Zhangye is set in the Chinese province of Gansu in the Hexi Corridor and the city is full of tourist hotspots that include historical sites and a rich cultural heritage that is evident in its architecture.
The interesting buildings are the main tourist draws in Zhangye as well as the pretty scenery like the lush green fields. Mount Qilian, Longshou Mountain and Heli Mountain are a few of the nice peaks that surround the city and are popular hiking opportunities.
Zhangye is a former commercial port on the famous Silk Road and used to be one of the biggest trading markets in the whole of China. It still deals with some merchants from the west but it has lost much of its former success. It is well known as a production place for strong liquors like Zhangye rice wine and Zhangye nan wine.
The city borders Inner Mongolia and Qinghai and there are plenty of streams and rivers that add to its natural appeal. A massive 26 different ethnic minorities reside in Zhangye and they include the Hui, Yugur and Tibetan people. Thanks to its natural resources like the waterways, fertile soil and abundance of sunlight, the region is an important agricultural center for China.
Getting There & Away
From Wuwei a bus journey will take anything from 3 to 6 hours and from Lanzhou buses take at least 11 hours to get to Zhangye. Lanzhou has the nearest airport with regular flights to Beijing that take 1 hour, 30 minutes. Dunhuang also has regular bus routes to the Zhangye (12 hours). Xining is another popular tourist place and buses from here take a minimum of 12 hours to reach Zhangye.
Things to Do
Zhangye Attractions
- Great Wall
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The crumbling wall runs to the south of the city and is surrounded by pretty parks that include sweet spring park and desert park.
- Great Buddha Temple
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Home to china’s largest indoor reclining buddha.
Side trips from Zhangye
- Sunan Yugu
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A handful of temples that are scattered around the surrounding villages of the city.