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Lanzhou 5-day Classic Tour

Plan your Lanzhou tour?

Lanzhou is an important city on the Silk Road, as a major transport hub, the beginning of some exciting overland trips to the Hexi Corridor (Jiayuguan, Dunhuang...), Xinjiang, Sichuan, Qinghai and Tibet. There are easy trains and flight transports linking Lanzhou and Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Xian, Urumqi and more destinations.

Here you can see the grand beauty of the northern cities with their harmonious combination of the ancient and modern. Normally the Lanzhou tours include the Binglingsi Grottoes, the Waterwheel Garden, Labrang and Xiahe, where you can visit the Sangke Grassland, a Tibetan Family and the Labrang Monastery, all of which will bring you unique & amazing travel experience to the west of China.

Here is classic Lanzhou 5-day Tour for your reference.

Day 1: Arrival in Lanzhou

Activities:		Arrival at Lanzhou airport or Lanzhou Railway Station, you will be met by our guide. You will be transferred to your hotel in Lanzhou ( booked by us ). The rest of the day is for you to see and touch the city on your own. It would be pleasant experience when you stroll around Yellow River Parks. No meals included.

Day 2: Lanzhou Bingling Grottoes

Activities:		The site of Binglingsi Grottoes is about 70km to the southwest of Lanzhou. "Bingling" means "ten of thousand Buddhus" in Tibetan language since there are many stone carved buddha sculptures here. Today the cliffs are isolated by the waters of Liujiaxia Reservoir on the Yellow River. So coming here it is a nice day out as well as for the cave art trip. The site is well preserved, including 183 caves, 694 Buddha stone statues, 82 earth buddha statues, more than 900 square meters'mural painting which are scattered around the cliff of 200 meter long and 60 meter high on the west bank. Back to Lanzhou after the day trip.

Day 3: Lanzhou Labrang in Xiahe 258km

Activities:		After breakfast, drive 358km and get to Xiahe County of Gangan Tibetan Autononous Prefecture. After check-in at our designated hotel, you will be arranged to visit Sangke Grassland, 14km southwest of Xiahe. Bound by the mountains and cut through by a river in the middle, Sangke Grassland is a natural prairie which looks like a green carpet rife with numerous colorful flowers. Horse riding will be on your own. Next you will visit a Tibetan family, which helps you know more about the shepherd's life style and local customs in depth. Back to Xiahe for overnight.

Day 4: Xiahe Lanzhou 258km

Activities:		Today's highlight is focused on the Labrang Monastery, the buddhist center of Tibetan Buddhism and culture of the cross borders of Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan. Labrang Monastery is located on the north of Daxia River in the west of Xiahe County of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province. This most important Tibetan monastery outside Tibet was first founded by Ngagong Tsunde, the first generation of Jamyang from nearby Ganjia in 1709. it is an important monastery of the Gelukpa or the Yellow Hat Sect. At its peak there were over 4000 monks. Currently there are over 3000 monks from Qinghai, Gansu, Inner Mongolia and Tibet as well. You will visit the Institute of Medicine, three temples including the Grand Prayer Hall, Shou'an Temple, Shou'xi Temple and as well as Labrang Monastery Relic Musuem (Yak Butter sculpture). Then after lunch, you will be transferred back to Lanzhou and check in the hotel. The rest of the time is on your own.

Day 5: Exit from Lanzhou

Activities:		Before transferred to Lanzhou airport or Lanzhou Railway Station to end your tour, you will be arrange to visit the Waterwheel Garden. Having a glimpse of the 20km green belt along the Yellow River is a must for every first time visitor. One of the gems on the green park south of the Yellow River is the Waterwheel Garden in Lanzhou. Then, you will be returned either to Lanzhou airport or Lanzhou Railway Station for your next destination.