2 Days Dunhuang Zhangye Cultural Landscape & Nature Tour

Mogao Caves--Mingsha Sand Dunes--Crescent Lake

Breakfast & Lunch

In the morning, our guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the renowned Mogao Caves, also known as the "Caves of the Thousand Buddhas." First built during the Former Qin of the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the site was developed over centuries through the Northern Dynasties, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Western Xia, and Yuan. Today, it comprises 735 caves, over 45,000 square meters of murals, and 2,415 clay sculptures, making it the world’s largest and richest repository of Buddhist art.

492 of these caves are still well-preserved. The discovery of the Library Cave (Cave 17) yielded over 50,000 ancient manuscripts, significantly contributing to the global understanding of Silk Road culture. The Mogao Caves, with their magnificent wall paintings and sculptures, have been dubbed the “Louvre of the East”, “Museum on the Wall”, and “World Treasure House of Art”. Together with Yungang and Longmen, it is one of the three great ancient cave complexes in China. In 1961, it was listed as one of the first Key National Cultural Heritage Sites, and in 1987, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here, you can admire the Nine-Story Pagoda, housing a 35.5-meter-high Tang Dynasty Maitreya Buddha. You may also visit the Digital Exhibition Center, where immersive films like A Dream of the Buddhist Paradise and A Thousand Years of Mogao offer a vivid introduction to the site's art and history (advance booking required).

Travel Tips:

1. The site can be sunny and dusty—sun protection and face coverings are recommended.

2. Photography is not allowed inside the caves.

In the afternoon, head to the Mingsha Sand Dunes to enjoy breathtaking desert views. Part of Dunhuang’s iconic "Golden Triangle" along with the Mogao Caves and Crescent Lake, the dunes are known for their undulating golden peaks, some reaching elevations of 1,715 meters. The sand sings as the wind blows, hence the name “Singing Sand Dunes.” Despite strong winds over the centuries, the dunes remain stable, creating the surreal phenomenon of “sand not burying the spring.”

Nestled in the embrace of the dunes lies the Crescent Lake, shaped like a delicate crescent moon. After you climb the dunes, the loose sand shifts under your feet, only to return to its natural form under the wind—an astonishing balance between sand and water that has persisted for millennia.

Optional Activities:

camel riding, sandboarding, ATV rides, desert zipline, family go-karts, and off-road adventures.
If you have extra time, consider camping overnight on the dunes to witness the desert sunset, starry skies, and even a desert fireworks show.

Travel Tips:
Sun and sand protection are essential—wear sunglasses, a headscarf, and high-top shoes.

Dunhuang--Zhangye (High-speed Train)--Giant Buddha Temple--Rainbow Mountains

Breakfast & Lunch

After breakfast, take a high-speed train to Zhangye (approximately 4 hours). Upon arrival, you'll be transferred to visit the Giant Buddha Temple, Zhangye’s most iconic historic site. The temple houses 31 painted clay sculptures dating back to the Western Xia dynasty. Among them is a 34.5-meter-long reclining Buddha—the largest indoor clay reclining Buddha in China. Behind the Buddha statue are sculptures of the Ten Great Disciples, along with depictions of lay believers and the Eighteen Arhats.

The temple also features an ancient sutra pavilion, with a roofed design in the hip-and-gable style, measuring 21.3 meters wide and 10.5 meters deep. The original stupa, called the Amitabha Thousand Buddha Pagoda, is a 33.37-meter-high brick and earth structure in a traditional Tibetan stupa form.

Next, continue to the Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, home to the stunning Rainbow Mountains. Named one of the “Top 7 Most Beautiful Danxia Landforms in China” by Chinese National Geography, the landscape looks like an immense, multicolored oil painting laid across the Hexi Corridor. The colors become even more vivid and surreal during sunrise and sunset.

The Zhangye Danxia area is the largest and most spectacular example of colored rock formations in China. It combines danxia cliffs and vibrant hills in one remarkable geological display. The park includes seven major viewing platforms: Colorful Clouds Sea, Fairy Love, Splendid Danxia, Rainbow Glow, Crouching Tiger Gorge, Aolai River, and the Valley of Earth Forest. Over 30 distinct formations have been nicknamed: Dragon Playing with Fire, Monkey Watching the Sea, Pilgrims Worshipping Buddha, Turtle Asking Heaven, Lucky Toad Seeking the Dao, Giant Scallop, Rainbow Screen, Sleeping Beauty, and more.

Featured Experiences:

1. Hot Air Balloon Rides (Peak Season Only): Panoramic aerial view of the Rainbow Mountains.

2. Helicopter Tours: Enjoy a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the entire Danxia landscape.