About
Example Itinerary
Colors of Northwest China: Zhangye Danxia & Jiayuguan
- Duration
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Price Per Person
-
Terms & Conditions
Price is based on double or twin hotel room occupancy and includes accommodation, transfers, car/driver, English-speaking guide, activities and entrance fees, breakfasts and some casual lunches while touring. Flights and optional special activities will be quoted separately. Most personal expenses, including dinners, alcoholic beverages, spa treatments and gratuities can be paid on the spot while traveling. Prices may vary depending on season, choice of accommodation and other factors.
- Interests
- Amazing Landscapes
- Destinations
- China
A wonder that’s managed to stay well-hidden from the rest of the world, Zhangye Danxia is an incredible natural escape ideal for those looking for a unique adventure. Get to know the multi-colored cliffs, lush valleys and shallow little caves as you explore this remote area of Northwestern China. Once a stop on the Silk Road, the area has been around for an estimated 66 million years. See what this exotic space has to offer as you take off on our five-day Exploring China’s Wild Northwest Itinerary.
This itinerary is an example. It’s designed to inspire you and provide you with thoughtfully curated ideas. You can choose to do this exact itinerary or completely personalize it. All trips are 100% bespoke.
Highlights
- The End of the Wall: Formerly known as the last bastion of Chinese civilization in the west, Jiayuguan Fortress stood as the first point of entry into Ming-era China. Visit the fortress from where you can spot the end of the Great Wall.
- Colored Mountains: At Zhangye National Geopark, see the bizarre and brightly colored hills, a rare natural phenomenon that make the landforms appear painted.
- Celestial Hoof-Prints: Horse Hoof Temple in Jiayuguan houses the hoof-prints of a celestial horse. Believe it or not, see and judge for yourself.
Day-by-Day
Day 1
Map ▲Jiayuguan
Your adventure begins in bustling Beijing as you catch a flight to Jiayuguan, a relatively small city in northwestern Gansu Province. Here, you will visit the incredible Jiayuguan Fortress. Built in the 1500’s at the height of the Ming Dynasty, the fortress has stood the test of time and much of the structure is in its original condition. Spend the evening relaxing at a hotel of your choice in Jiayuguan.
Hotel Options
Day 2
Map ▲Zhangye Danxia »
Begin the day by travelling by road for 3 hours to Zhangye Danxia and leap off the beaten path as opposed to stepping there. Check into your hotel and then spend the day hiking the picturesque, colorful mountains and cliffs at the Danxia landform. Continue exploring the area on foot, looking for the small, shallow caves hidden along the mountainside. Check out the Bingguo Rock area, a highly-unknown rare rock formation with the landform. Enjoy a stunning hike through the rolling hills and valleys in the region as you walk across the countryside. Retire to your hotel for the evening.
Hotel Options
Zhangye Danxia
Day 3
Map ▲Jiayuguan
See the temple containing China’s largest reclining Buddha when you visit the Giant Buddha Temple. Look at the only known relic revering a heavenly horse’s footprint inside the Horse Hoof Temple. Travel back to Jiayuguan and settle in for the evening.
Hotel Options
Day 4
Map ▲Departure
See the First Beacon Tower of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall just a short drive from the fortress visited earlier in the trip. The fire tower shows the wear of the hundreds of years withstanding the elements of nature, but the original structure is still in decent shape. Here, you’ll view an incredible stretch of the Great Wall without all the crowds that typically line the fortress. Later that evening, fly into Beijing to begin your journey back home.
Why Remote Lands?
Exclusively Asia
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, in the continent that our north American founders Catherine and Jay have adored and explored for decades, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
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A Massachusetts family
We especially enjoyed the opportunities we had to go off the beaten path ... and look forward to sharing even more authentic experiences.
