Zhangye is located in the central part of the natural corridor where China’s first and second topographical steps meet. It lies at the “golden crossroads” where diverse natural ecological landscapes intersect with the splendid and mystical Silk Road civilization. Nestled above two national nature reserves—the Qilian Mountains and the Heihe Wetlands—this oasis city is recognized as a National Historical and Cultural City and an Outstanding Tourism Destination in China. The region features an intricate blend of three major ecosystems: the Qilian Mountain water conservation area, the Heihe Wetlands, and the desert Gobi. Here, glaciers and snow-capped mountains, forests and grasslands, deserts and dunes, the colorful Danxia landforms, fertile oases, and wetland reeds all coexist within one area. It is home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World—the Great Wall ruins—one of the World’s Top Ten Magical Landscapes—the Colorful Danxia—one of the world’s largest mountain pastures—the Shandan Military Horse Farm—one of Asia’s largest indoor clay reclining Buddhas—and one of China’s six most beautiful grasslands—the Sunan Grassland, all of which are unparalleled in China.
Thanks to its favorable geographical conditions, strategic location, unique outdoor sports resources, breathtaking natural scenery, profound cultural heritage, and rich ethnic characteristics, Zhangye has become the preferred host destination for many outdoor sporting events.
In recent years, the Zhangye Municipal Party Committee and the Zhangye Municipal People’s Government have placed great emphasis on sports development. Centered around the fundamental attributes of “one mountain, one river, and one ancient city,” they have made it a strategic priority to build and enhance a livable and tourist-friendly city. A series of achievements have been made, including the construction of the Zhangye National Wetland Park, the Zhangye National Desert Sports Park, and several 4A-level scenic tourist areas. The city has successfully hosted a number of major international and domestic sporting events, such as the 12th Tour of Qinghai Lake International Cycling Race Zhangye Stage, the China Zhangye Rally, the Gansu Silk Road Cross-Country Rally, cycling off-road races, national fishing competitions, and the Minle Station of the National Mass Mountain Climbing Event. These events have accumulated valuable experience in organizing sports competitions, fostered a strong sports culture, and laid a solid foundation for further developing branded sports events.
In 2013, leveraging its unique resource advantages, Zhangye focused on the “festival and competition” sector within the “thirteen pillars” of the Chinese Civilization Heritage and Innovation Zone. With an emphasis on mass participation, accessibility, and popularity, and by integrating the city’s diverse resources, the city created a centralized platform through the Outdoor Sports Festival to promote mass sports events. This initiative aimed to showcase the “colorful, ecological, and cultural” appeal of Zhangye, drive deeper integration and mutual development between sports and tourism, and establish a new model for mountain outdoor sports in the province. It also served as a meaningful effort to promote national fitness and support service-oriented transformation and leapfrog development. Major strides were made during the Mountain Outdoor Sports Festival. Since the opening of the 2013 China Zhangye Outdoor Sports Festival on June 11, a series of successful events have been held, including the Gaotai Heihe Wetland Kayak Obstacle Race, the Linze Dashar River Mini Fun Marathon, the Shandan Yanzhi Mountain Hiking Race, the Minle Bangdoukou Outdoor Film Carnival (Camping Festival), and the Sunan Chinese Yugur Cultural Corridor Mountain Bike Rally. These events have played a positive role in promoting Zhangye’s unique natural landscapes and ethnic culture to the nation and the world, and in boosting the leapfrog development of tourism. Today’s Heihe Wetland 10,000-Person Hiking Challenge is the sixth event of the 2013 China Zhangye Outdoor Sports Festival and also its grand finale. Scheduled for August 8, this event aims to celebrate the fifth National Fitness Day, encourage officials and citizens to strengthen their awareness of physical exercise, create a vibrant fitness atmosphere, highlight the unique charm of Zhangye—“one mountain, one river, one ancient city, a livable and tourist-friendly Golden Zhangye”—and promote the city’s vision of wetland conservation and ecological civilization. It also seeks to inspire more people to connect with nature and enjoy the joy of outdoor sports, sparking a wave of national fitness enthusiasm. Themed “Exercise one hour a day, work healthily for fifty years, and live a happy life for a lifetime,” the event will organize over 10,000 participants from municipal departments, Ganzhou District, Linze County, and Gaotai County to hike through the wetlands.