Day 1 Dunhuang Arrival
Greetings from Dunhuang, a desert haven on the fabled Silk Road that still carries the resonances of centuries-old commerce and cultural interchange between Europe, West Asia, and China.
Get a warm welcome from a local guide when you arrive at the train or airport, and then ride in a private vehicle to your accommodation. You have the remainder of the day to unwind and get ready for the adventure that lies ahead.
- Dunhuang
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Day 2 Crescent Spring & Singing Sand Dune → Shazhou Night Market
After a pleasant breakfast, start the exciting day with Singing Sand Dunes & Crescent Spring. Singing Sand Dunes & Crescent Spring is a wonderfully captivating sight, located just 6 km south of Dunhuang. The tall dunes are well-known for their eerie sound that they produce when the wind blows across them. The lake is formed like a crescent and its blue waters mirror the blue sky in the middle of this vast desert. Take a leisurely stroll around the shoreline, go sandboarding, or take a ride on a camel across golden dunes.After dinner, we move to Dunhuang Night market – bustling Shazhou Night Market. Never miss its tasty snacks, local specialties, and crafts etc.
- Dunhuang
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Day 3 Mogao Caves → Jiayuguan
Let’s explore the UNESCO-designated Mogao Grottoes after breakfast. With over 1600 years of accumulated cultural, architectural, and artistic riches, the Grottoes are a must-see destination for art enthusiasts. 45000 square meters of murals and 492 cave temples still exist. Records from the Tang Dynasty state that a monk saw a vision of thousands of Buddhas surrounded by golden rays when he was there. Motivated by this, he began the ten-dynasty building of the caves. The Caves of a Thousand Buddhas is another name for the Mogao Caves.
We will travel to Jiayuguan for an overnight stay after our visit.
- Jiayuguan
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Day 4 Jiayuguan Fortress → Weijin Tombs → Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park
We set out to visit the Jiayuguan Fortress today. It appears as though a dignified commander is watching over the wide region, encircled by undulating mountains and set amid a large desert. The most sophisticated defense system was used in its construction. As the oldest global trade route, the Silk Road, passed through it, it served as a major hub for travel.
Proceed to the well-known underground gallery Weijin Tombs for more sightseeing. There are realistic and concise wall paintings from the Wei and Jin periods (4 AD) that cover a wide range of topics, including politics, economics, culture, military affairs, folk traditions, science, and technology.
We will travel three hours to Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, a natural masterpiece, following lunch. The vivid strata of the mountain ridges will astound you throughout the four-hour journey to the various platforms.
- Zhangye
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Day 5 Grand Buddha Temple → Train to Lanzhou
We will go to the Grand Buddha Temple in the morning, which is a significant Silk Road location. The Temple is the biggest example of Western Xia (1038–1227) architecture still standing in Gansu Province. In this temple is remarkably well-preserved China’s largest reclining Buddha.
After the lunch, take the train to Lanzhou.
- Lanzhou
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Day 6 Bingling Temple → Xiahe → Tibetan Buddhist Monastery
The day starts at Bingling Temple after breakfast, where you can witness the air trestle road and other grottoes. After that, we’ll take you to see Xiahe, which is the location of one of the biggest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries outside of the Tibet Autonomous Region—the renowned Labrang Tibetan Buddhist monastery.
- Xiahe
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Day 7 Labrang monastery → Yellow River Mother Statue
The English-speaking Lama will take you on a tour of the Labrang monastery today, home to the largest concentration of monks outside of Tibet. One of the best spots to see the monastery and the surrounding area is from Thangka Sunning Terrace, where you will be staying. In addition to the stunning Buddha stupas and wall paintings within the monastery, prayer wheels are a must-see. The entire monastery is encircled by wheels; stroll down the hallway, spin the wheels, and offer up prayers to drive away your problems.
We will next return to Lanzhou, where we will make a transfer to see the first bridge of the Yellow River’s Mother Statue. This statue features “a mother” and “a baby boy” to represent the Yellow River’s role as the nation’s mother and nurturer.
- Lanzhou
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Day 8 Lanzhou Departure
Your guide will meet you at the designated time and take you on a private transfer to the railway station or airport in Lanzhou.
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