Itinerary Details

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  Day 1: Arrive at Xining

  Attractions: Ta’er Monastery
  Meals: No
  Hotel: hotel in Xining

  Arrive Xining. We recommend you to take a morning flight for Xining. As we will start our program before noon time. Upon your arrival, we will meet you in the airport and take you to visit the Ta'er Monastery (Kumbum Monastery), the most populous monks outside of Tibet. You will stay at Thangka Sunning Terrace that is one of a good place to view the monastery and surrounding scenery. Inside the monastery, apart from magnificent Buddha stupas and wall paintings, prayer wheels are also the must-see spot. The whole monastery is surrounded by wheels, walk along the corridor, rotate the wheels and pray for chasing away the troubles.

  

  Ta'er Monastery

  

  Ta'er Monastery
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  Day 2: Xining – Chaka Salt lake

  Attractions: Qinghai Lake, Yueque Pasture land
  Meals: B
  Hotel: hotel in Chaka Town

  After a nice breakfast at the hotel. We will begin our wonderful day by driving toward Chaka Salt lake, on the way we shall see the the magnificent scenery of Qinghai Lake, which is the largest inland salt water lake in China. We will stop at Yueque Pasture Land to view Qinghai lake, here you can walk into the lakeshore of Qinghai lake, we will visit local Tibetan Family -Nomads famil, where they will provide their traditional Tibetan food of Tsangpa and Tibetan Wine. You can also dress into Tibetan Uniform to take picture with traditional Tibetan Costume on. It is no exaggeration to say that Qinghai Lake is a miracle that is endowed by a deity. Outside, He encircled the lake with four continuous mountains and extends broad grassland at the foot of them.  

  

  Qinghai Lake

  

  Yueque Pasture
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  Day 3: Chaka Salt lake - Zhangye

  Attractions: Chaka Salt Lake
  Meals: B
  Hotel: hotel in Zhangye

  Chaka Salt Lake is the largest saline in Qinghai Province, Chaka Salt Lake means "the sea of salt" in Mongolian. It lies in the centre of Qaidam Basin, which was nominated by the national tourist geography magazine as one of the 55 places to go. The sunlight can reflect all images above the lake into the lake just like huge mirror, so you can not really tell where you are placed in. 

  After a great at Chaka Salt lake and we will drive back to Xining to catch the train to Zhangye. We will spend our night in Zhangye.

  ( If it is impossible to take train to Zhangye today, customemrs will take early bullet train next morning from Xining to Zhangye. Upon arrival, we will transfer you to Zhangye Rainbow Mountain, sightseeing there around 2- 3hrs, After Zhangye visit and Lunch break, we will visit Mati temple. )

  

  Chaka Salt Lake

  

  Chaka Salt Lake
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  Day 4: Zhangye Sightseeing of Rain bow mountain and Mati Temple

  Attractions: Zhangye Railbow Mountain, Mati Temple
  Meals: B
  Hotel: hotel in Zhangye

  The rainbow mountain located in Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, the most typical arid area of northern China. Ribbons of reds, oranges and yellows slice through the rock, to create a rainbow vista contained only by the contours of the jagged mountain peaks. Many people also call it "Rainbow Mountain".

  Mati Temple is located at the foot of Linsong Mountain, which is about 80 km away from the South Yugur Minority Autonomous County of Gansu Province. The temple was built in the Jin Dynasty. Mati Temple has gathered the culture, the landscape, and the religious together. A series of horse shoe prints are visible there. It is said that several horses left their footprints there when drinking water. As a result, the temple was named for the horseshoe prints, which are the treasure of the temple.

  

  Zhangye Railbow Mountain

  

  Mati Temple
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  Day 5: Zhangye - Jiayuguan (230km, 2.5hrs driving)

  Attractions: Pingshan Canyon, Giant Buddha Temple
  Meals: B
  Hotel: hotel in Jiayuguan

  After breakfast, we will visit Pingshan Canyon, it’s a another nature wonder of Danxia Landforms, created by thousands of year transformations of the geographic changes. It located about 60km away from Zhangye, also you need to take the shuttle bus to sightseeing the whole Canyon. It reputed for unique forms of Danxia landforms and main color would be red.

  After Pingshan Canyon, we will visit Giant Buddha Temple in Zhangye, was built in 1098 during the Western Xia Regime with a history of over 900 years. Its name has changed several times. It was named "Kasyapa Buddha Temple", "Bojue Temple", "Hongren Temple", etc.. As there is a large reclining Buddha, so people call it "Reclining Buddha Temple" or " Big Buddha Temple." In 1996, it was listed in the fourth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. )

  After this great day, we will drive to Jiayuguan. Tonight we will overnight at Jiayuguan.

  

  Pingshan Canyon

  

  Zhangye Giant Buddha Temple
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  Day 6: Jiayuguan sightseeing and drive to Dunhuang

  Attractions: Jiayuguan Pass and ancient city wall
  Meals: B
  Hotel: hotel in Dunhuang

  Today, we shall visit the Jiayuguan Pass and ancient city wall. This Ming Dynasty fort guards the strategic Jiayuguan pass, at the western end of the Great Wall – this was the last section built by the Ming Dynasty. You will explore the Great Wall Museum, which was opened to the public in October 1989 and it is the first one to exhibit the Great Wall culture in a comprehensive and systematic way.  Afterwards, we will drive all the way to the next stop Dunhuang.

  

  Jiayuguan Pass

  

  Jiayuguan Pass
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  Day 7: Dunhuang sightseeing

  Attractions: Mogao Grottes, Echoing Sand & Crescent Lake
  Meals: B
  Hotel: hotel in Dunhuang

  After breakfast, we will visit Mogao Grottes, one of world great heritage. This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the great artistic and religious wonders of the world and it is famous for its exquisite murals and various sculptures inside the caves, which was built in different dynasties, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art. In the afternoon, we will visit the Echoing Sand & Crescent Lake, we will provide fun games for you at the desert including : Sand sliding, Motorcycling and Bone fire with barbecue at the night（if you are not interested in barbed , we can also choose lamb hotpot）

  PS: it’s possible to camp at the Echoing Sand mountain campsite, however the accommodation condition is quite poor, if you do not mind poor accommodation condition, you can try this option. But if you want to sleep well and nice, then camping at the dersert might not be a good option for you.

  

  Mogao Cave

  

  Echoing Sand & Crescent Lake
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  Day 8: Dunhuang Depature

  Attractions: No
  Meals: B
  Hotel: No

  Today, we will see you off in the airport or train station and wish you happy safe journey back home. Welcome to travel with us again for your next adventure.