3-Day Silk Road Trip to Dunhuang, Mogao Caves, Crescent Lake, Yumenguan Pass

Dunhuang Trip Overview

Dunhuang is an oasis city on the ancient Silk Road. Spend three days exploring Dunhuang’s top attractions like Mogao Caves, Crescent Lake, Yumen Pass, Great Wall of the Han Dynasty and Yadan National Geology Park. Learn more about Dunhuang’s history and culture from your informative guide. Comfortable private transportation and two nights’ accommodation are included in this tour.

Additional Info

Duration: 3 days
Starts: Dunhuang, China
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours



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What to Expect When Visiting Dunhuang, Gansu, China

Dunhuang is an oasis city on the ancient Silk Road. Spend three days exploring Dunhuang’s top attractions like Mogao Caves, Crescent Lake, Yumen Pass, Great Wall of the Han Dynasty and Yadan National Geology Park. Learn more about Dunhuang’s history and culture from your informative guide. Comfortable private transportation and two nights’ accommodation are included in this tour.

Itinerary

Day 1: Airport Pickup, Echoing-sand Dune, Crescent Moon Pool

Stop At: Dunhuang Airport, 5R84+C2V, Dunhuang, Jiuquan, Gansu, China, 736206
Upon your arrival in Dunhuang, your guide will meet you outside the arrival hall at the airport and then transfer you to the hotel.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Mingsha Shan – Echoing-Sand Mountain, Three miles from Dunhuang, Dunhuang 831900 China
After resting for a while, your 3 days Dunhuang tour starts from the Echoing-sand Dune, which is formed by the pileup of drifting sand. It was named so because the sand dunes utter tremendous sound if there is a gale and murmur while people slide down from the top.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Crescent Moon Pool, 5km South of Dunhuang, Dunhuang 736200 China
The Crescent Moon Pool is a crystal clear lake in the shape of the crescent moon. Although encircled by the Echoing-Sand Dune and frequently attacked by squall and furious sand storms, the lake water keeps limpid and sweet for hundreds of thousands of years.

After that, your guide and driver will transfer you back to your hotel.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Building No. 8 of Dunhuang Hotel (4 stars)

Day 2: Yumenguan Pass, Great Wall of the Han Dynasty, Yadan National Geology Park

Stop At: Yumen Pass, 90 Km Northwest of Dunhuang, Dunhuang 736200 China
After picking up you from your hotel, your guide and driver will transfer you to Yumen Pass, a part of the Great Wall of China. It is said that the jade from the western regions was brought into the central plains through this pass, hence the name Yumen Pass (Jade Pass). In ancient times, it also functioned as the military strategic pass and significant passage of the ancient Silk Road.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Great Wall of Han Dynasty, Northwest of Dunhuang, Dunhuang 736200 China
Then, continue the private tour to the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220). Different from other sections of the Wall built of bricks and stones, this section was built of rammed earth, sanded reeds and the juniper tamarisks. As time passes by, the wall has been heavily destroyed both by the nature and human beings, but still you could get some insights of the original appearance of the wall here.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Yadan National Geological Park, 180 Km Northwest of Dunhuang, Dunhuang 736200 China
After that, the tour will extend to Yadan National Geology Park, a physiognomy landscape formed by aeolian erosion. Entering the park, you could find various nature-made sculptures in different postures and manners.

Afterwards, transfer you back to your hotel.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Building No. 8 of Dunhuang Hotel (4 stars)

Day 3: Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang Museum, Airport See-off

Stop At: Mogao Caves, West of Hexi Zoulang, Dunhuang 736200 China
Today’s first stop is Mogao Caves. As one of China’s four most famous grottoes, Mogao Grottoes is also the largest and best-preserved Buddhism art treasure house. It is especially famous for a great number of delicate murals and statues. All together it has 492 caves housing over 2,000 statues and more than 50,000 square yards of murals.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Dunhuang Museum, No.1390 North MingShaShan Road, Dunhuang China
In the following Dunhuang Museum, you will see as many as 4,000 pieces of cultural relics. There are documents discovered in the No.17 cave of Mogao Grottoes, the historical relics unearthed from tombs as well as silk, brocade, tulle and voile, all of which provide materials and reference to the ancient Silk Road.

Your Dunhuang 3-day tour itinerary comes to an end, and your guide will escort you to the airport and see you off there.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.



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