Karez Amusement Park is located in Xinchengximen Village, Ya'er Town, Gaochang District, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, about 3 kilometers away from downtown Turpan. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction themed on displaying Karez culture. Covering an area of about 50 mu, the park consists of three parts: the underground Karez corridor, above-ground garden landscape, and cultural exhibition area, serving as a comprehensive site integrating tourism, science education, and cultural experience.
The park features a comprehensive display of the ancient Karez water conservancy project. Known as one of the three great ancient projects of China together with the Great Wall and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Karez is a unique water conservancy irrigation system in the Turpan region. The park has restored the structure of Karez, including vertical shafts, underground channels, and open canals, allowing visitors to experience the magic of this project firsthand.
History and Culture
The history of Karez can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty. According to the Records of the Grand Historian, it was then called "Jingqu" (well canal). Turpan's Karez system took shape during the Ming Dynasty, with a history of over 2,000 years. Due to the arid climate, local ancestors created this underground water conservancy project to channel meltwater from the Tianshan Mountains, solving problems of irrigation and domestic water supply.
Karez is mainly composed of four parts: vertical shafts, underground channels, open canals, and waterlogging dams (Laoba). There are about 500 Karez systems in Xinjiang, with a total length of over 3,000 kilometers, including 110 in Turpan City, totaling about 700 kilometers. In 2006, the Karez underground water conservancy project was listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage.
Xinchengximen Village, where the park is located, is one of the important birthplaces of Turpan's Karez culture. It still retains a relatively complete Karez irrigation system, witnessing the wisdom of local people in harmonious coexistence with nature.
Main Attractions
Underground Karez Corridor
This core attraction allows visitors to enter the underground through vertical shafts and explore about 300 meters of Karez underground channel corridors. The corridor displays Karez excavation tools, water flow principles, and historical engineering evolutions. With a humidity of about 60% and a year-round temperature of 16-20°C, it is an ideal summer retreat.
Karez Museum
The museum exhibits Karez historical documents, engineering models, and archaeological findings, with the most precious being reproductions of Qing Dynasty Karez engineering drawings. Through multimedia equipment, the museum demonstrates the water source formation, engineering principles, and irrigation network of Karez, helping visitors deeply understand this water conservancy miracle.
Folk Culture Garden
It showcases the folk culture of Turpan's Uyghur people, including traditional dwellings, handicraft workshops, and song-and-dance performance venues. The garden has a 200-square-meter rest area under grape trellises, where visitors can taste fresh grapes in summer and watch folk artists create handicrafts like pottery and embroidery.
Grape Corridor
The approximately 500-meter-long grape corridor runs through the park, planting more than 20 varieties of Turpan's characteristic grapes, such as Seedless White and Mare's Milk. During the grape harvest season from July to September, visitors can participate in picking experiences. The corridor is equipped with 10 popular science boards about Karez water conservancy knowledge.
Laoba Landscape Area
It restores the terminal reservoir (Laoba) of Karez, covering about 800 square meters, surrounded by plants like willows and reeds. This is the starting point where Karez water flows to farmland and the final link for visitors to understand the irrigation system, equipped with viewing platforms and rest seats.
Delicacies
Raisins
Turpan is renowned for its grapes, and there are many raisin workshops around the park. Visitors can buy Seedless White raisins, which have a sugar content of up to 60%, plump grains, and a sweet taste. Naturally sun-dried raisins are recommended, priced at about 30-50 yuan per kilogram.
Roasted Buns
Many restaurants on the food street at the park entrance offer roasted buns with mutton and onion fillings, baked in a nan pit. The outer skin is crispy, the filling is fresh and tender, sold at about 5-8 yuan each, best paired with milk tea.
Hand-Pulled Rice
A traditional Uyghur dish, hand-pulled rice is cooked with mutton, carrots, and raisins, shining with oil and full of aroma. Hand-pulled rice in restaurants around the park is generous in portion, with an average cost of about 25-35 yuan per person, and free rice refills are available.
Nan (Uyghur Bread)
A characteristic Xinjiang pasta, Nan is demonstrated live in the park's folk culture garden. Visitors can buy sesame Nan, green onion Nan, etc., sold at 3-5 yuan each, with a shelf life of about 1 week, making it an ideal souvenir.
Yogurt
Local handmade yogurt has a moderate acidity, often served with honey or raisins. Barreled yogurt sold in the park's stores is about 10 yuan per kilogram, and bottled yogurt is 5 yuan per bottle, with a rich milk flavor.
Tickets
The ticket price is 40 yuan per person. There are no other charged items in the park, but some experience activities like raisin picking require separate fees of about 20 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "坎儿井乐园" for the latest updates. As of May 29, 2025, the official account does not offer online ticketing services.
Opening Hours
The park is open year-round, with opening hours of 08:00-20:00 (summer: April 1-October 31) and 10:00-18:00 (winter: November 1-March 31 of the following year). During the grape picking season from June to August, the park extends its opening hours to 21:00, with specific times subject to park announcements.
Tour Route
After entering from the park gate, visitors can first visit the Karez Museum to understand the history and principles of Karez; then enter the underground corridor through vertical shafts to inspect the structure of underground channels; after exiting the underground corridor, go to the Laoba Landscape Area to watch the water flow to farmland; then stroll through the grape corridor to experience picking (if in season); finally, go to the Folk Culture Garden to watch Uyghur song and dance performances and taste characteristic foods. The entire tour is recommended to take 2-3 hours, and can be extended to half a day if participating in handicraft experience projects.
Transportation
- Bus: Take Bus No. 1 or 101 in Turpan urban area to Xinchengximen Village Station, then walk about 500 meters to the park, about 15 minutes' drive, fare 1-2 yuan.
- Taxi: Taking a taxi from downtown Turpan to the park costs about 10 yuan, 10 minutes' drive; from Turpan North Station (high-speed rail station) it costs about 25 yuan, 20 minutes' drive.
- Self-driving: There is a free parking lot at the park entrance, accommodating 50 small cars. Drive 3 kilometers west along National Highway 312 from downtown Turpan, and follow the road signs to arrive.
- Tourist Route: Turpan Tourist Service Center has opened a one-day tour route to Karez-Grape Valley-Flaming Mountains, including tickets and transportation fees of about 150 yuan per person, which can be booked on the park's official website.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Underground Karez Corridor: A 300-meter underground passage to experience the Karez water flow system firsthand, feeling the wisdom of ancient water conservancy projects—the core experience of the park.
- Karez Museum: Exhibiting over 200 cultural relics and models, among which reproductions of Qing Dynasty engineering drawings are particularly precious, suitable for visitors interested in history and water conservancy.
- Grape Corridor: A 500-meter-long corridor planting over 20 grape varieties, available for picking from July to September—a popular attraction for family tours with educational functions.
Tour Tips
- When visiting in summer (June-August), pay attention to sun protection. Although there is shade from grape corridors in the park, open areas have strong sunlight. It is recommended to carry sunscreen (SPF30+), sun hats.
- The underground corridor has high humidity and slippery floors; anti-slip shoes are recommended. Underground temperatures are low in winter, so prepare a thin coat.
- When participating in raisin picking, learn about different varieties from staff. Seedless White and Mare's Milk grapes are recommended. Picking fees are about 20 yuan per person, and 500 grams can be taken away.
- Folk performances in the park are held at 11:00 and 16:00 daily. Arrive at the viewing venue 10 minutes in advance, with a performance duration of about 30 minutes.
- Combine with surrounding attractions. Connect with Grape Valley (5 km from the park) and Flaming Mountains (15 km from the park) for a one-day tour to save transportation time.
Notes
- The underground corridor has many steps; the elderly and children need family accompaniment to avoid slipping or collisions.
- Smoking is prohibited in the park, especially in enclosed areas like the underground corridor, with a fine of 50 yuan for violations.
- When purchasing specialties like raisins, buy from designated stores in the park to avoid adulterated products from roadside stalls, and request an invoice if needed.
- Respect local customs. When photographing Uyghur residents or performances, obtain consent first to avoid disputes.
- There are many mosquitoes in the park in summer; carry mosquito repellent. In winter, the parking lot ground is prone to icing, so vehicles should pay attention to anti-skid measures.
- In case of severe weather like heavy rain, the underground corridor may be temporarily closed. Check the weather forecast before traveling.