8 Days Tour to Hexi Corridor: A Journey through Thousands of Years

Trip Overview

The Hexi Corridor, located in western China, west of the Yellow River, traverses the Qilian Mountains and the Badain Jaran Desert.
This strategic position allows for a distinct feeling of the cool breeze descending from the Qilian Mountains. The Yellow River passes through the desert, where sand appears to shimmer. The area is also known for its desert springs.
The Hexi Corridor is home to the largest population of Tibetan Buddhists. As a significant route for the eastern expansion of Buddhism, it features numerous grottoes, including Zhangye Horseshoe Temple Grottoes and Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, earning it the name “Grottoes Art Corridor”.

IDEAL LENGTH

7nights

PRICE

From USD $2580/Person

WHEN TO GO

May June July August September October

Highlights

Many well-known Chinese films were shot here.

Film City

An oasis in the desert separated by the Yellow River.

Shapotou

Nature's color palette, different colors on the mountains.

Colorful Danxia

The temple built on the mountainside.

Horseshoe Temple Grottoes

Spring in the middle of sand dunes.

Singing sand Mountain Crescent Spring

A world heritage, the ceiling and walls of the cave are covered with frescoes.

Mogao Grottoes

Tour Brief

DAY 1

Arrival in YINCHUAN.

Day 2

YINCHUAN - Zhongwei , zhenbeibao western film, Shapotou.

Day 3

Zhongwei - Wuwei- Zhangye, Wen temple, Ganzhou night market.

Day 4

Zhangye, Big buddha temple , Danxiakou town , sunset at Colorful Danxia.

Day 5

Zhangye-Jiayuguan , Horseshoe Temple + Yugur family visit, Jiayuguan ARCHWAY .

Day 6

Jiayuguan - Dunhuang , Boundless, son of earth, Singing sand mountain crescent spring, Shazhou night market.

Day 7

Dunhuang, Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang Museum, See also Dunhuang performance.

Day 8

Depart from Dunhuang.

8 Days The thousands of years “Hexi Corridor”explore tour-03.jpg

Arrival in YINCHUAN.

Upon arrival in YINCHUAN, the local tour guide will meet you at the airport/train station, and transfer you to the hotel.
Overnight in Yinchuan

Yingquan - Zhongwei , zhenbeibao western film, Shapotou.

【Zhenbeibao West Film and Television City】Zhenbeibao West Film and Television City is characterized by simplicity, primitive, rough and desolate folk. In the western Cinema of Zhenbei Fort, scenes and props from some films have been preserved and restored for visitors to enjoy.
Shapo head is a collection of desert, Yellow River, mountain and oasis. It has the largest natural sand skating field in China, the "first rope of the Yellow River in the world" across the Yellow River, the ancient water wheel representing the Yellow River culture, the oldest transportation tool sheepskin raft, and the mirage rarely seen in the desert.
Overnight in Yellow river Cluster, star hotel

Zhongwei - Wuwei- Zhangye, Wen temple, Ganzhou night market.

Wuwei Temple preserves a unique blend of religious worship and learning, echoing the integrated “three pillars” of Wenchang Palace, Confucius Temple, and local Hexi culture. It features architecture spanning from the Ming Dynasty through the Republic of China, with Dougong and beam joints showcasing strong Hexi regional characteristics. This temple serves as a significant historical site for understanding the intertwining of Hexi’s traditional architecture, Confucianism, and the Wenchang cultural influence.

Zhangye, Big buddha temple , Danxiakou town , sunset at Colorful Danxia

【Zhangye Big Buddha Temple】formerly known as Kasye Tathagai Temple, because the temple enshrines Sakyamuni Nirvana image, also known as "Wat Pho Temple", a temple built by the royal family in the past. Dafa Temple Scenic Area is an important scenic spot on the Silk Road. It is a Buddhist art museum integrating architecture, sculpture, murals, carvings, classics and cultural relics.
【 Danxiakou Town 】You can taste more than 30 kinds of authentic handmade food in Northwest China; Experience local folk customs and cultural and historical performances in Gansu; Participate in the Silk Road performance show, which is full of national characteristics, such as Yugur people's colorful house inviting relatives
【Colorful Danxia】Located at the northern foot of the Qilian Mountains. It is one of the areas with the largest and best development of Danxia landform and the most abundant landform in China. The viewing platform overlooks the colorful Danxia landform: colorful Gorge, colorful Tower, colorful screen, colorful Lian, colorful lake, colorful big scallop, Daoshan Fire and other scenic spots.
Overnight in Zhangye

Zhangye-Jiayuguan: Horseshoe Temple + Yugur Family Visit, Jiayuguan Gate Tower

【Horseshoe Temple Grottoes】Also called Puguang Temple, the uniqueness of the Horseshoe Temple grottoes lies in the Thousand Buddha Caves with more than 500 cliff stupa grottoes; the green mountains, clear water, grotesque peaks and caves are known as the four wonders of the Horseshoe Temple. You can also experience Tibetan tents, drink highland barley wine, eat hand-grabbed meat, and experience the unique lifestyle and cultural characteristics of grassland nomads.
【Jiayuguan Gate Tower】Located at the middle of the narrowest valley of Jiayuguan, atop the highest point of Jiayu Mountain, the gate’s two wings stretch on the desert Gobi, marking the western terminus of the Great Wall.
Overnight in Jiayuguan.

Jiayuguan - Dunhuang , Boundless, son of earth, Singing sand mountain crescent spring, Shazhou night market.

【Boundless】On the vast Gobi, the plain and simple "Boundless" is like the perfect presentation of the "heavenly palace" and "Western paradise" in the eyes of people thousands of years ago. Like a real mirage.
【Son of the Earth】sculpture is located on the Gobi Desert in Guazhou County.
【Singing sand Mountain Crescent Spring】 Crescent Spring is surrounded by ringing sand Mountain, and its shape resembles a crescent moon. The sand mountain is named for the sound of sand movement.
【 Shazhou Night Market 】 Shazhou Night market consists of five business areas: flavored snacks, handicrafts, "three tea table" tea house, agricultural and sideline products, and native products
Overnight in Dunhuang

Dunhuang, Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang Museum, See also Dunhuang performance.

Mogao Grottoes was built in the Pre-Qin period of the sixteen States. It is the largest and richest Buddhist art site in the world
【 Dunhuang Museum 】 The whole building shape and tone of the Dunhuang City Museum are integrated with cultural symbols such as the Great Wall, beacon towers and ancient castle architecture.
【See also Dunhuang】is a context-integrated performance project and a large-scale live-action performance project, which is an important content of the construction of the Chinese civilization inheritance and innovation zone.
Overnight in Dunhuang