Bezeklik Thousand-Buddha Caves: The Other Cave Temple Near Turpan

A Hidden Buddhist Treasure in a Desert Canyon

I first heard about the Bezeklik Thousand-Buddha Caves (Bezeklik means “place of paintings” in Uyghur) from a German traveler I met in a Kashgar hostel in 2023. He told me it was “the Buddhist site that nobody talks about but should.” He was right. While most foreign travelers to Xinjiang make the pilgrimage to the Kizil Caves near Kuqa, Bezeklik — which is much more accessible from Turpan — gets far less attention than it deserves.

When I finally visited in October 2024, I was struck by two things immediately. First, the setting: the caves are tucked into the cliffs of the Flaming Mountains canyon, along the Mutou River. The location itself is worth the trip — a narrow, winding gorge with steep red cliffs on both sides and the sound of running water, which is a rare and welcome sound in this arid region. Second, the murals themselves, even though many were damaged or removed in the early 20th century by foreign expeditions, still convey the sophistication and cultural blending of the Uyghur Buddhist kingdom that created them.

Bezeklik vs. Kizil Caves: What’s the Difference?

If you’re researching Buddhist cave temples in Xinjiang, you’ll quickly encounter two names: Kizil Caves (near Kuqa, in the north) and Bezeklik Caves (near Turpan, in the east). Both are important, but they’re different in age, style, and accessibility.

Age: Kizil is older. The earliest caves at Kizil date to the 3rd-4th century CE, making them some of the earliest Buddhist cave art in China. Bezeklik’s caves mostly date from the 9th to 13th centuries CE, during the Uyghur Kingdom of Gaochang period.

Artistic style: Kizil’s murals show a strong Gandharan (Greco-Indian) and Sasanian Persian influence — you’ll see figures with realistic human proportions, flowing robes, and Central Asian facial features. Bezeklik’s murals, by contrast, reflect a later period when Buddhism in the region had absorbed more Chinese and Tibetan influences. The colors at Bezeklik are also more vivid — intense reds, blues, and golds that have survived (in the remaining fragments) remarkably well.

Accessibility: This is the practical difference. Kizil is a major commitment — it’s near Kuqa, which requires a flight or long train ride from Urumqi, and then another 1.5-hour drive to the caves. Bezeklik is 50 kilometers from Turpan city, which is itself well-connected by rail and road. You can visit Bezeklik as a day trip from Turpan; Kizil requires a dedicated stop in Kuqa.

Which should you choose? If you’re passionate about Buddhist art history and have time for a Kuqa detour, see Kizil — it’s older and, in scholarly terms, more significant. But if you’re basing yourself in Turpan and want to see high-quality Uyghur Buddhist murals without a major detour, Bezeklik is the better choice. And if you have time for both, the contrast between the two sites is fascinating.

The History of Bezeklik: A Uyghur Buddhist Kingdom

To understand Bezeklik, you need to understand the period when it was built. In the 9th century CE, the Uyghur Khaganate (an empire centered in modern-day Mongolia) collapsed under attack from the Kyrgyz. A branch of the Uyghur royalty and nobility migrated southwest to the Turpan Basin, where they established the Kingdom of Gaochang (also called the Uyghur Kingdom of Qocho).

This kingdom was Buddhist, and it blended influences from India, China, Tibet, and the broader Silk Road world. The murals at Bezeklik reflect that blend. You’ll see Buddhist iconography (Buddhas, bodhisattvas, donors) rendered in styles that draw from Tang Dynasty Chinese painting, Tibetan thangka traditions, and Central Asian decorative arts.

The cave complex was actively used from roughly the 9th to the 13th centuries, after which the region gradually Islamized. The Uyghur population converted to Islam between the 10th and 15th centuries, and the Buddhist caves were abandoned. For centuries, they sat largely forgotten in their desert canyon.

That changed in the early 20th century, when foreign expeditions — German, British, Japanese, and Russian — arrived in Xinjiang and removed a significant number of the murals. Many of the best-preserved Bezeklik murals are now in museums in Berlin, London, St. Petersburg, and Tokyo. What remains at the site is a mix of original (but damaged) murals and high-quality reproductions.

The Caves: What You’ll See

The Bezeklik site has 77 cave niches, of which about 40 contain murals that are (at least partially) preserved. Not all caves are open to visitors — typically, 6 to 10 caves are accessible on a given day, depending on conservation needs and staff availability.

Here are some of the most notable caves that are commonly open:

Cave 9: The Central Buddha

This is one of the largest caves at Bezeklik, with a central pillar (a common feature in Central Asian Buddhist cave architecture) and murals depicting the Buddha surrounded by bodhisattvas. The colors — particularly the deep blue pigment made from lapis lazuli — are striking. This cave gives you a sense of the scale and ambition of the Bezeklik project.

Cave 16: Uyghur Royal Donors

One of the most historically significant caves. The murals include portraits of Uyghur royalty — kings, queens, and courtiers — who served as donors (financial supporters) of the cave temple. These portraits are invaluable for understanding Uyghur clothing, hairstyles, and court culture in the 10th-11th centuries. Many of the original portraits from this cave were removed by the German expedition in the early 1900s and are now in the Museum of Asian Art in Berlin.

Cave 20: The Thousand Buddhas

As the name “Thousand-Buddha Caves” suggests, one of the common mural formats is a grid of small Buddha figures repeated hundreds of times across the walls and ceiling. Cave 20 is a good example of this style. It’s visually overwhelming in the best way — thousands of small, detailed Buddha figures covering every available surface.

Cave 34: The Nirvana Scene

This cave contains a depiction of the Buddha’s parinirvana (death and final liberation). The composition shows the Buddha lying on his right side, surrounded by mourning disciples and deities. It’s a common theme in Buddhist art, but the Bezeklik version has distinct Central Asian and Chinese stylistic elements.

Note that the specific caves open to visitors can vary. When you arrive, ask the ticket office or a staff member which caves are currently accessible. They’re used to explaining this to visitors.

How to Get to Bezeklik Caves

Bezeklik is located in the Flaming Mountains canyon, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of Turpan city. The drive takes about 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on road conditions.

By Private Car or Taxi

The most convenient option. A round-trip taxi from Turpan to Bezeklik, with waiting time (about 2 hours at the site), will cost around 200-250 RMB. You can also hire a car for a half-day (3-4 hours) for about the same price through your hotel or a local travel agency.

By Tour

Many Turpan day tours include Bezeklik as part of a route that also covers the Flaming Mountains and sometimes Jiaohe Ruins. If you want historical context from a guide, this is a good option. Just confirm that the tour actually enters the caves (some cheaper tours only stop at the parking area or the nearby canyon viewpoint).

By Public Transport (Challenging)

There’s no direct public bus to Bezeklik. You can take a bus from Turpan toward Shanshan and ask to be dropped off at the turnoff for the Bezeklik scenic area, but from there it’s a several-kilometer walk or hitchhike to the actual cave entrance. I don’t recommend this approach unless you’re an experienced independent traveler who’s comfortable with uncertainty.

The Route Within the Scenic Area

Once you reach the Bezeklik parking area, you’ll need to take a short shuttle bus (included in the ticket price) or walk about 1.5 kilometers along the canyon road to reach the cave entrance. The walk is pleasant — the canyon is cool and shaded, with the Mutou River running alongside the road — but the shuttle saves time and energy, especially in warm weather.

Tickets, Opening Hours, and Photography Rules

Tickets

As of 2024, the entrance fee for Bezeklik Caves is 70 RMB for adults. This includes the shuttle bus from the parking area to the cave entrance. There’s sometimes an additional small fee (10-20 RMB) for an on-site guide who can explain the murals in the open caves, but it’s optional.

Opening Hours

The site is open from 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM (April to October) and 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (November to March). Last entry is typically one hour before closing.

The best time to visit is mid-morning (9:30-11:00 AM) or mid-afternoon (3:00-5:00 PM). The canyon provides natural shade, so the site is more comfortable than Turpan’s open-air ruins, but it can still get warm in midsummer.

Photography Restrictions

Photography is NOT allowed inside the caves. This is strictly enforced. The flash and UV exposure from cameras can damage the ancient pigments, and the caves are dark enough that flash photography wouldn’t help anyway. You can take photos outside the caves — of the canyon, the cliff face, and the exterior of the cave entrances — but once you step inside, put the camera away.

I made the mistake of trying to take a discreet photo in Cave 9 before a staff member gently but firmly told me to stop. They’re not being difficult — the murals have already suffered enough from centuries of neglect and 20th-century looting. Respecting the rules is the least we can do.

Best Season to Visit Bezeklik

Because Bezeklik is set in a canyon rather than on open desert, it’s more temperate than sites like Jiaohe or the Flaming Mountains. That said, the surrounding region is still the Turpan Basin, which is the hottest place in China.

Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) are the best seasons. Daytime temperatures are comfortable (15-28°C / 59-82°F), and the canyon is especially beautiful in autumn when the sparse vegetation along the Mutou River takes on golden and red tones.

Summer (June-August) is very hot in Turpan, but Bezeklik is marginally better than the open sites because of the shade and the river. If you visit in summer, go early in the morning. The canyon can feel uncomfortably hot by midday.

Winter (December-February) is cold but quiet. You’ll likely have the caves almost entirely to yourself. The canyon sometimes has ice formations along the river, which adds a different kind of beauty to the landscape.

Combining Bezeklik with Nearby Attractions

Bezeklik is geographically close to two other major Turpan sites, making it easy to combine them in a single day:

Flaming Mountains: The Bezeklik caves are actually inside the Flaming Mountains scenic area (the canyon is part of the mountain range). After visiting the caves, you can drive 15 minutes to the main Flaming Mountains viewing area. See my notes in the Flaming Mountains guide on timing this correctly.

Jiaohe Ruins: On the way back to Turpan city from Bezeklik, you can stop at Jiaohe. The timing works well if you do Jiaohe in the morning (cooler temperatures), have lunch in Turpan, and then do Bezeklik in the afternoon. Or reverse it depending on the season and sunlight direction.

For a full-day route, see the suggested itinerary in our Jiaohe Ruins guide, which outlines a practical order for visiting all three sites.

FAQ: Bezeklik Thousand-Buddha Caves

Q: How much time should I spend at Bezeklik Caves?
A: Plan for 1.5 to 2.5 hours. This includes the shuttle ride from the parking area, exploring the accessible caves at a reasonable pace, and time to walk along the canyon path. If you’re with a guide who provides detailed explanations of each cave’s murals, budget closer to 3 hours.

Q: Are the original murals still at the site, or are they reproductions?
A: It’s a mix. Some caves have original murals (damaged but authentic), some have high-quality reproductions, and some are empty (the murals were removed by early 20th-century expeditions and are now in museums abroad). The site management has placed informational plaques explaining what’s original and what’s a reproduction, so you’ll know what you’re looking at.

Q: Is Bezeklik suitable for children?
A: Yes, but with caveats. The site involves some walking (the canyon path is flat but uneven in places), and the caves themselves are dark and sometimes have steep steps. Children with an interest in history or art will enjoy it; younger children may get bored after two or three caves. Also, the no-photography rule can be frustrating for kids who want to take pictures.

Q: Can I visit Bezeklik and Kizil Caves on the same trip?
A: Yes, but they’re far apart. Bezeklik is near Turpan (eastern Xinjiang); Kizil is near Kuqa (northern Xinjiang, about 600 kilometers from Turpan). You’d need to route through Urumqi or plan a multi-day trip that includes both. If you’re doing a full Xinjiang loop (Urumqi → Turpan → Kuqa → Kashgar), you can fit in both.

Q: Is there food available at the Bezeklik site?
A: There’s a small shop near the parking area that sells drinks, ice cream, and packaged snacks. It’s not a full restaurant. I’d recommend eating lunch in Turpan city before or after your visit. The drive back to Turpan is only about an hour, so it’s easy to do.