Code: LANZHOU04
3 Days Lanzhou & Tianshui Hiking Adventure
Being an easily accessible city, Lanzhou is generally thought of as one of the most important railway and air traffic centers in western China. Both Lanzhou Railway Station and West Railway Station are within the downtown area. If you get there by air, you may take either a shuttle bus or an intercity high-speed train to get to the city center which is about an hour's ride. Airport buses usually cost CNY 30 while the ticket price for a second-class seat on the train is CNY 21.5. In the downtown area, taxi and bus are both convenient transport means. There are also many cabs running through the night. We suggest that you arrive in the afternoon to have a good rest in a local hotel for the next day's hiking tour.
Recommended Hotels in Lanzhou:
Haitian Hotel (3-star)
Address: No.678 East Xijin Road, Qilihe District
Telephone number: 0931-2602222
Jinlun Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.72 Hezheng Road, Chengguan District
Telephone number: 0931-4921111
Lualian Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.1 South Tianshui Road, Chengguan District
Telephone number: 0931-49920000
Recommended Hotels in Lanzhou:
Haitian Hotel (3-star)
Address: No.678 East Xijin Road, Qilihe District
Telephone number: 0931-2602222
Jinlun Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.72 Hezheng Road, Chengguan District
Telephone number: 0931-4921111
Lualian Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.1 South Tianshui Road, Chengguan District
Telephone number: 0931-49920000
Lanzhou Zhongshan Bridge, the first bridge on the Yangtze River
Day 1:
For the first day, you can have an easy and flexible city hiking route. In the morning, visit the Zhongshan Bridge, a steel bridge also called 'the First Bridge over the Yellow River'. Built in 1907, it is 256 yards (234 meters) long and 8.2 yards (7.5 meters) wide, supported by six piers with five arches along the bridge. Then, head westwards for about 200 yards (183 meters) and take the ropeway across the Yellow River. Or, you can take a cruise ship to the northern bank at the nearby wharf, which is 1,000 yards (914 meters) east of the bridge. You will find the White Pagoda Park when you arrive. It is a large and quiet area for strolling, housing a temple on the hilltop. Standing at a hillside pavilion, you will have a full view of the rushing Yellow River and the city.
For lunch, try one of the local restaurants, perhaps tasting the representative food, Beef Noodles. In the afternoon, go to Gansu Provincial Museum to get a better understanding of Gansu and the Silk Road. 350,000 cultural relics including natural resources and historical items are exhibited there. After that, the Five Springs Mountain Park should be your next hiking destination. It is both an idyllic garden and large-scale Buddhist buildings complex, located on the northern slope of Gaolan Hill in the south of the city. When the night comes, buildings and bridges are decorated with colored lights. Getting back to the dazzling Zhongshan Bridge to take a walk along the river bank should be a joyful way to kill time.
For the first day, you can have an easy and flexible city hiking route. In the morning, visit the Zhongshan Bridge, a steel bridge also called 'the First Bridge over the Yellow River'. Built in 1907, it is 256 yards (234 meters) long and 8.2 yards (7.5 meters) wide, supported by six piers with five arches along the bridge. Then, head westwards for about 200 yards (183 meters) and take the ropeway across the Yellow River. Or, you can take a cruise ship to the northern bank at the nearby wharf, which is 1,000 yards (914 meters) east of the bridge. You will find the White Pagoda Park when you arrive. It is a large and quiet area for strolling, housing a temple on the hilltop. Standing at a hillside pavilion, you will have a full view of the rushing Yellow River and the city.
For lunch, try one of the local restaurants, perhaps tasting the representative food, Beef Noodles. In the afternoon, go to Gansu Provincial Museum to get a better understanding of Gansu and the Silk Road. 350,000 cultural relics including natural resources and historical items are exhibited there. After that, the Five Springs Mountain Park should be your next hiking destination. It is both an idyllic garden and large-scale Buddhist buildings complex, located on the northern slope of Gaolan Hill in the south of the city. When the night comes, buildings and bridges are decorated with colored lights. Getting back to the dazzling Zhongshan Bridge to take a walk along the river bank should be a joyful way to kill time.
Day 2:
On the second day, we suggest that you get off to an early start out to Tianshui. You can either take a coach at the Eastern Bus Station on Pingliang Road or a train at Lanzhou Railway Station. The duration of both methods is about 4.5 hours. A coach ticket costs variously from CNY45 to 80 by different bus types, while it takes CNY51.5 for a hard-seat on the train. Upon arrival at noon, find a hotel near Central Square in Qinzhou District, and try some local snacks. The city brims with historical sites. In the afternoon, you may visit some of the attractions, such as Fuxi Temple, Nanguo Temple, and Yuquan Taoist Temple. Public bus is very convenient to reach these sights.
Recommended Hotels in Tianshui:
Hualian Hotel (3-star)
Address: No.10 West Minzhu Road, Qinzhou District
Telephone number: 0938-8215356
Golden Sunshine Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.19 Zhonghua West Road, Qinzhou District
Telephone number: 0938-8277777
Tianchen Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.1 Chongxin Street, Qinzhou District
Telephone number: 0938-8391889
On the second day, we suggest that you get off to an early start out to Tianshui. You can either take a coach at the Eastern Bus Station on Pingliang Road or a train at Lanzhou Railway Station. The duration of both methods is about 4.5 hours. A coach ticket costs variously from CNY45 to 80 by different bus types, while it takes CNY51.5 for a hard-seat on the train. Upon arrival at noon, find a hotel near Central Square in Qinzhou District, and try some local snacks. The city brims with historical sites. In the afternoon, you may visit some of the attractions, such as Fuxi Temple, Nanguo Temple, and Yuquan Taoist Temple. Public bus is very convenient to reach these sights.
Recommended Hotels in Tianshui:
Hualian Hotel (3-star)
Address: No.10 West Minzhu Road, Qinzhou District
Telephone number: 0938-8215356
Golden Sunshine Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.19 Zhonghua West Road, Qinzhou District
Telephone number: 0938-8277777
Tianchen Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.1 Chongxin Street, Qinzhou District
Telephone number: 0938-8391889
Maiji Caves in Tianshui
Day 3:
In the early morning, take bus no.34 from the train station to the Maiji Caves, which is one of the four most famous grottoes in China, and it takes about one hour's ride. Maiji Mountain is a single and distinct peak of the Xiaolong Mountain of the Western Qinling Range. In the caves, 7,800 lifelike stone scu1ptures and clay figures from the 4th to l9th centuries have been preserved together with 1,200 square yards (1,003 square meters) of murals. While visiting, be aware that taking photos inside grottoes is not allowed. If there is still time left, you can take a sightseeing bus from Maiji Caves to Immortal Cliff, where temples were built under the shelter of an enormous overhanging cliff.
Afterwards, you can leave Tianshui for your next destination.
In the early morning, take bus no.34 from the train station to the Maiji Caves, which is one of the four most famous grottoes in China, and it takes about one hour's ride. Maiji Mountain is a single and distinct peak of the Xiaolong Mountain of the Western Qinling Range. In the caves, 7,800 lifelike stone scu1ptures and clay figures from the 4th to l9th centuries have been preserved together with 1,200 square yards (1,003 square meters) of murals. While visiting, be aware that taking photos inside grottoes is not allowed. If there is still time left, you can take a sightseeing bus from Maiji Caves to Immortal Cliff, where temples were built under the shelter of an enormous overhanging cliff.
Afterwards, you can leave Tianshui for your next destination.
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