A Silk Road town in Gansu's Hexi Corridor, Zhangye is famous for its surreal Rainbow Mountains — striped Danxia sandstone glowing red, orange and gold — and a giant reclining Buddha hidden in a quiet temple.
History & culture
An important garrison and trade stop on the Silk Road since the Han dynasty, Zhangye linked the Chinese heartland with Central Asia, and Marco Polo is said to have lingered here for a year.
What to see & do
- ◆Zhangye Danxia 'Rainbow Mountains' at sunset
- ◆The Giant Buddha Temple's reclining statue
- ◆Mati Si (Horse Hoof) cliff grottoes
- ◆Binggou Danxia's dramatic rock forms
- ◆Wooden Pagoda in the old town
What to eat
- ●Hand-pulled lamb noodles
- ●Sweet potato 'glass' noodles with chilli
- ●Local apricots and melons in season
Getting there
Zhangye has an airport and a high-speed rail station on the Lanzhou–Urumqi line, making it an easy Silk Road stop.
Avoid the pitfalls
- The Danxia colours pop most in early morning, late afternoon or just after rain.
- The Rainbow Mountains park is large with shuttle buses between viewpoints — allow half a day.
- Stay on boardwalks; walking on the fragile rock is banned and damages it.
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