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Dunhuang Tour: Yumen Pass- Hecangcheng- Great Wall of Han Dynasty-Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark
Dunhuang Tour Itinerary: In the morning, go to Yumen Pass, Hecangcheng, and Great Wall of Han Dynasty, and last to Yumen Pass, Hecangcheng, and then go to Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark in the afternoon.
How to Have a Dunhaung Tour. Yumen Pass is about 92 kilometers away from Dunhuang downtown, and Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark is about 162 kilometers away from Dunhuang downtown. You could charter a car to these places, which may cost 500-600 yuan, and it will suits your own pace of sightseeing, or you may book a tour package from us or a transfer service. Otherwise, you could choose take a bus from Dunhuang Hotel, which costs 76 yuan for a round trip from Dunhuang to Yadan. It has three time slots for departure and returning: 08:00-17:30, 09:00-22:30, 12:00-22:30.
Yumen Pass Facts & History
Yumen Pass(玉门关),also named small Fangpancheng(小方盘城), is built at about 111 BC, and a strategic fortress along the Silk Road. The building is built from loess and gravels, and it is in a square, 24 metes long and 26.4 meters wide, and 10 meters high. And the wall is 5 meters wide at the base and 3 metes wide at the top. Yumen Pass is about 92 kilometers away from Dunhuang downtown, and it takes about 2 hour from downtown to Yumen Pass.
Hecangcheng Facts & History
Hecangcheng (河仓城), also named Big Fangpancheng(大方盘城), is built in the Western Han Dynasty, and it is a military warehouse in the past for housing food, cloth and forage. Hecangcheng is built from gravels, and in rectangle, 132 meters long from east to west, and 17 meters wide from north to west, with a top height of about 6.7 meters. Hecangcheng is in the east of Yumen Pass and about 11 kilometers away from Yumen Pass.
Great Wall of Han Dynasty Facts & History
Great Wall of Han Dynasty(汉长城) is first built at about 2,100 years and in the north of Dunhuang, there are ruins of the Great Wall of Han Dynasty, close to Yangguan Pass and Yumen Pass. After thousands of years, the Great Wall of Han Dynasty we see now is not what it looks like originally, but the best preserved section still reflects its appearance. It is 3.25 meters high, 3 meters wide at the base and 1.5 meters wide at the top, and built up from local materials like loess and gravels. From this Great Wall, you can see piles of reed fascines, and beacon tower in its west side. Great Wall of Han Dynasty is 4 kilometers away from Yumen Pass, and about 500 meters away from the highway.
Great Wall of Han Dynasty Travel Tips
Great Wall of Han Dynasty Ticket: 40 yuan for a through ticket of Yumen Pass, Hecangcheng, and Great Wall of Han Dynasty.
Great Wall of Han Dynasty Opening Hours: 08:00-18:30.
If you take a bus to go sightseeing, the bus sometimes doesn't go to Hecangcheng.
Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark Facts & Location
Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark is located in the northwest of Yumen Pass, about 162 kilometers away from Dunhuang downdown. From the Great Wall of Han Dynasty to here, it takes about 1.5 hours. This Geopark is formed on the base of sedimentary strata of lake eroded by external forces, such as wind and water, and it was originally a part of an ancient lake. Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark is also called a ghost town in China, because of the creepy sounds made by wind, and if you are lucky, you may have such an experience.
Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark occupies an area of about 346 square kilometers, and composed of two districts, the north and south districts. The north district opens to tourists and visitors, and it has four attractions, such as Tower-shaped Yadan(Gold Lion Greeting Guests), and Columnar Yadan(Peacon-shaped Yadan). If you want to visit the south district, you need to rent an off-road vehicle equipped with a tour guide. If you are in a group of 4, it will be reasonable.
Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark Travel Tips
Opening hours: 06:00-22:00, last ticket is sold at 19:30 and no admission is allowed after 19:30.
Ticket: 120 yuan including entrance ticket and fare of shuttle bus to four attractions.
Best tour season: May to October, and it is also the peak season.
Sightseeing way: take a shuttle bus equipped with a tour guide, and the bus takes you to four attractions. When you get to each attractions, you have 10-20 minutes to enjoy the amazing sightseeing and take photos. And the whole journey takes about 1.5 hours. Travelling alone is not allowed, because there is not signal inside the geopark, and you may get lost. So, please follow the tour guide and do what you are told.
Sunset. Watching sunset is one highlight in this geopark, and if you want to watch sunset, please get here at about 18:00.
Necessities for this tour: bring enough water and a mask, in that you are going to see a desert.
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