Dunhuang Culture Discovery
This exclusive tour provides a multidimensional experience of the history and culture of Dunhuang and the Mogao Caves. Besides a cultural experience, you will also have the opportunity to enjoy the austere scenery and landscapes.
Highlights
- Grasp the opportunity to see the Mogao Caves, which might disappear in 50 years.
- Paint your exclusive mural on a mud slab that is made from the same materials as the Mogao Caves.
- Visit a unique section of the Great Wall that was built with plant stems and gravel.
- Explore Devil City (Yadan landscape) to witness a masterpiece that was created by wind and sand.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Dreams come true in Xi'an
My family and I visited Xi'an for two days and were accompanied by Sherry, our tour guide! Even though we stayed for a very short time, Sherry made sure we visited everything important and on time. And when the person who we were going to cook dumplings with got sick, Sherry managed the schedule changes smoothly and skillfully. Beyond that, witnessing the Terracotta Soldiers was a dream come true, but Sherry's explanation and availabilty to answer questions pushed it even further! And also, not only was she a fountain of knowledge, she was very kind and open, sharing with us her day-to-day experience living in Xi'an. Finally, since my area is Asian Studies and I study Chinese, Sherry also helped me with the language and academic curiosity in an enthusiastic way. In the end, my two favourite Xi'an activities were visiting the Terracotta Soldiers and its museum, of course, and making dumplings! I highly recommend China Highlights' tour in Xi'an, especially when accompanied by Sherry. more
Mar 2025, Marta C
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Xi’an with Jenny from the Block
Xi’an is a fantastic city to visit, the Terra Cotta Warriors are incredible but there is more to see and do—and eat! Make sure you ask for Jenny, she is a fabulous guide, super interesting and informative and FUN! Our group ranged in age from 15-80 and she took care everything with a keen attention to detail and nuanced suggestions to make the trip extra special. The dumpling making experience was amazing and delicious and surprisingly maybe our favourite activity? Thank you thank you Jenny! more
Mar 2025, Susan t
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Xian
Helen was our tour guid and we very much enjoyed Xian and wished we could have spent more time as we only had a day. Our guide made sure we experienced all that we needed to see while out there even with our limited time. I would highly recommend visiting Xian and staying a few days to further explore the history. more
Mar 2025, Hooten Jessica Lynn 647623828
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Suggested Itinerary
Your local tour guide will meet you in the arrivals hall of the airport or at the exit of the train station. After your guide meets you, he/she will escort you by private vehicle to your hotel. Have a good rest and be ready for the next day's adventure.
Evening idea:
Shazhou Night Market is worth visiting to experience the local flavor of Dunhuang. If you want to get close to this city quickly, try some local snacks, such as yogurt and nangs (flatbread).
Hotel options:
Dunhuang Hotel (4-star)
The Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel (5-star)
breakfast and lunch
Mogao Caves ticket booking:
In order to protect the fragile murals and paintings, the number of daily visitors to the Mogao Caves is restricted and your entrance ticket(s) must be reserved on the official website, which is in Chinese.
Tickets are difficult to get hold of, especially during the tourist peak season (July to October). Although we can guarantee tickets at least 5 days in advance, early booking is still recommended.
After breakfast, start to explore Dunhuang at the famous Mogao Caves. First, you will watch two movies to get a rough idea of the history of the Silk Road and the Mogao Caves. Then take the shuttle bus to the original cave area, where a professional expositor will lead you to visit seven caves.
After lunch, you will visit Dunhuang Museum. This museum has a great exhibition of the Silk Road culture, and it has duplicate caves with exquisite murals and statues that you can take photos of.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour:
The Mogao Caves include 735 caves, and 40 to 60 caves are normally open to the public. A normal visit to the Mogao Caves includes seven caves but, if you would like to see some special caves, we can arrange for you to visit some that are not open to the general public.
These special caves are treasures — they contain important murals and statues, and have made a significant contribution to the study of human culture and art .
Mogao Cavesbreakfast and lunch
After the previous day's study of culture, you can test yourself on what you have learnt.
After breakfast, you will visit the Dunhuang Research Academy, a place where you can sit down to listen to the story behind the murals and appreciate the painting skills.
Make your own mural: Choose one of the mural samples and copy it onto a mud slab, which is made from the same material as the Mogao Caves. Take your masterpiece home with you.
Enjoy an organic vegetarian lunch at the academy before continuing your journey to the desert with a visit to the Singing Sand Mountains and Crescent Moon Spring. Ride a camel in the desert and imagine what it was like to ride across the desert 1,000 years ago.
Tip to tailor-make your tour:
It is beautiful to see the sunset in the desert in the late afternoon. If, however, you prefer to enjoy cool weather in the desert, you can adjust the visiting time to the morning.
Desert Scenerybreakfast & lunch
Witness the cultural relics and amazing landscapes near Dunhuang.
In the morning, you will be driven to the ruins of the ancient Great Wall of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). You will see that it was built using layers of desert plant stems and gravel, which is quite different from the bricks used in other sections of the Great Wall.
You will also have a chance to visit Yumen Pass ('Jade Gate Pass'), which was once used as one of the west gates out of China during the Han Dynasty. It has been badly damaged by the shifting sands but still highlights the splendor of this magnificent architectural structure.
In the afternoon, explore Devil City — Yadan National Geological Park. Devil City is famous for its nighttime sounds and vivid rocks in various shapes that look like animals or world-famous attractions. If you want, you can stay there until sunset.
Ancient Great Wallbreakfast
Your guide and driver will take you to the airport/train station and ensure your check-in goes smoothly.
Our Service Includes:
- One-to-one consultancy with our travel expert
- Versatile and knowledgeable local guides
- Your own chauffeur and comfortable vehicle
- Hand-picked hotels to suit your preferences
- Hotel buffet breakfasts and local restaurant lunches
- Entry to all attractions on the itinerary
- The booking of internal transportation per your preferences
- A 24/7 helpline while you are traveling
Trip Notes
Transportation to and from Dunhuang
Domestic flights and trains have easy access to Dunhuang. There are daily flights between Dunhuang and the main cities in China, such as Xi'an, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Lanzhou. Please tell us your previous/next destination and we will help you to arrange the transportation.
Tour Price
Price includes: