From July 1 to July 7, Gansu Province welcomed 16 special “guests” who were divided into four groups. Under the theme of the “Premium Silk Road, Auspicious Gansu” 7-Day 7-Night JoyTrip Inspiration Journey and centered around Lanzhou, they conducted an expansive exploration across the entire province. This in-depth journey covered multiple aspects of Gansu’s tourism resources, including its 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 Cultural 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, 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, Xiangu 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 such as the Maqu First Bend of the Yellow River, the Yongjing Three Gorges of the Yellow River, and the Jingtai Yellow River Stone Forest representing the upper reaches. There is also the Lanzhou Hundred-Mile Yellow River Scenic Belt that showcases the modern urban charm of the Yellow River. Visitors can not only admire the gentle and graceful beauty of the young Yellow River but also experience the majestic momentum and the spectacle of high gorges and calm lakes of the mature river.
Dream Silk Road Journey — Zhangye, located in the middle section of the Hexi Corridor, 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.” It is often referred to 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 Caves to further explore the Silk Road journey.
By Xing Yun Shi Jie
Hui-Tibet Cultural Journey — Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is one of China’s ten Tibetan autonomous prefectures and 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 school of Tibetan Buddhism. The influencers have already arrived at Labrang Monastery and will continue to explore famous sites such as Langmu Temple and Zhuoni Dayugou in the coming days.
By Su Danqing
Over the next three days, these four routes will fully unfold, with each group also visiting exciting attractions such as Jiayuguan, Dunhuang Mogao Caves, Mingsha Mountain, Maqu, Gahai Lake, Seven Fairies Peaks, Yadan National Geological Park, Langmu Temple, Zhuoni Dayugou, and the Ancient Animal Fossil Museum. Stay tuned for more updates.