Zhangye Danxia

Background

Zhangye National Geopark lies in Linze and Sunan counties of Zhangye City, Gansu, in the northern foothills of the Qilian Mountains; it covers 322 square kilometres, and its Danxia landforms are concentrated in Kangle and Baiyin townships. The core area, the Linze Danxia Scenic Area, is about 30 kilometres west of downtown Zhangye and about 20 kilometres south of the Linze county seat, and is the most developed and most visited part of the park; the Binggou Scenic Area, on the north bank of the Liyuan River, officially opened in 2014 and ranges from 1500 to 2500 metres above sea level; the Sunan Danxia Scenic Area lies south of Linze. The rock layers here are smooth and steep, rising several hundred metres; they were formed by deposits of sandstone and other minerals over about 24 million years, like a many-layered cake. The same tectonic plate movements that raised parts of the Himalayas later tilted the layers, and wind, rain and time then sculpted them into towers, pillars, ravines and other shapes of many forms and colours. In 2005, reporters from 34 major media outlets voted Zhangye Danxia one of the most beautiful Danxia landform areas in China; in 2009, Chinese National Geography magazine also named it one of China's most beautiful landforms. Boardwalks and access roads have been built so that you can view the formations up close.

Local customs

• Follow the boardwalks and viewing-platform route to see the layered, colourful hills
• the colours are richest when the light slants in around sunset
• you can also visit the Binggou Scenic Area to see Danxia formations of a different style.

Travel tips

• A visit takes about half a day, and ticket and shuttle bus prices are as officially announced by the scenic area. Most trails in the scenic area are open-air walkways, and the summer sun is strong, so bring sun protection and drinking water.
• From downtown Zhangye, take a bus to the Linze Danxia Scenic Area
• you can also take the high-speed train from Lanzhou or Xining to Zhangye and then transfer to a bus. The colours are most vivid in summer and autumn, and the rock layers look especially bright when the sky clears after rain
• in winter there are fewer visitors, but temperatures are low.