7-Day Private Silk Road Tour from Lanzhou to Dunhuang includes Zhangye and Jiayuguan

Attractions: Yellow River Stone Forest National Geological Park
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Longwan Village

Meet at airport, in the afternoon drive 2.5 hours to Yellow River Stone Forest National Geological Park, it is located in Jingtai County. After arriving at the entrance, take the shuttle bus driving in the desolate desert hills along the Yellow River, stay in Longwan village tonight.

Attractions: Yellow River Stone Forest National Geological Park, Yongtai Ancient City
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Lanzhou

In the morning, the battery cars transfer us from hotel to the wharf, drifting downstream by taking the sheepskin raft. After landing, enjoy donkey carts ride into the narrow road between the unique and beautiful rock ravine formations. Later, take the kart to the viewing point, appreciate the panoramic view of Yellow River and the Stone Forest. After it, returned by the same way as how we come, kart-donkey carts- motorboat(upstream). In the afternoon, drive to Yongtai ancient city, it’s also dubbed “the turtle city” for it looks like a turtle when seen above. The once military fortress is now a barren wasteland in the Gobi. After sightseeing, drive back to Lanzhou.

Attractions: Matisi Temple
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Zhangye

After breakfast, drive to Zhangye to visit Matisi Temple(Horse Hoof Temple), it is located in the Qilian Snow Mountain, the first caves were dug about 1,600 years ago. A miraculous view of temples hanging from the rocky hill. If time and weather allows, we can enjoy the beautiful sunset here. After it, drive back to Zhangye.

Attractions: Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Jiayuguan

Drive to Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, also named as the Rainbow Mountains, it is a geological wonder of the world. The mountains are of unbelievable colors, changing tone as with the height of the sun. The sightseeing bus take you to different Viewing Platforms.

After that, drive to Jiayuguan.

Attractions: Jiayuguan Fort
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang

This morning visit Jiayuguan Fort outside of the city, it is last portion of Great Wall of China built from Ming Dynasty in 14th century, and an essential part of Silk Road to the west. You can choose to climb on the Overhanging Great Wall (20 minutes up).

After that, drive to Dunhuang. 

Attractions: Mogao Grottoes, Echoing Sand Mountains & Crescent Lake
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang

After breakfast, drive to Mogao Grottoes. Mogao Grottoes is famed as the “Louvre of the East”, which is outstanding for its exquisite mural paintings and statues. There are now 492 grottoes in which about 45000 square meters mural paintings and 2100 colorfully painted statues from which you can trace the development of Chinese art over 1600 years from one dynasty to the next because each dynasty built own caves to record its own features. There are about 40 common caves opened to the public.

The following attraction is the Echoing Sand Mountains (Mingshashan). It is said, in the sunny days, the sand mountains echo like Orchestra music even if there is no wind. If you slide from the sand mountains, you can hear the echoing sound clearly. Your last thing to do for today is the Crescent Lake. Surrounded by the Echoing Sand Mountains, Crescent Lake is a beautiful oasis with some well decorated traditional Chinese architecture, some trees and flowers and a lake that has never dried up and shapes like a crescent moon.

Attractions: No
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Not Included

Today is free for you until your tour guide and driver escort you to the airport in time for the scheduled flight/railway station to other destination. Tour ends.