Dunhuang
Buddhist cave art from the Silk Road, and a crescent-shaped lake among towering dunes.
Highlights of Dunhuang
Dunhuang was a gateway to the Silk Road. Its Mogao Caves hold a thousand years of Buddhist murals.
Mogao Caves
UNESCO-listed caves of murals and statues. Daily visitor numbers are limited, so we book early.
Crescent Lake and Singing Sand Dunes
Ride a camel at sunset, or slide down the dunes.
Yadan landforms
Wind-carved rock formations in the Gobi desert.
Connections
| To / from | By | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Xi'an | Flight | about 2½ hours |
| Beijing | Flight | about 3½ hours |
Times are typical and vary by service.
Tips from our guides
- Climb the dunes in the late afternoon, when the sand is cooler and the light golden.
Nearby and nicely paired
2–3 daysXi'an
Capital of 13 dynasties, home of the Terracotta Army and one of China's great food cities.
7–10 daysNorthern Xinjiang
Alpine lakes, flower-filled grasslands and one of the world's great mountain roads.
2–3 daysKashgar
A Silk Road oasis city of bazaars, mosques and Uyghur culture, closer to Kabul than to Beijing.
Add Dunhuang to your China trip
Tell us when you'd like to travel and what you love. Your advisor sends a free day-by-day plan within 24 hours.