2-Day Jiayuguan Tour: Hanging Great Wall & Silk Road History

Most tourists typically continue their journey along the ancient Silk Road to Jiayuguan after visiting Zhangye or Xi'an. Your adventure begins by landing at Jiaoyuguan Jiuquan Airport, or by arriving at Jiaoyuguan Station/Jiaoyuguan South Station. If you will travel to Jiayuguan by bullet train, you can witness the magnificent wildness as you gradually move from the Hexi Corridor, which starts from oases to the desert.

Your private guide and driver will escort you to check into a hotel and have a short rest, with opportunities to briefly introduce Jiayuguan to you.

This afternoon, visit the Wei-Jin Tombs, which have a high historical and artistic value. Here, there are over 1,400 tombs, but currently only No. 6 is open to the public. This area, composed of tomb murals from the Wei and Jin periods, is hailed by the archaeological community as an "underground gallery", revealing the social life and Silk Road exchanges of the region 1,500 years ago. 

Picture: The banquets and dancing scenes, hunting scenes, farming, military processions, camel caravans, and the interaction between people wearing Han clothing and those in Central Asian clothing in this ancient northwest frontier city. The painting techniques of these murals also provide important materials for studying the early history of Chinese painting.

Approach the most famous "Post Messenger Painting", which later became the symbol of China Post. You will be surprised to find that the postman in the painting gallops on horseback without his mouth depicted. Why? Because the postal service work needs to be kept secret.

Recommended local foods (combining Gansu cuisine and halal cuisine) to try:

• Grilled mutton skewers
• Donkey meat noodles
• Apricot-flavored water
• Hand-held mutton
• Various types of noodles and naan breads 

Good to know

The dry desert climate of Jiaguanyu means that the air is dry, the sunlight is intense during the day, and there is a significant temperature difference between day and night. Please pack appropriately for your tour to Jiaguanyu.

Meals: B, L

Enjoy a full day exploring China's ancient border defense system. Summit Jiayuguan Pass, a crucial westernmost pass of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, known as "The First Pass Under Heaven." Visit the gate tower, arrow tower, barbican, city wall walkways, and ancient military camp ruins, while your guide recounts how Jiayuguan served as a vital military fortress for ancient Central Plains dynasties controlling the Hexi Corridor. In the distance, you can see the Qilian Mountains beyond the Gobi Desert, where the ancient Silk Road route lies hidden.

Later, walk to the Overhanging Great Wall, built on a steep mountain ridge, hence its name. You've probably already visited sections of the Great Wall near Beijing, such as Mutianyu; the Overhanging Great Wall is even more wild and isolated.

Continue your trip to the First Beacon Tower of the Great Wall, located on the edge of the Taolai River Gorge, the first beacon tower at the western end of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. At this site, you can imagine ancient soldiers transmitting military information through smoke signals, firelight, and flag signals.

There are endless photography opportunities, especially at dawn and sunset (if weather permits).

For those wishing to explore the Silk Road more deeply, continuing to Dunhuang is the most popular option. Both high-speed train (2.5 hours) and private transfer (4 hours) are recommended.

Good to know

Wear comfortable waking shoes for walking.

Meal: B, L