Dunhuang Explorer Tour

/5 935 Latest reviews

Tour Code: ODY-CN-2433

Destination:Dunhuang

Duration

5 Days

Tour Type

Private & Bespoke

Tour Style

Classic

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About This Trip

Dunhuang has flourished as a significant juncture of the millennia-old Silk Road linking the East and the West. In 5 days, appreciate Buddhist art in the UNESCO-inscribed Mogao Caves, spot photo-worthy Yadan landforms, slide down the Singing Sand Dunes, and much more. Awe-inspiring landscapes, centuries-old legacies, and cultural delights won't disappoint you.

Itinerary Summary

DAY PLACE HIGHLIGHTS
1 Dunhuang Arrival
2 Dunhuang Mogao Caves, Dunhuang Museum
3 Dunhuang Yadang National Geological Park, Yumen Pass, Great Wall of the Han Dynasty
4 Dunhuang Crescent Spring & Singing Sand Dune, Dunhuang Art Academy with Ancient Mural Copying
5 Dunhuang Departure
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Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrival in Dunhuang

Welcome to Dunhuang, a desert oasis on the legendary Silk Road holding the echoes of millennia-old trade and cultural exchange across China, West Asia, and Europe.

Upon arriving at the airport or train station, be warmly greeted by a local guide and whisked away in a private vehicle to your hotel. The rest of today is yours to relax and rejuvenate for the adventure ahead.

Dunhuang

Day 2: Dunhuang, Mogao Caves

After breakfast, prepare to be captivated by the UNESCO-acclaimed Mogao Caves, hailed as the world's largest treasure house of Buddhist art from the 4th to the 14th century. An abundance of exquisite murals, sculptures, and ancient architecture depicts Buddhist themes alongside scenes of ancient Chinese society.

The afternoon continues with an informative visit to the Dunhuang Museum, displaying over 2,000 precious cultural relics. Closing the day, stroll around the lively Shazhou Night Market to browse handicraft stalls and sample local delicacies like nangs (flatbread).

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Dunhuang

Day 3: Dunhuang, Yadan National Geological Park

Venture out on an exhilarating journey to Yadan National Geological Park, about a 2.5-hour drive outside Dunhuang. A vast expanse of soft, pale-red rock formations, sculpted by centuries of wind erosion, presents castle-like vistas with many parallel ridges and grooves rising above the flat Gobi Desert. The locals refer to it as a "ghost city" due to the spooky sound of the wind blowing.

Along the way, your guide will also lead you to discover some other remnants of the Silk Road, including the Yumen Pass, the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty, the Hecang Fortress, and the Yang Pass with its accompanying museum.

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Dunhuang

Day 4: Singing Sand Dunes & Ancient Mural Copying

Only 6 km south of Dunhuang, Singing Sand Dunes & Crescent Spring is truly a mesmerizing sight to behold. The towering dunes earn their fame for emitting a haunting melody as the wind sweeps across them. Amidst this desert expanse lies the crescent-shaped lake, where clear waters reflect the azure sky. As you wish, enjoy a camel ride through golden sands, have fun with sandboarding, or stroll along the lakeshore.

Nearby, Dunhuang Art Academy is an institution dedicated to inheriting, restoring, and innovating Dunhuang murals. Follow a professor, learn color matching, character image, and ancient copying techniques, and try your hand at creating your very own mural.

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Dunhuang

Day 5: Dunhuang, Departure
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What Our Clients Say

"Great Customized Service", "Trip of A Lifetime", "Exceed All Expectations"

Richee Family Adventures

05 Aug 2025

Second Honeymoon My wife and I celebrated our 20th anniversary by spending a few weeks touring around Asia. We loved how Odynovo worked with us to craft a tour of what we wanted to see and how we wanted to see it. This was our first time traveling with a private tour guide, and it was truly amazing. they took care of all transportation, tickets, and everywhere we went we had someone who not only spoke our language, but was also very well-versed in the places we were visiting. We saw Beijing and then took a bullet train to Xi'an. In both cities we had tour guides who had done this "a thousand times," and as a result knew all the tricks on where to take the best pictures, what lines to stand in, where to eat, and what not to waste your time seeing. At one point our guide pulled out ponchos from her backpack when it started to rain, while another helped us haggle for a good price on a new suitcase. We were surprised by how much we loved China, and it is safe to say that is because of the quality of service we got from Odynovo. Oh, and the hotels were great, too! In our first hotel my wife fell in love with her breakfast soup that she had to have every morning, while in Xi'an we were right around the corner from the Muslim Night Market and were able to get to it in less than 5 minutes of walking.We are already looking to see what tours we will be doing next through Odynovo, as the service was amazing, the quality was remarkable, and the cost was very worth it for what we received.
Shannon V

05 Aug 2025

Fabulous! We had a fabulous experience with our guide and Odynovo walking the Great Wall of China, and all other sites in Beijing. We loved our Peking duck dinner. It was fabulous. Thank you, Sammie/Jing for a great experience.
domotic d

05 Aug 2025

Beijing Beauty It started off with a friendly face at the airport, with Roy, our tour guide.The week has been such a pleasure and a treat. From adventures to The Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City, to local markets, delicious Beijing food and roof top tea houses.Roy and our driver, Mr. Zhou, were prompt in picking us up and driving us around safely.The knowledge and fact about history and Beijing that Roy knows and explains is amazing and the fact he could answer my weird and inquisitive history questionsnwoth ease was a treat.He made it so easy to enjoy ourselves and absorb all that was around us, he even takes great photos too! 😊Polite, kind and thoughtful and ever patient in letting us take our time with things that interested us.I would highly recommend this tour and Roy again and again.
Zarah B

05 Aug 2025

Amazing travel experience My name is Zarah M. Babangida a Nigerian and i visited Beijing with my colleagues from the office. During our 5 day stay in Beijing, Ms. Eva Ma, was our Tour guide and from the minute we came through the Arrival Gate of the Airport, we were embraced by her alluring smile and warm welcome. She remained consistent with her warmth, a kind and intelligent professional who exuded unique passion not just for her job as a tour guide but, even more so as a proud Chinese woman. Her outstanding insight and knowledge of the sweet Chinese history and heritage left us in awe. I couldn't be more proud and thankful that she was assigned to our group and she made our stay exciting, fun-filled effortless and knowledge packed. I absolutely commend her dedication to work which she depicted throughout our stay. I recommend her to every visiting tourist because to know Eva, is to love her. If it were up to me, i will increase her bonuses or upgrade her salary as i am sure most tourists would want or revisit for her sake first and then perhaps other reasons.Thank you Eva and keep the passion up🙌.

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