How to Get to Dunhuang Yardang (Yadan) National Geopark 2024/2025

Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark, also known as “Devil City”, is the largest and the most typical Yardang landform in China. It is a national AAAA tourist attraction and a Gansu provincial geological relics nature reserve area, where stands numerous exotic wind-eroded hollows and mounds. After a Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes Tour, many tourists are quite interested in exploration of those mysterious formation and unique desert landscape. How far is Yardang National Geopark from Dunhuang City? Any attractions nearby the park to visit together? Below will show you the available way to get yo Yardang National Geopark and how to plan a Dunhuang tour with the geopark.

Where is the Dunhuang Yardang National Geopak Located?

Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark Location Map

Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark, or Dunhuang Yadan National Geological Park (geographic coordinates: 92°59′~ 93°15' east longitude, 40°25′~40°34′north latitude), is located about 180 km northwest of Dunhuang downtown, west of Gansu Province, and lies at the border of Xinjiang and Gansu, faces Bayingolin Mogol Autonomous Prefecture in the west. If you plan to travel to the Yardang National Geopark, usually, you should get to Dunhuang first.

Most Popular Dunhuang Yardang Tours:

>> 3 Days Best Dunhuang Culture and Scenery Tour

>> 4 Days Classic Dunhuang Tour

Where is Dunhuang in China?

World famous for its Mogao Caves, Dunhuang is a small county-level city as well as a notable national historical and cultural city in the westernmost of Hexi Corridor, northwest of Gansu, Northwestern China. Dunhuang City is next to the Guazhou County in the north, Subei Mongol Autonomous County in the east, Aksay Kazakh Autonomous County in the south and Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture and Hami (Xinjiang) in the west.

Dunhuang China Map (click to enlarge)

How to Get to Dunhuang?

So far, tourists can take flight, train and bus to get to Dunhuang from other cities in China's mainland. Find arrival ideas in our ultimate guide of How to Get to & around Dunhuang.

By Fight: Dunhuang Airport merely runs a few domestic airline to close cities and major destinations in China. You can take a non-stop fight to Dunhuang from Lanzhou, Xian, Xining and Haixi (in Gansu), or fly to Dunhuang from Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Guangzhou with a stopover in Lanzhou. If you want to fly from Beijing, Urumqi, Zhengzhou and else cities, you have to transfer though Lanzhou or Xian during the trip. More about Dunhuang Airport and Flights to/off Dunhuang >>

By Train: There are 3 railway stations used for taking trains to Dunhuang, including the Dunhuang Railway Station (敦煌火车在, the closest to Dunhuang City), Liuyuan Railway Station (柳园火车站) and Liuyuan South Railway Station (柳园南站) in Guazhou. (Tips: Extra transfer is needed from Liuyuan Railway Stations to Dunhuang.)

▶ There are bullet trains running from Lanzhou, Xining, Zhangye, Jiayuguan to Dunhuang Railway Station and normal overnight trains from Beijing, Xian, Datong, Hohhot, etc. Read more about Dunhuang Railway Station >>

▶ Liuyuan Railway Station has ordinary trains from Urumqu, Turpan, Hami, and Jiayuguan, Zhangye, Lanzhou, Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, and so on.

▶ Liuyuan South Railway Station mainly receives bullet trains from Urumqi, Turpan, Hami, Jiayuguan, Jiuyuan, Zhangye, Xining and Lanzhou (major destinations on Lanzhou Xinjiang High Speed Railway)

Visit Liuyuan Railway Stations to get more trains information to plan your train journey to Dunhuang.

By Bus: Taking a bus is suitable for short-distance travel around Dunhuang. So you may reach Dunhuang by bus from Guazhou, Jiuyuan, Hami, Subei (肃北）in Gansu and Dacaidan Town, Huatugou Town in Qinghai.

Dunhuang Airline Routes Map (click to enlarge)

Liuyuan South Railway Station

Liuyuan Railway Stations Location Map
(click to enlarge)

How to Get from Dunhuang to Yardang National Geopak?

All major tourist attractions of Dunhuang are NOT located in downtown area, such as the Dunhuang Caves and Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Lake (in southeast suburb), Yardang National Geopark and Yumen Pass (in northwest suburb). And Yardan lies in the northwest of Yangguan Pass, Yumen Pass and Great Wall of Han Dynasty. Because it’s located far distance away from Dunhuang City, it’s more recommended to travel with China Discovery, use our worry-free private transfer to visit the geopark and ancient fortresses en route.

Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark Location and Transportation Map

● Dunhuang City to Yardang National Geopark: about 180 km/2.5 hours by private car, about 3 hours by city bus
You can also take direct city bus from Dunhuang Hotel in downtown to Yardang National Geopark passing through Yumen Pass and Yangguan Pass on the way. Thee are about 3 buses departing in the morning and returning in the evening hours every day. You may view sunset in Yardang National Geopark if choose a late bus.

● Mogao Caves to Yardang National Geopark: about 190km, 3 hours’driving.

● Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Lake to Yardang National Geopark: about 1.7 km, 2.5 hours’ driving.

● Dunhuang Airport to Yardang National Geopark: about 180 km, 3 hours by car.

● Dunhuang Railway Station to Yardang National Geopark: about 175 km, 2 hours 40 minutes by car.

How to Plan Your Dunhuang Tour with Yardang National Geopark

Dunhuang not only has culture relics like Mogao Caves, ancient fortresses and Great Wall, but also presents incredible desert scenery and natural landscape, for example, the Crescent Lake and the Yardang National Geopark.

It normally takes about 2 to 3 full days to tour Mogao Caves, Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Lake with Yardang National Geopark in Dunhuang, about 1 ~ 2 days for the former three most important highlights and half a day ~ 1 full day to visit Yardang National Geopark with midway historical sites, including the Yumen Pass, and Yangguan Pass. With more time, you could try some interesting local activities, such as camel riding, camping, tasting diverse local food and snacks in Shazhou Night Market, or go around Dunhuang to see similar grottoes - Yulin Caves in Guazhou to fully discover the Buddhist charm of this Gobi City.

Recommended Dunhuang Tours with Yardang National Geopark:

>> 3 Days Best Dunhuang Culture and Scenery Tour

>> 4 Days Jiayuguan and Dunhuang Tour (Silk Road Short Break)

>> 4 Days Classic Dunhuang Tour

>> 8 Days Classic Gansu Photography Tour

Highly-recommended Travel Idea for You: Many tourists take the hard-won opportunity to follow the ancient “Silk Road”, visiting more destinations in Gansu, Xinjiang, Qinghai and even with Tibet, to unveil the mysterious ancient kingdoms, to witness unusual nature wonders and to feel special regional minority culture for knowing China and the world better.

Extended China Silk Road Tours with Dunhuang:

>> 10 Days Classic Silk Road Tour from Xian

>> 12 Days Silk Road Tour from Beijing

>> 15 Days Classic Ancient China Silk Road Tour with Bullet Train Experience

>> 7 Days In-depth Northwestern China Silk Road Tour

Cave 55 in Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes

Majestic Fleet in Dunhuang Yardang Geopark

Kashgar Abakh Hoja Tomb

Travel Dunhuang with China Discovery

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