Silk Road Tour: 3 Days Jiayuguan Dunhuang Tour

Summary

DAY 1 Dunhuang-Jiayuguan by Train
DAY 2 Jiayuguan: Jiayuguan Pass, Overhanging Great Wall, The First Beacon Tower of the Great Wall
DAY 3 Jiayuguan-Dunhuang by Trian

Day 1 Dunhuang-Jiayuguan by train

Upon arrival in Jiayuguan, your local guide will meet you at the exit of the train station with a welcome signage "Jiayuguan Private Tour". And drive you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free on your own. (By the way, to help your Dunhuang to Jiayuguan tour more enjoyable and comfortable, we also provide round way transfer between Dunhuang hotel and Dunhuang train station as well as Dunhuang Jiayuguan train tickets, but it's optional, you can tailor your own trip.)

Day 2 Jiayuguan

After breakfast, head to Jiayuguan Pass. It is situated between the Wenshu and Heishan Mountains at the foot of Jiayuguan Hill of Qilian Mountain. Along with Juyongguan and Shanhaiguan, it is one of the main passes of the Great Wall. With a length of 733 meters and an area about 33,500 square meters, Jiyuguan Pass has tow gates that one on the east side of the pass, and the other on the west side. On each gate there is a building. It consists of three defense lines: an inner city, an outer city and a moat. With the guide's patience, you will recall the scene of the ancient Silk Road caravan passing through the tower to the greatest extent in your mind. It's like going back to ancient times.

Next, drive around 11km to visit the Overhanging Great Wall, It is named "Overhanging Great Wall" because it is built on a 45 degree ridge and looks like magnificent painting hanging over the cliff, which is how it got its name. The overhanging Great Wall is the north extension of Jiayuguan City and an important part of the ancient military defense system of Jiayuguan. It was built in the Ming Dynasty (1539). Today is only 750 metre long, after the restoration in 1987 when gentle steps of the first ruin watchtower and ridge wall were repaired. Strolling along the only four hundred staircases, you can have an eyeful of desolation and vastness. And a touch of oasis will strike you how tenacious life is in the face of adverse natural environment.

Continue your tour to The First Beacon Tower of the Great Wall. The First Beacon Tower of the Great Wall is considered to be the western-most point of the defenses of the Great Wall of China as they were in function during most of the Ming Dynasty Era (1368 AD - 1644 AD) . In practice, the first beacon tower of the Great Wall is but an extension of the gargantuan Fortress of Jiayu Pass (Jiayu Guan), which formed the Western-most Gate of the Chinese Empire and was a border checkpoint for all those traveling along the Silk Road in- and out of China.

Drive back to your hotel in Jiayuguan.

Day 3 Jiayuguan-Dunhuang by train

Today your tour will start with Wei Jin Tombs (20km away from the Jiayuguan downtown) to view the ancient mural underground, There are more than 1400 underground mural brick tombs of Wei and Jin Dynasties (220-419 AD). Known as the "World's largest underground gallery". It was also approved as one of the national relics in 2001. Among these excavated tombs, No.5 Grave has been completely moved to Gansu Museum in May, 1973. Now only No.6 Grave and No. 7 Grave are open to tourists.

After the sightseeing, drive you to Jiayuguan train station to catch your train return to Dunhuang.

Optional Service:
1. Private One Way Transfer From Dunhuang downtown hotel to Dunhuang train station: 51USD
2. Private One Way Transfer From Dunhuang train station to Dunhuang downotwn hotel: 51USD
3. Round Way Dunhuang Jiayuguan Train Tickets:  12.5USD for 2nd class train ticket
Above service is for your references, the 3 Days Jiayuguan Dunhuang tour by train is 100% flexible and customizable, you can tailor your own trip.

Price Per Person in US Dollars