7-Day Dunhuang, Zhangye, and Ejina Qi Photography Tour

When Silk Road Culture Meets Fabulous Fall Colors

Start from the mysterious city of Dunhuang, pass by historical Jiayuguan, and then go to Ejina Qi, which is famous for its golden poplar trees, and end the trip in Zhangye with its unique Danxia (red sandstone) landforms. Usually the poplar trees' leaves take on their gold color from mid-September to late October, so this tour is only available in this autumnal period each year. With perfect weather conditions and picturesque wild beauty, we will give you an unforgettable experience.

Tour 'Wow' Points

Admire the Splendid Golden Euphrates Poplar Forests

Visit Ejina Qi National Nature Reserve of Poplar Trees, which is one of the three remaining Poplar Tree reserves in the world. The famous movie "Hero", directed by Zhang Yimou, was shot there. It is a paradise for photographers in fall.

Capture Spectacular Views of Wild China

Visit Zhangye Danxia Geological Park and take stunning photos of the rainbow mountain and Binggou ('ice valley') Danxia landforms. Stroll beside Echoing Sand Mountain and witness the desert wonder — Crescent Lake. Shoot the marvelous desert sunset in Dunhuang.

Discover Unique Historical Sites along the Hexi Corridor

Appreciate amazing murals, sculptures, and grottoes in the renowned Mogao Caves. Visit "the First and Greatest Pass under Heaven", also the westernmost starting point of the Great Wall in the Ming Dynasty — Jiayuguan.

Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

Outstanding Tour of Xi’an with Crystal, The Best Guide! We loved our tour of Xi’an with Crystal. She is a top-notch guide and we are so happy and grateful she was our guide. She speaks excellent English and she taught us to say phrases in Mandarin. She is so knowledgeable about the city of Xi’an and all its historic and cultural places. Crystal taught us all about the city of Xi’an, its history, and the important dynasties here. We loved seeing the Terracotta Army, it was incredible. We will always remember riding bikes on the city walls. Crystal brought us to the most delicious restaurants and we ate very delicious food! We are vegetarians and Crystal ordered for us and made sure all the dishes aligned with our dietary needs. The Dumpling Banquet was so tasty! She also bought us local fruit to taste as well as sweets and treats wherever we went. Crystal took great care of us and really taught us a lot about China. We loved our time with her. Crystal is a remarkable guide because she is friendly, warm, flexible and helpful. The best thing about her is she has a sense of humor and loves to make sure her guests are having fun. Thank you, Crystal! more Mar 2025, TeamDufortio Connecticut

China highlight Merwin was the best in our trip . Thank you sooo much for your tour and your continued support and follow up. Definitely recommend it to all more Mar 2025, Mohammad

Xi’an experiences We had a great experience in Xi’an with our very knowledgeable guide Mervyn. We saw all the highlights of this ancient city and enjoyed some fabulous food due to our guide’s recommendations. Highly recommend more Mar 2025, janng2016

Tour Map

Itinerary Quick Look

Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.

Hotel Selection

—the Icing on the Cake

Boutique hotels are recommended to enrich your travel experience.