旅行路线

历史上，丝绸之路指多条而非一条路线，联通东亚、南亚和欧洲地中海沿岸。之所以称作“丝绸之路”是因为沿线贸易量最大的商品是备受追捧的中国丝绸。传统的路线始于中国西安（古称长安），向西北方向延伸，途经今甘肃省和新疆维吾尔自治区，抵达中亚地区。

在历史上有多条分支意味着今天有多条线路可供选择。目前，最受游客青睐的线路是从西安出发，抵达甘肃的兰州和嘉峪关。然后可以取道西北前往新疆的乌鲁木齐，那里有引人入胜的维吾尔族文化、中国的葡萄酒之乡，以及高耸入云的天山山峰。另外，也可以走南线穿越甘肃炽热的沙漠，徜徉于巨大的沙丘和古佛窟之间，最后抵达具有浓郁中亚特色的喀什古城，那里因周日热闹的牲畜集市而声名远播。如果喜欢冒险或者时间充裕的话，不妨两条线路都尝试一下。先走南线，从嘉峪关至甘肃敦煌，再北上乌鲁木齐，最后南下抵达喀什。

必看景点

张掖丹霞国家地质公园：这是一派大漠奇景，橙色、红色和黄色的砾石、砂岩分层排列，呈现出彩虹般的山峦奇景。在张掖必看的还有大佛寺，那里藏有中国最大的木胎卧佛像。

嘉峪关：这座雄伟的要塞是古长城的终点，由泥土砌成，在大漠中拔地而起，宛若海市蜃楼。嘉峪关位于嘉峪关市西北方向仅几公里处，有诸如射箭、骑骆驼之类的游览项目，但真正值得到此一游的是城墙之上居高临远的壮观视野。

悬臂长城：这是长城最具有视觉冲击力的一段，因筑于山脊之上，形似龙状长臂悬挂山脊而得名：黄土夯筑而成的长城宛如迷宫一般，沿着萧瑟的荒漠高山蜿蜒而上。这段长城对外开放，游客可以攀上城墙，从高处俯瞰壮丽的景色。

鸣沙山：称之为沙丘实在是轻描淡写。鸣沙山位于敦煌市郊，是塔克拉玛干沙漠千万沙丘中的第一座。颇具传奇色彩的是，历经千年，风沙侵蚀，这座沙山却从未吞噬脚下的绿洲。喜欢冒险的驴友可以爬上沙山，一览沙丘连绵的宏伟气象，然后滑沙回到山脚下。

莫高窟：位于敦煌附近的莫高窟由一系列洞窟组成，是佛教艺术和壁画的神奇宝库。

吐鲁番葡萄沟：中国或许不以高品质葡萄酒酿造闻名于世，但吐鲁番，这座绿洲上的城镇，却是中国最古老、最多产的葡萄酒产区之一。不管酒的品质如何（有些口感确实不错），在葡萄架下品尝一杯新鲜的白葡萄酒，身旁溪水潺潺，堪称消解沙漠酷暑的绝佳方式。

交河故城：这是一座经考古发掘的古代都城遗址，有着2300年的历史，约在13世纪被蒙古入侵者破坏。今天，这里仍保留着设计精巧的建筑群落，损毁程度各异，由迷宫一般的街道连接起来。

天池：意为“天境”，是天山一处高山湖泊，四周群山环抱，遥遥仰望海拔5445米的博格达峰。这里是中国国内备受青睐的旅游圣地，游船轰鸣，游人纷至沓来，无情打破了湖水的宁静。但若是能找到一处幽静所在，便可领略到俊美雄奇的天池风光。这里还可以露营或者和当地哈萨克族家庭一起住在圆顶帐篷里——强烈推荐试试，与天池水和周围森林亲密接触。

喀什周日大巴扎：喀什大巴扎是全亚洲最大、最活跃的市场之一。这里每天都营业，周日的时候牲畜集市會增加牛马羊交易，因此尤为热闹。

四处游览

西北地区是中国历史上最为封闭的地区之一。14世纪70年代，嘉峪关建起雄伟的要塞，成为长城的终点。

这一地区绵延2400公里，被成片的沙漠所分隔。虽说如今仍可以搭乘大巴车，在漫长的道路上颠簸前行，不过这里现已开通高铁，四处游玩变得轻而易举。当地主要机场之间有定期航班：西安、兰州、嘉峪关、乌鲁木齐以及喀什等地都有商用机场，机票经常打折出售。

这条路线的部分魅力在于广阔的陆上旅行，让人回想起当年，一众探险家、商人和佛教僧侣骑着骆驼或徒步而行，在环境严酷的沙漠中一走就是几周。如今，乘坐火车完成至少部分行程，不失为近距离欣赏这些风景的一个好办法。时间紧的情况下，坐火车花10天就能走完整趟旅程。不过若是想深度游，两到三周时间更为合适，可以在各处逗留上几天好好游览一番。着急的游客可从西安直飞兰州，从那里乘坐火车开始旅行，从而缩短行程。

理想的丝路之行是能够在兰州、张掖、嘉峪关、敦煌、吐鲁番、乌鲁木齐（或天池）以及喀什等地各逗留一夜或停留上几天时间。

提示和建议

这条线路大部分都是极端沙漠，所以要做好应对干热的准备。带足防晒霜和覆盖皮肤的透气衣物。头巾或轻薄的围巾可以用来遮阳或在多尘的环境中呼吸。

如果要在火车上过夜，出发前应准备好食物和充足的密封瓶装水。火车上有热餐供应，不过基本是些简单的中餐主食，比如米饭、蔬菜和炒肉之类。火车上还有啤酒和葡萄酒出售，不过加价太多，所以最好自己带上，毕竟喊一声“干杯”是旅途中和当地人交朋友的绝佳方式。

根据官方规定，整个中国都使用同一个时区的时间，即中国标准时间。不过在西北地区，尤其是新疆，人们往往按照地方时作息。购买火车和汽车票时，一定要仔细核对发车时间。

整个地区一般都讲普通话，但在一些偏远地区的小饭馆，可能会遇到年长的人只说当地方言或者维吾尔语。

（译者单位：西安外国语大学）

1 dune沙丘。  2 beige浅褐色。  3 trek 跋涉。  4 trellis（支撑攀缘植物的）棚，架。

5 touristy吸引很多游客的;为吸引游客设计的。  6 rampart壁垒，城墙。  7 stark荒凉的。  8鸣沙山，位于巴丹吉林沙漠和塔克拉玛干沙漠的过渡地带。

9 quaffable（酒）味美的，醇和的。

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

12 up close靠近地。  13 afield在远方。  14 bandana色彩鲜艳的围巾（或头巾）。  15 mark-up加价。

16北京在东八区，新疆在东六区，新疆比北京晚两个小时。