5 days Dunhuang, Jiayuguan and Zhangye tour

You'll arrive in Dunhuang. Upon arrival you'll be taken to your hotel. In another beautiful oasis surrounded by soul-soothing sand dunes, and one of the most important cities on the China Silk Road, you can rest up and enjoy the Shazhou Nightly Market or some traditional Chinese performance art at the Dunhuang Theater.

You'll enjoy a morning visit to the breathtaking Mogao Grottoes, including a visit to the Dunhuang Grotto protection and Exhibition center. Here you will witness the awe of ancient Chinese cave paintings and artwork, and also learn some history about the region. Later you will visit the beautiful Crescent Lake and Echoing Sand Mountains, where even a breeze in the air causes the dunes of multi-colored sand to echo with a magical, musical tune. Camel riding is included.

In the morning you'll drive to Jiayuguan, which takes about 5.5 hours. On the way, you'll stop to visit the network of caves called the Yulin Grottoes, where you'll find brightly colored artwork depicting 1,000 years of Chinese culture.

From there you'll visit Jiayuguan Pass- the first pass at the west end of the Great Wall of China and a key point on the China Silk Road, this defense station is still complete with ramparts, turrets, and eaves. You'll also see the Overhanging Great Wall, called the Xuanbi Great Wall in Chinese- a place with one of the most spectacular views along the Great Wall, and a lesson in the tactical ingenuity of ancient Chinese builders. In the afternoon you'll drive to visit Zhangye for your overnight stay.

In the morning you'll visit the Giant Buddha Temple in Zhangye, where you'll witness some of the most intriguing ancient artwork on the China Silk Road, including the Giant Buddha itself, lying inside the temple at 34.5 meters (about 113 feet) long and 7.5 meters (about 25 feet) wide.

After exploring the temple, you'll experience the stunning Zhangye Danxia Landform, often cited as the most beautiful landform in all of Chjna. Enjoy this credible nature wonder at the best time sunset. You'll then take the evening train out to Lanzhou, end your time with WindHorseTour.