Name: Gansu: Origins of the Silk Road
Brand: WildChina
SKU: 1

About this Journey

Situated along the legendary Silk Road, Gansu served as a crossroads for China and Central Asia. The temples, Buddhist art, and tombs left behind by travelers, merchants, and artists make Gansu one of the most culturally rich provinces in China. On this trip you’ll stop for a bowl of famous Lanzhou noodle soup and show your satisfaction by slurping it down like a local. Float down the Yellow River in a traditional goatskin raft, explore mysterious grottoes filled with medieval Buddhist art, marvel at the iridescent Rainbow Mountains, and wander along the western edge of the Great Wall.

What we love

Learning to make our own bowl of traditional Lanzhou beef noodles
Meeting a local Yugu Minority family and learning about their way of life
Discovering Dunhuang's Mogao Caves with one of the world's leading authorities on medieval Buddhism's visual culture

Map

Itinerary

Day 1Arrive in Lanzhou

Arrive in Lanzhou and meet your WildChina guide • Transfer to your hotel for check-in • If time allows, cruise the Yellow River on a traditional goatskin raft, once the main mode of transport here, and learn how these rafts are crafted to float.

Day 2Lanzhou to Zhangye

Board a high-speed train to Zhangye with your WildChina guide assisting at departure • Meet your local guide on arrival and transfer to the Zhangye Danxia Landform, a UNESCO World Heritage site of rainbow-colored sandstone hills shaped by millions of years of erosion and uplift • Spend the afternoon exploring and photographing this striking landscape.

Day 3Zhangye

Visit Zhangye’s Giant Buddha Temple, built in 1098 and home to China’s largest reclining Buddha at nearly 35 meters long • Travel to Pingshanhu Grand Canyon, a vast red sandstone maze known as China’s Colorado Canyon, and hike through narrow slot canyons to panoramic views over the landscape.

Day 4Zhangye to Jiayuguan

Explore the Matisi Grottoes, a complex of seven grotto groups stretching 30 kilometers and ranked among the Three Artistic Treasured Grottoes of the Hexi Holy Land • Journey into the Qilian Mountains to reach Linsong Waterfall, hiking or riding through grasslands and pine forests before enjoying a picnic in a village at the mountain’s foot.

Day 5Jiayuguan to Dunhuang

Visit Jiayuguan Pass, the 14th-century fortress marking the western end of the Great Wall, and walk its rammed-earth ramparts overlooking the Gobi Desert and Qilian Mountains • Continue to the Wei-Jin Tombs, famed for colorful murals and patterned tiles in ancient noble burial chambers • Drive four hours to Dunhuang, an oasis on the Silk Road, and spend the evening exploring night markets or dining on your hotel’s rooftop.

Day 6Dunhuang

Watch the sunrise over the Mingsha Sand Dunes, then ride a camel to Crescent Moon Lake, an oasis in the Taklamakan Desert • After lunch on the city’s famed food street, explore the Mogao Grottoes, a 1,000-year-old complex of Buddhist art and manuscripts, with the option to tour restricted caves with an expert • Optionally visit a local artist’s studio to learn mural techniques and create your own work.

Day 7Departure Dunhuang

Watch the sunrise in the desert from the roof of your hotel and enjoy a leisurely breakfast before transferring to the airport • Your WildChina guide will escort you to the airport and help you check in for your flight home.

Hotels

HYATT REGENCY LANZHOU

5 Star

The Hyatt Regency Lanzhou offers a sophisticated haven where the Yellow River’s ancient pulse meets modern design.

QILIAN PEARL HOTEL, ZHANGYE

4 Star

Qilian Pearl Hotel is conveniently located in the city of Zhangye. The rooms are spacious and modern with thoughtful amenities and the hotel features a number of facilities including a restaurant, a lounge area, and a garden.

NUOJIN HOTEL, JIAYUGUAN

5 Star

Nuojin Hotel in Jiayuguan is a comfortable and convenient base for exploring the area. Guestrooms are contemporary with subtle nods to Chinese culture, featuring a tranquil blend of neutrals and soothing blues with artwork reminiscent of traditional ink wash paintings.

THE SILK ROAD DUNHUANG HOTEL

4 Star

Set against the Mingsha Sand Dunes, the hotel perfectly captures the spirit of the Tang Dynasty. Traditional mud walls, a courtyard style design, comfortable replica furniture, and modern amenities catapult guests back in time for an authentic, restful stay.

Photos

Details

What’s Included

Services of an English-speaking WildChina guide
Accommodation based on double occupancy with breakfasts included
All overland transfers with private chauffeur and in-transport refreshments
Private chauffeur service to and from airport at start and end of your trip
All admission fees and activity expenses, as noted in the itinerary
Meals as noted in the itinerary with complimentary drinking water

What’s Excluded

International and domestic flights, domestic trains, plus relevant taxes
Chinese tourist visa, which is required for most foreign passport holders
Travel and medical insurance
Meals, apart from those included in the itinerary, and alcohol
Expenses of a personal nature
Excursions and activities not included in the itinerary
Discretionary gratuities for guides and drivers

Next Steps

How do I book this tour?

Please use the inquiry form on the right-hand side of this page or email info@wildchina.com to get started. One of our travel designers will be in touch accordingly to start the process of planning your custom China trip!

What is the payment schedule?

Deposit:

Once you are ready to book, a $500 USD per person planning fee is required to begin reserving your arrangements. This will go towards your total trip costs and will be taken off your final balance amount.

Full payment:
Full trip payment will be requested 60 days prior to departure. If you’re booking within 60 days of your departure, you may be asked to pay make the full payment straight away.

Payments can be made via credit card, bank transfer, WeChat or Alipay.

What is your cancellation policy?

See our full booking conditions here.

Why WildChina

We’re on the ground with you

Our team of advisors will design every detail of the trip with you through close consultation, then orchestrate your entire journey while on the ground. We’re in the same time zone as you, so we can fulfill requests and handle issues without a hitch. With over 40 staff in China and an expansive network of operational partners across the country, we have the manpower to ensure your journey is safe, reliable and comfortable from beginning to end.

Your trip, your way

Flexibility is our highest-ranking compliment. We pull off journeys for pioneers with a 6-hour layover to Hollywood’s elite, and everywhere in between. Our team regularly pulls off unprecedented logistical feats; nearly any time frame or budget is within our realm. No matter how you wish to experience China, we are here to bring that dream to life.

We embody passion

WildChina guides are carefully handpicked for their knowledge and charisma, then meticulously trained to maintain our exceptional service standards. They are expert storytellers and passionate natives of the regions where they guide, having the perfect combination of local insights and service know-how to bring you seamless once-in-a- lifetime moments all across China.

The little things, the big picture

Supporting inspired local economies allows you to experience the soul of the destination, while also protecting and cultivating China’s artisanal culture. From watching artisans creating their handcrafts, to picking organic vegetables for dinner on a local farm, our tours are designed to showcase and protect China’s heritage, both natural and human.

Gansu: Origins of the Silk Road

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