Kuqa Gorge
By admin on 2015-01-14

Kuqa Gorge , also known as the Keziliya Grand Canyon  in Kuqa County , Aksu Prefecture , was discovered in summer of 1999 by a young Shepherd. In 2003, due to it unique scenery, it was elected as one of the Top Ten Beautiful Canyons in China. UNESCO has organized experts to observe and study the gorge twice.

The Kuqa  Gorge, situated in the southern part of the Tianshan Mountains, is about 64 kilometers north of Kuqa County in Xinjiang. The Kuqa River  is a tributary of the Tarim River, and local Uygur people call its valley “Kizilia”  with its meaning “red cliffs.” A typical earth-rift ravine, the gorge extends more than five kilometers in total, composed of a main valley and seven branch valleys. It is 1,600 meters above sea level on average and its highest peak reaches 2,048 meters; it is between 150-200 meters deep and at its narrowest point is only 1.2 meters wide.