Gansu
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Trip.Best Top 15 Fall Viewing Attractions in Gansu [2024]
Updated Nov 2024
- 8.84.6/519650 reviewsFrom903.87"Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring are a famous scenic spot in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, attracting countless tourists with their unique desert wonders and beautiful natural landscapes. Mingsha Mountain - **Geographical location**:Mingsha Mountain is located 5 kilometers south of Dunhuang City, 40 kilometers east and west, about 20 kilometers north and south, and the main peak is 1715 meters above sea level. -**Natural landscape**:Mingsha Mountain is famous for its strange phenomenon of sand motion and sound, the sand is delicate and soft, suitable for sandboarding activities. In sunny weather, the mountain experience the sound of silk bamboo orchestra, spread tens of miles. -**Cultural background**: Mingsha Mountain was called Shajiao Mountain in the East Han Dynasty, and Mingsha Mountain was called in the Jin Dynasty, and it was named because of its sand movement. -**Travel experience**: Tourists can ride camels across the desert, experience the fun of sandboarding and mountaineering, and watch the sunrise and sunset on the top of the mountain to feel the magnificent and vast desert. ###2. Crescent Spring - **Geographical location**: Crescent Spring is located in Mingsha Mountain surrounded by, nearly 100 meters in north and south, about 25 meters in width from east to west, and the spring water is shallow in the east and west, about 5 meters in the deepest, shaped like a crescent. -**Natural landscape**: Crescent spring water quality is sweet, clarified like a mirror, surrounded by green trees, like an oasis in the desert. The spring water has never been buried by quicksand, and has never been evaporated and dried, known as the "first spring of the desert". - **Cultural background**: Crescent Spring is known as Shajing in ancient times, also known as Yaoquan, and Crescent Spring in the Qing Dynasty. Its shape is similar to a crescent moon, so it is named. -"Dunhuang.Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring>100 km from downtownDesertsNighttime sightseeing
No.1 of Best Things to Do in GansuHighlights: Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake is located south of the City of Dunhuang. The site features a mountain and a spring that are symbols of Dunhuang. You should visit the sightseeing area in the afternoon to avoid the heat of the midday desert. Once the sun goes down, you can climb the mountain. From its peak, you can enjoy the desert and Crescent Lake at the base of the mountain. The scenic area offers a variety of recreational activities, including camel riding, sandboarding, motorcycling in the desert, archery, and helicopter tours.Show Less - 6.34.6/51093 reviews"Arrived before the end of the Populus euphratica season, the strong wind fell a lot overnight, but according to the strategy, I went straight to Jinbo Lake, and still saw the beautiful scenery, and then walked from Jinbo Lake to the Golden Pagoda, passing a path full of leaves, beautiful! This is also a concentrated play strategy, the other is not interesting."Jinta>100 km from downtownDesertsFeatured in Best Things to DoHighlights: The Jinta Desert Poplar Forest Attraction is located on the north side of the middle section of the ancient Silk Road and 6 kilometers northwest of Jinta County, Gansu Province. It consists of five functional areas: the Poplar Forest-Jinbo Lake Core Scenic Area, the Elaeagnus angustifolia Forest Sightseeing Area, the Desert Red Willow Forest Conservation Area, the Desert Entertainment Experience Area and the Desert Reed Maze Area. It covers an area of more than 80,000 mu. The Attraction is distributed with 10,000 mu of Poplar Forest, the largest "fossil-level plant" in the northwest region, which is of great ornamental value. The Jinbo Lake is rippling, the Poplar Forest is dazzling, the Elaeagnus angustifolia flowers are fragrant, there are many kinds of wild animals, the red willows are intoxicated in autumn, the white flowers of the reeds are cold, the beach is soft and the sun is charming. When you visit this place, you can fully appreciate the desert style, appreciate the Poplar Culture, explore the secluded realm of the Tonglin, and experience the wild fun of the desert. This is a tourist destination integrating ecological afforestation, windbreak and sand fixation, Dining and entertainment, leisure and vacation, photography creation, and sightseeing tourism. It has been rated as a place with beautiful autumn colors in Gansu Province. When a cool autumn breeze blows across the desert, the poplar forest changes from dark green to light yellow, and then to apricot yellow. Climbing high and looking far away, the golden autumn sea is refreshing. The setting sun is vast, and the evening glow is a touch. The poplars change from golden yellow to golden red, and then to a brown red, gradually blending into the hazy night. After a night of frost, the poplar forest is as red as the maple leaves of Xiangshan Mountain, as if it is burning. And on the crown branches of each tall poplar tree, light green and light yellow leaves occasionally flash, staggered and colorful. When the autumn wind blows, the golden leaves of the poplars fall to the ground with a "rustling" sound, and the ground is covered with a golden carpet, brilliant and solemn. Walking in the poplar forest is like entering a fairyland in mythology. The dense poplars are strange and varied, with various expressions. The sturdy poplars are so big that it is difficult for several people to hug them. Some are as tall as 15 to 20 feet. They are strange and look like dragons leaping and twisted and dancing wildly, which is amazing. The dense leaves are also unique. The leaves of young poplars are narrow and small, like the willow eyebrows of a girl, and people often mistake them for willows; the leaves of middle-aged poplars become oval or triangular, like the white birch in Xing'an Mountains; the leaves of old poplars are elliptical. What's more, the upper and lower layers of the crown of the same poplar grow leaves of several different shapes, which is amazing.Show Less
- 8.34.4/58274 reviewsFrom476.59"The overall itinerary is not very tight, but the harvest is full, and the overall arrangement is still very satisfactory. This season, there are few people and it is not cold, which is very suitable for travel. How to shoot gold is strong in autumn, and the sky is infinitely beautiful blue."Dunhuang>100 km from downtownGrottoesUNESCO World Heritage - Cultural SitesNighttime sightseeingNo.3 of Best Things to Do in GansuHighlights: The Mogao Caves, also called Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, is located in the southeast of Dunhuang city. The Mogao Caves scenic area consists of the Mogao Caves Digital Center and the Mogao Caves. The Mogao Caves Digital Center shows short films about the caves. After thousands of years of carving, the caves have a large number of murals, cultural relics, and etc. It's a world-famous Buddhist art destination. The artistic characteristics of the caves are mainly reflected in the ingenious combination of architecture, statues and Dunhuang murals, and the artistic styles of many dynasties are vividly and harmoniously presented.Show Less
- 7.64.6/52877 reviewsFrom287.6
126 review"It is certainly worth a visit, and if you are interested in history, art or natural scenery, Maiji Mountain is definitely a good place to visit. Maiji Mountain is known as the national tourist attraction of "Oriental Sculpture Exhibition Hall". It is not only one of the four major grottoes in China, but also listed as a World Heritage Site. It is definitely a place full of history and art. Maijishan's grotto statue is mainly mud-plastic, preserving 221 caves, 10632 mud-plastic stone carvings, and more than 1,000 square meters of murals, these artworks have been completed after thousands of years, each piece has condensed the wisdom and dedication of ancient craftsmen. As you stroll along the plank road and admire these beautiful Buddha statues and murals, it seems that you can travel through time and space and feel the religious beliefs and cultural features of ancient society. And the natural landscape of Maiji Mountain is also a must. It is located at the intersection of Qinling Mountains and Loess Plateau. It is steep and beautiful. Ascending high, you can see the heavy mountains and the green eyes. The river is like a jade belt. It is surrounded by mountains and rivers. The grottoes are dotted with gems, forming a beautiful picture. In addition to the grottoes and natural landscapes, Maiji Mountain Scenic Area has many other attractions worth visiting, such as Xianren Cliff, Xiangji Temple, Shimen Mountain and so on. These attractions have their own characteristics, some winning with natural scenery, and some with humanistic landscapes, which can make you harvest full during the tour."Tianshui.Maiji Mountain Scenic Area>100 km from downtownMountain ClimbingGrottoesHistorical SitesNo.9 of Best Things to Do in GansuHighlights: The Maijishan Grottoes are one of China's four most famous caves. Constructed over 1000 years ago, there are over 200 different caves cut into the side of a hill. Visitors can climb the walkway on the side of the cliff to admire the Buddhist sculptures and surrounding scenery.Show Less - 7.24.5/52121 reviewsFrom476.59
59 review"The scenery is great, but the guide map is not very clear. I was a little confused when I went out, and said that Yangguan only went out and could not go back. It was very inconvenient for friends to store and pick up after buying a book. Can be improved or reminded in advance."Dunhuang>100 km from downtownHistorical SitesNo.11 of Best Things to Do in GansuHighlights: The Yangguan Ancient Site, also known as the Yang Guan Museum, is located on the west side of Dunhuang City. It was constructed during the Western Han Dynasty Wudi Period and is an important gateway of the South Silk Road. It was named after the its location of southern Yumen Pass. In the scenic area, there are a number of tower buildings that are imitations from the Han Dynasty. There are a number of exhibition halls set up to show the numerous artifacts from the ancient Silk Road. Here you can visit the cultural relics, view the architecture and stroll around the residential street.Show Less - 7.14.6/51464 reviewsFrom82.1745 review"I like the Horseshoe Temple Scenic Area very much, so I arranged for half a day, and the end of Jinta Temple, which is also very good. Climbed 33 caves. Very sad, this cave is comparable to the hanging temple. Embody the wisdom of the ancients."Sunan>100 km from downtownTemplesNo.16 of Best Things to Do in GansuHighlights: Mati Temple, otherwise called Puguang Temple, is situated in the Sunan Yugu Autonomous County inside the Qilian Mountains and the immense cave temple complex. On the stone divider, there are various Buddhist statues for present thousand years, and there are skyscraper temples and hollows. It is extremely breathtaking and marvelous. There are temples of Chinese Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhist temples here. The style of a similar place is extraordinary and it is exceptionally one of a kind. There are various amazing landmarks, for example, the paintings and Buddha statues in the cloister, which are fantastic.Show Less
- 6.84.2/5772 reviewsFrom903.87"This is two ditches. The travel agency only arranged to go one. It is a pity that the ticket for Jingjiao car is to buy two ditches together. It is unreasonable. We bought a ticket and only played one ditch. The two ditch cable cars were not connected. They didn't play in the afternoon. The driver didn't report to the station. There were a few points that did not play and the service was poor."Tanchang>100 km from downtownLakesCanyonsNo.20 of Best Things to Do in GansuHighlights: Guan'e Valley is located in Southern Gansu's Suichang County. It is a valley measuring more than thirty kilometers in length. Throughout the length of the valley, there are more than twenty crystal-clear lakes—each a different shade of green. Photographers call it "Little Jiuzhai." The slopes on both sides of the valley are very steep. Many waterfalls flow down the cliff faces. Guan'e Valley is also a famous forest park. In the scenic area, there are vast forests and alpine meadows. The environment is very beautiful.Show Less
- 6.74.4/51673 reviewsFrom1175.0324 review"Take the Jingjiao bus from the ancient town to Xiangshan, enjoy the panoramic scenery of the mountain in the viewing pavilion, then go down to the imperial city, thunder peak, emperor ask, go up the ladder, Chaotianmen to Zhongtai, and then visit the Buddhist monastery, take the Jingjiao bus/cableway from China to the ancient town. It is recommended to buy a ticket to go down the mountain in the middle of the tower courtyard, and take the cableway down the mountain. This route is suitable for all tourists. The cold skin in the imperial city is a must, don't miss it."Pingliang>100 km from downtownMountainsMountain ClimbingFeatured in Best Things to DoHighlights: Kongtong Mountain has a long history and rich cultural connotations. It is the holy place where the ancestor of humanities, Xuanyuan Huangdi, climbed the mountain and asked questions. According to legend, Emperor Xuanyuan visited the western frontier after his achievements and personally visited Kongtong Mountain to ask Guangchengzi, who lived in seclusion in Kongtong Mountain, for advice on how to govern the country and maintain health. Kongtong became famous forever.Kongtong is the cradle of religion where the three religions unite and respect and prosper together. According to Taoist classics, the predecessor of Laozi, the founder of Taoism, was Guangchengzi who practiced in Kongtong, and Guangchengzi was the teacher of the Yellow Emperor. Therefore, Kongtong Mountain is known as "the first Taoist mountain in the world." In addition, Buddhism and Confucianism have made great progress in Kongtong Mountain.Kongtong Mountain is the birthplace of the Kongtong School, the five major martial arts schools in China. Kongtong martial arts is one of the five major martial arts schools along with Shaolin, Wudang, Emei and Kunlun. Kongtong martial arts is closely connected with Taoist culture. It is mysterious and strange, with unique characteristics. It is a wonder of Chinese martial arts.Kongtong Mountain belongs to the Danxia landform in high-altitude areas, which has extremely high scientific research value and extremely beautiful natural scenery. The ancients commented that "Kongtong's mountains and rivers are the best in Guansai", and another commented that "it has the majesty of the mountains in the north and the beauty of the mountains in the south."Kongtong Mountain is one of the country's first batch of 5A-level tourist attractions, a national geological park, one of the "50 Places Worth Visiting for Foreigners in China", and one of the first batch of "Chinese Tourism Culture Demonstration Sites". It is a natural kingdom of animals and plants, with various species of animals and plants. There are more than 1,300 species, and the forest coverage rate reaches more than 90%.Show Less
- 6.64.0/5195 reviewsFrom986.04"Friends with an adventurous spirit can go. I feel that the supply station in the scenic spot is not perfect. At an altitude of four kilometers, there may be high reactions. There is no signal. There are canyons, waterfalls, and grasslands."Tianzhu>100 km from downtownLakesMountainsGrasslandsFeatured in Best Things to DoHighlights: The Attraction is named after the river Binggou River formed by the melting of the glaciers in Qilian Mountain. It is located in the northwest of Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Wuwei City, Gansu Province, at the eastern end of Qilian Mountain, 40 kilometers away from Wuwei City, and is under the jurisdiction of Qilian Town, Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County. The Attraction covers a total area of 9,310 hectares. The terrain is high in the southwest and low in the northeast. The altitude is between 2,050 and 4,874 meters. The high temperature is about 25°C, the low temperature is about minus 20°C, and the annual average temperature is about 5°C. The air is rich in negative oxygen ions, which is nearly a thousand times that of the city. The Attraction contains natural landscapes such as Qilian Glacier, Ami Wanzhi Snow Mountain, Chaillonghai Tianchi, Nimera Grand Canyon, Malanhua Prairie, Honghua Ranch, virgin forest, alpine meadow, etc., and has the reputation of "three seasons in one day, different weather in ten miles". The Attraction has all kinds of reception facilities such as resorts, specialty restaurants, shopping streets, etc. It is an ideal place for leisure, vacation, recuperation, fitness, expansion training, and folk experience. At present, Binggou River Ecological and Cultural Tourism Attraction is the largest national 4A-level tourist Attraction in Hexi Corridor, integrating natural scenery, ecotourism and leisure vacation.Show Less
- 5.64.4/5272 reviewsFrom328.689 review"Xinglong Mountain is located 5,000 meters southwest of Langzhong County, Lanzhou City, 60 kilometers away from Lanzhou City, 2,400 meters above sea level. The ancient name is "Qiyun Mountain" because of "often white clouds and endless", and it is known as "the first mountain on the right". The Xinglong Mountains go east and west, about 37 kilometers long, about 17 kilometers wide, and the altitude range is between 2000 and 3,600 meters. The main peak is composed of the East Peak "Xinglong Peak" (2,400 meters above sea level) and the West Peak "Qiyun Peak" (2,500 meters above sea level)."Yuzhong20.7 km from downtownMountainsForestsHighlights: Xinglongshan Nature Reserve is a popular mountain with long history. It is a place where locals from Lanzhou can climb and exercise and enjoy summer games. The Xinglongshan Nature Reserve is rich in trees, with many blue pines, mountains and rivers. It is a rare and beautiful place compared to the arid northwestern land. When Chiang Kai-shek and Song Meiling visited Lanzhou in the period of the Warlord Era, they lived here and built the Chiang Kai-shek official residence.Show Less
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