Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which route did Marco Polo follow from Acre toward the Mongol capital?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Marco Polo
Marco Polo, undated coloured woodcut.
After departing from Acre, Marco Polo and his family followed an extensive overland route toward the Mongol court. Their journey included the following stages:
- Anatolia and Persia: They traveled to Ayas in southeastern Turkey, then passed through Erzurum and Tabriz. They crossed deserts to reach Hormuz on the Persian Gulf before turning back inland toward the Khorasan region.1
- Central Asia: The travelers moved through Afghanistan and Badakhshān, eventually crossing the Pamirs to reach Kashi in Xinjiang, China.1
- The Silk Road: Once in China, they followed the Silk Road along the oases south of the Takla Makan Desert, passing through Yarkant, Hotan, and Dunhuang.1
- Arrival: They traversed the Gansu province, stopping in cities like Suzhou and Ganzhou before reaching the Mongol capital of Shangdu around 1275.12