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    • Why Travel with Discover Beijing Tours

      Unique Experiences

      Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.

      Well-Selected Local Guides 

      Knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and attentive — your personal local guides will share interesting stories, insider information, and even create unexpected highlights!

      Your Booking is Risk-Free 

      Cancel up to 24 hours before the travel date in advance for a full refund
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    7 Days Gansu Highlights Tour with Badain Jaran Desert Adventure

    7 days

    Badain Jaran Desert Tour: Mogao Caves, Great Wall & Rainbow Mountains

    Why choose our Gansu Highlights Tour? As a vital stop on the ancient Silk Road, Gansu boasts every landscape imaginable—mountains, plains, plateaus, canyons, deserts, rivers, lakes, glaciers, forests, and grasslands—all except the ocean. Our 7-day tour lets you experience the best of Gansu, with an exciting adventure in the Badain Jaran Desert.
    On this journey, you’ll visit Dunhuang’s Mogao Grottoes (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the iconic Singing Sand Dunes & Crescent Spring. In Jiayuguan, explore the Overhanging Great Wall and Jiayuguan Pass. In Zhangye, marvel at Dafo Temple (said to be Kublai Khan’s birthplace) and the stunning Zhangye Danxia Geopark, known as the “Rainbow Mountains.”
    The tour also includes an adventure in the Badain Jaran Desert—China’s third-largest desert and hailed as its most beautiful. Spanning Gansu, Ningxia, and Inner Mongolia, this UNESCO-listed desert is famous for its towering sand dunes (up to 500 meters high), singing sands, lakes, springs, and ancient temples.
    Experience Gansu’s unmatched mix of culture, nature, and adventure—book our 7-day highlights tour to witness these wonders up close!

    Itinerary Quick Look

    7-Day Gansu & Badain Jaran Desert Tour: Mogao Caves, Great Wall & Rainbow Mountains

    Day 1: Arrival in Dunhuang

    Welcome to Dunhuang, a Silk Road gem in Gansu! Upon arrival at Dunhuang Mogao International Airport, your private guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. Spend the rest of the day exploring at your own pace—ask your guide for local tips.

    Top Free-Time Picks:

    • Dunhuang Museum (Closed Mondays, reservation required): Admire 13,000+ relics (including Western Han hemp paper and a 1:1 replica of Mogao Cave 45).
    • Shazhou Night Market: Taste local specialties like Apricot Skin Water, Donkey Meat Noodles, and Bubble Oil Cakes.

    How to Get to Dunhuang:

    • By Air: Direct flights from Beijing (3h45min), Shanghai (4h25min), Chengdu (2h40min), Xi’an (2h40min), Lanzhou (1h35min). The airport is 13km from the city center.
    • By Train: High-speed trains to Dunhuang Railway Station (10km from downtown) or Liuyuan Railway Station (130km from downtown) connect to major cities.
    Meals: None | Accommodation: Dunhuang

    Day 2: Dunhuang Highlights – Mogao Caves & Mingsha Mountain

    Morning: Mogao Grottoes (4-4.5hrs)

    Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as the “Treasure House of Eastern Art.” With 735 caves, 45,000㎡ of murals, and 2,415 clay sculptures spanning 1,000+ years, it’s a masterpiece of Buddhist art. Start at the Digital Center (40-minute film) before taking a shuttle to the caves—visit 8 key caves with a site interpreter (no photography inside). Optional: Visit the Cultural Relics Protection Center for 1:1 replicas (photography allowed).

    Afternoon: Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Spring

    Experience the “First Spring in the Desert” nestled among colorful sand dunes. Enjoy activities like camel riding, sandboarding, or desert off-roading (self-pay). Don’t miss the stunning sunset over the crescent-shaped lake.

    Optional Evening Shows (Reservation Required):

    • “Ancient Sound of Dunhuang” (year-round): Immersive cave-style performance.
    • “Dunhuang Celebration” / “Encore Dunhuang” / “Thousand-Handed, Thousand-Eyed” (peak season only).
    Notes:
    • Mogao Caves require real-name timed reservations (A Ticket: 8 caves + 2 films; B Ticket: 4 caves).
    • Protect camera equipment from sand in the desert.
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Dunhuang

    Day 3: Dunhuang → Jiayuguan (400km, 5hrs) – Great Wall Highlights

    Morning: Overhanging Great Wall

    Climb this 750-meter Ming Dynasty section, built on steep cliffs (up to 45° incline). Enjoy panoramic views of the desert and oasis from the top watchtower.

    Afternoon: Jiayuguan Pass

    Visit the westernmost pass of the Ming Great Wall (a UNESCO site), known as “The Impregnable Pass under Heaven.” Explore its well-preserved inner city, outer city, and moat—optional: Get a traditional “pass permit” for a time-travel experience.

    Optional Stop:

    • Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum: China’s first Great Wall-themed museum, with exhibits on military history and relics like a 2,000-year-old “Wild Boar’s Hoof.”
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Jiayuguan

    Day 4: Jiayuguan → Zhangye (260km, 4hrs) – Dafo Temple & Rainbow Mountains

    Morning: Zhangye Dafo Temple

    Visit this 900-year-old Western Xia royal temple, home to Asia’s largest indoor reclining Buddha (34.5m long). Explore murals (including a pre-novel “Journey to the West” depiction) and ancient scriptures.

    Afternoon: Zhangye Danxia National Geopark

    Witness the world-famous “Rainbow Mountains”—vibrant layered rock formations formed over 65 million years. Take a shuttle to 4 observation decks (No.1 for panoramic views, No.4 for sunset). A filming location for The Great Wall and Mulan, it’s a paradise for photographers.

    Optional Stops:

    • Shanxi Guild Hall: A 300-year-old complex built by Shanxi merchants.
    • Zhangye City Museum: 10,000+ relics, including a 1:1 replica of Golden Tower Temple grottoes.
    Notes:
    • Dafo Temple’s reclining Buddha is under digital restoration (expected completion: June 2025).
    • Best photo times: Sunrise, sunset, or after rain (brighter colors).
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Zhangye

    Day 5: Zhangye → Badain Jaran Town (147km, 2.5hrs)

    Morning: Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon

    Hike through this red bed canyon, praised as a “hidden gem” by China National Geography. Marvel at wind-and-water-sculpted landscapes compared to Colorado’s Grand Canyon.

    Afternoon: Transfer to Badain Jaran Desert

    Head to the UNESCO-listed Badain Jaran Desert—China’s third-largest and most beautiful desert. Overnight in Badain Jaran Town, adjacent to the desert park.
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Badain Jaran Town

    Day 6: Badain Jaran Desert Jeep Safari

    Embark on an exciting jeep tour of the desert’s “Five Wonders”:
    1. Giant Dunes: Up to 500m high, some of the world’s tallest.
    2. Singing Sands: Eerie sounds from shifting sand.
    3. Colorful Lakes: 113 lakes (12 freshwater), including the vivid Red Lake (Dagetu).
    4. Oasis Springs: Miraculous springs like Yinde Ritu’s 108 water sources.
    5. Ancient Temples: 200-year-old Badain Jaran Temple by the lake.
    Explore the eastern route (lakes, springs, and Pearl Peak) and overnight in a desert tent.
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Badain Jaran Desert (Tent)

    Day 7: Desert Sunrise & Departure

    Wake up for a unforgettable desert sunrise. Continue exploring the western route—visit Suming Jilin Temple and more lakes before concluding the tour at noon.

    Departure Options:

    1. Transfer to Badain Jaran Airport for your next flight.
    2. Private transfer back to Zhangye.
    Thank you for choosing our tour! We hope to welcome you again for more Asian adventures. Safe travels!

    Extension Ideas:

    • Extend in Gansu: Explore Lanzhou, Wuwei, or Jiuquan.
    • Continue to other Chinese cities: Xining, Turpan, Chengdu, Lhasa, Xi’an, Beijing, or Shanghai.
    Meals: Breakfast | Accommodation: None

    Discount available at low season, please send inquiries!

    • Included
      Guide Service: Professional English-speaking tour guide.
      Attraction Tickets: All entrance fees to the sites listed in the itinerary.
      Transportation: Airport transfers on arrival and departure. Private Vehicle for city sightseeing tours. Shinkansen (bullet train) tickets.
      Accommodation: Hotels are listed in the itinerary.
      Meals: Daily breakfast at the hotel.
      Service fee: planning, handling, operational and communication charges
    • Not Included
      Travel Insurance: Travel insurance is not included.
      Visa Fees: Cost of tourist visa if required, depending on the traveler’s nationality.
      Optional Tours and Activities: The cost of all optional activities in the itinerary is not included.
      Single Supplement: Additional charge for travelers who wish to have a private room.
      Tips and Gratuities: Tips for tour guides and drivers, which are optional and at the traveler’s discretion.
      Overtime Service Fees：Additional charges may apply for services requested beyond the scheduled hours.
      Personal Expenses: Shopping, additional meals, snacks, and beverages outside of those specified in the itinerary.
      Tax: Japanese municipal lodging tax and onsen (hot spring) tax, as well as consumption tax on purchases. These taxes are typically not included in the tour package price and are payable on-site as required.


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    7 Days Gansu Highlights Tour with Badain Jaran Desert Adventure

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