There are dreamlike worlds to discover in the Zhangye Danxia Geopark! In the northwest of China, the city of Zhangye is part of the Chinese Silk Road. It is known for its breathtaking nature and especially the Rainbow Mountains. As Zhangye was quite far away from our itinerary, we decided to fly from Xi’an (Shaanxi) to the tiny airport of Zhangye (2h direct flight with China Eastern). But you can also take the train. The train ride takes around 13 hours. Zhangye is a rather small town for China at an altitude of 1,500 m. There is not much to see in the town.
You can therefore focus on the Zhangye National Geopark. For a two-day stay in Zhangye, we recommend a visit to the Rainbow Mountains (Caiqiu) and Binggou Danxia.
Getting to Rainbow Mountains by public bus
The colorful striped rainbow mountains (Caiqiu) were formed from sediments that were deposited in a lake around 137-96 million years ago. Due to climate change in the early Cretaceous period, weathering and tectonic activity, Caiqiu shows the beautiful colors thanks to the many minerals.
You can get to the Rainbow Mountains by cab, on a guided tour or by public bus. There are three entrances: North Gate, West Gate, East Gate. We opted for the public bus. The bus departs from Xiguan Bus Station (West bus station) at 9.20 am to the North Gate of Zhangye UNESCO Global Geopark. We bought the tickets for 15 RMB per person per journey at the ticket office the day before, as the seats were limited. After an hour’s ride, we reached the North Gate.
After buying the tickets for the park (92 RMB), we were able to take cars to the viewing platforms. Everything was well organized and the route is predetermined. You can’t hike alone in the Zhangye Danxia Geopark. All paths are prescribed. But that’s not a bad thing because there is so much to see with breathtaking views. Our route starting at the North Gate was:
1. Colorful Meeting Fairy, 2. Colorful Sea of Clouds, 3. Colorful Embroidered Observation Deck, 4. Colorful Clouds
Ticket price: 92 RMB p.p. Recommended time for sightseeing: 5 hours
Binggou Danxia
Another beautiful part, but less touristy, is Binggou Danxia. The same bus that goes to the Rainbow Mountains goes to the park. It leaves Xiguan Bus Station at 7.30, 9.15 and 10.30 am (ticket 12 RMB for 1.5 h ride).
Binggou Danxia is divided into two parts: “Small West” and “Big West”. It covers around 30 square kilometers. The base, the red conglomerate, was formed 145-100 million years ago. In the first part of the tour, the “Small West”, we drove in a mini-group in a yellow vehicle through the river bed to the sights. The ride was a special experience and you should dress warmly because the wind can be very cold. However, the viewpoints are great and we really appreciated being in a small group, which is a rarity in China. The first tour (Small West) was finished after 1.5 hours.
Next, a car was waiting for us to take us to the highlights of the Big West. For example, we saw a rock that looked like a giant sheep’s head. And we were able to walk a lot more (stairs again, of course) and see the park from above. The rock formations were very impressive, especially the vastness of the park. After around 2.5 hours, this tour was also over. We took the red bus back to Zhangye at 3.10 pm for 12 RMB per person (1.5 h journey time). It honked from afar so that we could hear it, as the bus stop was right by the roadside. If you have two or three days in Zhangye, we highly recommend visiting Binggou Danxia as well as the Rainbow Mountains!
Ticket price: 128 RMB p.p. (both parts) Recommended time for sightseeing: 4 hours
You travel in a small group on an amphibious vehicle through the countryside of Binggou Danxia.
