10 Days The Hidden China Silk Road – Ningxia and Gansu

Transfer: Airport to Helan Mountain

Upon arrival at Yinchuan airport, begin your journey with 1.5-hour drive to the Helan Mountain.

Helan Mountain Rock Arts

The Helan Mountain Rock Arts is representative of rock paintings in Northern China and comprises over 6,000 rock pictographs that paint the life scenes of the past in the region. These paintings were made from the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC) to the Western Xia Dynasty (1038-1227) by folk artists of northern nomadic tribes.

Western Xia Mausoleums

Today, let the former curator of the Ningxia Museum lead you through a captivating exploration of Ningxia’s cultural heritage. Head to the Western Xia Mausoleums, one of the country’s most expansive and best-preserved imperial tombs of the past emperors in the Western Xia Dynasty, often known as the “oriental pyramid”.

Ningxia Museum

In the afternoon, visit the Ningxia Museum, which has a collection of 40,000 cultural relics, showing the unique charm of Western Xia Dynasty (1038-1227); a dynasty with most of its written records and architectures destroyed by the Mongol troops of Genghis Khan.

Wine Tasting at Xige Estate

Embark on a 1.5-hour drive to Xige Estate Winery to tour the impressive circular structure made of 200,000 Helan Mountain Stones, learn about the modern technology used and enjoy wine tasting.

Afterwards, we will drive about 2 hours to your accommodation in Zhongwei.

Drive to Wuwei

After breakfast, set out on a 4-hour drive to Wuwei in Gansu province, another vital part of the Hexi Corridor.

Explore Wuwei

Visit the the Wuwei City Museum, housing historical relics spanning Wuwei’s five thousand years of civilization. Proceed to Leitai Tomb of Han Dynasty, built around the late Eastern Han Dynasty and renowned for the unearthing of a bronze sculpture called the “Flying Horse of Gansu”.

Drive to Zhangye

Embark on a 4-hour drive to the spectacular Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon en route to Zhangye.

Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon

The Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon, comparable to the Colorado Grand Canyon features rugged canyons, stone forests and crisscross gullies. Its geological structure belongs to red-layer geomorphology formed by the sedimentation of the Mesozoic Jurassic to the Cenozoic Tertiary Era. This in-depth 3.5-hour tour of the canyon involves camel ride and climbing up a staircase with over 600 steps.

Afterwards, drive 1.5 hours to the hotel in Zhangye.

Horse Hoof & Golden Pagoda Temples

This morning, set out on an approximate 2-hour drive to the spectacular Horse Hoof Temple, where we have to climb some steep steps to explore the massive historical cave temple complex. Keep your eyes peeled for the exquisite grotto artwork of the colored sculptures of Buddhas and Apsaras in the Golden Pagoda Temple, with a longer history than Dunhuang’s Flying Apsaras.

Zhangye National Geopark

Venture to Zhangye National Geopark, the only Danxia landform in China adorned with a kaleidoscope of multi-coloured hues. It is rated as one of the seven most beautiful Danxia landforms in the country by National Geographic of China. We will enjoy an in-depth tour of this surreal undulating landscape in a private vehicle, including access to private areas of Zhangye Geopark!

Drive to Jiayuguan

After breakfast, a 2.5-hour drive takes us to Jiayuguan Fort.

Discover Jiayuguan

At Jiayuguan Fort, head to its impressive watchtower, narrowest part in the middle of the valley, the highest part of Jiayu Mountain, and see the walls outside stretching to the Gobi Desert. The Hanging Great Wall, situated 8km in the north, is the western end of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty, and historically the first pass in Hexi.

Drive to Yulin Grottoes

Set out on an approximate 5-hour drive to the Yulin Grottoes with lunch enroute.

Yulin Caves

Uncover hidden gems at the UNESCO World Heritage Yulin Caves, built in the late Western Xia period of Guazhou. These Grottoes are integral to the Dunhuang Grottoes and sister caves to the famed Mogao Caves. Additionally, we will get to visit a pair of special caves!

Next, continue about 2-hour drive to Dunhuang.

Dunhuang Highlights

Lying on an oasis, Dunhuang was the first trading town reached by merchants arriving in China from the west. Today, join an expert-guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mogao Caves and a couple of its special caves to admire the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 1,000 years from the Sixteen Kingdoms period to the Yuan Dynasty.

Later, be treated to a theatrical performance on Dunhuang’s history.

Dunhuang Immersion

Head out to the Singing Sand Dunes (Mingsha Mountain) and iconic Crescent Lake. After lunch, you may like to experience clay sculpture making or visit the Dunhuang Museum, before transferring to the airport for your flight home.