5 Day Gansu Silk Road Tour:Dunhuang Jiayuguan Zhangye

Welcome to Dunhuang, a city steeped in history and art, where your soul can be purified!

As a border city on the Hexi Corridor leading to the vast Western Regions, many merchants bound for the Western Regions would entrust their wishes to the Buddha statues in the Dunhuang grottoes before setting off. Painters from Chang’an brought the popular artistic styles of the capital to the walls of the Dunhuang grottoes, infusing the Dunhuang murals with new vitality. The Buddha and flying apsaras in the Dunhuang murals became increasingly secular, exuding an air of grandeur and elegance. The Dunhuang grottoes, which were excavated and adorned with artistic creations across several dynasties, are undoubtedly a rare treasure in the history of Chinese culture and art.

Free time recommendations: Dunhuang Shazhou Night Market, where you can indulge in various Dunhuang delicacies and sample specialty snacks such as apricot leather, donkey meat noodles, and fried rice cakes. The locals have a preference for mutton, chicken, beef, and excel in noodle-making.

Full-day tour of Dunhuang, explore this magical city on the Silk Road.

Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, consists of two parts: the Mogao Grottoes Digital Display Center and the Mogao Grottoes. It has a large number of murals, grottoes, cultural relics, etc.

The first choice for Dunhuang tours, you can watch movies at the display center, and then go to see the caves and murals with a large scale and rich content. There are Buddha statues and flying figures painted everywhere in the caves. There are both nine-story sitting statues and small Bodhisattvas of more than ten centimeters. There are many of them in various shapes. Now, under the Sanwei Mountain opposite the Mogao Grottoes, some of the original caves have been copied, making the viewing content of tourists in Mogao Grottoes more colorful.

Then go to the Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area, where sand mountains and springs coexist. It is named “Shajiao Mountain” and “Shensha Mountain” in ancient times because of the sound of sand moving. Climb up Mingsha Mountain, you can overlook Crescent Lake, and you can also enjoy the sunset in the desert on the top of the mountain, and feel the desolation and vastness of the northwest desert. Crescent Lake is surrounded by Mingsha Mountain and is named because its water surface resembles a crescent moon. It is the most famous place in the Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area.

After breakfast, depart for Jiayuguan. Historically known as the “throat of the Hexi Corridor,” Jiayuguan is renowned for its strategic location and magnificent architecture, earning the title of “key to the frontier.” As a vital checkpoint on the ancient Silk Road and one of the three great spectacles of the Great Wall (with Shanhaiguan in the east, Zhenbeita in the middle, and Jiayuguan in the west), it holds significant historical importance.

The Jiayuguan Pass is the first pass at the western end of the Ming Great Wall and a crucial point on the ancient Silk Road. Construction of the pass began in the Ming Dynasty. It is not merely a standalone checkpoint but comprises inner and outer cities and a moat. The outer city’s “Hero Pass Water Fort” offers a distant view of the pass’s exterior. Upon entering the inner city and ascending the city tower, visitors can take in the views of the Qilian Mountains. The scenic area also features numerous stalls with services like vintage photo opportunities, calligraphy, and paintings. The Great Wall Museum within the area provides valuable insights into the history of this mighty pass and is definitely worth a visit.

The Hanging Wall Great Wall derives its name from its construction on a 45-degree mountain ridge, resembling a wall suspended in mid-air. As an extension of the Jiayuguan Pass to the north, it was an integral part of the ancient military defense system. Initially built in 1539 during the Ming Jiajing reign, it was constructed using rubble and yellow earth. Only 750 meters remain today. In 1987, it was renovated to include steps, battlements, and beacon towers. With three beacon towers in total, the Hanging Wall Great Wall marks the end of the Great Wall as it converges at Jiayuguan, earning it the title of the “climax of the Great Wall.”

After breakfast, depart for the next destination – Zhangye. As the saying goes, “If you don’t see the snow-capped Qilian Mountains, you might mistake Zhangye for Jiangnan.” Upon arrival in Zhangye, you will discover that the rugged northwestern region also has a gentle and beautiful side.

The Zhangye Danxia Landform Scenic Area represents the most typical danxia landform in the arid and semi-arid regions of northern China. It is the only area where danxia landform and colorful hills intersect, captivating visitors with its vibrant colors, interwoven layers, grandeur, and spectacular scenery.

Voted as one of China’s seven most beautiful danxia landforms by China National Geography, it is composed of red conglomerate, sandstone, and泥岩, featuring unique and imposing formations. It has served as the filming location for Zhang Yimou’s “A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop,” Jiang Wen’s “The Sun Also Rises,” and the TV series “Detective Di.”

The Great Buddha Temple in Zhangye is located in the city center and was initially built during the Xixia Dynasty’s Yong’an period, over 900 years ago. The temple houses China’s largest indoor reclining Buddha statue, measuring 34.5 meters in length and 7.5 meters in shoulder width. One could lie down on the statue’s finger. In addition to the Great Buddha, the hall features numerous statues of the Ten Disciples and Eighteen Arhats. The temple also boasts murals depicting stories from “Journey to the West” and “Classic of Mountains and Seas.” The main buildings of the Great Buddha Temple, from west to east, include the Great Buddha Hall, Wansheng Hall, Scripture Hall, Earth Pagoda, and Shanxi Guild Hall.