Zhangye travel guide
张掖
Zhangye, located in the middle of the Hexi Corridor, was praised by a poet with the lines: “Gazing not at the snow on the Qilian Mountains,…
10 places · In the guidebook: pages 735–743
Zhangye, Gansu Province · AI illustration for China Trip
Quick itinerary
Zhangye in 4 days
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Zhangye Danxia National Geopark
- Day 4
The feel of the place
- Golden Zhangye
- Zhangye, located in the middle of the Hexi Corridor, was praised by a poet with the lines: “Gazing not at the snow on the Qilian Mountains, one might mistake Zhangye for the south of the Yangtze.” The city has vast grasslands and pastures and is also one of Gansu's best-known grain-producing regions. For a long time it served as a military horse base, grain base and strategic stronghold for defending the Silk Road and the Hexi Corridor, which is why it is paired with Wuwei as “Golden Zhangye, Silver Wuwei.” On National Highway 312, east of Zhangye city, stands an archway inscribed with “Golden Zhangye” in the calligraphy of Jiang Zemin.
tip: Travel Accounts
Marco Polo stayed in Zhangye for a full year, and his travelogue describes the majestic Giant Buddha Temple and the Zhangye Wooden Pagoda. The Giant Buddha Temple faces west with its back to the east, and its interior murals and sculptures are remarkably well preserved. On the east side of the temple stands an earthen stupa in Tibetan Buddhist style.
tip: Snack Street
On Ganzhou Snack Street, on Minzhu East Street in Zhangye, you can sample all kinds of local delicacies. The street usually opens at 6:00 and closes around 3 or 4 a.m. the next day. Snack stalls line both sides of the street, offering a wide variety of food at low prices. At both ends of the street stand replica ancient archways, simple and elegant, recalling the look of old Zhangye. Local specialties include cuo yu mian (rubbed fish noodles), ci'er zi, lamb noodle soup, pimianjin (wheat gluten), pan-fried blood sausage, sheep's head soup, yu'er fen (fish-shaped noodles), huidou tang (ash bean soup), chicken dianjuanzi, Shandan oil fritters, hubo and doufunao (tofu pudding). Among the meat dishes, besides hand-grabbed mutton and clear-broth mutton, cured la mutton is also worth trying.
Things to see
Mati Temple Scenic Area
2–3 hours · ¥74
Here you can see a magnificent complex of cave temples, ride horses to explore a huge waterfall deep in the mountains, or follow a guide and a horse caravan through dense forest to the Jinta Temple Grottoes. The route to the Jinta Temple Grottoes is treacherous. There are just two caves, each barely over ten square metres, but they contain China's only high-relief flying apsara (feitian) carvings. The statues themselves are fairly ordinary, yet the trek appeals to many visitors.
Zhangye Global Geopark
3–5 hours · ¥75
Zhangye Danxia shifts from red to yellow, from grey to white, and through purple, blue, gold and jade green, its ridges rising and rolling into the distance. Nature's artistry here is simply breathtaking. Inside the scenic area, Viewing Platform 2 offers the panoramic view, while Viewing Platform 3 is the best place to watch the sunset. At sunrise, Viewing Platforms 4 and 5 reveal a dramatic landscape of razor-sharp ridges, so it is best to plan a full day for your visit.
Binggou Danxia Scenic Area
Binggou Danxia is renowned for its majestic, dramatic scenery and is known as "Red Cliffs Thousands of Feet High." Its main sights include Divine Camel Greeting Guests, Roots of the Earth and Ghostly Ancient Fortress, whose lifelike forms are vivid and striking.
3–4 hours · ¥58 (admission + sightseeing shuttle)
Giant Buddha Temple Scenic Area
The temple houses the largest indoor clay-sculpted reclining Buddha in China, measuring 34.5 metres long and 7.5 metres wide. Built in 1098, it is the only large Western Xia Buddhist temple still standing in China. The Giant Buddha Temple now houses the Zhangye Museum.
1–2 hours · ¥38
Qilian Mountains National Park
The Qilian Mountains straddle the border between Qinghai and Gansu provinces. They form a vast marginal mountain system on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with primal, pure and rustic mountain scenery and enchanting primeval forests. After the start of summer, the forests turn green, yet the peaks remain snow-capped and the glaciers never melt. In the sunlight, the scene is indescribably magnificent.
1–2 days · Free
Kangle Grassland
The area includes the Danxia geological scenic zone, Kanglong Temple, the Machang Tan grassland, snow-mountain adventure tourism and more. In spring and summer the grassland is green as a carpet; in autumn wild fruit hangs heavy on the branches; in deep winter the snow lies white and the scenery is magnificent. Every July, herders in festive dress gather here from all directions for a grassland festival, with spectacular horse racing, wrestling, archery and other performances.
3–5 hours · ¥60
Pingshanhu Grand Canyon
The scenic area lies 56 km from Zhangye city centre. Over hundreds of millions of years, wind and rain have carved out this extraordinary landscape of deep canyons and peculiar peak forests. The red rock looks remarkably rugged and magnificent. Stepping into the labyrinthine canyon, surrounded by criss-crossing gullies and forests of peaks, you will be dazzled. The canyon's sheer size and scenic appeal are rare anywhere in the world. The scenic area has four viewing platforms linked by plank walkways. From the platforms you can look across or down at the entire canyon landscape, and the walkways lead down to the canyon floor. Every stage of the journey makes you marvel at nature's handiwork.
2–3 hours · ¥100, plus ¥30 for the sightseeing shuttle bus
Wenshushan Grottoes
Built during the Northern Liang period of the Sixteen Kingdoms, this is a large Buddhist grotto complex. Its main caves include the Thousand Buddha Cave, the Ten Thousand Buddha Cave and the Ancient Buddha Cave on the back mountain, all central-pillar caves with domed ceilings and roughly square floor plans. The Ten Thousand Buddha Cave contains a large Western Xia-era mural of the Maitreya Sutra Transformation and the "Four Heavenly Kings Guarding the Cave" statues.
1 hour · ¥120
Muta Temple
The surviving wooden pagoda is a rebuilt brick-and-timber structure, and climbing it offers a view over the city of Zhangye. However, it is far less grand than the purely wooden, rotating pagoda described in Marco Polo's travel accounts. It now houses the Gaotai Folk Customs Museum.
1 hour · ¥25
Shandan Military Horse Farm
This is the oldest horse farm in the world, the largest in Asia and the second largest in the world. The terrain is flat, with lush grass and water, making it an ideal place for horses to grow and multiply. Shandan horses are well proportioned, sturdy and strong, truly fine steeds. Here you can go horse riding and camping, or watch horse races and equestrian shows. If you have dreams of galloping across the grassland, come and give it a try.
1–2 days · ¥65
Getting there & around
Getting In and Out
As elsewhere in Gansu, the most convenient way to get around between towns in Zhangye is by bus.
By Air
By Train
By Road
Zhangye has three long-distance bus stations: East, West and South.
Long-Distance Bus Stations
The city centre is very compact, and most sights can be reached on foot or by three-wheeled motorcycle taxi. The city has several bus routes, all charging a flat fare of ¥1. Buses 9, 11 and 12, among others, serve the South Bus Station. Taxi flag-fall fares vary by vehicle type. A taxi from the railway station to the city centre costs about ¥20; from the long-distance bus stations, about ¥5.
Zhangye Ganzhou Airport
By AirNow open for flights. About 24 km from the city centre.
- Phone:
- 0936-8859066
Zhangye Railway Station
By TrainDaily trains run to Beijing, Ürümqi, Lanzhou, Shanghai, Xi'an and Jinan, among other cities.
- Address:
- 5 km northeast of central Zhangye
Eat & drink
Mingqing Street is the most dazzling spot in Zhangye at night. Its night market is lively, and the variety of local snacks is sure to satisfy any appetite. Try Lao Zhou's chao bola and Sun's chao pao. Grab a skewer of grilled northwestern-style lamb from the surrounding stalls, and you'll feel you've become half a Zhangye local.
Where to stay
Zhangye is small, so finding a place to stay is easy, and prices are low too.
Zhangye Danxia Congcongnian Hotel (匆匆那年酒店)
Zhangye Danxia Congcongnian Hotel (匆匆那年酒店)- Address:
- Next to the Danxia scenic area in Qicai Town
- Phone:
- 13919856712
- ¥
- Double room ¥148
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 735–743. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version