8-day-itinary in Gansu Advice needed please

Question

Hi all

I am on a rather tight schedule in Gansu and if some of you could give me an advice about a short itinary I would be very grateful...

Option 1 (with a driver)

-1) Arrival in Dunhuang

1) Dunhuang: Magao caves and Mingsha dunes

2) Drive to Jiayuguan Overhanging wall/Watch Tower/ JiaYuGuan fortress

3) Zhangye: BingGou landform and DanXia landform

4) Zhangye: MaTi temple Jinta Temple

5) drive to Alashan Yuqi and "jeep tour" in the Badan Jaran desert

6) Badan Jaran desert. Drive back to Zhangye

7) Pingshanhu canyon. Late train to Lanzhou

8) BinglingSi. Late flight to Changsha

Option 2 (without driver. staying in a hostel that seems to organise excursions)

1) morning arrival in Zhangye: excursion to the Danxias

2) Zhangye: excursion to Mati Si

3) drive to Alashan Yuqi and "jeep tour" in the Badan Jaran desert

4) Badan Jaran desert. Drive back to Zhangye

5) Pingshanhu canyon. Late train to Lanzhou

6) BinglingSi. Drive to Xiahe in the late afternoon

7) Day in Xiahe

8) Xiahe. Drive to Lanzhou and late flight to Changsha

I have to specify that we are traveling in the beginning of November and we'll go to Yunnan at the end of the trip. We'll visit the monasteries in high Yunnan

Answer

Thanks — nice short trip idea. Both options are possible but you’re packing a lot into 8 days across a very large, sparsely populated province (and, for Badain Jaran, across into Alashan/Inner Mongolia). Below I explain the realistic pros/cons, note key travel times you should plan around, give weather/seasonal cautions for early November, and finish with a recommended, tightened 8-day plan (one driver option and one “hostel + local tours” option) that is far more realistic and less exhausting.

Quick summary / headline recommendations

If you want maximum scenery with minimum stress: take Option 1 with a private driver but drop or postpone Badain Jaran unless you are prepared for long driving days (the Badain Jaran area is remote and typically requires multi-day transfers/camping). Jiayuguan → Zhangye → Mati/Danxia → Pingshanhu → Lanzhou → BinglingSi/Xiahe is compact and suits 8 days.
If you prefer to keep costs lower and don’t mind depending on local excursions, Option 2 (hostel + excursions) can work for Zhangye & Xiahe—but do not try to include Badain Jaran from Zhangye on a one-day shuttle; it’s usually a multi-day trip.
Weather: early November is cool to cold in Gansu (Dunhuang can be near freezing with strong winds; highlands like Xiahe will be colder). Prepare warm layers and expect shorter daylight hours.

Key transit facts you should plan on (load-bearing practical numbers)

Dunhuang → Jiayuguan — ~370–380 km, driving ≈ 4–4.5 hours (train options exist but driving with a driver is ~4 hours). Plan fuel/meal stops.
Jiayuguan → Zhangye — ≈210–230 km, driving ≈ 2.5–3 hours. Good road, but still a long day if you’re sightseeing between.
Zhangye → Mati (Mati Temple) — Mati is ~60 km from Zhangye city (≈1 hour by car). Good for half-day/full-day trips.
Badain Jaran (Badan Jaran) — remote: typical access involves long drives from Alashan/Badain Jaran Town and organized jeep/camping tours; travel time is multiple hours (often 4–6 hours+ from nearest hubs) and many tour operators run 2–3 day packages. It is not a quick 1-day add from Zhangye.
Pingshanhu Grand Canyon — a new scenic canyon near Zhangye (~60 km NE of Zhangye), suitable as a half-day or day visit.
Bingling Si (Bingling Temple) — accessed from Liujiaxia; typically bus from Lanzhou (1.5–2 h) then a boat (1–3 h depending on boat). In November opening hours are shorter (winter schedules). Plan 4–6 hours total for the visit.
Lanzhou ↔ Xiahe (Labrang Monastery) — driving ≈ 3–3.5 hours (≈200–235 km). Xiahe suits 1 full day for Labrang and surrounding Tibetan town.

Weather & seasonal cautions for early November

Northwestern Gansu (Dunhuang) is already entering cold/dry season — daytime can be pleasant but mornings/evenings can be near or below freezing; strong winds possible at dunes and desert sites. Pack warm layers, windproof jacket and good footwear.
Higher altitude places (Xiahe / Labrang) will be noticeably colder and may experience early snow. Road conditions can occasionally be affected—keep flexibility for schedule delays.

Practical advice about Badain Jaran (critical decision point)

Badain Jaran (Badan Jaran) is fantastic but remote. Most operators run 2–3 day jeep + camping tours originating from Alxa/Badain Jaran town; it is not a short day-trip from Zhangye. If you only have 8 days and want to avoid exhausting long drives or rushed logistics, I recommend dropping Badain Jaran from this 8-day loop and saving it for a dedicated trip (or extend your trip by several days).

Suggested realistic 8-day itinerary — Driver version (Option 1 modified, no Badain Jaran)

This keeps Dunhuang & Jiayuguan at the start, concentrates Zhangye highlights, then finishes with Lanzhou → Bingling/Labrang.

Day 0 (arrival) — Arrive Dunhuang, rest (if arrival morning, short visit to Mingsha dunes at sunset).
Day 1 — Dunhuang: Mogao Caves in the morning (book timed tickets), Mingsha Sand Dunes / Crescent Lake in late afternoon (sunset). Overnight Dunhuang.
Day 2 — Drive Dunhuang → Jiayuguan (≈4 hrs). Visit Jiayuguan Fortress / Overhanging Wall in afternoon. Overnight Jiayuguan.
Day 3 — Morning Jiayuguan sight (if missed), then drive Jiayuguan → Zhangye (≈3 hrs). Afternoon: Zhangye city area / local temples. Overnight Zhangye.
Day 4 — Zhangye: Morning visit to Binggou Danxia (or the main Zhangye Danxia National Geopark), afternoon Mati Temple (≈1 hour from city) / or Pingshanhu if you prefer canyon scenery. Overnight Zhangye.
Day 5 — Optional extra morning at Danxia (best light early/late), then transfer to Lanzhou by late afternoon/evening (train or private drive). Overnight Lanzhou.
Day 6 — Lanzhou → Liujiaxia + boat to Bingling Si (half-day visit; check winter boat schedule). Return to Lanzhou or stay by Liujiaxia depending on time.
Day 7 — Drive Lanzhou → Xiahe (≈3–3.5 hrs). Afternoon/evening in Xiahe; explore Labrang monastery. Overnight Xiahe.
Day 8 — Half day in Xiahe (more monastery time) → transfer to Lanzhou for late flight/train onward.

Suggested 8-day itinerary — Hostel / local excursion version (Option 2 modified)

This is cheaper but depends on local hostel tours; it removes Badain Jaran and focuses on Zhangye + Xiahe + BinglingSi.

Day 1 — Arrive Zhangye (morning), join a local half-day to Danxia / Binggou (book through hostel). Overnight Zhangye.
Day 2 — Mati Temple day tour (book through hostel or private taxi). Overnight Zhangye.
Day 3 — Pingshanhu Grand Canyon (local tour / driver) or more Danxia viewpoints. Evening train to Lanzhou (or drive). Overnight Lanzhou.
Day 4 — Lanzhou → Liujiaxia boat to Bingling Si (day trip). Overnight Lanzhou or Liujiaxia if schedule tight.
Day 5 — Morning travel Lanzhou → Xiahe (bus/van/driver). Afternoon Labrang. Overnight Xiahe.
Day 6 — Full day Xiahe (monastery, local Tibetan culture). Overnight Xiahe.
Day 7 — Travel Xiahe → Jiayuguan or directly to Jiayuguan/Dunhuang depending on flight routing (this will be a long transit day—consider routing flights out of Lanzhou).
Day 8 — Finish travel / departure from nearest major airport (Lanzhou usually easiest).

Why I recommend dropping Badain Jaran from an 8-day loop

Badain Jaran typically consumes 2–3 full days by itself (long drives, jeep/camping, remote logistics). Trying to force it into an 8-day Gansu loop that also covers Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Zhangye and Xiahe will leave you racing between sites and increase transport risk. If Badain Jaran is a must, consider a separate 4–6 day extension centered on Alashan/Badain Jaran.

Booking & practical tips

Book Mogao Caves timed tickets in advance (they often limit numbers).
Reserve train/flight seats early for the Beijing→Gansu legs and intercity trains (seats sell fast in autumn).
Hire a reliable local driver if using Option 1 — driving times above assume reasonable roads but you’ll want someone familiar with routes & winter conditions.
Check Bingling Si boat schedules in November (shorter daylight and winter timetables).
Pack warm and windproof clothing, especially for desert/dune and highland nights.

If you want, next steps I can do right now:

Give a tightened day-by-day timed schedule for either the Driver itinerary above (with approximate departure/arrival hours),
Or produce a shorter 6-day “highlights only” plan that includes Badain Jaran and sacrifices Dunhuang or Xiahe — if you tell me what you absolutely must see.

8-day-itinary in Gansu Advice needed please

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