The grottoes are not in one area but spread over several sections. The most accessible are the Thousand Buddhas Caves (千佛洞石窟; Qiān Fó Dòng Shíkū) just past the entrance gate to the scenic area. Within this complex is the Pǔguāng Temple, where you’ll find the relic of the horse hoof imprint. The Mǎtí Sì North Caves (马蹄寺北石窟; Mǎtí Sì Běi Shíkū) are above the village (2km up the road from the Thousand Buddhas Caves) and feature the more dizzying platforms as well as a large grotto with a tall golden Buddha.
Mǎtí Sì is 65km north of Zhāngyè, and one or both of the main caves may be closed outside of April to September. The best way to get here is to hire a taxi in Zhāngyè (¥160 round trip, including the temple drive).
If you’re adequately prepared for camping, some overnight trips are possible. The tiny village also has several basic guesthouses (tw ¥60).
Buses leave every 30 minutes from Zhāngyè’s south bus station for the crossroads village of Mǎtí Hé (马蹄河; ¥10, 1½ hours, 6.40am to 5.40pm), from where you can catch a minibus or taxi (¥30) for the final 7km or so.
Direct buses to Mǎtí Sì depart from Zhāngyè’s south bus station hourly throughout the morning from May to September. The last bus back to Mǎtí Hé or Zhāngyè leaves before 5pm. Check with locals on the exact time.
A return taxi from Zhāngyè will cost around ¥160, and for this price the driver will also shuttle you around to the various temple sites at Mǎtí Sì.
Jiāyùguān 嘉峪关
%0937 / Pop 231,000
You approach Jiāyùguān (嘉峪关) through the forbidding lunar landscape of north Gānsù. It’s a fitting setting, as Jiāyùguān marks the symbolic end of the Great Wall, the western gateway of China proper and, for imperial Chinese, the beginning of the back of beyond. One of the defining points of the Silk Road, a Ming dynasty fort was erected here in 1372 and Jiāyùguān came to be colloquially known as the ‘mouth’ of China, while the narrow Héxī Corridor, leading back towards the nèidì (inner lands), was dubbed the ‘throat’.
You’ll need plenty of imagination to conjure up visions of the Silk Road, as modern Jiāyùguān is a city of straight roads, identikit blocks and manufacturing. But the Jiāyùguān Fort is an essential part of Silk Road lore and most certainly worth a visit.
Jiāyùguān
4Sleeping
1Jiāyùguān HotelA1
2Shèngjǐng Holiday HotelA1
5Eating
3Jìngtiě MarketB1
4Yuànzhōngyuàn RestaurantA2
1Sights
With the exception of the Wèijìn Tombs, all the sites are covered by purchasing a through ticket (通票; tōngpiào) to the Jiāyùguān Fort; admission fees quoted for individual sites are for entry without admission to the fort. Through tickets can be purchased at any of the three sites.
oJiāyùguān FortFORT
(嘉峪关城楼; Jiāyùguān Chénglóu Guancheng Nanlu; 关城南路 ¥120; h8.30am-8pm, to 6pm in winter)
One of the classic images of western China, this fort once guarded the narrow pass between the snowcapped Qílián Shān peaks and the Hēi Shān (Black Mountains) of the Mǎzōng Shān range.
Built in 1372, it was named the ‘Impregnable Defile Under Heaven’. Although the Han Chinese often controlled territory far beyond here, this was the last major stronghold of imperial China – the end of their ‘civilised world’, beyond which lay only desert demons and the barbarian armies of Central Asia.
Towards the eastern end of the fort is the Gate of Enlightenment (光化楼; Guānghuá Lóu) and on the west side is the Gate of Conciliation (柔远楼; Róuyuǎn Lóu), from where exiled poets, ministers, criminals and soldiers would have ridden off into oblivion. Each gate dates from 1506 and has 17m-high towers with upturned flying eaves and double gates that would have been used to trap invading armies. On the inside are horse lanes leading up to the top of the inner ramparts.
The fort received major refurbishments in 2015, brightening up wood with coats of paint and reinforcing foundations and cracked walls.
Near the fort entrance gate is the excellent Jiāyùguān Museum of the Great Wall, which has some interesting exhibits about the Wall and its history in this part of China.
Overhanging Great WallHISTORIC SITE
(悬壁长城; Xuánbì Chángchéng adult ¥21, incl in through ticket to Jiāyùguān Fort; h8.30am-8pm, to 6pm winter)
Running north from Jiāyùguān Fort, this section of the Great Wall is believed to have been first constructed in 1539, though it was reconstructed in 1987. It’s quite an energetic hike up the equivalent of 55 flights of stairs to excellent views of the desert and the glittering snowcapped peaks in the distance, though views are a little mired by Jiāyùguān's increasingly polluted air. The Wall is about 9km north of the fort.
Jiāyùguān Museum of the Great WallMUSEUM
(嘉峪关长成博物馆; Jiāyùguān Chángchéng Bówùguǎn Jiāyùguān Fort; incl in through ticket to Jiāyùguān Fort; h8.30am-6pm)F
Located inside Jiāyùguān Fort, this excellent museum contains photos, artefacts, maps, Silk Road exhibits and models to show just how the fort and the Great Wall of China influenced the history of the Héxī Corridor and China as a whole.
Wèijìn TombsTOMB
(新城魏晋壁画墓; Xīnchéng Wèijìn Bìhuàmù ¥35; h8.30am-8pm)
These tombs date from approximately AD 220–420 (the Wei and Western Jin periods) and contain extraordinarily fresh brick wall paintings (some ineptly retouched) depicting scenes of everyday life, from making tea to picking mulberries for silk production. There are thousands of tombs in the desert 20km east of Jiāyùguān, but only one is currently open to visitors, that of a husband and wife.
There is a small museum that's also worth a look; it's the only area where photos are permitted. A taxi here from central Jiāyùguān will cost around ¥70. If you pay a little more (¥100), the driver will also take you to nearby Yěmáwān Cūn (野麻湾村), the crumbling remains of a former walled village about 10km from the tombs.
First Beacon Platform of the Great WallHISTORIC SITE
(长城第一墩; Chángchéng Dìyī Dūn ¥22, incl in through ticket to Jiāyùguān Fort; h8.30am-8pm, to 6pm winter)
Atop a 56m-high cliff overlooking the Tǎolài River south of Jiāyùguān, a crumbling pile of packed earth is all that remains of this beacon platform, believed to be the first signalling tower along the western front of the Great Wall. Views over the river and bare gorge below are impressive and you can walk alongside attached vestiges of adobe Ming-era Great Wall.
A sightseeing trolley (¥12) shuttles visitors 3km from the ticket office to the subterranean viewing platform, labelled the ‘Underground Valley’. Inside, an excellent exhibition on the beacon platform, the fort and the history of the Wall in this area provides some context. Views of the beacon platform can be had from a see-through cantilever bridge at the back of the exhibit hall.
4Sleeping
Jiāyùguān's hotel landscape is rather bland, with a number of just-fine business- or international-style hotels lining its main streets. There is a very clean, friendly outlet of the popular Jǐnjiāng Inn (锦江之星; Jǐnjiāng Zhīxīng) chain on Lanxin Lu.
Shèngjǐng Holiday HotelHOTEL$$
(盛景假日酒店; Shèngjǐng Jiàrì Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0937 637 8666; 78 Xinhua Beilu; 新華北路78號 d from ¥207; aiW)
Excellent midrange option built in 2015. Enjoys a handy location on Xinhua Beilu in the centre of town and has bright, clean rooms with modern facilities. Good discounts if you book online.
Jiāyùguān HotelHOTEL$$$
(嘉峪关宾馆; Jiāyùguān Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0937 620 1588; 1 Xinhua Beilu; 新华北路1号 d/tw from ¥669/768; aiW)
Rooms here are modern with heavy accents on the brown woods and faux marble. Most include a Chinese breakfast and computers with broadband. Other services include a restaurant serving Western-style food, a spa, travel agent and attentive sta
ff, some who speak English. Conveniently located on the pleasant tree-lined shopping boulevard of Xinhua Zhonglu. Discounts of 30% to 60% are common.
5Eating
Much of Jiāyùguān's dining scene centres on its two main small-foods markets. For breakfast ask or look around for small shops selling bāozi (包子; steamed meat- or veg-filled buns) and dòujiāng (豆浆; soya milk). At lunch, small stands line the entryways to Jiāyùguān Fort and the Overhanging Great Wall selling noodles and ròujiāmó (肉夾饃; pulled-pork sandwich).
Jìngtiě MarketMARKET$
(镜铁小吃城; Jìngtiě Xiǎochīchéng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Xinhua Zhonglu; 新华中路 h10am-10pm)
At this busy market load up on lamb kebabs, ròujiāmó, beef noodles, roast duck and more. There are a handful of small restaurants on the north side of the market that offer sit-down meals.
Yuànzhōngyuàn RestaurantSICHUAN$$
(苑中苑酒店; Yuànzhōngyuàn Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jingtie Xilu; 镜铁西路 dishes ¥15-50; h9am-9pm)
Directly across from the bus station on the far side of a small park is this pleasant Sìchuān restaurant. Try its gōngbǎo jīdīng (宫保鸡丁; spicy chicken and peanuts), tiěbǎn dòufu (铁板豆腐; fried tofu) or a yúxiāng ròusī (鱼香肉丝; stir-fried pork and vegetable strips).
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; 42 Xinhua Zhonglu; 新华中路42号 h9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun)
Has an ATM and can change money. It's south of Lanxin Xilu intersection.
China PostPOST
(中国邮政; Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng GOOGLE MAP ; Xinhua Zhonglu; 新华中路 h8am-6pm)
Doubles as a train ticket booking office.
ICBCBANK
(工商银行; Gōngshāng Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; 1493 Xinhua Zhonglu; 新华中路1493号 )
Has a 24-hour ATM.
People’s No 1 HospitalHOSPITAL
(第一人民医院; Dìyī Rénmín Yīyuàn GOOGLE MAP ; 26 Xinhua Zhonglu)
This hospital can only be used by Chinese nationals.
8Getting There & Away
Jiāyùguān has an airport with flights to Běijīng, Shànghǎi and Lánzhōu, but most people arrive by bus or train.
Jiāyùguān’s bus station (嘉峪关汽车站; Jiāyùguān Qìchēzhàn GOOGLE MAP ; 312 Lanxin Xilu; 兰新西路312号 ) is by a busy four-way junction on Lanxin Xilu, next to the main budget hotels. It is cheaper and quicker to take a train, but bus destinations include Dūnhuáng, Lánzhōu, Wǔwēi and Zhāngyè.
Jiāyùguān has two train stations. The main train station (嘉峪关站; Jiāyùguān Zhàn) is southwest of the town centre. Bus 1 runs here from Xinhua Zhonglu (¥1). A taxi costs ¥10.
AJiāyùguān south station (嘉峪关南站; Jiāyùguān Nánzhàn) serves the high-speed rail line that connects Lánzhōu to Xīnjiāng. It is located 8km southeast of the town centre. A taxi costs ¥30.
Direct trains to Dūnhuáng are labelled as such. Beware of the more frequently scheduled trains to Liǔyuán – a lengthy 180km away from Dūnhuáng. Train tickets can be booked in town at the post office on Xinhua Zhonglu.
ADūnhuáng Seat/hard sleeper ¥53/112, five hours
ALánzhōu Seat/hard sleeper ¥98/201, six to eight hours; high-speed 2nd-class seat ¥215, five hours
AÜrümqi Hard/soft sleeper ¥287/449, ten to 14 hours; high-speed 2nd-class seat ¥336, 6½ hours
AWǔwēi Seat/hard sleeper ¥69/139, four to six hours
AZhāngyè Seat/hard sleeper ¥38/95, two to three hours; high-speed 2nd-class seat ¥66, 1½ hours
8Getting Around
A taxi to the airport (25 minutes) costs ¥50. Bus 1 (¥2) runs from the train station to the bus station.
A taxi to all the sights in the area, which are all outside town, is likely to cost ¥240, or ¥60 per sight. A taxi just to the sites covered by the Jiāyùguān Fort ticket will cost ¥180. Touts ply the train and bus stations offering rides; bargain hard. Alternatively, most hotels can arrange a taxi to pick you up, which takes the hassle out of having to bargain for the price.
THE WINDY ROAD TO A CLEANER CHINA
The road from Jiāyùguān to Dūnhuáng is impressive as much for the stark desert landscape as the endless spinning turbines. Once the cradle of China’s oil industry, this windswept northern region has become the site of nearly two dozen energy farms and 5000 (and growing) individual turbines. At the industry centre in Jiǔquán (southeast of Jiāyùguān) dozens of companies are cranking out several thousand more each year.
The pace of change has been breathtaking. From 2006 to 2010, the wind industry experienced triple-digit growth, and construction began on 10GW wind farms (1GW is the capacity of a large coal or nuclear power plant) in Gānsù, Xīnjiāng, Inner Mongolia, Jílín and Héběi. China also became the world's largest maker of turbines in 2010.
Rapid progress has brought hiccups. Installed capacity has far outpaced the rate at which it can be absorbed by the national electric grid. And while China became the world's largest wind-farm market by 2013, it also overtook the US as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
Yet the blades won't stop churning. The green light was given in 2014 to construct wind farms in Jiāngsū with a whopping 300GW total capacity. Long-term projections have wind potentially accounting for up to one-third of all capacity by 2050. With an equally strong push into solar, hydro and nuclear, China’s electrical production could one day become among the cleanest in the world.
Dūnhuáng 敦煌
%0937 / Pop 186,000
The fertile Dūnhuáng (敦煌) oasis has for millennia been a refuge for weary Silk Road travellers. Most visitors stayed long enough only to swap a camel; but some stayed, building the forts, towers and cave temples that are scattered over the surrounding area. These sites, along with some dwarfing sand dunes and desertscapes, make Dūnhuáng a magnificent place to visit.
Despite its remoteness, Dūnhuáng's per capita income is among the highest in China, thanks to a push into wind and solar energy production. The town is thoroughly modern, but has maintained its distinctive desert-sanctuary ambience – with clean, tree-lined streets, slow-moving traffic, bustling markets, budget hotels, cafes and souvenir shops.
Though relatively small, it's a great walking town with wide footpaths and narrow alleys opening up into squares, markets and the lives of ordinary citizens. The riverside is worth a visit if only to see if you are brave enough to cross to the platforms in the middle of the stream.
Dūnhuáng
4Sleeping
1Mògāo HotelB3
2Shāzhōuyì International Youth HostelA1
5Eating
3Charley Johng's CafeB4
4Shāzhōu Night MarketD2
6Drinking & Nightlife
5Brown Sugar CafeD3
6Memory Box CafeD2
3Entertainment
Dūnhuáng GoddessC2
7Dūnhuáng TheatreC2
1Sights
Dūnhuáng MuseumMUSEUM
(敦煌博物馆; Dūnhuáng Bówùguǎn GOOGLE MAP ; %0937 882 2981; Mingshan Lu; h8am-6pm)F
Outside of town on the road to Singing Sands Dune is this sparkling museum that takes you on an artefact-rich journey through the Dūnhuáng area (from prehistoric to Qing dynasty times) via hallways designed to make you feel as if you were in a cave. You can easily walk here in 15 minutes from the centre of town. Bring your passport for admission.
TTours
Ask at any hostel or Charley Johng's Cafe for tourist info; they can also help with tours, from camel treks to overnight camping excursions and day trips. Bus tours (¥100) that include visits to Yǎdān National Park and Jade Gate Pass and Sun Pass depart daily from Dūnhuáng and can also be arranged at Charley Johng's. Be aware you'll have to pay for admission to each site separately during the tour.
4Sleeping
Competition among Dūnhuáng’s hotels is fierce, and you should get significant
discounts (50% or more) outside of summer.
There are a dozen or so smaller business-type hotels along Mingshan Lu and Yangguan Zhonglu. They tend to be around ¥200 in the off season and ¥300 to ¥400 in the height of summer.
Shāzhōuyì International Youth HostelHOSTEL$
(敦煌沙州驿国际青年旅舍; Dūnhuáng Shāzhōuyì Guójì Qīngnián Lǚshě MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0937 880 8800; 8 Qilian Lu; 祁连路8号, 北辰市场对面 dm/tw/d ¥50/60/158; pnaW)
This hostel is plant- and light-filled, inviting you to lounge and plan one of the offered tours. Dorm beds are comfy with modern shared bathrooms. Doubles are bright and spacious. The street is traffic heavy but has cheap eats, with the Shāzhōu Night Market a 10-minute walk away through a leafy park. English spoken.
Free shuttle bus from train station.
Mògāo HotelHOTEL$$
(莫高宾馆; Mògāo Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0937 885 1777; 248 Mingshan Beilu; 鸣山北路12号 s/d from ¥225/250; aiW)
With its excellent location near restaurants and shops, this is one of the better options for the single traveller who wants a private room. Rooms are decidedly Chinese style but comfy. In the off season the singles go for around ¥150.
Silk Road Dūnhuáng HotelHOTEL$$$
(敦煌山庄; Dūnhuáng Shānzhuāng %0937 888 2088; www.dunhuangresort.com; Dunyue Lu; 敦月路 tw ¥560-1080, d ¥660-1200; aiW)
This four-star resort is tastefully designed with Central Asian rugs, a cool stone floor and Chinese antiques. The hotel’s rooftop restaurant has without doubt the best outdoor perch in Dūnhuáng with an amazing view of Singing Sands Dune. It's located south of town on the road to the dunes; a taxi costs ¥10, or take minibus 3 (¥2). Discounts of 20% to 40%.
Lonely Planet China Page 177