10 Days Gansu Travel Itinerary

10 Days Gansu Travel Itinerary

Gansu is like a magnificent piece of jade, set among the Loess Plateau, the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, and the Inner Mongolian Plateau. Magnificent loess, boundless grasslands, endless Gobi deserts, and gleaming white glaciers come together to form a grand and awe-inspiring panorama. If you have ten days to explore Gansu, how can you make the most of your time and fully experience its allure? This guide will provide you with a detailed itinerary for an unforgettable ten-day trip, ensuring that you can explore Gansu to the fullest without missing out on its wonders.

10 Days Gansu Itinerary for Family with Kids

Bingling Temple Grottoes

Day 1: After arriving in Lanzhou, take a train to Pingliang City, then enter the Kongtong Mountain Scenic Area and enjoy a restful night at a hotel within the park.

Day 2: Spend a full day exploring the Kongtong Mountain. In the evening, you may also stroll through Kongtong Ancient Town at the foot of the mountain.

Day 3: After breakfast, take a train to Tianshui to visit the Maiji Mountain Grottoes. After that, consider a visit to the Maijishan Hot Springs to enjoy some relaxing family time, and in the evening, you may also try Tianshui Malatang.

Day 4: Return to Lanzhou, take a cable car for a panoramic view of the Yellow River, then visit the Lanzhou Stele Fores. At dusk, you may take a leisurely walk across the Zhongshan Bridge. In the evening, cruise on the Yellow River for a beautiful night scenery.

Day 5: Head to the Qingcheng Ancient Town to explore the ancient and simple charm of Northwest China. In the evening, you may also stay in an inn or guesthouse.

Day 6: Head to the Xinglong Mountain to explore nature. If in winter, you can also enjoy a thrilling skiing experience at the Xinglong Mountain Ski Resort. During the dinner time, you will return to downtown and wander around the Zhengning Road Night Market.

Day 7: Start your day with a bowl of authentic Lanzhou beef noodles, head to the Liujia Gorge Dinosaur National Geopark to enjoy a pleasure family time.

Day 8: Travel to the Liujia Gorge Reservoir, and take a speedboat to the Bingling Temple Grottoes. Take a train or flight to Dunhuang, and enjoy the night market in the Gobi.

Day 9: Visit the Mogao Caves, the treasure house of art, where digital technology brings new vitality to this ancient art. In the afternoon, head to the Mingsha Mountain to enjoy sand activities and camel riding, and take in the beautiful sunset over the Crescent Spring.

Day 10: Explore the Ancient City of Dunhuang and soak in the rich Northwestern Chinese atmosphere. Nearby, you can also visit Silk Road Heritage City to gain deeper insight into the glorious history of the Silk Road.

10 Days Gansu Itinerary for Seniors with Slow Pace

Yellow River

Day 1: After arriving in Lanzhou, take some time to rest in your hotel. After dinner, you may take a cruise to enjoy the nightscape of the city.

Day 2: After breakfast, watch the Yellow River Mother Statue, then walk along the Yellow River Line, visit the Zhongshan Bridge and the Waterwheel Expo Garden. In the evening, you may watch the Yellow River Music Fountain, and head to the Lanshan Mountain to the Santai Pavilion for a stunning night view of Lanzhou.

Day 3: Head to the Wuquan Mountain Park to stroll around and appreciate the harmony between nature scenery and ancient architecture. In the afternoon, visit the Gansu Provincial Museum and the Dunhuang Art Gallery. In the evening, if you still have the energy, you can explore the Zhengning Road Night Marker.

Day 4: Travel to the Shichuan Pear Orchard for a walk where you may take some photos, enjoy a picnic, and experience authentic rural leisure.

Day 5: Go to Qingcheng Ancient Town, stroll through its time-worn , explore the traces left by history, and immerse yourself in the rich traditional cultural atmosphere.

Day 6: Return to Lanzhou and visit the Xinglong Mountain, hike up or take the cable car for a more relaxed ascent. In the evening, have a good rest in the downtown.

Day 7: In the morning, head to the Lanzhou Wildlife Park to see the fascinating animals, letting their presence uplift your spirit. In the afternoon, take a train to Dunhuang, enjoy the charm of northwest China, and stroll in the Shazhou Night Market.

Day 8: Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site Mogao Caves and admire the mural art. In the afternoon, head to the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring to enjoy the oasis wonder in the desert. In the evening, watch the performance of See Dunhuang Again.

Day 9: Drive westward, passing by the West Thousand Buddha Caves, the Sites of Yang Pass, and Yumen Pass. You will reach Yangguan Town for lunch, and visit the local graperies. Then continue to the west to the Yardang Devil City to watch the amazing craftsmanship of nature bathed in the golden sunset.

Day 10: Visit the Dunhuang Ancient City for a relaxing exploration, where you can immerse in the ancient-style area, and make the most of your remaining time for free.

10 Days Gansu Itinerary for Young Travelers

Labrang Monastery

Day 1: Arrive in Lanzhou, take a leisurely citywalk in the downtown, admire the beautiful cityscape along the Yellow River. Have a good rest for the following adventure.

Day 2: Travel to Dangchang to visit the Guan'e Valley, the Little Jiuzhaigou, and immerse yourself in its pristine forests where mountains and waters reflect in harmony.

Day 3: After an exploration at the Guanzhu Valley close to the Guan'e Valley, take a bus to Diebu and stay overnight at a guesthouse in Zhagana.

Day 4: Rise early to catch the sunrise over Zhagana, then spend the entire day exploring it at a leisurely pace. Climb to higher vantage points to take in sweeping views, and capture stunning, postcard-worthy photos with every shot.

Day 5: Set out for Zoige in Sichuan and arrive at Huahu Lake, where the wetland scenery is exceptionally beautiful. Afterwards, head to the First Bend of the Yellow River to watch the stunning sunset, before continuing to Tangke Town for an overnight stay.

Day 6: Head to visit the Langmu Temple, and then continue north to the Gahai Lake and Guomang Wetland. Finally you will reach Luqu County and stay overnight there.

Day 7: Drive to the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion, then head to the Sangke Grassland for an experience of traditional herdsmen activities such as horseback riding and archery. In the evening, stay in a local guesthouse or camping on the grassland.

Day 8: Arrive in Xiahe to visit the Labrang Monastery, and then reach the Ganjia Secret Realm. In the evening, you may head to the White Stone Cliff Karst Cave and follow a local herdsman to explore its hidden wonders.

Day 9: Return to Lanzhou, visit the Zhongshan Bridge, and enjoy the sceneries along the Yellow River. In the evening, you may also explore local food at the Zhengning Road Night Market.

Day 10: Experience the Yellow River cableway to view the cityscape, and the take a ride on a traditional sheepskin raft. After that, enjoy your free time in Lanzhou.

10 Days Gansu cultural Immersion Itinerary

Mogao Caves

Day 1: After arriving in Dunhuang, first visit the Dunhuang Museum. In the evening, you can watch the large-scare performance See Dunhuang Again. Then at the Shazhou Night Market, you may also enjoy the delicious food and exquisite handicrafts.

Day 2: In the morning, head to visit the Mogao Caves, watching the mysterious artworks. In the afternoon, head to the Mount Sanwei, renowned for its Buddhist art. Then, arrive at the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring, ride a camel, watch the sunset, and linger to admire the night view of Crescent Spring.

Day 3: Travel west to see around the West Thousand Buddha Caves, the Yang Pass and the Yumen Pass. By evening, return to Dunhuang and explore the Shazhou Night Market.

Day 4: Depart for the Statue, Son of the Earth, and enjoy along the way the magnificent scene of the Heishan Gobi set against the snow-capped peaks of the Qilian Mountains. Then Continue to Jiayuguan City, and explore the Jiayuguan Fortress.

Day 5: Visit the first pass at the western end of the Ming Great Wall and climb on the city wall, experiencing the magnificence along the ancient Silk Road. Then take a bus to Zhangye, stopping along the way to visit the Colorful Danxia.

Day 6: You may visit the Dafo Temple, Jinta Temple and Muta Temple in the downtown, or just stroll among the city. Then head to the Mati Temple and stay at Shandan Army Horse Breeding Farm in a distinctive local wooden cabin.

Day 7: In the morning, watch the sunrise over the grasslands and witness the spectacular sight of galloping horses, and then experience horseback riding while tracing the legendary footsteps of the famed general Huo Qubing. In the evening, take a train to Lanzhou, feel the charm of the Yellow River and Gansu's delicacy.

Day 8: In the morning, visit the Lanzhou Beef Noodle Museum, where you can not only taste authentic beef noodles but also experience the traditional craft noodle-pulling. In the afternoon, take the cableway to the top of the White Pagoda Mountain, then visit the Lanzhou Stele Forest. In the evening, enjoy a night cruise on the Yellow River.

Day 9: Drive to the Bingling Temple and visit its grottoes by cruise. Then arrive in Xiahe and you might see the Sangke Grassland.

Day 10: Visit the Labrang Monastery, try to walk along the world's longest prayer wheel circumambulation and observe the daily life of local pilgrims and monks.

Customize Your Unique Gansu Silk Road Trip

If you are interested in one of the Gansu itineraries mentioned above, please contact us, and we will be happy to customize it and provide a quote tailored to your preferences.

Alternatively, if you would like to customize your Gansu Tour, please visit our Gansu Tour Customized Center. We assure you that you will receive a reply within 24 working hours.

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