The Silk Road
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Silk Road - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Gansu Provincial Museum
The most famous item in this excellent museum's collection is the elegant bronze "Flying Horse," considered a masterpiece of ancient Chinese art that you'll find replicated all across China. Other notable objects include a silver plate documenting contact between China and Rome more than 2,200 years ago, and wooden tablets used to send messages along the Silk Road. Not all exhibits have information in English. Admission is free but you'll need your passport.
3 Xijin Xi Lu, Lanzhou, Gansu Sheng, 730050, China0931-233–9131Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon., Tues.–Sun. 9–5 -
2. Labrang Monastery
In the remote town of Xiahe, the monastery is a little piece of Tibet along the Gansu-Qinghai border. A world away from Lanzhou, Xiahe has experienced a dizzying rise in the number of travelers over the past decade. Despite the encroaching modernity, Xiahe is still a wonderful place, attracting large numbers of pilgrims who come to study and to spin the 1,147 prayer wheels of the monastery daily, swathed in their distinctive costume of heavy woolen robes tied with brightly colored sashes.The Labrang Monastery is the largest Tibetan lamasery outside Tibet. Founded in 1710, it once had as many as 4,000 monks, a number much depleted due in large part to the Cultural Revolution, when monks were forced to return home and temples were destroyed. Though the monastery reopened in 1980, the government's continued policy of restricted enrollment has kept the number of monks down to about 1,500. There are guided tours daily at 10:15 am and 3:15 pm.There are two ways to reach Xiahe: by public bus or by private tour. Buses for Xiahe leave from Lanzhou's South Station (汽车南站, Qìchē nán zhàn) in the morning (6:30 and 7:30) and afternoon (2 and 3) and take about four hours. Make sure to purchase tickets in advance, as some departures require travel insurance. Have two photocopies of your visa and passport information on hand in case they are required. As of this writing, the monastery is open to tourists. However, it has been closed in the recent past due to political uprisings, so as you plan your trip, keep tabs on the news.
2 km (1 mile) west of long-distance bus station, Xiahe, Gansu Sheng, 747100, ChinaSight Details
Rate Includes: Y40, Daily sunrise–sunset -
3. Thousand Buddha Temple and Grottoes
One of the best day trips is the Thousand Buddha Temple and Grottoes, about 80 km (50 miles) from Lanzhou. More commonly known by its Chinese name Bingling Si, it's filled with Buddhist paintings and statuary, including an impressive 89-foot-tall Buddha carved into a cliff face. The canyon that holds the Thousand Buddha Temple runs along one side of the Yellow River. The journey through a gorge lined by water-sculpted rocks is spectacular. When the canyon is dry you can travel 2½ km (1½ miles) on foot or by four-wheel-drive vehicle to see the small community of Tibetan lamas at the Upper Temple of Bingling. However, it's much easier to book a tour. Gansu Western Travel Service offers a popular day trip that includes all transportation, insurance, and entrance fee (Y1,300 for a one-person tour; Y340 if you join a group tour of 14 people).
Lanzhou, Gansu Sheng, ChinaSight Details
Rate Includes: Y50, July–Nov., daily 8–5 -
4. Five Springs Mountain Park
Sip tea among ancient temples and take in impressive views of the city from this pretty park. The five springs that gave the place its name, unfortunately, have dwindled to a trickle.
103 Wuquan Dong Lu, Lanzhou, Gansu Sheng, 73000, China0931-824–3247Sight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 6 am–7 pm -
5. White Pagoda Mountain Park
Laid out in 1958, the park covers the slopes on the Yellow River's north bank. Beautiful views of Lanzhou and the river are a leisurely walk or cable car away. It's more of a carnival than a place to relax, but it's a great place for people-watching.
Enter at Zhongshan Qiao, bridge extending over Yellow River, Lanzhou, Gansu Sheng, 730050, China0931-836–0800Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Daily 6 am–7:30 pm -
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