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I Took a Road Trip Through China's Wild West
Gansu Road Trip: Zhangye Danxia, Jiayuguan and Dunhuang
Join us as we begin an epic 3,300km road trip through Gansu and Qinghai, China! 🇨🇳
In the first part of our China road trip, we travel through Gansu Province, starting in Lanzhou and heading west through some of the most incredible landscapes and historic places in northwest China.
Our journey...
Join us as we begin an epic 3,300km road trip through Gansu and Qinghai, China! 🇨🇳
In the first part of our China road trip, we travel through Gansu Province, starting in Lanzhou and heading west through some of the most incredible landscapes and historic places in northwest China.
Our journey takes us to Jiayuguan, home to the western end of the Ming Dynasty's Great Wall, before continuing to Zhangye Danxia National Geopark to see the famous colourful Rainbow Mountains. From there, we travel through the Gobi Desert and eventually reach the ancient Silk Road city of Dunhuang, where we spend two days exploring the desert and discovering some of China's most fascinating history.
In Dunhuang, we visit the spectacular Mingsha Shan (Singing Sand Mountains) and Crescent Lake desert oasis, explore the incredible Mogao Caves, and wander through the lively Shazhou Night Market in the evening.
This road trip is a chance to see a side of China that is very different from Shanghai and China's major cities — from vast desert landscapes and ancient Silk Road sites to colourful mountains, remote towns and centuries-old Buddhist art.
Lanzhou → Jiayuguan → Zhangye → Guazhou → Dunhuang
This is Part 1 of our 3,300km China road trip. In Part 2, we'll continue into Qinghai Province, exploring even more of northwest China's spectacular landscapes.
If you're interested in travelling around China, living in China, China road trips, lesser-known places in China, Chinese culture, history and everyday life in China, I hope you'll come along for the journey.
We live in China and love exploring beyond the usual tourist destinations, so if you're interested in seeing what real travel and life in China can look like, consider subscribing and joining us for the next adventure. ❤️
• Lanzhou, Gansu
• Jiayuguan & the western end of the Ming Great Wall
• Zhangye Danxia / Rainbow Mountains
• Guazhou
• Gobi Desert Sculpture Park
• Dunhuang
• Mingsha Shan Desert & Crescent Lake
• Mogao Caves
• Shazhou Night Market
• Ancient Silk Road
🎵 Music Used In This Video provided by Epidemic Sound. For my favourite background music, check out my playlists and sign up to get the first month for free!
Expat Natt and Neil begin a 3,300 km road trip from Lanzhou through Gansu toward Dunhuang, with plans to continue into Qinghai in a later episode. They visit Zhangye Danxia, Jiayuguan, Guazhou and a Gobi Desert sculpture park before spending two nights in Dunhuang. Along the way they stop for beef noodles and melons, see the Great Wall from outside and visit a free museum. In Dunhuang they watch a Mogao Caves show, visit Shazhou Night Market, explore Mingsha Shan and Crescent Lake, and tour the Mogao Caves. The narrator shares prices and details from their visit, including that the night market was much busier the previous evening.
Join us as we begin an epic 3,300km road trip through Gansu and Qinghai, China! 🇨🇳
In the first part of our China road trip, we travel through Gansu Province, starting in Lanzhou and heading west through some of the most incredible landscapes and historic places in northwest China.
Our journey takes us to Jiayuguan, home to the western end of the Ming Dynasty's Great Wall, before continuing to Zhangye Danxia National Geopark to see the famous colourful Rainbow Mountains. From there, we travel through the Gobi Desert and eventually reach the ancient Silk Road city of Dunhuang, where we spend two days exploring the desert and discovering some of China's most fascinating history.
In Dunhuang, we visit the spectacular Mingsha Shan (Singing Sand Mountains) and Crescent Lake desert oasis, explore the incredible Mogao Caves, and wander through the lively Shazhou Night Market in the evening.
This road trip is a chance to see a side of China that is very different from Shanghai and China's major cities — from vast desert landscapes and ancient Silk Road sites to colourful mountains, remote towns and centuries-old Buddhist art.
Lanzhou → Jiayuguan → Zhangye → Guazhou → Dunhuang
This is Part 1 of our 3,300km China road trip. In Part 2, we'll continue into Qinghai Province, exploring even more of northwest China's spectacular landscapes.
If you're interested in travelling around China, living in China, China road trips, lesser-known places in China, Chinese culture, history and everyday life in China, I hope you'll come along for the journey.
We live in China and love exploring beyond the usual tourist destinations, so if you're interested in seeing what real travel and life in China can look like, consider subscribing and joining us for the next adventure. ❤️
• Lanzhou, Gansu
• Jiayuguan & the western end of the Ming Great Wall
• Zhangye Danxia / Rainbow Mountains
• Guazhou
• Gobi Desert Sculpture Park
• Dunhuang
• Mingsha Shan Desert & Crescent Lake
• Mogao Caves
• Shazhou Night Market
• Ancient Silk Road
🎵 Music Used In This Video provided by Epidemic Sound. For my favourite background music, check out my playlists and sign up to get the first month for free!
The creators open by describing a 3,300 km road trip from Lanzhou through Gansu and the Gobi Desert to Dunhuang, with a later continuation into Qinghai. After arriving late, they drive through the countryside; the narrator says they have about 600 km to cover that day. At about 3 p.m. they reach the colorful Danxia scenic area, described as the Rainbow Mountains, and plan to take a bus farther into the park, which the narrator says has four main sites. The narration describes the sandstone and mineral colors and geological formation. The creators say their tickets cost 108 RMB, that they have about three hours before heading to their hotel, and that the area is busy during National Holiday, though not too bad. Afterward they head to a nearby town for dinner. The video then follows the drive toward Dunhuang, stopping at Jiayuguan, which the creators decide not to enter because the tickets seem expensive. They view the wall from outside. The narrator says the museum has free entry and artifacts found during work on the wall, and gives historical details about the pass and wall. They stop for beef noodles; one bowl is said to cost 28 kuai and another 20 RMB. At Guazhou, the narrator says three melons cost 10 kuai and visitors can sample them. They also stop at a Gobi Desert sculpture park, where a sculpture is called Child of the Earth; the narrator says she believes it was built in 2016 and credits its commissioning to an art professor at Tsinghua University. In Dunhuang, they stay for two nights in a basic hotel room within a short walk of Shazhou Night Market. They go to a Mogao Caves show and report that Type A tickets were almost 300 RMB each; the first part involved standing for almost an hour. At the night market, they arrive at about 10 p.m. and try food including a local bing with what the transcript calls sand spring onion, noodles, skewers, yogurt with local fruit and bone broth. They return to the market the next day. At Mingsha Shan, the creators see large sand dunes and Crescent Lake. The narrator says the sand is deep and finds shoe covers useful. She says tickets are valid for three days, tentatively recalls a price of 110 RMB but says she cannot remember, and quotes a camel ride at 130 RMB. They mention off-road vehicles and sledding. At the Mogao Caves, the host says photography is not allowed inside. The narration describes the caves, murals and sculptures and gives historical figures. The video ends with a return to Shazhou Night Market, where the host recommends arriving early because the previous night was very busy; during the earlier visit they are first in line.
Expat Natt and Neil begin a 3,300 km road trip from Lanzhou through Gansu toward Dunhuang, with plans to continue into Qinghai in a later episode. They visit Zhangye Danxia, Jiayuguan, Guazhou and a Gobi Desert sculpture park before spending two nights in Dunhuang. Along the way they stop for beef noodles and melons, see the Great Wall from outside and visit a free museum. In Dunhuang they watch a Mogao Caves show, visit Shazhou Night Market, explore Mingsha Shan and Crescent Lake, and tour the Mogao Caves. The narrator shares prices and details from their visit, including that the night market was much busier the previous evening.
A Gansu road trip goes from Zhangye Danxia and Jiayuguan to Dunhuang, with desert stops, Mogao Caves and night-market food.
Gansu Road Trip: Zhangye Danxia, Jiayuguan and Dunhuang
2:52 At Zhangye Danxia, the creators say their tickets cost 108 RMB and there were four main viewing sites. They had about three hours before heading to their hotel and noted that it was busy during National Holiday, though not too bad. These were their visit conditions.
5:30 The narrator says the museum beside Jiayuguan’s wall has free entry and displays artifacts found during work on the wall. The couple chooses not to enter the paid wall area, but says they can still see it from outside.
6:39 At the Guazhou melon stop, the creator says three melons cost 10 kuai and visitors can sample them. Treat that as the price quoted during this visit, and check the seller’s price when you go.
11:39 At Mingsha Shan, the creator initially thought shoe covers were unnecessary, then found the sand quite deep and useful to keep out of her shoes. She says their neon covers helped on this visit.
13:00 The creator says Mingsha Shan tickets were valid for three days, allowing an evening return. She tentatively recalls a ticket price of 110 RMB but says she cannot remember; she says the camel ride was 130. These are visit-time remarks.
14:25 At the Mogao Caves, the host says visitors cannot take pictures inside the grottoes. The creators film only what they can, so follow the photography restrictions during the visit.
15:57 At Shazhou Night Market, the host recommends coming early because the place was very busy the previous night. On this return visit they are first in the queue, though crowd levels can vary.
2:52 At Zhangye Danxia, the creators say their tickets cost 108 RMB and there were four main viewing sites. They had about three hours before heading to their hotel and noted that it was busy during National Holiday, though not too bad. These were their visit conditions.
5:30 The narrator says the museum beside Jiayuguan’s wall has free entry and displays artifacts found during work on the wall. The couple chooses not to enter the paid wall area, but says they can still see it from outside.
6:39 At the Guazhou melon stop, the creator says three melons cost 10 kuai and visitors can sample them. Treat that as the price quoted during this visit, and check the seller’s price when you go.
11:39 At Mingsha Shan, the creator initially thought shoe covers were unnecessary, then found the sand quite deep and useful to keep out of her shoes. She says their neon covers helped on this visit.
13:00 The creator says Mingsha Shan tickets were valid for three days, allowing an evening return. She tentatively recalls a ticket price of 110 RMB but says she cannot remember; she says the camel ride was 130. These are visit-time remarks.
14:25 At the Mogao Caves, the host says visitors cannot take pictures inside the grottoes. The creators film only what they can, so follow the photography restrictions during the visit.
15:57 At Shazhou Night Market, the host recommends coming early because the place was very busy the previous night. On this return visit they are first in the queue, though crowd levels can vary.
0:08 Starting the Gansu road trip
1:36 Reaching Zhangye Danxia
2:52 Tickets and park crowds
3:28 Driving toward Dunhuang
3:35 Stopping at Jiayuguan
5:30 Visiting the free museum
6:04 Lunch on the road
6:39 Buying melons in Guazhou
7:13 Gobi Desert sculpture park
8:07 Checking into Dunhuang hotel
8:49 Watching the Mogao Caves show
9:43 First Shazhou Night Market visit
11:30 Exploring Mingsha Shan dunes
14:25 Visiting the Mogao Caves
15:48 Returning to the night market
0:08 Starting the Gansu road trip
1:36 Reaching Zhangye Danxia
2:52 Tickets and park crowds
3:28 Driving toward Dunhuang
3:35 Stopping at Jiayuguan
5:30 Visiting the free museum
6:04 Lunch on the road
6:39 Buying melons in Guazhou
7:13 Gobi Desert sculpture park
8:07 Checking into Dunhuang hotel
8:49 Watching the Mogao Caves show
9:43 First Shazhou Night Market visit
11:30 Exploring Mingsha Shan dunes
14:25 Visiting the Mogao Caves
15:48 Returning to the night market
gansugansu chinawest chinagobi deserttravel chinachinechina travelamwfchina vloggerchina hidden gemslife in chinamove to chinachina 2026dunhuangchinachina 4kchina dronechina roadtripround the worldtravelshanghaichina vloglife in shanghaiamwf relationshiptravel coupletravel videochina travel vlogWhich places do the creators visit on this part of the road trip?
They travel through Gansu, stopping at Zhangye Danxia, Jiayuguan, Guazhou and a Gobi Desert sculpture park before reaching Dunhuang. The description says the next part continues into Qinghai.
Do they go inside the Great Wall site at Jiayuguan?
No. They decide the entrance tickets are too expensive, view the wall from outside and mention that the nearby museum has free entry.
What did the creators pay to enter Zhangye Danxia?
They say their tickets cost 108 RMB. They visit during National Holiday and say the park is busy, though not too bad.
What does the host recommend at Shazhou Night Market?
He recommends coming early because the market was very busy the previous night; on their earlier visit, they were first in the queue.
Can visitors take photos inside the Mogao Caves?
The host says photography is not allowed inside the grottoes, and the creators say they will film only what they can.
How long are Mingsha Shan tickets valid?
The creator says tickets are valid for three days, so visitors can return in the evening. She tentatively recalls the ticket price as 110 RMB but says she cannot remember; she says the camel ride was 130.
