Zhangye 3-Day City Walk Guide

Lonely Planet calls Zhangye "nature's favored secret on the Hexi Corridor." National Geographic named its Danxia "China's Most Beautiful Danxia" — 24 million years of geological layers creating a "rainbow mille-crepe" that burns like flame at sunset. The Giant Buddha Temple houses Asia's largest indoor reclining Buddha (34.5m), and Mati Temple's cliff-carved grottoes hang from sheer precipices.

📅 Itinerary Overview

Day	Theme	Key Attractions
Day 1	Silk Road Heritage	Giant Buddha Temple → Wetland Park → Ganzhou Market
Day 2	Danxia Wonder	Seven-Color Danxia (full day)
Day 3	Ancient Grottoes	Mati Temple or Pingshanhu Grand Canyon

🌈 Day 2: Danxia Wonder

Zhangye Danxia National Geopark (5A)

LP: "God's spilled palette." National Geographic's #1 Danxia in China. ¥93 (incl. shuttle). Must see at sunset — colors are 3x more vivid.

🏔️ Day 3: Ancient Grottoes

Mati Temple

LP: "Millennium grottoes clinging to cliffs." Built 1600 years ago. 21 cave shrines carved in sheer cliffs. ¥73.

🚗 Getting There

HSR: Zhangye West (Lanzhou 3h, Xining 2h)
Taxi: starting ¥5

💡 Tips

Best season: Jun-Sep
Danxia sunset is unmissable
Budget: ¥60-100/day

Based on Lonely Planet and multiple travel sources.