Day 1: All over the country → or → Dunhuang ★ Gathering day
All day
"Dun" means "big"; "huang" means "prosperous." "Dunhuang" embodies grandeur and splendor. Since ancient times, Dunhuang has served as a key Silk Road route connecting China to the Western Regions, Central Asia, and Europe, consistently serving as a thriving commercial and economic center. Today, Dunhuang stands as a center of art and culture where Eastern and Western cultures converge. It can be said to be a "Silk Pearl" nestled amidst the vast Gobi Desert.
When you visit Dunhuang, why not follow in Wang Zhihuan's footsteps? Stand at the ruins of Xiaofangpancheng at Yumen Pass, gaze upon this earthen fortress, weathered for two thousand years, and feel the poignant sentiment of "Why should the Qiang flute blame the willows, for the spring breeze does not reach Yumen Pass?" From the vast northwestern desert, contemplate Huo Qubing's warhorse, Wang Zhaojun's pipa music, the prosperity of the Silk Road... these soul-stirring stories buried beneath the wind and sand. In the evening, visit Dunhuang's Shazhou Night Market, enjoy a bowl of donkey meat noodles and a handful of skewers, and experience the vibrant lights and life of the unique northwestern region.
How to get to Dunhuang:
Airplane: There are flights to Dunhuang from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Xi'an, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Xining and other places. There are special airfares from time to time, and it is more affordable to travel during the off-season!
Train: Dunhuang has opened high-speed rail from Lanzhou, Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Jiuquan and other places. There are also EMU trains to Hami, Xinjiang from Liuyuan Station, 100 kilometers away from Dunhuang city.
How to get to the hotel:
Dunhuang Airport and Railway Station are not far from the city center. For example, a taxi from the airport to the city center costs about 40 yuan.
Day 2 Dunhuang → Dunhuang Museum → Western Thousand Buddha Caves → Yumen Pass, Dafangpancheng, Han Dynasty Great Wall → Dunhuang
All day
After breakfast today, we'll visit the Dunhuang Museum, our first stop on our Dunhuang tour. Led by a museum guide, we'll explore Dunhuang's development through the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Tubo, the Five Dynasties, and the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Through the thousands of artifacts on display, we'll explore the history of Dunhuang. (If the Dunhuang Museum is closed, we'll visit the Dunhuang Bookstore instead.)
We then left the city of Dunhuang and headed west to the Western Thousand Buddha Caves, where we first encountered Dunhuang art. The Western Thousand Buddha Caves got its name because they are located west of the Mogao Grottoes. The caves were excavated earlier than the Mogao Grottoes, and the Northern Wei Dynasty cave murals are particularly exquisite.
Next, we headed to Yumen Pass, an important pass for communication with the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty. It got its name because it was used to transport a lot of jade. Here we experienced the significance of Dunhuang as a gateway for communication between the East and the West.
Afterwards, we came to Dafangpan City (also known as Hecang City), which is an important border defense reserve site and an important supply source for the Great Wall beacon towers. It is an ancient military supply warehouse preserved in the northwest border defense Great Wall. Then, we continued to visit the ruins of the Han Great Wall and looked at the low city walls today, imagining how it protected the vast rivers and mountains in the past.
Day 3 Dunhuang → Yulin Grottoes → Dunhuang
All day
I have heard that you have arrived in Guazhou after your journey of thousands of miles. After breakfast today, we will head east to the Yulin Grottoes. Also known as the "Ten Thousand Buddha Gorge," the Yulin Grottoes were first constructed during the Northern Wei Dynasty. They were carved entirely into the steep cliffs on either side of the Yulin River Gorge, creating a magnificent scene resembling a crack in the earth. The Yulin Grottoes belong to the same architectural system as the Dunhuang Grottoes, sharing the same content, style, and form as the Mogao Grottoes, earning them the nickname "sister caves." Second only to the Mogao Grottoes, they are China's greatest treasure trove of mural art, boasting 43 intact caves housing exquisite murals from various dynasties. At the Yulin Grottoes, we will visit five full-scale caves and two representative caves (special caves).
Afterwards, we will return to Dunhuang, where tourists can move freely. (They can visit Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake Scenic Area or Dunhuang Night Market to enjoy the charm of the night market.)
Day 4 Dunhuang → Mogao Grottoes → Encountering Mineral Colors → Dunhuang
All day
After breakfast today, we will head to the Dunhuang Temple [Mogao Grottoes]. Before arriving at the real core cave area, we will first arrange a digital movie "Millennium Mogao" and a dome movie "Dream Buddha Palace" to have a general understanding of the Mogao Grottoes.
Then, we'll visit eight of the Mogao Grottoes with a senior guide. We'll gain a vivid and systematic understanding of the different types of caves and murals, discover the origins of the Nine-Colored Deer story, and truly experience the profoundness of Dunhuang's cave art.
Afterwards, we will participate in the special experience [Meet Mineral Colors] taught by the teachers of the research institute, learn the secret of how murals do not fade, grind the same minerals as the Mogao Grottoes murals by ourselves, and experience hand-painting Mogao murals. After the end, you can also take the mineral specimens and paintings you ground home as a souvenir.
Day 5 Dunhuang → Second visit to Mogao Grottoes → Special Grottoes → Mysterious Easter Eggs → Nationwide
All day
Today we will return to Mogao Grottoes and visit 4 rare caves and 2 special-grade grottoes. Follow the senior guide of Mogao Grottoes to witness the different aspects of Mogao Grottoes again. The special-grade grottoes are not open to the public on a regular basis, and usually only a few scholars and experts visit them. We will specially arrange for the best of them to meet you.
We will then arrange an in-depth [Easter Egg] trip to Dunhuang. During this trip, you can get a deeper understanding of Dunhuang. As for what the Easter Egg is, see you in Dunhuang.
We will then transfer you to Dunhuang Airport and Railway Station, where you can leave Dunhuang and return home on your own (we recommend booking flights and trains departing after 17:00).
