Kayaking in the Heihe River that cuts through the Gobi Desert, holding a mini fun marathon along the shores of the “Flowing Sand River,” and having tens of thousands of people hike through the Heihe National Wetland Park... From June 11 to August 8, Zhangye City in Gansu Province will host a large-scale outdoor sports festival with participation from over a million people.
Zhangye Municipal Sports Bureau Director Wang Aiqin introduced at a press conference on the 15th that the Zhangye Outdoor Sports Festival will feature a rich variety of events: a kayak obstacle race in the Heihe River of Gaotai County on June 11, a mini fun marathon on the fitness trail by the Dasaha River in Linze County — historically known as the Flowing Sand River — on June 29, a mountain climbing competition on the Yanzi Mountain in Shandan County on July 6, an outdoor film carnival and camping event in Biandukou, Minle County, from July 17 to 18, a mountain bike rally in Sunan Yugur Autonomous County from July 27 to 28, and a mass hiking event through the Heihe National Wetland Park in Zhangye on August 8. In addition, the National Camping Congress, the Zhangzhou leg of the 12th Tour of Qinghai Lake International Road Cycling Race, and the China Zhangye World Rally Championship will also be held during the outdoor sports festival.
Located in the central part of Gansu’s Hexi Corridor, Zhangye sits atop two national nature reserves — the Qilian Mountains and the Heihe Wetland — and lies along the ancient Silk Road. Its unique geography and climate have made Zhangye a grand showcase of diverse landforms, featuring vast deserts and Gobi landscapes alongside oasis wetlands, glacial snow-capped mountains and forested grasslands, as well as the colorful Danxia landform. In recent years, leveraging its abundant outdoor sports resources, Zhangye has successfully hosted events such as the Zhangzhou leg of the Tour of Qinghai Lake, the China Rally Championship, the National Camping Congress, the National Fishing Competition, and the National Mass Mountain Climbing and Fitness Event.
Ma Saimin, Deputy Director of the Gansu Provincial Sports Bureau and Chairman of the Gansu Mountaineering and Outdoor Sports Association, stated that in the past, sports events in Zhangye were organized individually. This year marks the first time these activities are integrated under the Outdoor Sports Festival. It serves as an effective approach to building a brand for mass sports events and promoting deeper integration of sports, culture, and tourism, while creating a new model for the development of mountain and outdoor sports.
The Zhangye Outdoor Sports Festival is jointly organized by the Gansu Provincial Sports Bureau and the Zhangye Municipal People’s Government, and is currently open for nationwide registration. The Zhangye Sports Bureau stated that the outdoor sports festival will be held annually in the future, gradually establishing it as a nationally influential mass sports brand event and making Zhangye a paradise for outdoor sports enthusiasts.