China with Rui
Gansu

Destination Guide

Gansu

Silk Road deserts, painted mountains and empty highways.

Back to Explore

Gansu is the narrow corridor that once linked China to Central Asia. The Hexi Corridor is lined with Silk Road relics: the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, the Jiayuguan fortress, and the rainbow hills of Zhangye Danxia.

The province also edges onto the Tibetan Plateau at Xiahe, where Labrang Monastery is one of the most important Tibetan monasteries outside the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Why go

  • Mogao Caves and Dunhuang's desert setting
  • Zhangye Danxia's striped landforms
  • Jiayuguan, the western end of the Great Wall
  • Labrang Monastery and Tibetan culture at Xiahe
  • Desert-to-mountain road scenery

Best for

History & Silk RoadDesert landscapesBuddhist artRoad tripsPhotography

Good to know

Gansu is dry. Sun protection and water matter, especially in summer. The best light at Zhangye Danxia is early morning or late afternoon.