Kizil are the better known of the Kuqa caves. They are about 50 miles from the city of Kuqa and quite into the mountains. They are on the Muzat River. They date from the 3rd to the 8th centuries. There are 269 existing caves in the Kizil group.

Even driving you get the feeling of isolation that the monks were seeking. You are driving through the Tarim Basin of sandstone cliffs with jagged edges jutting upwards at steep angles. After the last mountain you come upon the Muzat River and the valley where the monks found peace and isolation.