Itinerary
- Day 1
Xi'an to Tianshui
Your hotel pickup gets you to Xi'an North Railway Station where you'll catch a 2-hour bullet train heading to Tianshui. Once you arrive, it's straight to Maiji Grottoes where Buddha statues are carved directly into the cliff face. These have held their vibrant colors intact for over 1500 years, which is pretty remarkable to see in person. After exploring the site, you'll transfer to your hotel in Tianshui to settle in for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Tianshui Jiafu Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Maiji Grottoes with Buddha statues carved on cliff face
- Bullet train from Xi'an to Tianshui (2 hours)
Landmarks Maiji Grottoes - Day 2
Tianshui to Lanzhou
This morning involves a 1.5-hour bullet train ride to Lanzhou. With a local guide, you'll walk through the Gansu Museum to check out historical relics from across the province, then head to the Yellow River and White Pagoda Mount to get your bearings in the city. Your hotel in Lanzhou is where you'll stay tonight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hilton Lanzhou City Center)
Included Activities
- Bullet train from Tianshui to Lanzhou (1.5 hours)
- Visit Gansu Museum with local guide
- Visit Yellow River
- Visit White Pagoda Mount
Landmarks Gansu Museum Yellow River White Pagoda Mount 
- Day 3
Lanzhou to Jingtai
A 3-hour drive takes you to Yongtai Old City, a former military fort built during the Ming Dynasty roughly 500 years back. The walls and structures are still standing with local people actually living inside them today, so you get to see how it functions as a real community rather than just a museum piece. After you've had time to walk around, you'll transfer to your hotel in Jingtai.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Xingbaishun Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Yongtai Old City, former Ming Dynasty military fort
Landmarks Yongtai Old City - Day 4
Jingtai to Wuwei
You'll drive for 2.5 hours to Wuwei with a stop at Tiantishan Grottoes along the way, one of China's earliest cave temples from around 1500 years ago. In the afternoon, there's Leitai Tomb Ruin where archaeologists found the famous Galloping Horses on Swallow statue. It's a significant piece if you're interested in Chinese history. Then you'll check into your Wuwei hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Wuwei Yunxiao Grand Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Tiantishan Grottoes, one of earliest caves built in China
- Visit Leitai Tomb Ruin where Galloping Horses on Swallow statue was excavated
Landmarks Tiantishan Grottoes Leitai Tomb Ruin - Day 5
Wuwei to Zhangye
A 3-hour drive gets you to Zhangye where Dafo Temple (also called Zhangye City Museum) is waiting. Inside you'll find an enormous sleeping Buddha statue that was built around 2000 years ago. The scale of it is what really gets people. After exploring the temple, you'll check in at your Zhangye hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Zhangye Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Dafo Temple (Zhangye City Museum) with huge sleeping Buddha statue
Landmarks Dafo Temple 
- Day 6
Zhangye
Just an hour's drive brings you to Maiti Temple, a cave temple with frescoes and statues you'll explore with a local guide who can explain the details. From there, it's a 2-hour drive to Danxia Rainbow Mountain, where the landscape shifts through black, red, yellow, white, pink, and blue clay formations. It's quite different from typical mountain scenery. You'll head back to your Zhangye hotel for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Zhangye Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Maiti Temple, cave temple with frescoes and statues, with local guide
- Visit Danxia Rainbow Mountain with colorful clay formations
Landmarks Maiti Temple Danxia Rainbow Mountain - Day 7
Zhangye to Jiayuguan
After a 2-hour drive to Jiayuguan, a local guide takes you through the western end of the Great Wall and Jiayuguan Fort, explaining its role as the narrowest point of the Hexi Corridor on the Silk Road. You'll climb the Overhanging Great Wall section for views looking down at the city. Later you'll visit tomb brick paintings at the Wei and Jin Ancient Graveyard, including the famous China Post painting showing a horseman delivering mail. Check into your Jiayuguan hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Accommodation
- (Jiayuguan Nuojin Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Jiayuguan Fort with local guide, western end of Great Wall
- Climb Overhanging Great Wall section
- Visit tomb brick paintings at Wei and Jin Ancient Graveyard including China Post painting
Landmarks Jiayuguan Fort Overhanging Great Wall Wei and Jin Ancient Graveyard - Day 8
Jiayuguan to Dunhuang
The 5-hour drive from Jiayuguan to Dunhuang moves through Gobi Desert and past snow-capped Qilian Mountains. Once you arrive, visit Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Moon Spring in the afternoon, where camel riding is optional. The evening brings you to the night market in Dunhuang. You're staying at Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel, a 4-star place with Sand Dunes views.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Dunhuang Zhongzhou International Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Singing Sand Dunes
- Visit Crescent Moon Spring
Optional Activities
- Camel ride at Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Moon Spring
Landmarks Singing Sand Dunes Crescent Moon Spring - Day 9
Dunhuang
Mogao Caves is the main event here with history spanning over 1600 years. You'll spend the morning with a professional cave guide walking through colorful frescoes, paintings, and the stories behind them. In the afternoon, it's time to head to Dunhuang Airport or Railway Station for your departure, marking the end of the tour.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Mogao Caves with professional guide, grottoes with colorful frescoes and paintings over 1600 years old
Landmarks Mogao Caves
