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Chic . Explore . ThinkerTen

My Style ~ My Journey ~ My Inspiration

ChinaTravelXinjiang

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

by kumamonjeng September 17, 2018
written by kumamonjeng September 17, 2018
Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Ghost City in China Vs Ghost Town in US

Ghost City in Xinjiang is different from the Ghost Town in the western country such as the Ghost Town I went last winter in California, Calico Ghost Town. Calico Ghost Town is an abandoned old mining town. The recent Ghost City which I explored is situated 100 km away from Karamay City / 克拉玛依, Xinjiang, northwest China. It is named after “Ghost City” due to frequent strong winds whistle and howl plus the flying sand create the mysterious yardang landform and caused various formations. The word ‘yardang’ itself is of Turkic origin, meaning – steep bank, it is formed by the wind erosion.  In Xinjiang & Gansu, you get to see a lot of yardang landform.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Internal Train

There are internal buses which look like train to bring you around this huge area. The small train will only stop at three attractions. During the ride, the train may slow down a little when it is closer to some interesting landform for everyone to take picture. There is no window in the train so it is very good to shoot picture from the small train. In the train you are able to listen to the music and the explanation in Chinese. ( I can’t recall if there is any English explanation)

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Some look like animal, seal, lion etc.

Use your imagination

You need to use your imagination to see the landform here, some look like the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, some look like pyramid of Egypt, Cambodia Angkor Wat, eagle spreading its wings etc.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

China’s Three Most Beautiful Yadang

The landform here was selected as the “China’s three most beautiful Yadang” by the “National Beauty China” campaign of China National Geographic.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Visiting Kazakh Yurt / Tent

There is a Kazakh yurt at the first stop when I was there.  Don’t hesitate to pop in to have a look and say hi to the people inside the yurt.  I believe they are the camels owners, setting a yurt to stay away from the hot sun.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Camels Riding

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Strong Sunshine & Wind

There is a strong sunshine near Karamay, and the area is large. It is best to prepare sunscreen and sand proof equipment such as sunglasses, headscarves and sun hats. And the climate here is dry, so you need to prepare enough drinking water.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Extreme Driving in Ghost City

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Movie Scene

Several Chinese famous movies such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, “The Seven Swords Under the Heaven”, “The Visitors on the Iceberg” were shot here.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Dinosaur Valley

About 1 billion years ago, during the Cretaceous period, this place was a huge freshwater lake and beside the lake was grow with lush vegetation. The water inhabited the different type of dinosaur, such as stegosaurus, plesiosaur, dinosaur, Junggar pterosaur and others. This place use to be a paradise for these animals but after the big earthquake, the lake here has become a land in geology term is called “Gobi Terrace”

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

The Dinosaur Valley is the final attraction.  The dinosaurs here aren’t real dinosaur but it is really a dinosaur valley billion years ago.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Karamay Oil Field

Opposite of the Ghost City, you can see the largest oil fields in China, called Karamay Oilfield. You see hundreds of jumpjack at the oil field. Xinjiang is a place full of oil and other mineral resources, I just seen the coal factory past few days and glad to see the Karamay Oilfield and their jumpjacks jumping up and down. What a stunning landscape.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Karamay in Uyghur mean “black oil”, it is the wealthiest city in China, obviously the wealth is generated from the oil drilling.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Final thoughts :

There are plenty of yardang landform caused by the wind and sand storm in Xinjiang and Urho Ghost City is one of them.  It get more famous after few Chinese movies was shot here, one of them is “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon”.  Opposit the Urho Ghost City you also get to see the Karamay Oilfield, an amazing landscape with hundreds of jumpjack jumping up and down, working very hard for oil drilling. Glad to witness how the oilfield looks like in Karamay, also one of the wealthiest city in China.

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

Xinjiang : Urho Ghost City & Karamay Oilfield 新疆魔鬼城 & 克拉玛依油田

You may like : 

  • XINJIANG : Karamay, Richest City & Bo Da Yin Du Hotel Review 克拉玛依 & 博达银都酒店

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61 comments

Jessica Taylor September 17, 2018 - 2:57 pm

Dinosaur Valley looks super cool! That would definitely be my favorite part! Looks like you guys had an amazing time!

Reply
Tay September 17, 2018 - 5:05 pm

Interesting post and some lovely pictures. The dinosaur valley look very interesting and I can understand why they have chosen it to be their last attraction of the ride, too bad they couldn’t keep some real bones though. Seems as if you had an amazing time there! A bit jealous!

Reply
kumamonjeng September 18, 2018 - 6:24 am

Dear Tay,

True, if real bones of dinosaur then it will be more fun.

Reply
Eze Azubike September 17, 2018 - 5:48 pm

The historical angle to your post is quite engaging. The landscape is stunningly beautiful.

Reply
Deserted_Queen September 17, 2018 - 6:23 pm

Wow, I have heard about ghost town in China but never thought that I could see it. The pictures are lovely. Your historical points for this post is lovely.

Reply
Amber September 17, 2018 - 6:44 pm

This is such a neat area. I’ve never been here before, but I’m sure I’d like it. I’d enjoy seeing the Dinosaur Valley.

Reply
Corinne (@WhatCorinneDid) September 17, 2018 - 7:00 pm

It must have been such a wonderful experience to visit this place! It is definitely somewhere i’d love to go to!

Reply
lauriegannon1 September 17, 2018 - 11:19 pm

Your photos of the area are absolutely gorgeous! I would be so thrilled in the bus to be able to take so many photos along the journey’s path. I wonder if SPF 1000 is available? Something tells me I would get sunburned in absolutely no time!

Reply
kumamonjeng September 18, 2018 - 6:19 am

Dear Laurie,
You certainly need SPF 1000 if there is one available in the market. The weather is unbelievable as it is in the desert and yardang landform. Without the hat and unbrella I could be killed by the heat! Lol.

Reply
lauriegannon1 September 18, 2018 - 10:52 am

Hi!! And I think a “mister” fan would be needed, as well! That heat is no joke!

Reply
Nicole Anderson | Camping for Women September 17, 2018 - 11:34 pm

What a fascinating place to visit. Love the landscape and you definitely included some fabulous photos. Love the various natural formations here.

Reply
kumamonjeng September 18, 2018 - 10:14 am

The landscape is amazing, different shapes and looks like different kind of animals or things. The yardang landform is caused by the strong wind and sand storm. Truly interesting landform.

Reply
Princess September 18, 2018 - 1:09 am

This place looks so cool. I’m sure you had a lot of fun. I’ll add it to my itinerary when I go visit.

Reply
Talya September 18, 2018 - 1:22 am

Wow, such a unique place to visit. And then photos you got are absolutely beautiful!!

Reply
nabanita September 18, 2018 - 3:44 am

Wow, a ghost city? This must have been so great. I love the pictures you have shared taking us there virtually

Reply
Jeff September 18, 2018 - 5:11 am

Yep. I need to start traveling

Reply
kumamonjeng September 18, 2018 - 6:28 am

Dear Jeff,

Traveling make you see how other part of the world live their life. We dont always see the best & positive sights in new place but I certainly get very interested to find out how the local live their life.

Reply
Dalene Ekirapa September 18, 2018 - 8:56 am

I’ve always appreciated desert landscapes so you should be feeling lucky for visiting Ghost City lol! Camel riding would be a must-do for me too in such a place.

Reply
kumamonjeng September 18, 2018 - 10:17 am

Dear Dalena,
Where I stay do not have desert so I am really into desert. Been to the Las Vegas desert too but they dont have camel riding. Quite lucky to have experience the camel riding. Slow like snail and very tame.

Reply
Dalene Ekirapa September 19, 2018 - 12:05 pm

Hope to enjoy that someday too!

Reply
Stephanie | Adventures in Aussieland September 18, 2018 - 9:44 am

How cool! The ghost towns in China seem so different from the ghost towns in the US. It looks like you had an incredible time. I definitely would love to visit one day.

Reply
kumamonjeng September 18, 2018 - 10:23 am

Dear Stephanie,
Certainly different. Ghost town in US is an abandoned town from gold or silver mining. Ghost town in China has different interpretation. Named as ghost town due to the howling of the wind.

Reply
London Mumma September 18, 2018 - 9:46 am

This place looks so insane, in a good way. Would be a little scared though, seeing as it is a ghost city.

Reply
kumamonjeng September 18, 2018 - 10:04 am

It should be a very scary at night when there is frequent strong winds whistle and howling! Like the ghost howling in the yardang landform.

Reply
Megan September 18, 2018 - 11:40 am

What a stunning place! I want to go here to take photos…. Definitely a little spooky, though!

Reply
itstimefortraveltime September 18, 2018 - 2:34 pm

Wow! Stunning photos. I’ve heard great things about this place including the food. The desert looks amazing

Reply
Preet September 18, 2018 - 2:59 pm

This is truly a bucket lists material. I’m hoping to go next year to Paris and this would be the perfect place to start!

Reply
Lyosha Varezhkina (@lyoshathegirl) September 18, 2018 - 3:48 pm

Great place for visit and explore. I love the eye on the first picture so much^ so instagram asking!

Reply
mrhappywork September 18, 2018 - 3:54 pm

This is so interesting! It looks empty on one hand, but then filled with wonderful things hidden throughout. I want to ride a camel!

Reply
Corina September 18, 2018 - 4:48 pm

This is such an interesting read and beautiful scenery. As a content creator, I always imagine the kind of pictures I would create, should I be there and this would be a top location.

Reply
Kristy B September 18, 2018 - 5:49 pm

My kids would love Dinosaur Valley! This sounds like an amazing vacation.

Reply
Ellie Plummer September 18, 2018 - 5:56 pm

Wow this is so interest. I’d love the Dinosaur Valley. Sounds like you had a great trip.

Reply
Flavia Bernardes September 18, 2018 - 6:35 pm

Wow! That looks like an amazing place. And “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?” That just made my day.

Reply
Marcie September 18, 2018 - 8:03 pm

What a quirky spot! I wouldn’t have known this was China! Definitely a different type of ghost town 🙂

Reply
Hey Sharonoox September 18, 2018 - 8:16 pm

The view of the landform leaves me speechless. This looks like an adventure that I want to go someday.

Reply
The Teaching Aunt September 18, 2018 - 11:40 pm

The dinosaur bones buried in the sand looked quite real to me. 🙂 It seems like you really had fun on this trip. I’d probably try the extreme ride myself! Oh, and your outfit is so cute. 🙂

Reply
Ashley - Forking Up September 19, 2018 - 12:11 am

I had no idea the landscape in China could look like this! Gorgeous pictures.

Reply
Czjai Reyes-Ocampo September 19, 2018 - 2:31 am

Wow, a real dinosaur valley! Would love to visit this place myself! 🙂

Reply
Explore Beauty XO September 19, 2018 - 3:03 am

I love finding out about places like this! Dinosaur Valley sounds like a place I’d definitely visit and camel riding sounds so fun!

Reply
Christa Anne September 19, 2018 - 3:14 am

I’ve visited Calico Ghost Town in California. I guess now I’ll have to visit this ghost city in China for my own comparison. These pics definitely make it look like a destination worth visiting.

Reply
Alexis September 19, 2018 - 3:19 am

What a beautiful place to visit! Thank you for sharing your photos

Reply
Geraline Batarra September 19, 2018 - 6:47 am

First of all I would like to commend you with your photos are very stunning and that place that you visited was really beautiful. You can’t see any beautiful and tall building but the place itself and the natural way of forming this by nature is really incredible.

Reply
Karla September 19, 2018 - 11:17 am

Amazing place!I want to go there someday! The picture are very nice. I want to ride in a camel!

Reply
Jayne SMABL September 19, 2018 - 11:52 am

What a beautiful place! Dinosaur Valley looks awesome, I would love to go there. 🙂

Reply
toastycritic September 19, 2018 - 1:23 pm

That’s interesting the differences in what one country sees as a ghost town and another a ghost city. One is more abandonment and another is almost about real crazy and natural phenomenon but I can see why they think ghosts might be involved if it produces very interesting noises with the winds.

Reply
kumamonjeng September 19, 2018 - 1:32 pm

You are right 🙂 Both offer different experience and I enjoyed both.

Reply
Melissa Sanchez September 19, 2018 - 1:59 pm

what a cool and amazing place. I have to say that the dino bones are my fave, even if they aren’t real. awesome destination.

Reply
Jessica Martin September 19, 2018 - 4:48 pm

The yardang landforms look really cool. I would prefer to go to Xinjiang Urho Ghost City and see the lanforms versus the Karamay Oilfield. Probaby because the landforms are in a different country and I live in the US so I’ve seen things similar to the oilfield. Beautiful pictures of the landforms!

Reply
kumamonjeng September 19, 2018 - 9:14 pm

Dear Jessica,

I agree the landscape in Xinjiang look slightly similar to US. You do have canyon landform and oilfield and plenty of mountain ranges. We don’t get to see that over here so it is pretty facinating view and sights. When I first saw the jumpjack in the states, I didnt even know it is for oilfield. LOL.

Reply
JM Kayne | #TheCreativePassport September 20, 2018 - 9:53 am

Comparing Ghost cities in 2 different parts of the world! hehe this is cool! This place looks so cool. I think China has more oilfields, with its vast lands, they have treasure! Maybe yet to be discovered… you seemed to be having a time of your life girl! You’re hopping in one place everytime… 🙂

Reply
kumamonjeng September 21, 2018 - 8:43 am

China not only has oilfield, it has coal and many other minerals, especially in Xinjiang province. And you are right, the treasure are yet to dscovered and utilize for future use.

Reply
janna September 20, 2018 - 3:12 pm

wow, it looks like the Arizona desert all the way in china, I had no idea they had desert like that in china, and I’ve traveled there a lot!

Reply
Aditi September 21, 2018 - 1:52 am

They have a desert in China?! I love visiting Asian Countries and now I am so intrigued! Will visit soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂

Reply
kumamonjeng September 21, 2018 - 8:19 am

This part of China is in the northwest China, every near to Russia and Kazakhstan. The landforms is incredible and the minority people who lives here look very different from the Han Chinese look. The minority Uyghurs (Turkic ethnic ) who lives here look very much like Turkish and some have brown hair and green eyes and tall nose, not the typical Chinese look.

Reply
Susan September 21, 2018 - 2:55 am

This is fascinating! Yes, Ghost City is very different from the ghost towns in the US, but the yardang formations look a lot like parts of the desert southwest here in the States. Your camel ride looks fun – I’ve always wanted to do that – maybe I’ll have to take a trip to China 🙂

Reply
tachira wiltshire September 21, 2018 - 5:49 pm

Your posts are always so fascinating . Loving the various shapes of the sand figures but I think the dust would be a bit annoying to me . I prefer Ghost City . Never thought of riding a camel in China .

Reply
kumamonjeng September 22, 2018 - 3:34 am

Dear Tachi,
China has big desert in the northwest, part of Gobi desert sit in China too. Camel is used during the Silk Road period as the transport from the east to the west, bringing in goods to trade. One of the imporantant item is silks and well loved by the western world.

Reply
Lauren Ashley September 25, 2018 - 3:08 am

I love your pics! I didn’t know China had this terrain. I shouldn’t be surprised, though. There’s a lot of diversity there…the camels, the pyramid like structures, the sand dunes and camels. It looks like a must take trip.

Reply
Tania September 27, 2018 - 12:53 pm

Wow! love that its not the typical travel location! So much to learn, i think that my nephews would love dinosaur valley! thanks for sharing 🙂

Reply
kumamonjeng September 27, 2018 - 11:08 pm

Dear Tania,

Xinjiang is an indepth sight seeing for travelers who have been to China multiple times. The China first timer would usually go to Beijing for the Great Wall or Xian for the Terracotta Army.

Reply
Jim Sampson January 9, 2022 - 12:09 am

Just don’t accidentally find a re-education camp.

Reply

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I am the travel writer for Thinkerten. I lived in Japan, Australia, Malaysia and now based in Singapore. Speak 4 languages, Japanese, English, Malay, and Chinese. There are the many types of travels one can experience and mine are mostly focus on self-driving/road trip to explore the places I wanted to see and learn about. Only if you get out of your country, you will see the real you and understand more about yourself, to realize of your own identity, your own culture, and your root.

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