Atlas of China
Flaming Mountains 火焰山Huǒyàn Shān
4A scenic area · Turpan, Xinjiang
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Days to budget
- Half a day
- City
- Turpan
- Region
- Xinjiang
- Type
- Nature
- Listed as
- 4A scenic area
About Flaming Mountains
The Flaming Mountains are a long ridge of bare red sandstone across the Turpan basin, so deeply gullied that at certain times of day they look as if they are on fire; in the novel Journey to the West the Monkey King has to borrow a magic palm-leaf fan to put out their flames. The scenic area at their foot has underground galleries on the geology and the legend, a giant thermometer, and statues of Xuanzang and his companions. Since August 2025 the original and the newer neighbouring site have been run as one area, linked by shuttle carts, with donkey-cart and camel rides.
How to get to Flaming Mountains
Beside the main road about 30 km east of central Turpan, by taxi or as part of a day tour of the eastern sites.
Nearby
- Turpan & Jiaohe Ruins 吐鲁番交河故城 40 km
A 2,000-year-old city carved out of a river island, in China's hottest basin
Also within 20 km: Astana Cemetery 阿斯塔那古墓群 (under 10 km), Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves 柏孜克里克千佛洞 (under 10 km), Taizang Pagoda Ruins 台藏塔遗址 (under 10 km), Boxiha Caves 伯西哈石窟 (under 10 km), Gaochang Ruins 高昌故城 (under 10 km), Tuyoq Valley 吐峪沟 (20 km).
On the map
Open Flaming Mountains on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it and what else is close, and to add it to a trip.
Open Flaming Mountains on the map