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From the moment of its founding, every city possesses a grand aura and aspirations, but Dunhuang stands out. "Dun" means "great"; "Huang" means "prosperous." Dunhuang, the confluence of four major religions, outlines the long Silk Road with the lines of the Mingsha Mountains, and encounters millennia-old Buddhist caves with the dawn light of the Gobi Desert. When Tang Dynasty monks passed through a fortified city where the spring breezes were inaccessible, poets drank with reluctance, unaware of their old friends beyond Yangguan Pass. And over the millennia since, pigments, art, and philosophical thought from every era have converged in the Mogao Grottoes, weathering the passage of time to both glory and decline, until your discovery.
Dunhuangcheck the details
Dunhuang City, under the jurisdiction of Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, is located at the westernmost end of the Hexi Corridor, at the intersection of Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang provinces. It lies between longitude 92°13′–95°30′ east and latitude 39°40′–41°40′ north, covering a total area of 31,200 square kilometers. A hub city on the Silk Road, Dunhuang is renowned for its Dunhuang Grottoes and murals. It is home to the World Heritage Mogao Grottoes and the border crossings of the Han Dynasty Great Wall, including Yumen Pass and Yangguan Pass. In 2012, it was selected as one of the "Top 200 Chinese Cities with Distinctive Charm" and is designated a National Historic and Cultural City.
Recommended months: mid-May to the end of June, early September to mid-October
5635 recommendations, 4694 visits
In the second year of the Yuanshou reign of the Western Han Dynasty, the Han Empire embarked on a grand plan to defend against the Xiongnu. Along the Great Wall, county towns were established in Hexi, like nails straddling the route to the Western Regions. Throughout history, Dunhuang repeatedly escaped the flames of conflict between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, becoming a haven for the fusion of civilizations. Thus, Dunhuang emerged amidst the vast Gobi Desert of the northwest.
As Monk Lezun glimpsed the Buddha's light at the end of Mingsha Mountain and began his cave-building and spiritual practice, Dunhuang took on a more important historical mission. For the next 1,000 years, it documented the artistic masterpieces of various eras, creating the Mogao Grottoes, a millennium-long moment. With the gradual changes in population and the transformation of the Silk Road, Dunhuang also slowly emerged.
Dunhuang Airport is located 12 kilometers east of Dunhuang City. During the peak tourist season (May to October), flights to and from the country are available. However, during the off-season, flights are limited to Xi'an and Lanzhou. To get to and from the airport, you can take the airport shuttle, taxi, or bus. You can also inquire at your hotel about airport pickup services.
Tips:
Dunhuang Airport Information Hotline: 0937-8866133
Dunhuang Airport Bus Schedule: There are three buses per day, departing at 09:00, 14:00, and 21:00, taking about 20 minutes. Ticket price: 10 yuan
Direct flights to Dunhuang:
Dunhuang itself has two railway stations, one is Dunhuang Railway Station and the other is Liuyuan Railway Station.
Dunhuang Railway Station is located approximately 10 kilometers east of Dunhuang city. To travel to and from the railway station, you can choose to take a bus, taxi, or contact the hotel for pick-up service.
Liuyuan Railway Station is located on the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway Line, offering direct connections to major cities such as Shanghai, Beijing West, Xi'an, Chengdu, Lanzhou, and Urumqi. From Liuyuan Railway Station, you can take a bus from the bus station to Dunhuang City, which is 130 kilometers away.
Tips:
Tips: During the peak season, Dunhuang will add the "Dunhuang" train Y667/668 to and from Lanzhou, with all berths and soft seats and a good environment.
Dunhuang is a small city with a clear east-west divide. Yangguan Road and Shazhou Road converge around the "Rebounding Pipa" on the surface of Dunhuang. There are only a few bus routes in the city (not recommended). Taxis in the city are relatively cheap, but fares outside the city to Mingsha Mountain, Crescent Moon Lake, the railway station, and the airport require negotiation, and are generally within 30 yuan.
As an important tourist city, taxi drivers in Dunhuang city are more familiar with the surrounding attractions, and chartered travel is becoming an increasingly popular trend in local tourism.
Image from: Yanggu
Tips:
Dunhuang chartered car tour west route (including Yangguan, Yumenguan, and Yadan Devil City) about 500 yuan
Dunhuang chartered car tour east route (including Yulin Grottoes, etc.) about 600 yuan
Be careful not to fall into some shopping traps during your travels, including local "wolfberry, Cynomorium songaricum, etc." Be sure to carefully identify and purchase with caution
Depart from Lanzhou | 8 days and 7 nights
Northwest Legends: Classic/Exclusive | Gansu-Qinghai Grand Loop (8-Day)
Starting from ￥3980 25844 people have registered Register nowSince this is a comprehensive guide to Dunhuang, it naturally has to include the most important tourist attractions in Dunhuang, whether it is the Mingsha Mountain and Mogao Grottoes in the urban area or the west line, all kinds of ruins and landscapes must be introduced. Such classification also divides our travel time, so the urban area and the west line naturally form a one-day tour plan.
Arranged in order of importance, the city tour is Dunhuang and its soul, while the west route is more historical but still full of surprises.
Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes (8:30-12:00)
When visiting Dunhuang, Mogao Grottoes is the only and irreplaceable soul. Generations of workers who have protected Mogao Grottoes have injected modern soul into Mogao Grottoes, which is a must-see for a lifetime.
Hundreds of caves in the desolate sea of sand are a collection of 10 centuries of magnificent civilization. When you open the door of Mogao Grottoes, a thousand years of dusty darkness will open and open. Especially in the peak season, in order to avoid the crowds, it is better to book to be the first to enter Mogao Grottoes upon opening and enjoy the tranquility of the Buddhist caves alone.
Image from: Yanggu
Tips:
When to visit Mogao Grottoes: November to April is the off-season for Mogao Grottoes, when you can visit 12 caves; April to November is the peak season for Mogao Grottoes, when you can only visit 8 caves.
How to book Mogao Grottoes tickets: Mogao Grottoes tickets are based on real-name registration and are accurate to the time of visit. You need to arrange a movie screening at the digital exhibition center. There are only 6,700 normal tickets available per day, so you need to book in advance.
Mogao Grottoes Reservation Website: www.mgk.org.cn. Book one month in advance during peak season and 15 days in advance during off-season.
Transportation to Mogao Grottoes: No external vehicles are allowed to enter the Mogao Grottoes area. You must transfer to a shuttle bus at the Digital Exhibition Center. The one-way trip takes about 40 minutes.
Dunhuang Museum (14:00-15:30)
Like all museums, it is closed on Mondays. The museum looks like a castle from the outside, but the interior is exquisitely designed. It houses a replica of Cave 45 of the Mogao Grottoes, which is of great significance for understanding the history and culture of Dunhuang. You can follow it on WeChat and scan the QR code to listen to the explanation.
Image from: Yanggu
Tips:
Museum phone number: 8818162
Museum Location: No. 1390 Mingshan North Road (You can go directly to Mingsha Mountain after the visit)
Museum tickets: You can collect them directly with your ID card, or you can register and enter with a valid ID
Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake (16:30-19:00)
Crescent Lake in the desert oasis is said to be the first place where artificial technology was used to maintain water levels. With the improvement of environmental management, the water level has gradually improved.
Walking up the sand steps to the top of the sand hill is the best place to visit the entire scenic area. The most amazing and pleasant moment is at sunset in the afternoon, when the sunset disappears and the lights of Crescent Lake come on. On one side is quiet and on the other side is the magnificent scenery of Dunhuang, which is even more charming with the starry sky.
Image from: Photo Network
Tips:
Scenic spot phone number: 8883388 Ticket sales time 6:00-19:30 (will be adjusted according to sunrise and sunset times)
Scenic spot website: www.mssyyq.com
Scenic area tour: You can choose to rent shoe covers to climb Mingsha Mountain and visit Crescent Lake; you can also choose to ride a camel to the back mountain, slide down the mountain and visit Crescent Lake
See Dunhuang Again (20:00)
Encore Dunhuang is one of the best local performances about Dunhuang. There will be additional performances during the peak season. It is recommended to watch it. Tickets can be booked in the evening or purchased directly. It is a participatory performance.
Image from: Yanggu
Silk Road Flower Rain (20:00)
This is a national-level stage play with exquisite form and wonderful dance performances. In addition to "See Dunhuang Again", you can also choose to watch this show.
Image from: Yanggu
The western line of Dunhuang is full of Chinese cultural symbols. As the pass cities leading to the Western Regions, Yangguan and Yumenguan have always been the dividing points of parting in the works of poets.
The Buddhists on the journey, the caravans, and the Gobi Desert on the border together make up the desert style of the western frontier. The scenery here is like a mirage in the mind. You know the desolation of the desert, you know the border guards, you know the devilish Yadan, you know the sound of wind and camel bells, and there is also the sense of immersion on the Silk Road.
Yumen Pass-Yadang (7:30-12:00)
Yumen Pass is a scenic spot on the way to Yadan. Currently, only a small square city built of rammed earth and a museum are left. Apart from this pass, there is a desolate and lonely desert on all sides. In the distance is the Great Wall of Han (currently the best preserved in China). This place is also considered by many domestic scholars to be a granary for border defense, Hecang City.
Tips:
Arrival: If you don't go to Yangguan, chartering a car will cost about 400 yuan. If you choose to share a car, the time and attractions will be relatively fixed, but it is still more convenient. The west line takes a long time all day, so it is recommended to bring some fruits and snacks.
Starting from Yumen Pass, we arrived at the vast expanse of wind-eroded black Gobi Desert and the Dunhuang Yadan Geopark. The wind blowing through the various formations resembled the howling of a demon. However, as the sun set, the unique shapes of the Yadan gradually softened.
The bus to the scenic area will stop at four scenic spots: Golden Lion Welcoming Guests, Sphinx, Peacock Spreading its Tail, and West Sea Fleet. The whole journey takes about 2 hours, but the tourist facilities inside the scenic area are not worth recommending.
Tips:
Address: 160 kilometers west of Dunhuang
Tel: 8841885
Yangguan (14:00-16:00)
No matter when you come to Yangguan, the sun is always scorching. To enter the scenic area, you will first pass the modern Yangguan Pass, and then take the scenic bus to the Yangguang Beacon Tower (ancient monument). At the Yangguan Beacon Tower, you can clearly see the two oases in the north and south, which are currently covered with Yangguan grape vines. There will be a tour guide to lead the group during the visit. If you go further south to Nanhu Township, you will encounter the reservoir in the Gobi, Wuwa Pond, and feel the scenery where the desert, Gobi, grassland and lake are integrated into one.
Tips:
Getting there: Yangguan is located 60 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang. Chartering a car to Yangguan costs about 260 yuan. You can also visit the Western Thousand Buddha Caves and Dunhuang Ancient City together.
Tel: 8833089
Address: Yangguan Village, Nanhu Township (Opening hours 8:00-20:00)
Dunhuang is famous for its donkey meat yellow noodles, which pair best with the local sweet-and-sour apricot peel water. Here are two recommended yellow noodle shops, and apricot peel water (3-5 yuan) is readily available anywhere in Dunhuang.
Images from: Fairytale Cow, Yanggu
The grandfather of Shun Zhang Yellow Noodle House was once recognized as the best yellow noodle restaurant. The founder of Da Ji was also his apprentice. Although the number of tourists has increased, the taste has remained unchanged.
Address: Building 1, Binhe Century Jiayuan, Jinshan Road
Tel: 8824910
Donkey meat is sold at a minimum of half a pound, and the large plate of yellow noodles is even more delicious when paired with home-cooked stir-fries.
Address: West side of Tianrun International Hotel, Xiyu Road
Tel: 8833986
Accommodation in Dunhuang is mainly divided into two areas: near Mingsha Mountain and in the urban area of Dunhuang. There are mostly luxury hotels or B&B towns near Mingsha Mountain, where you can watch the sunrise in the morning and count stars at night, but the room rates are higher during the peak season.
The city of Dunhuang is more lively, with convenient transportation to various places and night market food to choose from, but there is no natural scenery at all.
Dunhuang Villa
Dunhuang Villa focuses on culture and cultural tourism. It has the Zhaixing Pavilion breakfast where you can see the Mingsha Mountain, the Fengguoci Restaurant, etc. The entire hotel is modeled after a desert castle and is full of cultural atmosphere. The hotel will arrange a free shuttle bus to take guests to the Shazhou Night Market, where the "Dunhuang Festival" is also performed.
Hotel location: Opposite to Leiyin Temple on Dunyue Road
Tel: 8882088
Image from: Yanggu
Yuequan Town
Yuequan Town boasts numerous unique guesthouses, offering a unique experience of traditional Northwest China kang-style rooms. The town also boasts open-air barbecues and folk customs, making it a mature tourist destination. It's also the oldest youth hostel in the Hexi Corridor, and its garlic-draped eaves add to its unique character.
Address: 350 meters south of Crescent Lake Neighborhood Committee
Tel: 8803666
Image from: Yanggu
Dunhuang's Shazhou Night Market is Dunhuang's most famous commercial scenic spot and a reflection of Dunhuang's rich products. The front and back of the entire block are filled with Dunhuang delicacies, and the middle section mainly includes Dunhuang's unique handicraft products. The prices of the delicacies are usually higher than other places (not recommended).
However, for souvenirs, you can buy handmade poplar wood boards, sand paintings, and clay sculptures at the Dunhuang Night Market.
The Danghe River originates from the Qilian Mountains and nourishes the entire urban area of Dunhuang. In recent years, the beautiful Danghe scenery has become unique, the golden desert has become a charming night scene, and the pavilions, towers and waterside pavilions are unique in style.
Dunhuang is always full of historical passion. Some people will spend their entire lives devoting all their time to Dunhuang murals and cave art; some people will spend decades working hard to protect the Mogao Grottoes, and we are just a moment of Dunhuang's beautiful silhouette.
