Sunan: a hidden jewel on the Silk Road

A vast province considered somewhat “remote” in the eyes of many, Gansu is actually a popular destination among foreign tourists and was ranked at the top of the Lonely Planet “10 Best Places to Visit in Asia” list in 2017, surpassing Kamakura in Japan and the Raja Ampat Islands of Indonesia.

While Gannan and Zhangye are increasingly well-known for their unique geographical feature known as danxia landforms, few travelers would notice Sunan, a town 60 km from Zhangye, which boasts hidden treasures worth exploring.

Located in the heartland north of the Qilian Mountains, Sunan is the primary residence for the Yugur people. The area offers various landscapes including deserts, grasslands, glaciers and waterfalls. Besides gorgeous natural scenery, visitors will also enjoy the unique local culture made up by 15 ethnic groups.

Grasslands

Kangle Grassland

Located in Yumuzhuang Village of Kangle Township, the Kangle Grassland stretches along the Qilian Mountains. Clear blue skies and cattle scattered through grassy fields remind travelers of the Ili Grassland in Xinjiang. Summer is the ideal time to visit. With an average temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, the grassland is a green carpet decorated with flowers. Every late June, local people gather for horse racing, archery contests and to pay tribute to their gods, during which visitors can have a glimpse of the local folk culture.

Huangcheng Grassland

Located in the town of Huangcheng, literally the “imperial city,” the Huangcheng Grassland is a fiefdom of Chimbay Temur, a grandson of Genghis Khan. Visitors can see the snowy peaks of the Qilian Mountains from this grassland, a scene which has made appearances in many TV series.

Danxia landforms

Binggou Danxia Landform

Located along the No. 213 provincial highway, the Binggou Danxia Landform is listed as one of the 10 geographic wonders of the world, yet the site is still little-known. Binggou offers the largest and most well-preserved rock palace in China. Cliffs, walls, columns and spires made of stone present visitors with a visual feast.

Xuantang Temple Danxia Landform

Located in Qifeng Tibetan Autonomous Township, the Xuantang Temple Danxia Landform is about 40 km from Jiuquan and Jiayuguan. Though not a developed tourist spot, it is well-known for its stones of different shapes in red color.

Buddhist grottos

Mati Temple

Located in Mati Tibetan Autonomous Township, the temple with the Buddhist grotto at the highest altitude in the world lies quietly atop mountains covered with snow. The grotto is home to over 70 Buddhist cave sculptures. On every June 15 of the lunar calendar, the Shoton Festival is celebrated, attracting disciples and visitors alike.

Wenshu Temple

Only 10 km from Jiuquan and the mountain pass of Jiayuguan, the temple in Qifeng District of Sunan is similar to the Mogao Caves in artistic style, which gives it the name “Little Western Heaven.”

Glaciers and deserts

Qiyi Glacier

Formed over 200 million years ago, the Qiyi Mountain is home to the glacier most near to a city in Asia. The ice stretches 30.5 km along the mountain’s slopes, and is on average 78 meters thick. It also has a snow peak with an altitude of 5,150 meters covered with 120-meter-thick ice.

Minghua Township

Located in the middle of the Hexi Corridor, there are over 1,000 acres of Euphrates poplars growing in this desert. The landscape is comparable to the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, The best time to visit is early October, when the poplar trees turn into a golden sea waving above the sand.

Transportation: Take a high-speed train to Guangzhou. A high-speed train departs for Lanzhou at Guangzhounan Railway Station and Guangzhoubei Railway Station respectively every day. The whole trip takes 12 to 13 hours. Train tickets from Guangzhou to Lanzhou cost from 988 yuan to 3,094 yuan.