Don’t you want to come and experience the wonders of nature up close?
First stop: Colorful Danxia in Gansu
🚏Transportation options
🚄High-speed rail: High-speed rail is faster and more comfortable, so it is recommended as a priority. After arriving in Zhangye, you can take the local tourist bus 🚌 or charter bus 🚙 to the Colorful Danxia Scenic Area, which takes about 1 hour 📡⏰.
From downtown Zhangye: Once you have arrived in downtown Zhangye, you can choose to take a tourist bus 🚌 or a taxi 🚕 to Colorful Danxia.
🚗Self-driving tour: Choose self-driving, starting from Zhangye city, drive along G30 Lianhuo Expressway to Linze Exit, and then follow the signs to the Colorful Danxia Scenic Area. The road condition is good throughout the journey and it takes about 1 hour to drive. There are ample parking spaces in the scenic area for self-driving tourists to park.
🚍Public transportation: There are shuttle buses 🚌 from Zhangye Bus Station to Linze County. After arriving in Linze, you can take a local minibus 🚌 or taxi 🚕 to reach the scenic spot.
⛳️Tourism Features
[One] is a colorful landscape feature. The Colorful Danxia is famous for its rich color layers. The mountain presents seven main colors: red, yellow, orange, green, gray, white and purple, just like an overturned palette from heaven. These colors present different effects as the light changes, and are most spectacular at sunrise and sunset.
[Two] are unique geological structures. Typical Danxia landforms are developed here. After hundreds of millions of years of geological evolution and weathering erosion, various unique shapes such as castles, pagodas and columns have been formed. Among them, the most famous attractions such as the Colorful Screen, the Dragon Playing with Fire, and the Colorful Flying Clouds all showcase the wonders of nature.
[Three] is rich in cultural connotations. The colorful Danxia not only has natural aesthetic value, but is also closely connected with the Silk Road culture and the history of the Hexi Corridor. There are also many historical and cultural relics around, such as Zhangye Big Buddha Temple, Mati Temple, etc., providing tourists with a comprehensive experience combining nature and humanity. [Four] The complete tourist facilities in the scenic area are also a major feature. Facilities such as viewing platforms and wooden plank roads have been built to protect the fragile geological environment and facilitate tourists' viewing.
The best time to view the colorful Danxia is in the early morning or late evening, when the colors are more vivid when the sun is shining obliquely. There are multiple observation decks in the scenic area. The recommended order of visiting is observation decks 2, 1, and 4. The ticket price is 74 yuan💰, including sightseeing bus ticket🎫. Drone flying is not allowed in the scenic area, so please pay special attention.
Second stop: Gansu: "Sons of the Earth", "Boundless", "Hanwu Heroes"
⛳️"Sons of the Earth" travel features
[One] is a stunning visual art experience. The giant baby sculpture and the vast Gobi Desert form a surreal picture. The changing light and shadow at sunrise and sunset are particularly infectious. Its core landscape is the giant sculpture "Son of the Earth" created by Tsinghua University professor Dong Shubing. The prone posture of the baby forms a strong visual contrast with the Gobi Desert, showing the artistic concept of symbiosis between man and nature. The sculpture is 15 meters long, 4.3 meters high and 9 meters wide. It is made of red sandstone blocks and has become a new cultural landmark on the Silk Road.
[Two] has profound cultural connotations. The work uses the image of babies to convey the dialogue between life and the earth, tradition and the contemporary;
[Three] is the unique location advantage. Although it is located deep in the Gobi Desert, it can activate the cultural memory of the ancient Silk Road through modern sculptures.
⛳️《Unbounded》 travel features
[One] Gansu’s borderless tourism breaks through geographical boundaries. Gansu is located in the northwest region and has rich natural landscapes and cultural resources. Through borderless tourism, tourism resources from all parts of the province have been integrated to form a cross-regional linkage development model.
[Two] Gansu has significant climate differences, and traditional tourism is often greatly affected by the seasons. Wujie Tourism has achieved an uninterrupted year-round tourism experience by developing tourism products suitable for all four seasons, such as hot spring health care in winter, flower viewing in spring, grassland summer vacation, and poplar forest photography in autumn.
[Three] Gansu's borderless tourism breaks down industry barriers. It deeply integrates tourism with multiple industries such as culture, agriculture, and sports, and develops new business formats such as cultural and tourism integration, and agricultural and tourism integration. For example, the digital display center of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang perfectly combines high technology with cultural protection, and the pastoral homestays on the Gannan grasslands allow tourists to experience the original Tibetan life.
[Four] Through the Internet platform and big data technology, Gansu Tourism has achieved seamless integration of online and offline. Visitors can customize their itineraries through mobile phone apps, obtain real-time scenic spot information, and enjoy smart guide services, greatly improving travel convenience.
[Five]Gansu borderless tourism has also broken the traditional consumption pattern. It advocates the concept of sharing economy, develops new types of accommodation such as homestays and RV camps, and launches participatory projects such as special food experiences and intangible cultural heritage handicraft production, allowing tourists to transform from mere sightseers into in-depth experiencers.
⛳️Tourism Features of "Hanwu Heroes"
[One] is rich in history. The Hexi Corridor, as the throat of the Silk Road, retains a large number of Han Dynasty relics. The Yangguan and Yumenguan sites in Dunhuang bear witness to Zhang Qian's feat of opening up the Western Regions. The bronze galloping horse unearthed from the Leitai Han Tomb in Wuwei has become a symbol of Gansu tourism. The "Jiuquan" allusion of Huo Qubing in Jiuquan has been passed down to this day. These historical marks constitute a unique cultural landscape.
[Two] is the distinct military culture. The frontier system built in the Han Dynasty to resist the Huns is well preserved. Military facilities such as the Jiayuguan Great Wall and the Xuanbi Great Wall demonstrate ancient military wisdom. The Shandan Military Horse Farm continues the horse-breeding tradition of more than 2,000 years, allowing tourists to experience the heroic spirit of the frontier.
[Three] is a fusion of multiple cultures. The Hexi Corridor is the intersection of Eastern and Western civilizations. The Mogao Grottoes, Tianti Mountain Grottoes and other Buddhist art treasures showcase the treasures of cultural fusion. The unique art forms such as Dunhuang dance and Liangzhou Ci are still shining today. The post station culture and business travel stories on the Silk Road add humanistic charm to tourism.
[MealCover] Delicious food recommendations
[One] I highly recommend Zhangye Fish Noodles. This pasta dish has a unique production process. The chef kneads the dough into the shape of small fish 🐟, which has a chewy and smooth taste. Served with a special mutton soup base 🥩, sprinkled with coriander and chili oil 🌶, it is extremely delicious.
[Two] is "Chao Bola", which is made by stir-frying mutton offal and noodles, and it has a fragrant aroma.
[Three] There is also "Gray Bean Soup", which is made from local specialty gray beans and is rich in nutrition and taste. Finally, don’t forget to try the "oil cake", which is crispy on the outside and glutinous on the inside, sweet but not greasy, and is a great snack.
Recommended accommodation near Qicai Danxia Scenic Area
1. Danxia Pearl Hotel (four-star) is located at the entrance of Zhangye Danxia National Geopark, within walking distance of the scenic area gate. The hotel has complete facilities, including a restaurant, conference room, etc. Some rooms offer direct views of the Danxia landform.
2. Qicai Danxia Hotel (three stars) is only 800 meters away from the scenic area and is an economical and affordable choice. It provides services such as 24-hour hot water and free WiFi, suitable for tourists with limited budget.
3. Linze Danxia International Camping Base, a characteristic tent camp, provides a variety of accommodation options including starry sky rooms and RV camps. At night, you can enjoy the bright starry sky 🌌 and experience the unique desert camping 🏜.
Recommended accommodation near Son of the Earth Scenic Area
1. Jiayuguan Guanli Hotel (four-star) is located in the urban area of Jiayuguan, a 30-minute drive from the Son of the Earth scenic spot. Modern facilities are complete and some rooms have views of the Great Wall.
2. Jiayuguan Hotel (three stars) is a long-established state-owned hotel with high cost-effectiveness. Provide authentic Northwestern cuisine 🍽, convenient transportation 🚏.
Recommended accommodation near Hanwuxiong Scenic Area
1. Dunhuang Sunshine Shazhou Hotel (four-star) is a 15-minute drive from the scenic area and has a strong Western style. 🏫The hotel is equipped with indoor swimming pool🏊🏻, SPA center and other supporting facilities.
2. Dunhuang Villa (four-star) is a hotel with antique architectural style and a courtyard layout full of Silk Road cultural atmosphere. It is about 20 minutes' drive from the scenic spot, with excellent service.
Special Accommodation near Wujie Scenic Area
1. Mars Camp (special B&B) is a themed accommodation simulating the Martian environment, located in Jinchang Mars No. 1 Base. It provides a space capsule-style accommodation experience, suitable for tourists who are looking for novel experiences.
2. Jinchang Hotel (four-star) is a high-standard business hotel in the city, about 40 minutes' drive from Wujie Scenic Area. The facilities are modern and the service is professional.
3. Desert Star Tent Hotel is located on the edge of the Badain Jaran Desert and offers luxury tent accommodation. You can watch the magnificent Milky Way at night, and special experiences such as desert dinner are included.
[!][!][!]Precautions
Things to note when visiting Colorful Danxia Scenic Area
1. Climbing and trampling on the Danxia landform is prohibited in the scenic area. Violators will face heavy fines;
2. Ultraviolet rays are strong and sun protection measures must be taken;
3. Drone photography is prohibited in the scenic area;
4. The best viewing time is after sunrise⛅️ and before sunset🌥;
5. Please follow the scenic area guide route and do not enter unopened areas without permission.
Notice for visiting the Son of the Earth Sculpture
1. 🈲It is forbidden to touch the surface of the sculpture;
2. The surrounding area is a desert area, so it is recommended to wear sand-proof shoes👟;
3. Please do not use flash photography during your visit📸;
4. The surrounding supporting facilities are limited, it is recommended to bring your own drinking water💧;
5. Please take away all garbage after your visit.
Things to note about the Hanwu Heroic Sculpture Area
1. 🈲 Climbing the sculptures and pedestals is prohibited;
2. Please remain solemn during the visit and do not make loud noises;
3. Commercial filming is not allowed without permission📵;
4. Pay attention to wind and sun protection 🌞, the wind in the Gobi region is very strong