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Ask a QuestionGansu is located in the northwest of China, is an important place in the ancient Silk Road. Boasting cities like Zhangye, Dunhuang, Jiayuguan and Lanzhou, there are many famous historical sites and beautiful natural scenery in Gansu.
In Zhangye, you can see the rainbow mountain(Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park). In Dunhuang, you can see the impressive grottoes as well as Singing Sands Dune and Crescent Spring. In Jiayuguan, you can witness the magnificent Jiayuguan Pass and Overhanging Great Wall.
Boasting various and rich travel resources, the best time to visit Gansu depends on the scenery you prefer. Generally speaking, the best time to travel in Gansu is in spring and autumn, especially August, September and October.
The temperature of spring in Gansu increases fast and changes fast. A lot of sand storms appear in this season. The average temperature is about 8℃.
White Pagoda Mountain Park (Lanzhou): it got its name from the white pagoda in Baitasi (White Pagoda Temple) on its summit; it gains its reputation form the three stately and magnificent ancient architectural complexes.
Five-Spring Mountain (Lanzhou): named for the five springs in the mountain, which are not the only tourist magnet, but also a famous scenic religious spot.
Summer in Gansu is hot and has lots of precipitation. The average temperature of summer is about 19.9℃.
Crescent Spring and Singing Sand Dune (Dunhuang): twin sisters of natural beauty in the wild Gobi Desert; it's no surprise to have the saying that Singing Sand Dune (Mingsha Hill) helps people free from all worries and Crescent Spring purifies people's minds.
Dunhuang Yadan National Geologic Park (Dunhuang): the largest one of Yadan Landform found so far; it features the unique and wonderful scenes and landscapes of gobi desert.
The temperature in Gansu's autumn decreases fast. The average temperature in this season is about 10℃.
Yangguan Pass (Dunhuang): it is the vital part of the Silk Road culture, and one of the representative relics of China Great Wall culture.
Jiayuguan Pass (Dunhuang): the first pass at the west of the Great Wall of China; the most magnificent and best-preserved pass among the total over one thousand passes along the Great Wall of China.
Winter is so cold in Gansu. The temperature changes a lot during the daytime and night. It's dry with little rain in this season. The average temperature of the whole province is about -5.0℃.
Mogao Grottoes (Dunhuang):one of three noted grottoes in China for its fabulous frescos and statues; it is the largest, oldest and the best-preserved Buddhist grottoes with the richest contents in the world today.
Bingling Thousand-Buddha Caves (Lanzhou): a famous religious attraction in Lanzhou, ranks the second after the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang; in the vicinity of the caves are green hills, crystal-clear water, grotesque stones and precipitous cliffs, which add more beauty to this artistic site.
Best Time to Visit the Mogao Grottoes
Mogao Grottoes are indoor attraction, and you can visit the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang anytime you like. Please note that summer(June to August) is the peak season of Gansu, and the tickets of the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes are difficult to reserve. Please reserve the tickets of the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in advance. And Dunhuang is cold and windy in winter. If you do not like the cold weather, you can avoid winter to visit Mogao Grottoes.
Best Time to Visit the Rainbow Mountain(Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot)
The best time to enjoy the Danxia landform in Zhangye is May to October with pleasant climate and most beautiful color of the Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot. During a day, an hour after the sunrise(5:30-7:00) and an hour before the sunset(18:00-20:00) are the best time to visit the Danxia landform in Zhangye with soft sunlight and high color saturation. Kindly reminder, when it is sunny after the rain, the colorful hills at the Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot is more attractive.
Best Time to Visit Singing Sands Dune and Crescent Spring
The best time to visit Singing Sands Dune and Crescent Spring will depend on the scenery you prefer. In spring and summer, the plants around the Crescent Spring are lush. Kindly reminder, summer(June to August) is the peak season of Singing Sands Dune and Crescent Spring, you may wait in queue in some activities like riding camel. Autumn is comfortable to explore the Singing Sands Dune and Crescent Spring. And the Singing Sands Dune and Crescent Spring are differently beautiful in winter when they are covered by snow.
Recommended Dunhuang Tour: 4 Days Best Dunhuang Tour
Generally speaking, it is recommended that you stay in Dunhuang for 2-3 days. You can use a day to explore the Mogao Grottoes, Singing Sands Dune and Crescent Spring. For the another day, you can visit the Yardang National Geopark and Yumenguan Pass.
Recommended Zhangye Tour: 4 Days Zhangye Danxia Landform Tour
To visit Zhangye, you can spend one day at the Rainbow Mountain(Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot). And you will be amazed at the wonderful color of the Danxia landform in Zhangye of Gansu Province. If you have two days in Zhangye, you can visit the Giant Buddha Temple and Mati Temple.
Lanzhou is the capital of the Gansu Province, boating Gansu Provincial Museum, Baita Mountain Park, Zhongshan Bridge, etc. Lanzhou is usually the stop of many tourists who plan to visit Dunhuang and Zhangye. And some people will take time to visit Lanzhou. If you have a day in Lanzhou, you can visit the Gansu Provincial Museum, Baita Mountain Park and Zhongshan Bridge. If you have two days in Lanzhou, you can also visit the Bingling Temple Scenic Area, which is the World Heritage Site with the large statue of the Maitreya and the exquisite grottoes.
Recommended Gansu Tour: 12 Days Silk Road Tour with Zhangye Danxia Landform
In this 12 days tour, you can explore the highlights of Beijing and Gansu Province, including Dunhuang, Zhangye, Lanzhou, Jiayuguan and Wuwei.
•Gansu is dry and in high altitude; and its ultraviolet rays are strong, tourists need to drink more water.
•The temperature changes a lot in the daytime and night, tourists should pay attention to add or reduce clothes, in order to avoid catching cold.
•The Silk Road Tours are long with distributed scenic spots, hence, the riding time is a little long, you'd better take your Motion Sickness Drugs.
•The temperature in the south of Gansu changes a lot, and wind and rain often appears, apart from taking your sun care products like sun glasses and hat, you'd better take your thick coat to avoid the cold air in the morning and night.
Related Gansu Travel Information
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