Day 1 → Zhangye and Mati Temple
9:00am- Pick up at your hotel in Zhangye or at Zhangye station (at 1,474 meters in elevation)
9:15am – Drive 65km to Mati Temple Grottoes
11:30am – Lunch in Zhangye or along the way to Mati Temple Grottoes
12:30pm – Arrive grottoes and explore for the afternoon
4:00pm- Drive back to Zhangye
7:00pm Dinner in Zhangye, possible Zhangye night market visit
9:00pm – Rest in hotel in Zhangye
Day 2 → Zhangye Danxia National Park and BingGou National Park
8:00am – Eat breakfast in hotel in Zhangye
9:00am – Early morning visit to Zhangye Dafo Temple (the giant buddha)
10:00am – Drive 32km to Zhangye Danxia National Park
11:00am – Arrive at Danxia formations, spend the morning at the rainbow mountains
1:30pm- Late lunch near Danxia National Park along the Silk Road
2:00pm- Drive 30 minutes to BingGou National Park, see the red rock formations of this incredible park
4:00pm – Arrive at Jiayuguan Great Wall, explore and climb the wall
5:30pm – Depart BingGou National Park, drive back to Zhangye
6:10pm – Arrive in Zhangye and settle into hotel
7:00pm – Dinner in nearby hotel
8:00pm – Rest and sleep in hotel in Zhangye
Day 3 → Jiayuguan Great Wall and Fortress
8:00am- Breakfast in the hotel
9:00am- Set off to drive 225km to Jiayuguan, lunch along the way
2:00pm – Arrive at Jiayuguan Great Wall, the western most section of the Great Wall near the Gobi Desert. Explore and climb the wall and see the nearby desert fortress.
5:30pm – Depart Great Wall
6:00pm – Arrive Jiayuguan at 1,462 meters and settle into hotel
7:00pm – Dinner in nearby hotel
8:00pm – Rest and sleep in hotel in Jiayuguan
Day 4 → Drive to Dunhuang, Dunhuang ancient city and night market
8:00am – Breakfast in hotel in Jiayuguan
9:00am- Meet in lobby of hotel. Drive 374km to Dunhuang
2:00pm – Arrive at hotel in Dunhuang at 1,142 meters and rest and settle
2:30pm – In the afternoon explore the sand dunes near Dunhuang and the Dunhuang ancient city
6:00pm- Return to Dunhuang, dinner.
Explore Dunhuang night market
8:30pm – Sleep in hotel in Dunhuang
Day 5 → Camel ride in the Gobi Desert, sleep in a nomad tent in the desert
9:00am – Breakfast in hotel in Dunhuang
10:00am- Meet in lobby of hotel. Drive to Gobi Desert, start camel ride into the desert
4:30pm – Arrive at nomad trader tent in the desert and enjoy a local dinner with nomads
8:30pm – Watch the stars over the Gobi Desert and sleep in tent in the desert.
Day 6 → Return to Dunhuang
8:00am – Breakfast in tent in the desert Dunhuang
9:00am – Spend the morning learning about desert culture on the Silk Road
10:00am- Return to Dunhuang
1:30pm – Late Lunch in Dunhuang
2:30pm- Check into hotel and rest and shower
4:00pm Spend the afternoon exploring Dunhuang and doing any last minute souvenir shopping
6:00pm- Dinner in the Dunhuang night market
8:00pm – Sleep in a hotel in Dunhuang
Day 7 → Mogao Cave Grottoes and a Silk Road Theater Show
8:30am – Eat breakfast in hotel
9:30am -Drive to Mogao Grottoes
10:15pm – Arrive at Mogao Grottoes, spend the day exploring the caves and paintings
4:00pm- Enjoy a special theater show that depicts the history of the Silk Road
6:00pm- Dinner in the Dunhuang night market
8:00pm – Sleep in a hotel in Dunhuang
8 → Depart Dunhuang
Morning- drop off at the Dunhuang train station as we say our goodbyes
