Lanzhou Travel Guide

Basic information Area code: 0931 Travel complaints: 12345 Travel information As there are more Muslims in Lanzhou, please respect the religious beliefs and living habits of ethnic minorities. Do not bring outside food to enter halal restaurants, do not drink […]

Basic information

Area code: 0931
Travel complaints: 12345

Travel information

• As there are more Muslims in Lanzhou, please respect the religious beliefs and living habits of ethnic minorities. Do not bring outside food to enter halal restaurants, do not drink alcohol in restaurants, and do not talk about topics related to pork.
• When traveling in Gansu, you will need to bring more headscarves or dust masks. Especially in the spring when the sand weather is common, there are dust storms.

Medical treatment

Lanzhou First People Hospital
Address: Lanzhou is No. 1 Wujiayuan, Qilihe District
Tel: 0931-2337286, 0931-2354680
Www.lzdyyy.com

Destination overview

Destination sketch

Lanzhou is the capital city of Gansu Province in northwest China. The Yellow River, the Chinese Mother River, runs through the city, ensuring rich crops of many juicy and fragrant fruits. The city is the transportation and telecommunication center of the region. Covering an area of 1631.6 square kilometers (629.96 square miles), it was once a key point on the ancient Silk Road. Today, it is a hub of the Silk Road Tourism Ring, with Maiji Caves to the east, Bingling Temple Grottoes to the west, Labrang Monastery to the south and Dunhuang Mogao Caves to the north.

With mountains to the south and north of the city and the Yellow River flowing from the east to the west, Lanzhou is a beautiful modern city with both the grand beauty of northern cities and the prettiness of southern cities. The city downtown comprises five districts: Chengguan, Qilihe, Xigu, Honggu and Anning. Among them, Chengguan District, situated in the eastern part of the city, is the center of politics, economy, culture and transportation. Anning District, in the northwestern part, is the economic development zone as well as the area where most colleges are located.

Beliefs and taboos

Gansu is located in the junction land of Eastern and Western cultural. The long history and ambiguous ethnic culture gave birth to numerous religious beliefs. In Gansu, there are five religions: Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, and Christianity.

Local festival

Lanzhou International Marathon 6/July

Silk Road International Tourism Festival August every year

Best Travel season

The best season is usually from May to October when the weather is most suitable. Other things to carry with you are a bottle of water, and sun protection, especially a lip balm. If local folk customs like festivals appeal to you, winter is also a good tourist season.

Consumption level

The consumption level in Lanzhou is medium, with a bowl of Lanzhou noodles being only 10 yuan, and the price for a hotel stay for one night is between 100 and 200 yuan.

Practical information

Lanzhou Post Office
Address: 211 Qingyang Road
Tel: 0931-8441161

Railway station post office
Address: No. 381 East Railway Station, Chengguan District (New Century Hotel Northeast)
Tel: 0931-8639406

Intercity traffic

Aircraft

Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport,LHW
Address: Zhongchuan Town, Lanzhou New District, Gansu Province
airport bus
The airport bus has four lines and the fare is 30 yuan/person

Train

Lanzhou Railway Station
Address: East Railway Station, Chengguan District, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province
Tel: 0931-12306

Lanzhou West Railway Station
Address: Xijin West Road, Qilihe District, Lanzhou City
Arrival method: Take No. 31, No. 35, No. 58 and No. 108

Long-distance bus

Lanzhou Passenger Transport Center
Address: East of Lanzhou Railway Station
Arrival method: Take bus 7, 9, 12, 31, 33, etc.
Tel : 0931-8619813

Lanzhou East Bus Station
Address: Pingliang Road, Chengguan District, Lanzhou City
Arrival method: Take bus 6, 7, 112, 130, etc.
Phone: 0931-8418441

Lanzhou West Bus Station
Address: Xijin East Road, Qilihe District, Lanzhou City
Arrival method: Take Bus No. 1, 2, 35, 106, etc. can reach the electricity
Tel: 0931-2663285

Lanzhou South Bus Station
Address: Langongping, Qilihe District, Lanzhou City
Arrival method: Take the bus No. 45, 111, 129 to reach
Tel: 0931-2914066

Traffic in the city

Bus

There are many bus lines in the city.

Taxis

The urban starting price is 10 yuan / 3 kilometers, the rent price is 1.4 yuan per kilometer, one-way return mileage is farther than 10 kilometers, one-way return mileage fee is 0.7 yuan, waiting time is 1.4 yuan / 5 minutes, night car surcharge 0.2 yuan / Kilometer.

Attractions

White Pagoda Park

Legend has it that the White Pagoda was built in honor of a well-known Tibetan Lama who died of an illness in Lanzhou when on his way to Mongolia as representative of the leader of Sakyapa in order to meet Genghis Khan, founder of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Unfortunately, the original pagoda later toppled down. The present White Pagoda was constructed by an official in the reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and later extended by an imperial inspector in Qing Dynasty. (1644-1911).
Address: Opposite to Zhongshan Iron Bridge, Huanghe North Bank, Lanzhou City
Arrival method: Take 20, 5, 31 bus up to
Opening hours: 6:00-18:00

Waterwheel Garden

Small park along the Yellow River houses impressive traditional waterwheels, originally used to irrigate farmland around Lanzhou.
Address: No. 524 Hedong Road, Nanbin, Lanzhou City
Arrival method: Bus 20, 25, 135, 140
Tel: 0931-8580722

Sculptures of the Mother River

Gansu sculpture by the famous sculptor He E creation,6 meters long,2.2 meters wide,2.6 meters tall, weighing 40 tons, from “mother” and a “baby” of composition.
Address: Nanbinhe Middle Road, Lanzhou City
Arrival method: Bus 25 can reach

Five Springs Park

Five Springs Park lies in the northwest part of Gaolan Mountain, which stands in the south part of the downtown area in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province. The park, the largest in Lanzhou, occupies 266,400 square meters (2,867,599.56 square feet) on Five Springs Mountain .

There are always legends and stories behind beautiful scenic spots in China. Five Springs Park is no exception. In the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC- 24 AD), a famous general, Huo Qubing, was dispatched by the Emperor to go on a punitive Expedition to the Hun people, a minority group who lived in the northwestern part of China at that time. Since the troops had traveled from Chang’an (now Xian ), General Huo and his soldiers were exhausted when they arrived at the foot of Gaolan Mountain. They couldn’t find any water nearby, so General Huo forcefully jabbed his horsewhip five times into the ground. Approaching the locals called the mountain the Five Springs Mountain. While this story sounds surreal, Local quality added a zoo, an amusement park for adults and anoth the quality and the quantity of the five springs are true. They have flowed and served the locals for several thousand years. Er for children.
Address: 77 Wuquan South Road, Chengguan District
Arrival method: Take Bus No. 31 and 114 and get off at Wuquanshan Station. You can choose to walk and get off at Gongda Station. Continue south from the archway.
Opening hours: 6:30-18:30
Tickets: Free

Zhongshan Bridge

Zhongshan Bridge, also called the first bridge over the Yellow River, lies at the foot of Bai Ta Mountain and in front of Jin Cheng Pass in Lanzhou city, the capital of Gansu Province.

Before Zhongshan Bridge was built there were many floating bridges over the Yellow River, but only one existed for a relatively long period. This bridge was called Zhen Yuan Floating Bridge and was made up of more than 20 ships, tied up by ropes and chains. It floated on the river in order to help people pass over, but it was neither solid nor safe enough. Almost every year floods destroyed the bridge or even killed people. Problem also arose in the winter, when ice would build up on the river, so the bridge would have to undergo the costly process of being disassembled and then re-built in the spring. Used for over 500 years, the Zhen Yuan Floating Bridges was finally retired in 1909, when an iron bridge was built. This new bridge is what we call the First Bridge over the Yellow River.

Xiguan Mosque

The mosque was originally built during the Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty, the mosque underwent two big reconstructions. The mosque was rebuilt in 1990 into what it is today with the added dome.
Address: Next to Xiguan Cross Bus Terminal

Yantan Park

Since founding a state, here has built up to 20 km ring at the dam and 10 km asphalt road, and across the Yellow River tributary, the Yantan and urban integration. Later turned into parks, gardens lush forests, beautiful scenery, has built a pavilion, and the Yellow River scenery mutual authentic, very magnificent.

Maiji Caves

Maiji Mountain rises up abruptly 142 meters (about 155 yards) from the landscape. The people named the mountain ‘Maiji’ because it resembles a stack of wheat straw (mai meaning wheat, and ji meaning stack). On the sheer cliff that marks the southwest side of Maiji Mountain, people have labored for centuries carving niches and caves, giving rise to what is known today as the Maiji Caves. These caves were included on the World Heritage List on June 22, 2014.

Inside the caves are clay statues, whose heights vary from 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) to 15 meters (over 49 feet). Besides 194 Buddhist caves and niches, containing more than 7, 200 clay statues, there are also murals of over 1, 300 square meters (about 1, 555 square yards) in the Maiji Caves as well. These statues are works of art that reflect ancient craftsmanship and dedication to the Buddhist ideal. Rarely can one find caves and statues carved over sheer cliffs in China, and this is one of the most distinguishing features of Maiji Caves. Being carved on the cliff, these caves are connected by plank roads that hang precariously along the face of the cliff. Visitors can only reach each cave by using these plank roads, which offers a breathtaking experience.
Address: Located 45 kilometers (about 28 miles) southeast of Tianshui City in Gansu Province

Gansu Provincial Museum

Silk Road history in one place. The museum is divided into two sections-natural resources and historic exhibits. It houses collections of various color-painted potteries of Neolithic Age and treasures of ancient grottoes. In addition, the museum is home to precious linen and silk fabrics, books, wooden and bronze vessels, a great many bamboo slips for writing from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220), frescos and so many other items. A 4-meter-tall Mammoth fossil replica is stored in the museum whose remains were excavated from the Yellow River basin in 1973. Aside from the prehistoric presentations, there are also rare animal exhibits, such as pandas, golden monkeys and red -crowned cranes.
The world-famous bronze Galloping Horse’s Hoof Stepped on a Flying Swallow, also named as Galloping Horse, is a treasure of Gansu Provincial Museum. Excavated in 1969 in Wuwei County, Gansu Province, the piece depicts a vigorous horse with long tail waving and head perking. Its three hooves are in the air, galloping like lightning. What makes this sculpture amazing is the right back hoof of this galloping horse lands on the back of a small flying bird. The bird turns in surprise to look at the big creature on its back. At the same moment, the horse’s head also turns slightly in attempt to know what has happened. The whole statue is honored as the mysterious and rare treasure in the history of Chinese ancient sculpture art.
Address: South West Xijin Road, South Qilihe Bridge
Arrival method: You can take bus No. 1 and 31 to get off at Qilihe Bridge.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:00-17:00; closed on Mondays (except national holidays)
Tickets: Free
Tel: 0931-2334106

Bingling Temple Caves

A famous Buddhist caves, Bingling Temple Caves is one of the Four Most Famous Caves in China and just second to Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang. Bingling, is the transliterating of the Tibetan “thousands of Buddhas”. Originally built in 420 in Western Qin Dynasty (385-400), the Bingling Temple Caves was continuously dug in later dynasties, and some painted decorations even done in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Today, there are existing 183 caves, 694 stone statues, 82 clay statues and about 900 square meters frescos, stretching 200 meters along west bank of Temple Channel on a 60-meter-high cliff. With the giant Buddha of No.169 Cave being the main part, the 183 caves are scattered in upper temple, lower temple, temple channel as well as the Buddha terrace.
Address: Xiaojishi Mountain, 35 km southwest to Yongjing County, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province.
Arrival method: take yacht at Lianhua Wharf with around 1.5 hours and CNY150, and go through the Liujia Gorge.
Tickets: 50 yuan

Xinglong Mountain

Xinglong Mountain, also named Mt. Xinglong or Qiyun Mountain,is 60 kilometers (40 miles) away from Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province. Rising about 2,400 meters (7,800 feet) above sea level, it is covered with thick pine forests and scattered with colorful temples. In addition to the stunning landscape, rich Taoism culture makes the mountain more popular. There are 1,022 kinds of wild plants and 160 varieties of wild animals in this national forest park. Since the air in summer is fresh and cool, it is a favorable place to escape the heat.
Address: Yuzhong County, southeast of Lanzhou City

Waterwheel Garden

The Waterwheel Garden, built in 1994, is located in the Binhe Middle Road (Binhe Zhong Lu) in Lanzhou, Gansu Province. The garden covers an area of 1.45 hectares (3.58 acres) and is comprised of two waterwheels, a cofferdam, the recreation area and a house of water mill.

Lanzhou is the only city through which the Yellow River flows; there are thus many irrigation machines in the city. The waterwheel invented by Duan Xu in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) is the oldest one. Duan Xu learnt from the irrigation machines in Yunnan Province and invented a distinctive style with the appearance of chariot wheels and a diameter ranging from 10 to 20 meters (32.8 to 65.6 feet). The center of the wheel was placed with an axle and boards, while the brim of the wheel was fixed with many quadrate buckets. These buckets could carry water to a height of 15 to 18 meters (49 to 59 feet) in order to irrigate fields. Until 1952, about 252 waterwheels stood along the river in Lanzhou, and at that time, the city was reputed to be the ‘City of Waterwheels’.

Tulu Valley

The Tulu Valley Natural Scenic Area is known as the “fabulous green valley”. It belongs to the eastern foot of the Qilian Mountains, and is a natural landscape tourism area with Qishan Xiushui as the main body. It is also an ideal destination for forest eco-tourism in Lanzhou City. .
Address: Liancheng Town, Yongdeng County, Lanzhou City
Opening hours: open from April to end of October
Arrival method: Lanzhou West Bus Station – Liancheng, long-distance car 20 yuan, distance 140 kilometers, travel 3 hours, 5 classes a day; Lanzhou – Tanshan Ridge, get off at Turu Gou, fare 25 yuan; Liancheng – Turuzou ticket sales At the ticket gate or ticket gate, the taxi is 40 yuan, and the distance is 20 kilometers. It takes half an hour to drive. The Tuluoukou is the ticket gate, and it is 6 kilometers away. The mouth of Turoukou is the mountaintop, and it is 10 kilometers away.
Tickets: 30 yuan
Tel: 0931-6531015

Itinerary

Lanzhou depth five-day tour

DAY 1: five springs Mountain – Chenghuang Temple – Yellow River – Gansu Provincial Museum
DAY 2: Yintan Wetland Park – Renshoushan tianfu Sand Palace
DAY 3: Lu Tu Yamen – Tulu Valley
DAY 4-DAY 5: Xinglongshan National Forest Park – Qingcheng Ancient Town

Food

Lanzhou dishes are representative of Gansu cuisine which features the roasting, steaming, and braising of beef and mutton. Local people enjoy many tastes including salty, fresh, tart, and spicy. Gansu cuisine can be sampled at various local hotels. Typical dishes include Jincheng Baita, Jincheng Babao Melon Carving, Baihe Tao, and albino leeks with chicken and roasted pork.

Baihe (Lily) Tao (Peach) is so named because the dish is shaped like peaches. The washed fresh lily – a specialty of Lanzhou – is steamed for about 15 minutes. The lily is then stuffed with sweetened bean paste so that it looks like a peach. The ‘peach’ is braised in a bamboo steamer for about twenty minutes and then served with a white sugar sauce.

Jincheng Baita is an assortment of cold meats, imitating the famous attraction of Baita (the White Pagoda) in this city, which is a seven-story pagoda with eight facets.

Jincheng Babao (eight treasures) Melon Carving is a local traditional food. The carved melon peel is used as a bowl to hold white fungus, pineapple, cherry, longan, waxberry, and other delicacies. The carving is exquisite and the food is fresh and sweet. This dish will satisfy not only your palate but also your eye.

Silk Road Camel Hoof is a nutritious dish since the whole hoof is made up of tendon, which is very tasty.

Quick Fried Camel Hump, a dainty dish, has a history of 1,500 years.

Lanzhou Roasted Pork is heated over charcoal and served with spring pies or sesame pies.

Jinyu (golden fish) Facai (a kind of fungus that grows in the desert near the Yellow River) is a classic dish in Gansu Province. There is no golden fish in the dish; the name comes from the shape. The Fa Cai is soaked in water until it is soft and then kneaded until it is round. Minced chicken flavored with salt, egg white, sesame oil, and cooking wine is used to stuff the Fa Cai so it looks like a golden fish. The’fish’ is steamed until it is cooked and then served in a dish surrounded with bree, giving the look of a ‘golden fish swimming in water’. This popular Lanzhou dish goes well with wine.

For specialty-dishes, we recommend that tourists try them in the Chinese restaurants of the classic hotels because of their professional cooking style.

Accommodation

There are many choices for accommodation in Lanzhou city.

Shopping

Zhongxin Square, also named Dongfanghong Square, is the largest square in Lanzhou City, situated in the central area. Around this square, many shopping malls can be found. The square is the daily entertainment place for local people and is also an ideal shopping area for tourists. In addition, there are many popular commercial streets such as Qingyang Road, Zhangye Road Pedestrian Street, and Zhongshan Road.

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