Linze County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province, China
A paradise for photographers; A perfect place to admire unique geological landform
Zhangye Danxia Landform Park is majestic and imposing, together with the unusual shapes and the gorgeous colors, tourists will be amazed by the creation of the nature. The beauty of Zhangye Danxia is not because it is odd, dangerous but also its color. In a circumference of more than 10 square kilometers of range, there are bright colors as red, yellow, orange, green, white, graphite, gray, gray can be seen everywhere, decorating the numerous trenches and hills colorfully. Zhangye Danxia landform’s bedding staggered lines, colorful tunes and dazzling splendor drawing form a colorful fairy tale world.
Zhangye Danxia landform is mainly divided into two the north and south groups echoing each other. The north group is located at the north part of Zhangye City on the Heli Mountains, about 25 km away from the downtown. The north mountain form is low and flat, mainly in red and white and red ocher tones. South group takes the Sunan Yugurs Autonomous County as the center, away from the Zhangye urban area of about 40 to 50 km. South Mountains landform is relatively steep, and is amazing for its bedding stretches, clear texture, and colors. Zhangye Danxia Land form is concentrated in Linze and Sunan County, covering an area of over 300 square kilometers. It is one of the largest and best China Danxia landform with richest landscape modeling.
Ancient Zhangye, originally called Ganzhou, was an important city on the ancient Silk Road and one of four counties in Hexi Corridor. It is the political, economic, cultural and diplomatic center in the northwest China in each dynasty. Zhang Qian, Ban Chao, Fa Xian, Tang Xuanzang were all accessed via Zhangye to the western regions. Emperor Shuiyang used to hold a “World Exposition” in Zhangye with 27 kings of the western regions. Marco Polo had been obsessed with this land and stayed here for a year.
The Danxia landform here was developed in about 200 million years ago before the Jurassic to Tertiary. Zhangye Qilian Danxia is mainly constituted by red gravel, sandstone and mudstone, with the imprint of a clear arid, semi-arid climate. It is a natural scenic spot perfect combining the sheer cliffs and steep mountains, strange, dangerous, beautiful of peaks pillars and the color of Xinjiang’s Colorful City.
The landscape is appraised and elected by Chinese National Geography in "Beauty China" campaign as the No. 6 "China's most beautiful seven Danxia". Comparing with the Yadan landform in Dunhuang "Ghost City", Zhangye Danxi Landform is broader, more magnificent, and spectacular.
Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot, also known as Qicai Danxia Scenic Spot, is located in Linze and Sunan County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province. With a total area of 50 square kilometers, Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot is 40 kilometers from Zhangye City in the east and 20 kilometers from Linze County in the north. It is known as its colorful landform, cross bedding and spectacular scenes.
Colorful Danxia in Zhangye is the most typical Danxia landform in the arid area of northern China, and it is the only place combining the Danxia landform and colorful hilly landscape in China. Its colorful, ornamental and large area are the highest in China, and it is a combination of male, dangerous, strange, quiet and beautiful. It is one of the most beautiful Danxia landform in China. With its bright and diverse colors, it is also known as the Rainbow Mountain in the world.
Ice Valley Danxia Scenic Spot, also know as Binggou Danxia, is located in Sunan County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province, which is 45 kilometers east of Zhangye City and 41 kilometers west of Sunan County. Ice Valley Danxia is one of the main scenic spots in Zhangye UNESCO Geopark. It is the most typical Danxia landform in arid areas of China, and it is also one of the most complete Danxia landforms in China.
The Ice Valley Danxia Scenic Spot is between 1,500 meters and 2,550 meters above sea level, with a total area of 300 square kilometers. At the Ice Valley Danxia Scenic Spot, you can see Danxia cliffs, stone walls, stone pillars and hills, which are steep, continuous and magnificent. As an important part of Zhangye UNESCO Geopark, Ice Valley Danxia is known as one of the 7 most beautiful Danxia landforms in China and one of the 10 magical geographical wonders in the world by China Geographic Magazine and National Geographic Magazine.
Zhangye has a wealth of historical sites, such as the Yuezhi Blackwater Country Ruins, the Great Wall Beacon Towers, the wooden pagoda of Sui Dynasty, the Buddhist temple of Xixa, the bell towerMing Dynasty and so on.
Yugurs of Gansu Province is one of three specific minority, concentrated settlements in Sunan Yugurs Autonomous County. Not it has a population of 10,000. They all believe in Tibetan Buddhism and primitive religion. Yugurs are typical steppe nomads, living in tents, wear robes , eat beef and mutton and drinking butter tea and barley wine. They wear gorgeous and colorful costumes, cheerful and lively dancing.
Yugurs people area hospitable and honest. Yugurs living customs and language have some similarities with that of the Hungarian people.
Scenic entrance and exit: The Zhangye Danxia Landform Park is divided into three entrances: east, west and north. The east entrance is in Ganjun Town, the west entrance is in Nantaizi Village, Nijiaying, Linze County, and the north entrance is in Qicai Town. It should be noted that because the entire Danxia scenic area is relatively large, and the distance between the three entrances is about 4 kilometers, it is better to exit from the entrance you enter.
There are 4 viewing platforms in the scenic spot. The No. 1 viewing platform is called “Colorful Yunhaitai”, the No. 2 viewing platform is called “Qi Cai Xian Yuan Tai”, and the No. 4 viewing platform is called “Qi Cai Xia Tai”, No. 5 Observation Deck. It is called "Seven Colorful Splendid Tables".
Best tour route:There are 4 viewing platforms in the Zhangye Danxia Landform Park. Entering from the west entrance of the scenic spot, the tour route is: No. 1 - No. 5 - No. 4 - No. 2; Entering from the north entrance, the tour route is No. 2 - No. 1 - No. 5 - No. 4, which are the best routes to visit.
12 Days Silk Road Tour with Zhangye Danxia Landform
Beijing, Lanzhou, Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Beijing
From $ 392