5 Days Hexi Corridor Silk Road Tour of Lanzhou-Wuwei-Zhangye

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Lanzhou Arrival & Lanzhou Tour (L)
   Huanghe River Custom Tourist Line

   Upon your arrival at Lanzhou airport / train station, the English speaking tour guide and driver will pick you up from the exit gate by holding a welcome board with your name.

   After short rest, follow your guide to visit Huanghe River Custom Tourist Line, which is considered as “the Bund of Lanzhou City”, taking Zhongshan Bridge as the axis to stretch out along the Yellow River. The sites to visit of 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 leisure strolling bathed in rosy light of dusk on the River Road is a top thing to do in Lanzhou.

   After that, transfer to downtown hotel for check in.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Lanzhou

   

2. Day 2: Lanzhou-Wuwei (B, L)
   Leitai Han Tombs, Wuwei Confucius Temple

   In the morning, drive around 3 hours to Wuwei. The first site will be Leitai Han Tombs. China is never short in history, even in its wilder western regions, which could be readily found at Leitai Han Tombs in Wuwei, the site we’re going to visit. We could trace back to history of this site about 1,700 years ago, earning its reputation mainly in unearthing the famous Bronze Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow which is taken as Chinese National Tourist Symbol. The tombs were discovered by local farmers in 1969 when they were digging the combat tunnels, henceforth we have more material to shed light on Han Dynasty’s culture, history, economy and politics.

   After that, continue your visit to Wuwei Confucius Temple which was built in Ming Dynasty with large scale and high historical status, about 500 years ago, for people to worship the greatest spiritual mentor of Chinese, Confucius. The Temple also houses Wuwei Museum to allow visitors not only learn the thoughts and history of Confucius but also appreciate the historic relics of Wuwei City. The architectures of antique flavor in the temple are ideal subjects for photography.

   After the visit, transfer to local hotel for overnight.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Wuwei

   

3. Day 3: Wuwei-Zhangye (B, L)
   Tiantishan Caves, Zhangye Giant Buddhist Temple

   After breakfast, follow your guide to explore the highlight of your Wuwei tour - the Tiantishan Caves, which has a loud title: Father of All Chinese Grottoes. It was one of the earliest engraved grottoes in China with history dating back to 1,600 years ago. Today, there are wall paintings of hundreds of square meters, three-floor caves, seventeen shrines, and hundreds of statues as well as Buddhist scriptures well preserved with mix features of Western Xia, Northern Wei Dynasty, Sui and Tang Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty as well as Ming Dynasty.

   After the visit, you will head to Zhangye where drives around 3 hours from Wuwei. On the way, you can listen to your guide explaining more histories and stories of this city or just have some rest on the van.

   Arrival in Zhangye, you firstly will pay a visit to Zhangye Giant Buddhist Temple. Built in Western Xia Dynasty, the Giant Buddhist Temple had survived from the vicissitudes and stands on Silk Road for 900 years. There is a gigantic sleeping Buddha statue of Sakyamuni with the largest scale in Asia inside the temple, hence the name. The beautiful woodcarving, paintings and statues as well as the underneath culture and history impresses travelers a lot.

   Later, check in in local hotel.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Zhangye

   

4. Day 4: Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park Tour (B, L)
   The Rainbow Mountain Scenic Area,The Ice Valley Mountain Scenic Area

   Today you will fully enjoy the highlight of Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park. The Danxia landform earns the most spotlight for Zhangye City. Rated as one of “10 Wonders of Nature in the World” in 2011 by National Geographic News, it does deserve the reputation. There are two main scenic area of the Zhangye Danxia with different features.

   Firstly, come to visit The Rainbow Mountain Scenic Area which locates in Linze County, features in its bright color and is better to enjoy sunset which chosen by most travelers. Seen from the high platform, the rising layers of mountains in beautiful red with different saturation is bathed in rosy sunlight, depicting a gorgeous picture for the visitors who trudged a lot to here.

   In the afternoon, move on to The Ice Valley Mountain Scenic Area, read Binggou Mountain in Chinese, earns its fame mainly with its graceful shapes. Usually, people come here for sunrise scenery. Although the color of hills here are not as bright as Rainbow Mountain, the unique form here easily excites people’s imagination to enjoy the natural masterpiece in another way.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Zhangye

   

5. Day 5: Zhangye Departure (B)

   Free and easy on your own until the pickup time for departure. Our driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer to Zhangye airport / train station to see you off.

   Accommodation: N/A