Dunhuang Travel Guide

Dunhuang is an oasis city spread along the edge of the Gobi Desert at the western end of Gansu province. As an important base on the Silk Road, it long served as a crossroads where the trade and culture of east and west met. It is a destination representative of western China, where greenery opens up in the middle of the desert.

The Mogao Caves, southeast of the city, are a group of cave temples carved into the rock face over more than a thousand years from the 4th century onward. Registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, they are known as a treasury of Buddhist art made up of murals and statues. Visits are made in small groups with a guide, and the number of caves that can be seen at one time is limited.

Another emblem of Dunhuang is Mingsha Mountain and its Crescent Lake. At the foot of the dunes, named for the sound the sand makes in the wind, lies a crescent-shaped spring. The sight of water held here while surrounded by desert is the scenery that defines Dunhuang. At the Shazhou Night Market in the city, lamb skewers and noodle dishes can be enjoyed, flavors that keep the memory of the Silk Road alive.

Dunhuang can be reached by air and by rail, with trains running from Lanzhou and the Jiayuguan area. The city center is compact, and the main sights are a short drive away. It is a town found only in western China, where desert and Buddhist art overlap.