enjoying freshly fried dough sticks and soy milk, a simple yet essential part of daily life for Lanzhou residents.

an unexpectedly social and welcoming way to interact with the community

exploring stalls filled with fresh produce, spices, dried goods, and household items. This visit offers insight into how the city eats, shops, and organizes daily life

a practical yet memorable way to understand how geography shapes the city’s infrastructure.

Under the guidance of a local instructor, learn how to stretch and pull dough into fine strands before enjoying the bowl you helped create.

favored by locals, where acoustic music and relaxed conversation provide a fitting close to a day rooted in real life rather than sightseeing alone.

Zhangye Grand Buddha Temple, situated in the downtown area of Zhangye City, was initially constructed during the Yong'an period of the Western Xia Dynasty, boasting a history spanning over nine hundred years. The temple is renowned for housing a colossal indoor clay statue of the Reclining Buddha, which is among the largest of its kind in China. Additionally, it features distinctive ancient structures such as the earthen pagoda and the Shanxi Guild Hall, offering visitors opportunities for worship and exploration. Exhibitions within the temple provide insight into Buddhist art and the rich history of Zhangye Grand Buddha Temple. Zhangye Grand Buddha Temple stands as one of the iconic attractions of Zhangye.

The Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Area is located in Linze and Sunan Counties, at the northern foothills of the Qilian Mountains. The scenic area is 40 kilometers east of Zhangye City and 20 kilometers north of Linze County. With a total area of 50 square kilometers and a tourist activity area of 4 square kilometers, it is now a World Geological Park and a national 5A-level tourist attraction. Within the scenic area, there are seven scenic spots, including Colorful Cloud Sea, Colorful Fairy Destiny, Colorful Brocade, Colorful Rainbow, Crouching Tiger Gorge, Colorful Ao River, and Vientiane Earth Forest Valley. There are also attractions such as Dragon Playing with Fire (colorful hills), Monkey Watching the Sea, Tortoise Asking the Sky, and Toad Seeking Wisdom

Visit Jiayu Fortress, the main attraction protecting the Jiayu Pass between the Qilian and Black Mountains. Walk along the westernmost section of the Great Wall for panoramic views of the Gobi Desert. This historic site offers a combination of architectural grandeur, military strategy, and desert scenery.

After a 20-minute drive, we’ll visit Jiayu Fortress, followed by a stroll along Jiayu Pass and the westernmost stretch of the majestic Great Wall. From here, you’ll enjoy sweeping panoramic views of the striking Gobi Desert landscape. We’ve allocated approximately 1 hour for you to explore this section at your leisure—note that some parts are steep, so please exercise caution while wandering.

The Cantilevered Great Wall is an extension of the northern end of the Ming Dynasty's Great Wall, located on the ridge of Heishan Mountain, approximately 7 kilometers north of Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu Province. It is named for its resemblance to a hanging object, as it was built on a steep hillside with an incline of about 45 degrees. It was constructed in the 18th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1539) under the supervision of Li Han, the military commissioner of Suzhou. The construction utilized local materials such as rubble and loess, and the total length is about 15 kilometers. The existing 750 meters were restored in 1987.
As an important component of the Jiayuguan defense system, the Cantilevered Great Wall, together with the "Bright Wall" on the southern side, guards the Shiguan Pass, and is known as the "Badaling of the West". Its spectacular inverted shape and significant military defense value make it one of the core landscapes of Jiayuguan Great Wall culture.

Learn about wine brewing in the arid northwest region and engage in a brief tasting session. In the afternoon, journey through the Gobi and desert to Dunhuang, with scheduled stops for sightseeing and photography along the way, to experience the vastness and solitude of the Silk Road.

The Mogao Caves, commonly known as the "Thousand Buddha Caves," are a representative group of caves within the Dunhuang Grottoes. Located on the cliff face of the eastern foothills of Mingsha Mountain and the west bank of the Dangquan River, 25 kilometers southeast of Dunhuang City, they face east towards the Sanwei Mountain. The caves are densely distributed along a cliff face approximately 2 kilometers long from north to south and about 40 to 50 meters high. The rock is composed of Jiuquan system gravel rock layers, formed by the deposition and bonding of sand and pebbles. The sand layer is loose and unsuitable for carving, so the grottoes mainly feature clay sculptures and colored paintings.

During the Jin Dynasty, it was once known as "Xianyan Temple". Before the Sixteen Kingdoms period, during the Former Qin Dynasty, it was officially named "Mogao Caves". At the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, it was called "Chongjiao Temple". In the Yuan Dynasty, it was known as "Huangqing Temple", and in the late Qing Dynasty, it was also referred to as "Leiyin Temple". However, these were all temporary names used to refer to the entire Mogao Caves during a short period of time. According to the "Inscription on the Mogao Caves" written in ink on the north wall of the front chamber of Cave 156, the Mogao Caves were founded in the late Western Jin Dynasty. According to P.2691 "Topography of Shazhou", the caves were built in the ninth year of Yonghe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (353). Furthermore, according to the "Inscription on the Buddhist Niche of Li Junxiu in the Mogao Caves" preserved by the Dunhuang Academy and dated to the first year of Shengli in the Zhou Dynasty (698), the first cave was excavated by the monk Yuechun in the second year of Jianyuan in the Former Qin Dynasty (366). Currently, there are three prevailing theories, but the one that is most commonly accepted is the second year of Jianyuan in the Former Qin Dynasty. After the Former Qin Dynasty, the caves underwent a total of 11 eras, including the Northern Liang, Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang (divided into early, prosperous, middle, and late periods), Five Dynasties, Song, Uighur, Western Xia, and Yuan dynasties, spanning a thousand years. By the time of the Wu Zhou Dynasty (early Tang Dynasty), there were already "more than a thousand cave chambers".

a cultural space combining a bookstore, café, and art gallery

The Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake Scenic Area in Jiuquan City, commonly referred to as the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake Scenic Area, is located 5 kilometers south of Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province. It covers an area of 76.82 square kilometers, with the core scenic area defined as 12.79 square kilometers. It is renowned for the desert wonders of mountains and springs coexisting, and sand and water intergrowing, and is hailed as "one of the wonders beyond the Great Wall"

Clay printmaking is an art form of printmaking that utilizes clay plates as the carrier, combining shaping, firing, and rubbing techniques. This craft was first verified and practiced by archaeologist Sun Shouling through the restoration of clay movable type printing. Its core processes include clay shaping, drying in the shade, firing, and rubbing and coloring. This art form possesses dual values of academic verification and the living inheritance of cultural heritage.

experience for a relaxed and interactive farewell dinner.