Tours to China give travelers the opportunity to get acquainted with the life, traditions and way of life of the multinational and multi-confessional population of this country. Currently, a tour operator in China can offer trips to various regions of the Middle Kingdom. Many tourists are interested in visiting the small town of Karashar, which is located in the north-west of the country in the Bayangol-Mongol Autonomous Region, which is part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region..
Karashar (translated - «Black City) is one of the ancient Buddhist cities in China, once, even before our era, it was a thriving city-state, conveniently located at the edge of the Taklamakan desert near the picturesque foothill oases. Later, one of the routes of the Great Silk Road passed through this settlement. Today it is a completely modern city with all the benefits of civilization and developed infrastructure, which contributes to the comfortable rest of tourists..
Already on the outskirts of Karashar, approaching the city by car or bus, you can see Buddhist ancient temples, which are the main attractions of these places. Nicholas Roerich visited here, leaving his memories and research on the life of the local population. Since then, little has changed, the life of Karashar flows slowly and measuredly, and travelers, arriving in the city, plunge into this calm and philosophical-serene rhythm of it..
Various regions of China are attractive for tourists in their own way, and if lovers of a noisy and vibrant life that a metropolis can provide, prefer a vacation in Beijing, then those wishing to visit an ecologically clean corner, closer to nature, can make an interesting trip to Karashar. In addition to trips to the mountains and acquaintance with the architectural ensembles of Buddhist temples, tourists can visit the Bagrash-kul lake (in some cases, its name is spelled as Bagrashkol).
It is located 24 kilometers from the city, and a very scenic road leads to it. This reservoir, located at an altitude of 1030 meters above sea level, is the largest inland lake in China, there are many species of fish (carp, silver carp, herring, etc.). In the spring, summer and autumn months, the lakeside is very beautiful, it is not surprising that both the Chinese themselves and travelers from other countries willingly come here..
It is curious that Karashar is the second city on the planet, the most remote from the sea. Further from the nearest coast (at a distance of 2500 kilometers) there is only the center of the Autonomous Okrug - the city of Urumqi. The unusual geographical position of this area is recorded even in the Guinness Book of Records. The nature compensates for the remoteness from the sea by the proximity of the large and deep (up to 16 meters) Lake Bagrash-Kul.
Staying in Karashar gives tourists the opportunity to get acquainted with the life, manners and customs of the local population. It should be noted that the inhabitants of the city sacredly honor the cultural traditions that are enshrined in national dances and songs. The performances of local artists turn out to be very colorful, which always attract the attention of travelers who want to touch the origins of Buddhist culture..
There are few cities as unique and peculiar as Karashar on the map of China, so it is not surprising that Russian tourists willingly come here. Of course, tours to Hainan are much more popular than tours to Karashar, and this is not surprising, but still there are many people who want to visit this ancient Buddhist town..
