Rainbow mountains in Gansu China

The rainbow mountains. An UNESCO heritage sight and one of my absolute best memories from China. Read more about these mountains here

It is a geographic marvel of astonishing beauty. When the sun hits the mountains they really do have a rainbow pattern. You can’t actually hike on or climb on the mountains but you do get several viewing platforms which allow you too see different views and perspectives of the scenery.

It’s less busy here than you may think, it’s a well known spot but it’s in remote Gansu province so it’s really quite far away. It could be combined onto your ‘Silk Road’ trip.

If you’re in China these really are a must visit

Location

How to Get to Zhangye

Zhangye is a small city, in the arid passage to the remote west of China, so access is limited. The best way to travel to Zhangye is to go to Lanzhou or Xi’an first and then travel to Zhangye by air or train. We will know how to combine Zhangye and your other destinations in the best way.

By Air

Zhangye has a small airport about 15 km (10 miles) southeast of the city, with limited flights from Xi’an, Lanzhou, Dunhuang, and Urumqi.

From there, you could take a taxi to the park, which is about 65 kilometers (40 miles) away.

By Train

Traveling by train costs half the price or less, but it takes two or three times longer. There are direct services to Zhangye from Beijing (18 to 29 hours), Xi’an (7 to 20 hours), and Chongqing (24 to 29 hours). Sleeper tickets are available for the long journey. Xi’an now has a high-speed train service, so you can take a high-speed train direct to Zhangye and arrive there within 7 hours.

Taking a high-speed train from Lanzhou: You might choose to make a stop in Lanzhou, especially if exploring the Silk Road. There are many trains running from Lanzhou to Zhangye. It takes 6 hours by ordinary train, 3 hours by high-speed train, and costs about 150 yuan for a second-class seat.

There are 17 high-speed trains daily that depart from Lanzhou West Railway Station and Lanzhou Railway Station. Be careful to get the right departure station’s name, otherwise you might miss the train.