Time flows quietly, and the 2026 New Year's Day is just around the corner. It is a wonderful moment to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, and more importantly, a day carrying hope and blessings. May every visitor to Dunhuang enjoy a pleasant time during the New Year's Day holiday, start a smooth chapter of 2026 with full warmth and strength, and wish you happiness and success in the new year.
Steeds Greet the Spring, Meet in Dunhuang | 2026 New Year's Day Tour Guide to Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring
As the 2026 New Year's Day arrives, Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring invite you to admire the first ray of dawn in the new year. This carefully prepared 2026 New Year's Day Tour Guide to Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring will be your warm companion on the journey, answering your questions, illuminating your itinerary, and helping you write your own first chapter of the new year in the vast desert.
I. Admission Process
Happy 2026 New Year's Day
1. Ticket Policy
During the New Year's Day holiday, tickets to the scenic area are half-price.
(From December 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Scenic Area offers half-price tickets to tourists at home and abroad.)
2. Ticket Sales & Check-in
The scenic area fully implements online real-name reservation for ticket purchase. Please book tickets in advance through official platforms such as the "Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring" WeChat Official Account, "Visit Dunhuang" app, as well as third-party platforms including Ctrip and Meituan. When entering the scenic area, please bring your valid ID certificate for check-in.
3. Opening Hours
The scenic area is open from 07:30 to 18:00. Please enter through the middle gate for ticket verification during this period.
4. Transportation Guide
During the New Year's Day holiday, city buses are free of charge. You can take Bus No.3 in the urban area, take a taxi, or drive a private car directly to the middle gate of the scenic area.
Parking Lots No.1 and No.2 at the middle gate of the scenic area are open to all tourists free of charge during the New Year's Day holiday! Ample parking spaces are available to ensure a hassle-free self-driving trip.
II. Exclusive Discounts
Happy 2026 New Year's Day
【Steeds Celebrate the New Year】Value-for-Money Tour Package
Original Price: ¥225 | Special Price: ¥188 Only! Unlock classic desert experiences in one go and start a perfect journey with ultra-high cost performance!
Package Includes: Scenic area ticket + sand-proof shoe cover rental + camel riding experience + sightseeing bus (return trip).
Recommended Tour Route: Check in through the middle gate → Walk to the shoe cover rental point to collect shoe covers → Ride a camel on the desert loop line → Climb Mingsha Mountain and admire Crescent Spring → Take a sightseeing bus back to the middle gate square from Xiaoquanwan Square → End the tour perfectly.
III. Tour Notes
Happy 2026 New Year's Day
Notes for Mountain Climbing: The sand of Mingsha Mountain is fine and soft, making climbing more difficult than ordinary mountain climbing. Please climb slowly according to your physical strength, and take good care of valuables such as mobile phones and cameras to prevent them from falling into the sand. Tourists with diseases unsuitable for strenuous activities such as heart disease and hypertension are not advised to climb the mountain.
Notes for Camel Riding: Please follow the arrangements of the staff, pay attention to standard movements when getting on and off the camel. Keep your hands firmly on the camel equipment during the ride, maintain body balance, and refrain from dangerous behaviors or using shooting tools such as mobile phones and cameras, so as not to disturb the camels and cause safety incidents.
Notes for Off-road Vehicles & Motorbikes: Do not hang items on the body of off-road vehicles or motorbikes. Wear helmets and fasten seat belts as required, and follow the staff's instructions. Minors, pregnant women, patients with heart disease or hypertension, and elderly people aged 60 and above are not recommended to take these vehicles. Drunk tourists are strictly prohibited from riding. Do not use mobile phones or cameras for shooting during driving, and keep personal belongings properly.
Dear friends, we look forward to greeting the first ray of dawn in the new year with you on the top of Mingsha Mountain; we are ready to warm your courage of traveling thousands of miles with our thoughtful services; we are guarding the eternity and tranquility of this land, only to bring you a pure and breathtaking encounter.
On the 2026 New Year's Day, we are here with full enthusiasm and sincerity, waiting for your arrival. Let us together leave the first poetic footprints of the new year in the vast desert.
Wish you a happy New Year's Day, a safe journey, and may all your wishes come true!
Friendly Tour Tips for Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark 2026 New Year's Day
Bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new, chase the light in the Gobi desert! On the 2026 New Year's Day, Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark will invite you to a date with the light and shadow of heaven and earth with its pure wilderness beauty. To ensure you have a safe, comfortable and unforgettable tour experience in the "Ghost City", we hereby provide the following friendly tips. May you encounter the unique grandeur and romance of the northwest while bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new.
Book Your Trip & Enjoy Discounted Admission
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Opening Hours: In the off-season (November-March), the scenic area is open from 7:30 to 16:00, with the latest admission time at 17:30. Please arrange your visiting time reasonably.
Ticket Policy: Winter and spring special offers are in effect from December 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026:
Regular tourists: Half-price ticket ¥25 per person + sightseeing bus ¥70 per person;
Primary and secondary school students nationwide, elderly people aged 60-69: Enjoy an additional 50% off on the half-price ticket (ticket ¥12.5 per person);
Elderly people aged 70 and above, retired military personnel, and police officers: Free admission with valid certificates;
All-inclusive tour package ¥188 (including ticket, sightseeing bus, 5D cinema, and desert buggy ride) with excellent cost performance, bookable via the QR code below;
Tourists from Jiuquan and Jiayuguan: Free admission with valid ID certificates.
Reservation Method: All tourists can make reservations through the "Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark" official WeChat account.
Transportation Guide: The scenic area is 158 kilometers away from downtown Dunhuang, with a driving time of about 2.5 hours. Chartered cars, carpooling or self-driving are recommended (navigate to "Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark"). For self-driving, please fill up the fuel tank in advance (no gas stations on the Gobi section). Due to high risks of crosswinds, rain, snow and freezing in winter, please drive slowly.
Keep Warm & Protected Against the Gobi Winter Cold
Clothing Suggestions: The temperature in the scenic area is about -12℃~3℃ during the New Year's Day holiday. It is recommended to adopt the "three-layer warmth retention method": inner layer of quick-drying thermal underwear + middle layer of thick fleece/sweater + outer layer of windproof and waterproof down jacket. Match with fleece-lined pants and snow boots. Hats, scarves, thick gloves, windproof masks and warm patches are essential items.
Protective Equipment: UV intensity remains high in winter, so sunglasses are a must; use sand-proof goggles when there is heavy wind and sand.
Supply Preparation: The scenic area is dry with scarce water sources. Free hot water is provided at the parking lot supermarket and tourist center. It is recommended to bring a large-capacity thermos; carry portable energy-boosting foods such as chocolates, energy bars and nuts to replenish physical strength in a timely manner.
Yardang Greets the New Year · Coffee Warms the Journey
Purchase the ¥188 Dunhuang Yardang tour package to get a free cultural and creative gift plus a 50% discount coupon for "1900 Coffee" at the tourist center (applicable to all products including freshly ground coffee, specialty drinks and hot beverages).
Promotion Period: January 1 to January 3.
Safety & Environmental Protection · Protect the Millennium Wonders
Safety Guidelines: Yardang landforms are soft and prone to collapse. Climbing or carving on Yardang formations is strictly prohibited. Please stay within the fenced areas and follow the staff's guidance at all times. Avoid crowds and take good care of personal belongings during the New Year's Eve celebration due to large visitor flow.
Emergency Response: Mobile phone signals are weak in some areas of the scenic area. Do not leave the team or deviate from the designated routes without permission. In case of emergencies such as low-temperature frostbite or vehicle breakdown, please call the service hotlines immediately: 0937-8841885, 13909372395. The emergency team will respond and handle the situation promptly.
Activity Safety: When experiencing activities such as off-road vehicle riding, sightseeing tram, desert buggy and karting, please fasten seat belts and wear protective equipment strictly. Children must be accompanied by adults. Unauthorized acceleration or route changes are strictly prohibited.
Ecological Protection: Yardang landforms have formed over hundreds of millions of years with a fragile ecological environment. Please dispose of all garbage in designated recycling bins and do not litter.
New Year's Day Exclusive · Warm Tips
Free hot water, charging services and rest areas are available at the scenic area tourist center.
Sunrise (around 9:10) and sunset (after 17:30) are the best shooting times with soft light and rock walls glowing with metallic luster. It is recommended to take photos at the Xihai Fleet and Great Man Statue service areas.
Bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, meet in the wilderness. Dunhuang Yardang is willing to witness the opening chapter of your new year with its hundreds-of-millions-of-years-old geological wonders and warm service guarantees. Wish you a pleasant tour during the 2026 New Year's Day holiday and all the best!
Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark
December 31, 2025
2026 New Year's Day Holiday Travel Guide to Dunhuang Yangguan-Yumenguan Tourist Area
When the first ray of dawn in the new year sweeps across the Hexi Corridor, the vast silhouettes of Yangguan Pass and Yumenguan Pass are dyed with golden radiance. Once the strategic hub of the Silk Road, this land witnessed countless merchants, envoys and poets stopping to look back, leaving behind the sorrow of "West of Yangguan Pass, no old friends abide" and the sigh of "The spring breeze never blows beyond Yumenguan Pass". As the New Year's Day holiday approaches, the Yangguan-Yumenguan Tourist Area invites you to a Silk Road journey spanning thousands of years. We have carefully prepared this detailed travel guide to accompany you through an unforgettable New Year's Day holiday and unlock the unique charm of these frontier secrets.
I. Opening Hours
8:30 - 18:00. Please plan your trip in advance, arrange your admission time reasonably, and enjoy a better experience by visiting during off-peak hours.
II. Ticket Purchase Guide
Online Booking: Follow the "Yangguan-Yumenguan Tourist Area" official WeChat account, select the "Ticket Purchase" menu and click to book tickets.
Window Purchase: Buy tickets at the ticket office with your original valid ID certificate.
III. Winter & Spring Special Offers
Yangguan Pass Ruins: "Classic All-inclusive Package" originally priced at ¥205, now only ¥188, including ticket, sightseeing bus, pass certificate, refrigerator magnet, exploration order, beacon fire transmission experience, archery experience, pass city interactive activities and poetry corridor.
Yumenguan Pass Ruins: "Classic All-inclusive Package" originally priced at ¥258, now only ¥188, including ticket, sightseeing bus, Yumenguan bamboo slip experience, Hanfu rental, simplified Han-style meal and poetry corridor.
IV. Travel Guide
Recommended Tour Route: Downtown Dunhuang → Yangguan Museum → Yangguan Pass City → Yangguan Pass Ruins → Poetry Corridor (Desert Camel Bells, Prosperous Flying Apsaras) → Yumenguan Exhibition Hall → Yumenguan Pass Ruins → Han Great Wall Ruins → Hecang City Ruins.
Ruins Tour Routes:
Yangguan Pass Ruins: Yangguan Museum → Yangguan Prefect's Office → Yangguan Pass City → Yangguan Pass Ruins → Ethnic Culture Park → Farming Culture Museum → Yangguan Barracks → Research and Experience Hall. To visit the Yangguan Pass Ruins, please purchase tickets at the sightseeing bus station, priced at ¥20 per person.
Yumenguan Pass Ruins: Yumenguan Exhibition Hall → Digital Experience Hall → Yumenguan Pass Ruins → Han Great Wall Ruins → Hecang City Ruins. To visit the Han Great Wall and Hecang City Ruins, please purchase tickets at the sightseeing bus station, priced at ¥50 per person.
V. Friendly Reminders
The tourist area is located in the Gobi desert with large temperature differences between day and night in winter. Please keep warm to prevent catching a cold.
All parking lots in the tourist area are free of charge. Upon arrival, please park your vehicle in an orderly manner according to the staff's guidance.
Please protect the natural environment of the tourist area, consciously protect flora and fauna and maintain environmental hygiene. Do not litter sundries such as fruit peels, beverage cans and plastic bags.
Please take good care of cultural relics, historic sites and public facilities. Do not scribble or carve on cultural relics, historical landscapes and related protection facilities, and never damage or move them. Especially when visiting the cultural relic exhibition hall, please follow the signs and staff's instructions.
Please abide by the tour order, do not climb or cross the safety guardrails. Avoid crowding and frolicking, and be careful when walking up and down stone steps. Please take good care of the elderly and children accompanying you, and do not let children move around alone.
Please visit in accordance with the tourist signs, safety warning signs and staff's prompts to ensure your safety, especially when choosing activities such as horse riding, camel riding, donkey cart riding and sightseeing bus riding.
Please keep your valuables properly during the tour. Non-valuable items that are inconvenient to carry can be deposited at the left-luggage office.
Flying drones is prohibited in and around the tourist area. For special reasons, please contact the tourist area staff in advance.
The tourist service center provides consultation, rest and medical first-aid services. If you have any questions, needs or suggestions during your visit, please directly call the 24-hour consultation and complaint hotline of the tourist area: 400-001-9181. We will serve you wholeheartedly.
On the 2026 New Year's Day holiday, wish you a smooth journey and a safe trip. All staff of the Yangguan-Yumenguan Tourist Area look forward to your arrival. Let us together write your unique magnificent poem in this vast land.
Dunhuang Holds 2026 New Year's Gala6-Day 5-Night In-Depth Exploration of Dunhuang Grottoes
