10 Days Hexi Corridor Silk Road Tour: Dunhuang-Jiayuguan-Zhangye-Xining-Lanzhou

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Dunhuang Arrival

   Welcome to Dunhuang, a transportation hub on the Silk Road connecting East and West in ancient times. Upon your arrival at Dunhuang airport / train station, the local driver will pick you up from the exit gate and transfer you to a local hotel for check-in. Free and easy on your own for the rest of the day.

   Meal: N/A

   Accommodation: Overnight in Dunhuang

2. Day 2: Dunhuang Essence Tour
   Explore Buddhist Art and Desert Landscapes

   In the morning, meet your private guide and start your Dunhuang tour at the amazing Mogao Grottoes. As the existing anthology of Buddhist art with the biggest scale and the best preservation in the world, Mogao Caves wins fame as "the pearls of oriental art". It keeps about45,000 square kilometers of frescoes, 2,415 painted sculptures, more than 4,000 flying Apsaras (the beautiful Bodhisattva in Buddhism that does well in dancing and music), and thousands of Stone pillars and flagstones with lotus carving on them.

   

   In the afternoon, continue your visit to Crescent Spring and Echo Sand Mountain. This is a miracle created by nature, glittering like a pearl along the Silk Road for thousands of years. Here you can experience optional desert activities like camel rides and dune buggies (pay in cash on your own).

   Last, enjoy relaxing sightseeing in Shazhou Night Market. As the epitome of prosperity on the Silk Road, this place brings together a wealth of food and culture. You can savor authentic Northwest-style snacks such as lamb kebabs and roasted lamb legs, as well as enjoy exquisite handicrafts and local specialty artworks.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Overnight in Dunhuang

   

3. Day 3: Dunhuang to Jiayuguan Tour
   Visit the Great Wall's Western End, Explore Historic Tombs

   After breakfast, drive around 3.5 hours to Jiayuguan to visit its best sights.

   After driving through the yellow sand of the desert, you will come to Jiayuguan Pass, also known as the "First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven", "the Throat of Hexi Corridor". As the western end of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty, Jiayuguan Pass, being constructed for hundreds of years, not only occupied a vital position in military defense but also exerted an important influence in trade & culture exchange as a key waypoint of the ancient Silk Road. You can climb up the fort to admire the entire view.

   

   Next, continue your Jiayuguan tour to the Great Wall Museum. Inside the Jiayuguan Pass Scenic Area, there is the first Great Wall-themed museum with 7 major exhibition halls to show you more detailed knowledge about this great construction engineering in Chinese history.

   Driving through the wild Gobi about 20km from Jiayuguan City, come to the famous "underground gallery", Weijin Tombs. Underneath the yellow sand were about 1,400 ancient tombs buried and only 6 tombs are open to the public today. It's definitely a surprise discovery process when beholding the paints with bright colors vividly depicting the scholars' and officials' lives in Weijin Time (220-420). After the visit, go to Jiayuguan hotel for check-in.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Overnight in Jiayuguan

4. Day 4: Jiayuguan to Zhangye Tour
   Marvel at the Colorful Danxia Landform in Rainbow Mountains

   Today, you will head to another important city along the ancient Silk Road - Zhangye to continue your Silk Road trip.

   Driving around 2.5 hours, follow your guide to explore the exciting Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park. The Danxia landform earns the most spotlight for Zhangye City. Rated as one of the "10 Wonders of Nature in the World" in 2011 by National Geographic News, it does deserve the reputation. There are two main scenic areas of the Zhangye Danxia with different features, and you will visit the Rainbow Mountain Scenic Area today.

   Located in Linze County, Rainbow Mountain features its bright color and is better for enjoying the sunset, which is chosen by most travelers. Seen from the high platform, the rising layers of mountains in beautiful red with different saturation are bathed in rosy sunlight, depicting a gorgeous picture for visitors.

   

   After the visit, transfer to visit the Giant Buddhist Temple. Built in the Western Xia Dynasty (1038-1227), the temple survived the vicissitudes and stood on the Silk Road for 900 years. There is a gigantic sleeping Buddha statue of Sakyamuni, the largest scale in Asia inside the temple, hence the name. The beautiful woodcarving, paintings, and statues as well as the underlying culture and history will impress you a lot.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Overnight in Zhangye

5. Day 5: Zhangye to Xining Tour by High-speed Train
   Learn about the Tibetan Buddhism Culture

   In the morning, your private driver will pick you up from the hotel lobby and drop you off at Zhangye train station for the morning high-speed train to Xining. The train rides around 2 hours which would be a good chance for you to enjoy the urban scenery on the way.

   Upon arrival, meet the local English-speaking Xining tour guide and be transferred to visit the Ta'er Monastery, one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism. The temple has a long history and its architecture is a blend of Chinese and Tibetan styles. Inside the temple, there is a collection of Buddhist books and the "three masterpieces of art" - Butter sculptures, murals, and barbola.

   

   Afterward, continue your Silk Road tour in Xining to Dongguan Mosque, the largest mosque in Qinghai Province, gaining the title of "Four Greatest Mosques in Northwestern China" together with Xian Great Mosque, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque, and Kashgar Id Kah Mosque. Built in the Ming Dynasty, the mosque has stood in the Dongguan District of Xining for 600 years. The beautiful calottes, gorgeous pillars, and praying Muslims form a bright scenery line here.

   After the visit, check in at the local hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Overnight in Xining

6. Day 6: Xining Qinghai Lake Tour
   Discover Diverse Landscapes, Wildlife, and Summer Blooms

   After breakfast, drive around 2.5 hours to the amazing Qinghai Lake.

   You must have heard the fame of Qinghai Lake before you go. It is indeed hot for the tour to Qinghai and the whole Silk Road. Why? The coexistence of different views collected at the meantime at Qinghai Lake pushes its fame higher and higher: massive sea-like lake, vast desert, lush meadow-grass, and yellow sea of rape flowers. Each summer (June and August), it ushers in the annual peak when the blossom of rape flowers and round-the-lake cycle track here.

   

   The Birds Island here is a paradise for many kinds of birds. Each summer, thousands of birds fly to Qinghai Lake to escape from the hot summer. And in August, the lake area will be covered by golden rape flowers. You could optionally take a cruise ship to have an exciting time there. And if you are a photography lover, Qinghai Lake will be a great place to take some wonderful photos.

   After finishing the sightseeing, you will be transferred to a local hotel.

   Travel Tips:

   1. The sunlight in Qinghai Lake is very strong, especially in summer (June to August). So you are advised to bring sunglasses, sunscreen, hats, etc. to protect your skin from UV.
   2. Few people experience severe altitude sickness at Qinghai Lake. But you must avoid strenuous exercise if it is your first time to enter the plateau.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Overnight Near Qinghai Lake

7. Day 7: Xining to Lanzhou Tour by High-speed Train
   Gain an Insight into Lanzhou's History

   If weather permits, get up early to appreciate the gorgeous sunrise in Qinghai Lake. Later, drive around 2.5 hours back to Xining and catch a noon high-speed train to Lanzhou. The train rides for around 2.5 hours.

   Upon arrival in Lanzhou, your private tour guide and driver will meet you and directly transfer you to start today's Silk Road tour in Lanzhou with Gansu Provincial Museum. This is the largest one in the whole Gansu with abundant collections reflecting local culture and Silk Road's history and culture. The famous Bronze Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow exhibited in Silk Road Hall on the second floor is the most precious treasure of the museum.

   

   Later, move on to the Huanghe River Custom Tourist Line, which is considered "the Bund of Lanzhou City", taking Zhongshan Bridge as the axis to stretch out along the Yellow River. The sites to visit on the Tourist Line are distributed on the Road River, including Yellow River Mother Sculpture, Zhongshan Iron Bridge, White Pagoda Hill Park, Waterwheel Park, and so on. A stroll bathed in the rosy light of dusk is a top thing to do in Lanzhou.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Overnight in Lanzhou

8. Day 8: Lanzhou to Xiahe Tour
   Explore Cliffside Grottoes and Enjoy the Buddhist Art

   Today you will head to Xiahe. On the way, making a stop at Bingling Temple will be a perfect chance to further learn Chinese grotto culture. Although the name "temple", it is actually a series of grotto complexes featured in Buddhist elements and engraved on the mountain cliffs. Considering Bingling Temple stands on the cliff along Liujiaxia reservoir, people need to take a speedboat to approach the grottoes to have a better visit.

   After the visit, continue driving to Xiahe country for an overnight stay.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Overnight in Xiahe

   

9. Day 9: Xiahe Back to Lanzhou Tour
   Experience Buddhist Treasures and Grassland Beauty

   Today you will visit the must-see sights in Xiahe before driving back to Lanzhou. The first one will be the amazing Labrang Monastery, one of the Six Great Monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism Gelug Sect, a famous Tibetan Buddhist college with the best complete teaching system of Tibetan Buddhism. In the grand temple complex, you will see elegant Buddhist images and statues, wall paintings, and other treasures.

   

   In the afternoon, transfer to relax at Sangke Grasslands. Distinct from the spiritous touch at Labrang Monastery, Sangke Grasslands appeals to endless people to cry out mental pressure built up from busy life. On the plateau at an altitude of 3,000 meters, lush green grass sways, and distant flocks and herds of sheep and cattle roam freely, creating a stunning pastoral scenery that drives travelers crazily to click the shutters.

   More "wow" moments here are from those interesting activities at local families, like sampling local foods and appreciating their ethnic dances. After the tour in Xiahe, we drive back to Lanzhou for the night.

   Friendly tip: The best visit time to Sangke Grasslands is from June to September.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Overnight in Lanzhou

   

10. Day 10: Lanzhou Departure

    Free and easy on your own until the pick-up time for departure. Your private driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer you to Lanzhou airport/train station to see you off. Your 10-day private Hexi Corridor Silk Road tour comes to a perfect end. Safe travels!

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: N/A