The Silk Road in 10 Days: Xi'an, Lanzhou and Dunhuang

From Empire to Desert

The Chinese Silk Road runs west from Xi'an through the Hexi Corridor — a narrow strip of oasis cities between the Qilian Mountains and the Mongolian plateau — to Dunhuang, at the edge of the desert. Ten days is the comfortable length: four in Xi'an for the imperial layer, then the corridor by high-speed rail with stops for landscapes and frontier architecture, ending among the Buddhist caves at Dunhuang.

Days 1–4: Xi'an

Xi'an holds the start of the road: the Terracotta Army and the imperial tombs, the city wall, the Muslim Quarter and the Great Mosque on Huajue Lane, the Shaanxi History Museum and the Tang sites in the south of the city. Give it three full days and use the fourth for a slow morning, or add the Longmen Grottoes at Luoyang as an extension if the appetite is historical.

Days 5–6: Lanzhou and Zhangye

The rail line west is fast, and the corridor rewards stops. Lanzhou brings the Yellow River, hand-pulled beef noodles and a city of bridges; an hour further on, Zhangye offers the Rainbow Danxia landforms, best in the hour or two before sunset, and a giant reclining Buddha in the town's temple. Sleep in Zhangye rather than pushing on: the light is the point.

Days 7–8: Jiayuguan

The fortress at Jiayuguan was the western gate of the Ming Great Wall and the customs point of the road: every caravan entering or leaving had to declare its goods here. The mud-and-brick walls, the towers and the desert setting are the most atmospheric frontier site in China, and the overland approach makes the geography — mountains to the south, desert to the north — unmistakable.

Days 9–10: Dunhuang

Finish at Dunhuang: the Mogao Caves in the morning (booked well in advance — thirty days is the practical rule), then the Echoing Sand Mountain and Crescent Lake for camels and sunset. The caves are the single most important site on the route, and the town's night market and desert excursions fill the remaining hours before the flight out.

Practical Notes

Distances are long but the rail network covers them; May to October is the season, with spring dust storms and fierce summer heat worth planning around. Book Mogao Caves tickets as early as possible, carry sun protection and water, and allow a buffer day at the end for weather effects on flights.

Frequently Asked Questions