Premium Silk Road & Auspicious Gansu: A 7-Day, 7-Night JoyTrip Inspirational Journey Redefining Gansu

From July 1 to July 7, Gansu Province welcomed 16 special “guests,” who were divided into 4 groups. Under the theme of the “Premium Silk Road & Auspicious Gansu” 7-Day, 7-Night JoyTrip Inspirational Journey, and starting from Lanzhou, they carried out an expansive, province-wide exploration. They conducted in-depth and comprehensive investigations into Gansu’s tourism resources, covering aspects such as Silk Road culture, Yellow River culture, local customs, ethnic traditions, religious beliefs, and culinary specialties.

The four groups — “Self-Drive Adventure Journey,” “Huaxia Yellow River Journey,” “Dream Silk Road Journey,” and “Hui-Tibet Ethnic Journey” — officially set off on July 1, painting a vibrant and diverse picture of Auspicious Gansu.

Self-Drive Adventure Journey — The first stop of the self-drive journey was the Maijishan Grottoes, one of China’s Four Great Grottoes. Located 50 kilometers southeast of Tianshui City in Maiji District, on the southern side of Maiji Township, it is an isolated peak within the Xiaolong Mountains of the Western Qinling Range. The Maijishan Scenic Area spans a total of 215 square kilometers, encompassing four major scenic zones: Maijishan, Immortal Cliff, Shimen, Quxi, as well as the ancient town of Jieting. The Maijishan Grottoes are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a world-renowned artistic treasure house.

By Hai Qing

In addition, the self-drive team also visited Zhengning Road Night Market to sample authentic local delicacies.

By Wen Xiaoxiang

Huaxia Yellow River Journey — The Yellow River, the mother river of the Chinese nation, originates in Qinghai and takes shape in Gansu. Along the 913-kilometer stretch of the Yellow River in Gansu, there are natural wonders representing the upper reaches of the river, such as the Maqu First Bend of the Yellow River, the Yongjing Yellow River Three Gorges, and the Jingtai Yellow River Stone Forest. There is also the Lanzhou Hundred-Mile Yellow River Scenic Belt, showcasing the modern urban charm of the Yellow River. Visitors can not only admire the gentle and graceful beauty of the river in its early stages but also experience the majestic momentum and the spectacle of high gorges and calm lakes after the river has taken form.

Dream Silk Road Journey — Zhangye is located in the middle section of the Hexi Corridor and has been a key town along the Silk Road since ancient times. It is now recognized as a National Historical and Cultural City and an Outstanding Tourism City in China. Historically known as Ganzhou, Zhangye got its name during the Western Han Dynasty for “extending the arms of the nation to connect with the Western Regions,” and it is often praised as the “Golden Zhangye.” The JoyTrip team visited the treasures of cave art, the Mati Temple and Giant Buddha Temple in Sunan. In the coming days, they will depart from Zhangye to Dunhuang’s Mogao Grottoes to further savor the Silk Road journey.

By Xing Yun Shi Jie

Hui-Tibet Ethnic Journey — Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is one of China’s ten Tibetan autonomous prefectures and is the snow-covered plateau closest to inland China. Across Gannan’s 45,000 square kilometers, there are 121 Tibetan Buddhist temples. The Labrang Monastery in Xiahe is a global center of Tibetan studies and one of the leading monasteries of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism in China. The influencers have already arrived at Labrang Monastery, and in the coming days, they will further explore famous sites such as Langmu Temple and Zhuoni Dayugou.

By Su Danqing

Over the next three days, the four routes will fully unfold, with each group also visiting exciting attractions such as Jiayuguan, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Mingsha Mountain, Maqu, Gahai Lake, Seven Fairies Peak, Yadan National Geological Park, Langmu Temple, Zhuoni Dayugou, and the Ancient Animal Fossil Museum. Stay tuned for more updates.