Tracy's 6 Days Gansu Budget Trip

Are you looking for an exciting adventure with your friends or families, filled with natural wonders and ancient history? Look no further than the Silk Road, a region of China known for its stunning landscapes and cultural significance. Join me on my six-day journey through the Silk Road, where we'll explore some of the most beautiful sites this region has to offer.

I have always wanted to explore the Silk Road, not only for its rich history/culture, but also for a starkly different scenery from the southern China where I live. National Day holiday, a week-long vacation, was a good chance. However, the expenses soared during this peak season, and I needed to cut costs as much as possible. Therefore, I decided to take a train as its was the most economical option. Despite the lengthy journey, it turned out to be a remarkable experience due to the captiviting views and fascinating stories I encountered along the way.

Day 1 Chengdu to Lanzhou Train

On Sept.29, I took a train from Chengdu to Lanzhou, and our Silk Road tour lasted until Oct. 4. The train trip is about 7-8 hours long. And below pic is the view on the way of Qinghai… Yes! the train passed through Qinghai first.

I enjoyed wild nature scenery as the train passed through Qinghai

Day 2 Lanzhou to Zhangye High Speed Train

After one night's rest in Lanzhou, I caught a morning high speed train to Zhangye and were transferred directly to my hotel in Linze, where the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geographical Park (Rainbow Mountain) is located. The trip started!

Colorful Landform of Rainbow Moutain

By the way, I stayed at Kaoshan Daying Leisure Mountain Villa this night, which was around 10-15 minutes' walk from the west gate of the Rainbow Mountain. The Mongolian yurt is very warm inside and the feeling of sleeping next to the rainbow mountain is good. Very recommend! After sightseeing, I took a train to Zhangye.

The Mongolian yurt at the Kaoshan Daying Leisure Mountain Villa

Day 3 Zhangye Sightseeing

After breakfast, I headed to Matisi Temple (Horse Hoof Temple), which blendsed Buddhist culture, grotto art, Qilian Mountain landscape and Tibetan culture together in a single site. I can't help admiring the wisdom, skill and faith of the ancient people. Also I can't help marveling at the amazing scenery.

Matisi Temple Carved from the Cliff

Awe-inspiring Landscape around Matisi Temple

In the afternoon, I paid another visit to Pingshanhu Grand Canyon located at 50 km to the north of Zhangye City, with the north-south width of 26 km and east-west length of 40 km. If you would like to undertake some adventures, it is a good choice.

The Panoramic View of Pingshanhu Grand Canyon

As I went down to the bottom of the canyon, I had more fun.

My Wonderful Experience in Pingshanhu Grand Canyon

Day 4-5 Zhangye to Lanzhou Train & Lanzhou Sightseeing

Yeah, I back to Lanzhou again for train but decided to explore Lanzhou a bit more as this was my second time here, haha~

Lanzhou City View

I had the pleasure of visiting the Gansu Provincial Museum where I discovered many fascinating exhibits. The museum was filled with a wide variety of fascinating exhibits that showcased the region's rich cultural history. From ancient artifacts to modern artwork, the museum had something to captivate every visitor's interest.

Gansu Provincial Museum Collections

In the evening, the city became different. The streets were alive with activity, and there was a sense of excitement and energy in the air.

Lanzhou Nightview

Day 6 Lanzhou to Chengdu via Guangyuan

It's time to say goodbye to Lanzhou. I took high speed trains back to Chengdu via Guangyuan as direct tickets have been sold out.. Overall, it was a very interesting trip and a start of my silkroad and hope I can finish the whole silk road (such as Dunhuang and Jiayuguan) in near future!