13 Days Gansu-Ningxia-Xi'an Landscape Tour

Welcome to Yinchuan! The capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, lies to the west of the Yellow River and to the east of Helan Mountain. Meet your guide and driver at the airport with your name board, then bring to hotel and check in.

After lunch, we will visit Museum of Ningxia, which is a great place to spend an afternoon in Yinchuan. There is plenty to discover in this grand building. Not only is it a great place to visit, but it is also free. Whether you love museums or you just want to learn more about the beautiful province of Ningxia, this is the place for you. Or you can visit Nanguan Mosque. There is a number of mosques in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, as most of the Huis are believers of Islam. The Nanguan Mosque is a famous one among thousands of mosques in Ningxia.

Around the hillsides of the Helanshan, there are several tens of thousands of rock carvings by ancient nomadic tribes, which are known as Helanshan Rock Carvings. The carvings were drawn in various styles with profound connotation and scattered only in certain areas. Among the animal paintings, there are running deer, blue sheep, tigers and leopards, duckbills, and flying birds. The Helanshan was not only a place rich in old rock arts, but also the center for ancient nomads to hold sacrifices. Next, we continue to visit the Western XiXia Imperial Tombs, located on the eastern slopes of the Helan Mountains, about 30 kilometers west of the city of Yinchuan. It is unique among royal burials. The layout is patterned after the celestial bodies.

Morning we will be driving to Qingtongxia county, there are a group of magnificent pagodas ranging orderly along the contour of the mountain on the cliff in the west bank of Qingtong Gorge. The cluster is in the shape of triangle and composed of 108 pagodas. According to the textual research, the construction began from West Xia Dynasty (1038-1227) and was built as the commemorative pagoda of Buddhism.

Why the number is 108? It is because Buddhism holds that ordinary mortal has 108 annoyances, and Buddhism believers who come to worship the pagodas can drive the 108 troubles away and get good fortune.

Visit Shapotou Scenic Spots, is the biggest natural sand slide field in China. it is also one of China's Four Resonant Sand Fields.When the weather is great, you are able to sliding down the sand hill can hear the sound of sand underneath them, like tolling bells. The experience there is quite adventurous and breathtaking. Thereafter, we will move to Wuwei. Upon arrival check into hotel for a night stay.

After enjoy the nice breakfast at the hotel, today, our tour guide will take you to visit Tiantishan Grottoes, also known as Dafo Temple, 50 kilometers south of Wuwei. It was built in the Northern Liang of the Eantern Jin Period, with a history of about 1,600 years. Tiantishan Mountain's peaks are tall and rugged, steep and high, towering into the sky. And there are stairs on the mountain. Up the stairs along the bumpy path, which like a hanging ladder on the mountain, hence the name of Tiantishan.

Thereafter, driving along the way to Zhangye, our next stop is Matisi Temple ( Horseshoe Temple ), The temple was named by the court as "Puguang Temple" in the 14th year of yongle Period in Ming Dynasty. It houses a saddle and one dragon gown given by some emperor in Qing Dynasty. 

Morning delighted buffet at hotel, we will drive 3hrs to the masterpiece of nature Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, which is situated in the north of Qilian mountains with a distance of 40 km from east Zhangye city. You will be marveled by the colorful layers of mountain ridges in the 4hr's adventure to the different platforms.

Afterwards, 3hrs drive to Jiayuguan and begin our journey to the Jiayuguan Fortress. Standing among vast desert and surrounded by rolling mountains,it looks like a dignified general guarding the grand land. It was constructed with the most integrated defensive system: an inner city, an outer city, and a moat. Besides functioning as a frontier military fortress, it was also an important traffic hub along the Silk Road, the oldest worldwide trading route. Then stay overnight in Jiuquan 

We will be driving to Kara Khoto, located about 25km southeast of Ejina Qi, the allure here is the remoteness of the site and surrounding natural beauty. It is also called Black City—inhabited by demons and spirits. A great time to visit is late September to early October when the poplar trees are changing colours; but be warned that every hotel room in Ejina Qí will be booked out at this time. After visiting, drive to Ejina, visit Ejina museum if still open.

We will drive to Juyan lake, a former lake in the Gobi desert. It is located in the western part of Inner Mongolia, in Ejin Banner of the Alxa League, near the border with Outer Mongolia. The Juyan Lake basin is a rare wetland located in a desert. It covers an area of about 10,000 square kilometres . The Juyan lake is one of three former terminal lakes located at the outer edges of the Heihe River ('Black River') catchment which formed a large inland delta between the Qilian and the Gobi Altay. take road G7 directly to Guazhou, night in Guazhou

Continue tour to the Dunhuang. we will visit the non-touristy Yulin Grottoes built from 7-14AD after 2hrs driving, relax walking by the side of the Yulin River and enjoy 6-7 caves which paintings are generally in good shape,especially the green blue colour of paintings are original and very rare.  

Then visit Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake, where you can ride the camels for 40mins to experience the beautiful desert scenery in the sunset. It is also fun to climb up to the top of the sand dune by the ladders to have the bird-view of the park and slide down to the bottom.

The first site we will visit is the Yumenguan Pass, it got the name because the famous Khotan jade entered the Dunhuang from here. Yumenguan pass and Yangguan pass were the two critical defensive passes protecting Dunhuang from invasion from the West about thousands of year ago. From here you can not only learn more history and culture about the ancient Silk Road, but also learn many famous poems of Tang Dynasty.

Our next destination is Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the great artistic and religious wonders of the world and it is famous for its exquisite murals and various sculptures inside the caves, which was built in different dynasties, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art. Night train to Lanzhou. Night on train.

Today guide you through the Labrang monastery, the most populous monks outside of Tibet. You will stay at Thangka Sunning Terrace that is one of a good place to view the monastery and surrounding scenery. Inside the monastery, apart from magnificent Buddha stupas and wall paintings, prayer wheels are also the must-see spot. The whole monastery is surrounded by wheels, walk along the corridor, rotate the wheels and pray for chasing away the troubles.

Today's tour begin with going to hill south of Labrang for pictures. Then drive to Water Curtain Cave, which is in the Zhonglou Mountain, 25 kilometers (16 miles) northeast of Wushan County. In addition to beauty of the surrounding valley scenery, the Water Curtain Cave Grottoes and cliff-side inscriptions are also unforgettable sights. Afterwards, drive to Tianshui for overnight stay

Today we will journey to visit Maijishan Grottoes, a network of caves and walkways carved into the cliff side, where we can enjoy Buddhist artwork and exquisite clay sculpture art. A trail for tourists has been made all around this mountain to give them the chance to visit the grottoes nestled inside the mountain itself. The path is a little bit dangerous especially if the above mentioned trail is packed with tourists. So please tightly hold the handrail for your safety.

Afterwards, we will drive all the way to Xi'an, upon arrival, head to visit Qian Tomb, lies on Liangshan Hill, about 80 kilometers from Xi'an. It took 23 years to complete Qian Tomb. 

After delighted breakfest, tour starts with driving about 1 hour to the countryside of the Xi'an city and visits the most imposing historic site Terracotta Warriors, the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century. After visiting, our journey comes to an end. You will be transferred to the airport or train station based on your schedule.