# Zhangye travel guide (张掖)

Gansu Province · Northwest, China · 10 places
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/gansu/zhangye

## Quick itinerary

- **Day 1:** Mati Temple → Giant Buddha Temple → Muta Temple
- **Day 2:** Binggou Danxia → Kangle Grassland → Zhangye
- **Day 3:** Zhangye Danxia National Geopark
- **Day 4:** Pingshanhu Grand Canyon

## 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.

## The feel of the place

- 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.


## 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** — Now open for flights. About 24 km from the city centre.
- **Zhangye Railway Station** — Daily trains run to Beijing, Ürümqi, Lanzhou, Shanghai, Xi'an and Jinan, among other cities. (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)** —  (Next to the Danxia scenic area in Qicai Town, 13919856712)

## Things to see

- **Zhangye Global Geopark** (★★★★): Admission ¥75; Opening hours 7:30–17:00 (November 1 – following year's February 28); 6:30–18:00 (March 1 – April 27); 5:30–18:30 (April 28 – May 31); 6:30–18:00 (August 30 – October 31); Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zhangye-global-geopark
- **Binggou Danxia Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥58 (admission + sightseeing shuttle); Opening hours 9:00–17:00 (low season); 8:30–18:30 (peak season); Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/binggou-danxia-scenic-area
- **Giant Buddha Temple Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥38; Opening hours 8：30—18：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/giant-buddha-temple-scenic-area
- **Muta Temple** (★★★): Admission ¥25; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/muta-temple
- **Mati Temple Scenic Area** (★★★★★): Admission ¥74; Opening hours 8：30—18：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mati-temple-scenic-area
- **Qilian Mountains National Park** (★★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 1–2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qilian-mountains-national-park
- **Kangle Grassland** (★★★★): Admission ¥60; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/kangle-grassland
- **Pingshanhu Grand Canyon** (★★★★): Admission ¥100, plus ¥30 for the sightseeing shuttle bus; Opening hours 8：00—17：30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/pingshanhu-grand-canyon
- **Wenshushan Grottoes** (★★★★): Admission ¥120; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wenshushan-grottoes
- **Shandan Military Horse Farm** (★★★): Admission ¥65; Time needed 1–2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shandan-military-horse-farm

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 735–743. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.