YINCHUAN, ZHONGWEI, WUWEI, ZHANGYE, JIAYUGUAN, DUNHUANG
Outdoor & Adventure, History & Culture, Off the Beaten
Ningxia and Gansu, the two remote provinces of northwest China are blessed with hidden secrets of historical and natural heritages. The mysterious Xia Kingdom, wiped out by Genghis Khan, the very best of Buddhist arts in Dunhuang and Great Wall at the edge of the empire are waiting to “wow” you. The landscape is equally stunning – the amazingly colourful Danxia canyon and the rolling deserts in Gansu plus the vast expanse of the steppes of Ningxia. And yes, we will also visit the very best of Chinese Vineyard here!
We will “wow” you further with many special arrangements – access the best of historical sites not opened to general tourists; avoid crowd in the very popular Danxia; enjoy wine tasting in the most advanced of Chinese winery.
Twin Sharing: S$ 8,980 per person
Single Supplement: S$ 1,738 per person
Early Bird Offer
First two bookings with deposit (limit to two rooms) will get complimentary upgrade to a Deluxe Suite in Zhangye Hotel for 2 nights
Deposit Amount
20% deposit at sign up
*Registration Closing Date
07 Jun 2024 or when tour is fully subscribed
Transfer: Airport to Hotel
Upon arrival at Yinchuan airport, transfer to your hotel.
Ningxia Museum
In the afternoon, visit the Ningxia Museum, which has a collection of 40,000 cultural relics, showing the unique charm of Western Xia Dynasty (1038-1227); a dynasty with most of its written records and architectures destroyed by the Mongol troops of Genghis Khan.
Western Xia Mausoleums
We take a 1-hour drive to the Western Xia Mausoleums, one of the country’s most expansive and best-preserved imperial tombs of the past emperors in the Western Xia Dynasty, often known as the “oriental pyramid”.
Helan Mountain Rock Arts
Later, drive 1.5 hours to see the Helan Mountain Rock Arts, comprising over 6,000 rock pictographs that paint the life scenes of the past.
Wine Tasting at Xige Estate
We will drive 1.5 hours to Xige Estate Winery to tour the impressive circular structure made of 200,000 Helan Mountain Stones, learn about the modern technology used and enjoy wine tasting.
Drive to Zhongwei
Next, we will drive about 2 hours to Zhongwei. Visit a local village along Yellow River and admire the traditional architecture of the ancient buildings from Ming and Qing dynasties, where some farmers are still staying.
Drive to Wuwei
En route a 4-hour drive to Wuwei, visit the Tiantishan Grottoes with its meticulously carved Giant Buddha statue.
Explore Wuwei
Visit the Leitai Tomb of Han Dynasty, built around the late Eastern Han Dynasty and renowned for the unearthing of a bronze sculpture called the “Flying Horse of Gansu”. Proceed to the Wuwei City Museum, housing historical relics spanning Wuwei’s five thousand years of civilisation.
Drive to Zhangye
Embark on a 4-hour drive to the spectacular Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon en route to Zhangye.
Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon
The Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon, comparable to the Colorado Grand Canyon features rugged canyons, stone forests and crisscross gullies. Its geological structure belongs to red-layer geomorphology formed by the sedimentation of the Mesozoic Jurassic to the Cenozoic Tertiary Era. We explore this canyon via an in-depth tour and leisure hike.
Afterwards, drive 1.5 hours to the hotel in Zhangye.
Horse Hoof & Golden Pagoda Temples
In the morning, visit the spectacular Horse Hoof Temple, a massive cave temple complex. Keep your eyes peeled for the exquisite grotto artwork of the coloured sculptures of Buddhas and Apsaras in Golden Pagoda Temple, with a longer history than Dunhuang’s Flying Apsaras.
Zhangye National Geopark
Venture to Zhangye National Geopark, the only Danxia landform in China adorned with a kaleidoscope of multi-coloured hues. It is also rated as one of the seven most beautiful Danxia landforms in the country by National Geographic of China. Enjoy sunset views and an in-depth tour of this surreal undulating landscape!
Drive to Jiayuguan
After breakfast, a 2.5-hour drive takes us to Jiayuguan Fort.
Discover Jiayuguan
At Jiayuguan Fort, head to its impressive watchtower, narrowest part in the middle of the valley, the highest part of Jiayu Mountain, and see the walls outside stretching to the Gobi Desert. The Hanging Great Wall, situated 8km in the north, is the western end of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty, and historically the first pass in Hexi.
Drive to Yulin Grottoes
Set out on a 4-hour drive to the Yulin Grottoes.
Yulin Caves
Uncover hidden gems at the UNESCO World Heritage Yulin Caves, built in the late Western Xia period of Guazhou. These Grottoes are integral to the Dunhuang Grottoes and sister caves to the famed Mogao Caves. Pay a visit to some additional special caves!
Next, continue on a 2.5-hour drive to Dunhuang and check-in to your hotel.
Dunhuang Highlights
Lying on an oasis, Dunhuang was the first trading town reached by merchants arriving in China from the west. Today, join an expert guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mogao Caves and a few of its special caves to admire the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 1,000 years from the Sixteen Kingdoms period to the Yuan Dynasty.
In the afternoon, visit Dunhuang Academy China to experience clay or sculpture making. Thereafter, visit the famous Crescent Lake, followed by a farewell dinner.
Dunhuang At Leisure
Enjoy the morning at leisure before check-out and lunch. After lunch, be treated to a theatrical performance on Dunhuang’s history, before transferring to the airport for your flight home.
JW Marriott Hotel Yinchuan • Kaihuiboer Hotel • HATG Jinling Grand Hotel • Zhangye Hotel • Nuojin Hotel Jiayuguan • Dongyi Dunhuang Hotels and Resorts
China Airlines
4 Sep, Singapore – Beijing (CA 970), 23:25 – 05:30+1
5 Sep, Beijing – Yinchuan (CA 1281), 08:55 – 11:00
14 Sep, Dunhuang – Beijing (CA 1288), 21:35 – 00:45+1
15 Sep, Beijing – Singapore (CA 969), 15:35 – 21:55
Registration Closing Date: 07 Jun 2024 or when tour is fully subscribed
Kindly call us at (65) 6219 1359 if you require any immediate assistance.
Call us at +65 6219 1359 or email us at enquiry@intriqjourney.com to start planning for a holiday that is completely tailored to your preferences.
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