One Day Yadan National Park Visit

Yumen Pass, Dunhuang

Devil city, also known as Yadan physiognomy, is located in Northwest Dunhuang of Gansu Province, bordering Lop Nur Lake in the west. Lying at the juncture of Gansu Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, it is about 170 km away from downtown Dunhuang. The Yadan National Park interests people especially Geologists as the area long time ago was the bottom of the sea and then somehow raised to the current level, exposing the rocks to wind erosion. It is the largest Yadan landform discovered to date, covering an area of about 400 square km. The other two sites worth stop on the way to Yadan is Yang Pass (Yangguan) and  Yumen Pass.
 

You can hire a car or taxi for traveling around Dunhuang which is quite convenient. Please do remember to bargain for the price, CNY300.00 to CNY400.00 is a usual amount. You can also ask for help from the hotel you stay or the local travel agency. The road condition is generally fine, except for a short part near Yumen pass where is unpaved. 
 

It takes about 1 hour from Dunhuang to Yumen pass (CNY40.00), the Han dynasty Great Wall fragments. Depart in the early morning if you want to see the sunrise there. The Yumen Pass was once one of two critical defensive passes protecting Dunhuang from invasion from the West about two thousand years ago. At that time, anyone in China wishing to take the Silk Road west (or east into China through Dunhuang) had to pass through this spot. Those familiar with ancient Chinese poetry, may recall a poem written by the renowned Tang Dynasty poet, Wang Zhihuan, describing the unique scenery and atmosphere here. Be aware that the Yumen pass is a “must seeing” place as the entrance fee is also some kind of road toll which you have to pay. You can just spend a little time here to look around and take some photos. The highlight today is the next stop, the Yadan National Park.
 

Han Dynasty Great Wall, Dunhuang

After another one hour's drive, you finally get to the destination, the Yadan National Park. It is CNY50.00 net for the entrance fee, and CNY20.00 net for the tram which you had to take to see the park. The buildings located in Ghost City are varied, ranging from 4-5 meters, to more than 20 meters in height, and from dozens of meters to hundreds of meters in length and width, to look like a mediaeval castle. The styles of the buildings inside are elegant and unconventional. There are city walls, streets, multi-storied buildings, squares and sculptures in the castle, all arranged in a picturesque disorder. On the outskirts of the town, the buildings are sparsely distributed. Inside, however, one can see sand hills scattered randomly in different shapes, some resembling ivory towers, while others look like hay stacks. Devil city is divided into southern and northern districts, with every scenic spot within looking magnificent. Many world-famous buildings have their roots in this town, such as the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China, the Potala Palace in Tibet, the Arab Mosque and the pyramids in Egypt. Being in Devil city is like visiting a magnificent museum of architecture. If you have time, you may also rent a 4WD jeeps to explore further, or take a camel ride. Get prepare for enough water and snack for there is only one small restaurant in Yadan area and the food is expensive.
 

The next stop is Yang Pass (CNY50.00 net), also known as the Southern Pass, originally built by Emperor Wu in the Hang Dynasty as one of the two most important passes (the other pass is the Yumen Pass (Yumen Guan). 
 

Then, after 2 hours' ride, go back to Dunhuang in the evening.