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The SECRET TUNNELS of CHINA 🇨🇳 |S8, EP121
Exploring the SECRET TUNNELS of Xinjiang: Kuitun to TurpanDr
In this episode, Bing (my guide) and I ride from Kuitun to Turpan in Xinjiang province, China. There we start our search to the hidden entrances of thousand year old tunnels..
Here I teach all my filming techniques including getting drone shots while riding!
In this episode, Itchy Boots and her guide Bing ride from Kuitun to Turpan in Xinjiang, China, searching for the hidden entrances of thousand-year-old tunnels. The journey blends off-road riding with a dive into local history, while Itchy Boots shares filming techniques, including how she captures drone shots on the move.
Itchy Boots takes viewers on an audacious ride through Xinjiang, China, pairing motorcycle adventure with a gritty historical twist. Starting in Kuitun, she and her guide Bing push toward Turpan, where the landscape shifts from desert highways to hidden tunnels rumored to be thousands of years old. The episode blends off-road riding, scenic drone shots captured from the saddle, and a practical look at filming techniques used on the move. Along the way, the duo navigates remote roads, climbs into the layered history of the region, and uncovers entrances that have long fascinated explorers and locals alike. The journey is framed as both a travel narrative and a how-to on filming dynamic motorcycle footage, offering tips on drone usage while riding and keeping the audience safely in the moment as the route unfolds. It’s a mix of exploration, culture, and hands-on technique, all delivered with Itchy Boots’s signature mix of curiosity and determined spirit.
In this episode, Itchy Boots and her guide Bing ride from Kuitun to Turpan in Xinjiang, China, searching for the hidden entrances of thousand-year-old tunnels. The journey blends off-road riding with a dive into local history, while Itchy Boots shares filming techniques, including how she captures drone shots on the move.
Itchy Boots starts her day in Kuitun, China, noting the hotel's massive indoor pool and futuristic shower. She and her guide Bing examine a damaged rim on Bing's motorcycle before riding 400 km to Turpan. They pass from snowy TianShan mountains into the desert, with Turpan being the hottest and lowest place in China (154 meters below sea level). In Turpan, they visit traditional Uyghur grape-drying structures called chunches and taste the sweetest raisins in China.<br><br>The main quest is finding hidden entrances to the ancient Karez (Qanat) irrigation tunnel system. With help from a local Uyghur man, they finally access a tunnel, learning how these underground channels bring water from the TianShan mountains to prevent evaporation. The tunnels, dug by hand over a thousand years ago, once totaled 5,000 kilometers. The local man, who maintains the tunnels with his wife, invites them home for lunch and offers secret herbal medicine for the stomach. Itchy Boots learns her first Uyghur word 'Rahmat' (thank you) and notes that while older generations speak Uyghur, children now only learn Chinese in school.<br><br>The episode concludes at Jiaohe, a 2,300-year-old adobe city carved from a Löss plateau. Once a strategic Silk Road fortress with 6,000 civilians and 1,800 soldiers, it is now the world's largest and best-preserved adobe city. Itchy Boots marvels at the deserted, sunset views, ending the video with a sense of discovery.
In this episode, Itchy Boots and her guide Bing embark on a remarkable journey from Kuitun to Turpan in Xinjiang, China, blending off-road adventure with a captivating dive into ancient history. The duo navigates from snowy mountains to the scorching Turpan depression, the lowest and hottest point in China, where they uncover the hidden entrances of thousand-year-old Karez irrigation tunnels. With the help of a local Uyghur man, they explore these underground channels, sample fresh grapes and raisins, and even taste a secret herbal medicine. Itchy Boots also shares her drone filming techniques while riding, making this episode a unique mix of travel, culture, and storytelling.
Itchy Boots rides through Xinjiang, exploring ancient Karez irrigation tunnels and the lowest point in China while tasting local fruits and learning Uyghur
Exploring Ancient Karez Tunnels and Lowest Point in China Turpan
2:20 When riding in Turpan's extreme heat, check tire pressure frequently as temperatures can reach 50°C and affect tires.
7:00 Visit the Turpan depression, the second-lowest spot in the world at 154 meters below sea level, formed by tectonic activity.
10:02 Look for traditional Uyghur chunche structures where grapes are hung to dry for 40 days, making some of China's best raisins.
14:58 Finding hidden Karez tunnel entrances requires local help; ask elderly Uyghur men who often know the secret locations.
16:26 When exploring Karez tunnels, wear boots and watch for stability and bring a light source to see the ancient underground irrigation channels.
26:15 Jiaohe ancient city is best visited at sunset for golden light and fewer crowds; it is the largest adobe city in the world.
2:20 When riding in Turpan's extreme heat, check tire pressure frequently as temperatures can reach 50°C and affect tires.
7:00 Visit the Turpan depression, the second-lowest spot in the world at 154 meters below sea level, formed by tectonic activity.
10:02 Look for traditional Uyghur chunche structures where grapes are hung to dry for 40 days, making some of China's best raisins.
14:58 Finding hidden Karez tunnel entrances requires local help; ask elderly Uyghur men who often know the secret locations.
16:26 When exploring Karez tunnels, wear boots and watch for stability and bring a light source to see the ancient underground irrigation channels.
26:15 Jiaohe ancient city is best visited at sunset for golden light and fewer crowds; it is the largest adobe city in the world.
0:00 Morning in Kuitun Hotel
5:45 Arriving in Turpan Oven
7:00 Lowest Point in China
10:02 Raisin Drying Structures
12:14 Searching for Tunnel Entrances
15:29 Entering the Karez Tunnel
18:38 Exploring Tunnel Interior
20:41 Local Home and Herbal Medicine
26:15 Jiaohe Ancient City Tour
00:00 Intro and route overview
round the world on motorbikemotorbike travellersolo female travelleradventure rideroffroad motorcycleitchy bootsyamaha tenereyamaha xt600xt600zvintage motorcycle1987 yamaha tenerearound the worldxinjiang chinakamaz turpanturpan chinamotorcycling chinaoverlanding chinadrive chinaWhat were the sweet potato noodles like?
They looked like shining leather and tasted yummy!
What was the most surprising thing you found?
Probably the $1 haircut and the fact that I didn't need a ticket to enter the Zhu-long cave!
How do they dry grapes for raisins in Turpan?
They hang the grapes inside traditional Uyghur structures called chunches and dry them for about 40 days. The wind goes through the walls and the grapes slowly turn into raisins.
Is it safe to ride on a scratched rim like Bing had?
Another shop said yes, but we keep checking for cracks. It's better to keep an eye on the rim while riding.
