Code: LANZHOU02
4 Days Hiking to Lanzhou, Jiuquan, Jiayuguan
Drum Tower in Jiuquan
Day 1:
Jiuquan, 460 miles (740 kilometers) northwest of Lanzhou, is a bright pearl along the Silk Road. Travelers can either take an overnight train from Lanzhou Railway Station or a bullet train from Lanzhou West Railway Station to Jiuquan. It will take about 10 hours by normal train and 6.5 hours by bullet train. You should leave Lanzhou before noon. Upon arrival in Jiuquan, book a hotel to get a good night's rest for the second day's hiking tour.
Upon arrival, you can take a taxi or a bus to the hotel. Public buses no.25 and no.30 at Jiuquan South Railway Station will take you to the city proper.
Jiuquan, 460 miles (740 kilometers) northwest of Lanzhou, is a bright pearl along the Silk Road. Travelers can either take an overnight train from Lanzhou Railway Station or a bullet train from Lanzhou West Railway Station to Jiuquan. It will take about 10 hours by normal train and 6.5 hours by bullet train. You should leave Lanzhou before noon. Upon arrival in Jiuquan, book a hotel to get a good night's rest for the second day's hiking tour.
Upon arrival, you can take a taxi or a bus to the hotel. Public buses no.25 and no.30 at Jiuquan South Railway Station will take you to the city proper.
Recommended Hotels in Jiuquan:
Hangtian Hotel (3-star)
Address: No.42 Cangmen Street
Telephone number: 0937-5983566
Orient International Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.6 Cangmen Street
Telephone number: 0937-2699999
Changshanhu International Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.3 Xiguan Road, Telephone number: 0937-2828888
Hangtian Hotel (3-star)
Address: No.42 Cangmen Street
Telephone number: 0937-5983566
Orient International Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.6 Cangmen Street
Telephone number: 0937-2699999
Changshanhu International Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.3 Xiguan Road, Telephone number: 0937-2828888
Day 2:
We recommend you the hiking route to the Drum Tower and the Wei-Jin Art Gallery on your first day in Jiuquan. With 1,630 years of history, the Drum Tower is located in the city center. It is a kind of timberwork with three floors, first built in 346 and extended to the current scale in 1395. The Wei-Jin Art Gallery is 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Jiuquan and 10 miles (16 kilometers) northeast of Jiayuguan, a crucial point along the Silk Road. It is a burial complex for a big family from the Wei and Jin Dynasty (220 – 420) and the largest underground art gallery in the world. Here you will find well-preserved frescos on the walls of the tomb passage. Just a hint: It is good to bring a flashlight since it is dark inside the cave. Please be aware that taking photos is prohibited.
Tips:
1. If you are packed light, you can take your luggage and check out of the hotel after breakfast. First walk to the Drum Tower, then charter a car to the mural tombs and finally, Jiayuguan. The car fare costs around CNY 200 for a day.
2. If you take too much luggage, we recommend that you take only your valuables and cameras to visit the tower. When you finish at the tower, go back to check out. Then, go to the Caihongqiao Bus Station and take an intercity bus to Jiayuguan to register at a hotel. The bus departs every five minutes and takes about 40 minutes. After you have checked in, take a taxi to the mural tombs, which will take 15 minutes and cost around CNY 20.
We recommend you the hiking route to the Drum Tower and the Wei-Jin Art Gallery on your first day in Jiuquan. With 1,630 years of history, the Drum Tower is located in the city center. It is a kind of timberwork with three floors, first built in 346 and extended to the current scale in 1395. The Wei-Jin Art Gallery is 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Jiuquan and 10 miles (16 kilometers) northeast of Jiayuguan, a crucial point along the Silk Road. It is a burial complex for a big family from the Wei and Jin Dynasty (220 – 420) and the largest underground art gallery in the world. Here you will find well-preserved frescos on the walls of the tomb passage. Just a hint: It is good to bring a flashlight since it is dark inside the cave. Please be aware that taking photos is prohibited.
Tips:
1. If you are packed light, you can take your luggage and check out of the hotel after breakfast. First walk to the Drum Tower, then charter a car to the mural tombs and finally, Jiayuguan. The car fare costs around CNY 200 for a day.
2. If you take too much luggage, we recommend that you take only your valuables and cameras to visit the tower. When you finish at the tower, go back to check out. Then, go to the Caihongqiao Bus Station and take an intercity bus to Jiayuguan to register at a hotel. The bus departs every five minutes and takes about 40 minutes. After you have checked in, take a taxi to the mural tombs, which will take 15 minutes and cost around CNY 20.
Recommended Hotels in Jiayuguan:
Great Wall Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.6 West Jianshe Road
Telephone numbers: 0937 - 6226306
Jiayuguan Hotel (4-star)
Address: No. 1 North Xinhua Road
Telephone number: 0937 - 6226983
Huayuan Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.1 Shuguang Road, Telephone number: 0937 - 6308889
Great Wall Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.6 West Jianshe Road
Telephone numbers: 0937 - 6226306
Jiayuguan Hotel (4-star)
Address: No. 1 North Xinhua Road
Telephone number: 0937 - 6226983
Huayuan Hotel (4-star)
Address: No.1 Shuguang Road, Telephone number: 0937 - 6308889
Jiayuguan Pass
Day 3:
The next day, charter a minibus (CNY150~180) to visit the Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum, Jiayuguan Pass, and Overhanging Great Wall. Jiayuguan Pass, four miles (six kilometers) southwest from the downtown area, is at the western end of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). It is known as 'the First and Greatest Pass under Heaven'. Seeing the sunrise or sunset at the fort is highly recommended. At the east entrance there is the Great Wall Museum, the first comprehensive themed museum that shows the culture of the Great Wall of China. It consists of seven exhibition halls and has around 7,000 items on display. The Overhanging Great Wall, four miles (seven kilometers) from the Pass, looks like a rope ladder hanging on the steep cliffs. It played a crucial role in the defensive works of the Great Wall.
The next day, charter a minibus (CNY150~180) to visit the Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum, Jiayuguan Pass, and Overhanging Great Wall. Jiayuguan Pass, four miles (six kilometers) southwest from the downtown area, is at the western end of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). It is known as 'the First and Greatest Pass under Heaven'. Seeing the sunrise or sunset at the fort is highly recommended. At the east entrance there is the Great Wall Museum, the first comprehensive themed museum that shows the culture of the Great Wall of China. It consists of seven exhibition halls and has around 7,000 items on display. The Overhanging Great Wall, four miles (seven kilometers) from the Pass, looks like a rope ladder hanging on the steep cliffs. It played a crucial role in the defensive works of the Great Wall.
Day 4:
Today, we suggest you charter a car to the Heishan (Black Mountain) Rock Painting, 10 miles (16 kilometers) northwest of Jiayuguan City. The rock painting can be found on the cliffs of the Heishan Gorge on the north slope of Hexi Corridor, an ancient vital access from the central plain to the western regions. There are around 150 paintings from the Warrior States Period (475 - 221 BC) to the Ming Dynasty, displaying the daily activities of the Qiang people, a nomad tribe in the past.
Today, we suggest you charter a car to the Heishan (Black Mountain) Rock Painting, 10 miles (16 kilometers) northwest of Jiayuguan City. The rock painting can be found on the cliffs of the Heishan Gorge on the north slope of Hexi Corridor, an ancient vital access from the central plain to the western regions. There are around 150 paintings from the Warrior States Period (475 - 221 BC) to the Ming Dynasty, displaying the daily activities of the Qiang people, a nomad tribe in the past.
After you return to the city proper, take a train back to Lanzhou or continue your journey to Dunhuang, another historical city 230 miles (370 kilometers) to the west.
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