8 Days Gansu Tour Zhangye-Dunhuang

Zhangye Welcome, the important town for merchants and businessmen along the Silk Road in ancient times. Upon you arrive at Zhangye, our professional driver will meet you at the airport and escort you to the hotel for rest.
Accommodation: Overnight at Zhangye Hotel (5-star hotel)
Meals: Not Included

Binggou Danxia Scenic Area------Morning we will pay a visit to the spectacular Binggou Danxia, compared with Zhangye Danxia, the color of Danxia is relatively simple and has a little different. However, the most prominent feature is that the shape of the Binggou Danxia Landform is unique, with various styles of modeling, and the scale is quite spectacular. is the most significant geological and geomorphic relic of the window lattice palace in China, mainly composed of sandstone geomorphic relic landscape. The narrow ridges in the Ice Valley are all pointing to the sky, making this valley the Red Stone Forest of the Great Northwest. From a distance, the rolling hills look like temples, pagodas, and figures of Buddha, making the valley a natural Buddhist land.

The Hexi Corridor------also known as Gansu Corridor or Gansu Corridor Road, is a famous ancient passage located in the northwest of Gansu Province, China. It connects the Yellow River Valley with Xinjiang and was an important route for cultural and commercial exchanges between Central Asia, Europe, and East Asia. The Hexi Corridor is about 1,000 kilometers long, stretching from Jiayuguan in the east to Dunhuang in the west, running along a narrow strip of land south of the Qilian Mountains. Historically, it was a vital section of the Silk Road and an important channel for cultural exchanges between Tibetans and Han Chinese during the Tang and Song dynasties. Today, the Hexi Corridor has become a scenic tourist area, attracting visitors to explore its rich history, cultural heritage, and breathtaking natural landscapes.

Accommodation: Overnight at Zhangye Hotel (5-star hotel)
Meals: Not Included

The Zhangye Giant Buddha Temple------ The Zhangye Giant Buddha Temple, also known as the Wooden Pagoda Temple, is a famous Buddhist temple . The temple was built during the Western Xia Dynasty (1038-1227) and is known for its impressive wooden pagoda, which is one of the tallest and oldest of its kind in China.The pagoda stands at 33.3 meters high and has nine stories, each adorned with intricate carvings and decorations. It's made entirely of wood without any nails or rivets, and has withstood earthquakes, fires, and other natural disasters over the centuries.In addition to the wooden pagoda, the temple is also home to a giant reclining Buddha statue, which is over 34 meters long and considered one of the largest indoor reclining Buddha statues in China. Visitors can also explore the numerous halls and pavilions within the temple complex, each containing unique artifacts, sculptures, and paintings related to Buddhism.

Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes (Mati Si) ------ Thousands of grottoes are grouped together in seven clusters, and each group of grottoes is no more than a mile or so from another. Human-made tunnels link the various grottoes.The history of Mati Si is so ancient that it is shrouded in mystery and legends. Legend has it that Long Ma (a winged horse with dragon scales in Chinese mythology) descended from the heavens and left a hoof print on the place where the temple was established.

Accommodation: Jiayuguan Nuojin International Hotel or similar(5-star hotel)
Meals: Not Included

Painting Bricks------ in the tomb of the Wei & Jin Dynasty, the painting bricks inlaid on the four walls have beautiful colors and various contents which cover the polities, economy, military and culture, it’s called "Underground Art Gallery".

Great Wall Museum of Jiayuguan------Visit the The Great Wall Museum, which was opened to visitor in October 1989 and it is the first one to exhibit the Great Wall culture in a comprehensive and systematic way.

Great Wall at Jiayuguan Pass------We will pay a visit to the Overhanging Great Wall, The wall here was built on the ridge with a gradient of 45 degrees. It is high in the air and it looks as if it fell down from the top of the hill. So people refer to this section of the Great Wall as the "Suspended Wall".

Accommodation: Overnight at Yulin Hotel (4-star hotel)
Meals: Not Included

Yulin Grottoes------The Yulin Caves is a Buddhist cave temple,It takes its name from the elm trees lining the Yulin River, which flows through the site and separates the two cliffs from which the caves have been excavated. The forty-two caves house some 250 polychrome statues and 4,200 m2 (45,000 sq ft) of wall paintings, dating from the Tang Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty (seventh to fourteenth centuries).The site was among the first to be designated for protection in 1961 as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site.In 2008 the Yulin Grottoes were submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Chinese Section of the Silk Road.

The Ruins of Suoyangcheng------ is a ruined Silk Road city. First established as Ming'an County in 111 BC by Emperor Wu of Han, the city was relocated and rebuilt at the current site in 295 AD by Emperor Hui of the Western Jin dynasty. As the capital of Jinchang Commandery (later Guazhou Prefecture), the city prospered during the Tang and Western Xia dynasties. It was an important administrative, economic, and cultural center of the Hexi Corridor for over a millennium, with an estimated peak population of 50,000. It was destroyed and abandoned in the 16th century, after the Ming dynasty came under attack by Mansur Khan of Moghulistan.
The city ruins comprise the inner city, the outer city, and several yangmacheng (fortified animal enclosures used as fortresses in wartime). Outside the city walls, the broader archaeological park includes the original site of Ming'an County, more than 2,000 tombs, and the remains of an extensive irrigation system with over 90 kilometres (56 mi) of canals.

Accommodation: Overnight at Dunhuang Glory International hotel or similar (5-star hotel)
Meals: Not Included

Jade Gate Pass-------Is alos called Yumen Pass or Jade Gate or Pass of the Jade Gate, is the name of a pass of the Great Wall. During the Han dynasty (202 BC – AD 220), this was a pass through which the Silk Road passed, and was the one road connecting Central Asia with East Asia (China), the former called the Western Regions. Just to the south was the Yangguan pass, which was also an important point on the Silk Road. These passes, along with other sites along the Silk Road, were inscribed in 2014 on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Silk Roads.

Dunhuang Great Wall of Han Dynasty------After the Han Emperor Wu (141 – 87 BC) occupied the Hexi Corridor, an important access point to west China in what is now Gansu Province, he gave orders for the construction of the massive Great Wall so as to consolidate the safety of the frontier region. Also his aim was to explore a possible trade route to countries that lay to the west.The official, Zhang Qian was sent twice by Emperor Wu on diplomatic missions to the western regions. He marched along the Great Wall and opened up the world's first international trade route, the Silk Road. Since then, both economical and cultural communication between central China and the western regions became very frequent. Busy Persian and Han merchants traveling camel caravans shuttled to and fro along the road, carrying silk, chinaware, carpets and jade.

Crescent Lake------also known as Yueyaquan in Chinese, is a crescent-shaped lake. It is a natural oasis surrounded by the Echoing Sand Mountain and is considered one of the most beautiful desert lakes in the world.It's relatively shallow, with an average depth of only 5 meters. The water is clear and blue-green, reflecting the surrounding sand dunes and the sky above.Crescent Lake has been an essential source of water for travelers on the Silk Road for centuries. Despite its location in the middle of the desert, the water level remains stable due to underground water sources and regular maintenance.Today, Crescent Lake is a popular tourist destination that attracts visitors from all over the world who come to admire its stunning natural beauty and relax in the tranquil atmosphere. Visitors can take a boat ride (By your own choice) on the lake, explore the surrounding gardens, or simply enjoy the view from the nearby observation deck.Crescent Lake that has been in existence for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand.

Singing sand-------also called whistling sand or barking sand, is sand that produces sound. The sound emission may be caused by wind passing over dunes or by walking on the sand.Certain conditions have to come together to create singing sand.

Accommodation: Overnight at Dunhuang Glory International hotel or similar (5-star hotel)
Meals: Not Included

The Mogao Grottoes--------also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, China. The grottoes are a collection of 492 caves that contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art dating back to the 4th century.
The grottoes feature elaborate murals, sculptures, and frescoes depicting various scenes from Buddhist scriptures, as well as ancient Chinese culture and history. Visitors can explore the various caves, each with their unique artistic and cultural significance, and learn about the history and evolution of Buddhism in China.
In addition to its historical and cultural significance, the Mogao Grottoes are also renowned for their stunning architecture and engineering feats. The caves were built into the cliffs along the Silk Road and feature intricate tunnels, chambers, and corridors that were carved out by hand.

The Mogao Caves Digital Center --------shows short films about the caves. After thousands of years of carving, the caves have a large number of murals, cultural relics, and etc. It's a world-famous Buddhist art destination. The artistic characteristics of the caves are mainly reflected in the ingenious combination of architecture, statues and Dunhuang murals, and the artistic styles of many dynasties are vividly and harmoniously presented.

City museum(Closed on Monday. The White Horse Pogoda will instead)

Accommodation: Overnight at Dunhuang Glory International hotel or similar (5-star hotel)
Meals: Not Included

Transfer to Airport or Train station by our driver
End of the tour!