Day 1: Immersing in Art and Natural Wonders
The Mogao Caves
The Mogao Caves, the world's largest and most content - rich Buddhist art site, is approximately 12 kilometers away from the city center. A 3.5 - hour visit is usually sufficient. The visit starts with a 40 - minute film screening at the Mogao Caves Digital Exhibition Center. After that, take a 15 - minute shuttle bus ride to the actual caves for a 1.5 - hour exploration.
Tickets for the Mogao Caves need to be reserved in advance. During the peak season, it's advisable to book about a month ahead. Ticket prices vary between the off - peak and peak seasons. The off - peak price is 100 yuan, while the peak - season price is 200 yuan. Foreign visitors need to pay an additional 20 - yuan interpreter fee. The ticket price includes access to the digital cinema, the actual caves, and the shuttle bus. In case you can't get a full - ticket reservation, there are emergency tickets. However, only 12,000 emergency tickets are sold daily. With an emergency ticket, you can't watch the movie, and you can only visit 4 caves, which is half the number of caves accessible with a regular reservation.
Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring
Crescent Moon Spring has defied the desert for a thousand years, with sand never covering the spring, creating a truly spectacular sight. Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring are about 6 kilometers from the city center. You can take the No. 3 bus (2 yuan per person) or a taxi (15 yuan per trip) from the city to the spring. Plan to spend about 2 - 3 hours here. The entrance ticket is 120 yuan, excluding the sightseeing bus fee (10 yuan for a one - way trip).
At Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring, you can not only admire the amazing co - existence of the mountain and the spring but also experience thrilling desert entertainment projects such as gliders, desert off - road vehicles, off - road motorcycles, and sand - skiing. Sand - skiing and camel - riding are highly recommended. Note that these entertainment items are self - paid and not included in the ticket price.
Dunhuang Grand Ceremony
The Dunhuang Grand Ceremony is performed in a venue within Dunhuang Resort, which is very close to Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring. There is also the characteristic Yuequan Town nearby, where you can have dinner. Taking advantage of its location at the foot of Mingsha Mountain, the audience can sit in the open - air auditorium and rotate 360° along with the performance. As the only desert - real - scene performance, it is highly characteristic of Dunhuang, offering a novel experience and being very helpful for understanding Dunhuang culture.
Day 2: Tracing the Ancient Silk Road and Enjoying the City's Nightlife
Dunhuang Ancient City
This ancient city is about 20 kilometers from the city center. A 1 - hour visit is suitable, and the entrance ticket costs 40 yuan. It has served as a filming base for many movies, including "New Dragon Gate Inn" and "The Investiture of the Gods". The architecture here features a strong Western - Regions style, with the city having east, west, and south gates, and towering city towers. Inside the city, there are five main streets named after Gaochang, Dunhuang, Ganzhou, Xingqing, and Bianliang, with Buddhist temples, pawnshops, warehouses, taverns, and residences on both sides of the streets. There are also some small entertainment items like archery for interested tourists.
Yangguan Scenic Area
About 55 kilometers west of the ancient city lies the Yangguan Scenic Area. Yangguan was an important frontier pass and the earliest customs during the Han and Tang dynasties in China. Wang Wei's poem "Weicheng Qu" - "I urge you to drink one more cup of wine; Once you go west of Yangguan, there will be no old friends." - has made Yangguan a place expressing farewell emotions. You can spend about 2 hours here. The ticket is 50 yuan, and the sightseeing bus costs 10 yuan.
Yumen Pass, Hecang City, and the Han Great Wall
After Yangguan, you'll reach Yumen Pass, Hecang City, and the Han Great Wall. "Spring breeze does not reach Yumen Pass" refers to this place. These three attractions are in the same area, and the combined ticket costs 40 yuan. It's about 100 kilometers from the city center, and a 0.5 - hour visit is recommended.
Yadan National Geopark
80 kilometers west of Yumen Pass is the Yadan National Geopark. It is currently the largest - scale, most maturely - developed, and most - valuable - for - viewing Yadan landform community in Asia. When night falls, the sharp wind makes terrifying howls, like the roars of thousands of wild beasts, thus earning it the name "Devil City". The entrance ticket is 50 yuan, and the sightseeing bus costs 70 yuan. Plan to spend about 2 hours here. Don't forget to bring your camera, as the photos taken here are stunning. The park also provides vehicles. Usually, the sightseeing bus only visits the western area, and the eastern area is seldom visited. For a more in - depth experience, you can rent a car inside the park. However, never wander around casually, as the signal is poor in the depths of Yadan, and getting lost can be very dangerous. The sunset in Yadan is also incredibly beautiful. If you want to watch the sunset, make early preparations.
Shazhou Night Market
Today's itinerary may end late. If you don't watch the sunset in Yadan, you can return to the city around 7 or 8 p.m. If you do, it will be after 9 p.m. If you still have energy after returning to the city, you can visit the Shazhou Night Market, where Dunhuang's nightlife is just beginning. It is a concentrated expression of Dunhuang's local customs. Have dinner here, enjoy a local barbecue with a couple of beers, and you'll surely feel satisfied and comfortable. Besides various local snacks, there are also many special handicrafts in the night market, such as luminous cups, poplar - wood carvings, and silk scarves with exotic styles. They are rich in variety and affordable, making great gifts for friends.
Day 3: Exploring the City's Essence
Dunhuang Museum
After getting ready in the morning, you can visit the Dunhuang Museum. Although many people don't include the museum in their itinerary, it's actually a very worthwhile place to visit. To understand the cultural heritage of a city, a museum visit is essential.
The Dunhuang Museum houses over 4,000 cultural relics. The most famous ones are the "Dunhuang Manuscripts" unearthed from the Mogao Caves and the rare Tibetan - language scriptures, which are the treasures of the museum. The visit is free, but remember to bring your ID card. Also, the museum is closed on Mondays. It's convenient to get there. Take the Dunhuang Bus No. 3 and get off at the Jinye Hotel stop, then walk 500 meters south along Mingshan North Road. Taxis in the city are also inexpensive, so you can take a taxi. A general visit to the museum takes about one and a half hours. If you want to view everything carefully, you can allocate more time.
Danghe Scenic Belt
Danghe is the mother river of Dunhuang. "The Danghe River Flows North" is one of the "Eight Scenes of Dunhuang". In the poem "The Danghe River Flows North" by Su Lvji, it is described as "A new - rising current with shallow waves; Tree shadows evenly arranged on both banks. I love the spring scenery the most; After the ice melts in the frontier, fishermen catch fresh fish." The Danghe Scenic Belt is very lively in summer, especially at night. You can arrange your time on the third day according to your own schedule. It only costs 5 yuan to take a taxi to reach the scenic belt within the city. The area of the scenic belt is not large, so you can stroll around at your leisure.
This three - day itinerary is quite sufficient. I'm used to leaving the last day of a trip to explore the city center when traveling to a place. This way, you can experience the local customs without a rushed schedule. If you're short on time, a two - day trip is also possible, but I still recommend setting aside a day for a more in - depth experience of the local flavor.
