Gansu is the long, narrow corridor where China opens toward Central Asia: the Hexi Corridor runs a thousand kilometres between the Qilian snow peaks and the Gobi, past the Mogao Caves, the singing dunes and the westernmost stretch of the Great Wall. The Silk Road's golden section — dry, dramatic, and drenched in history.

What to See

The Mogao Caves are the “art gallery in the desert”: a thousand years of murals and painted sculpture across seven hundred caves.

The Crescent Moon Spring at Mingsha is Dunhuang's wonder — a crescent of clear water ringed by sand, never drying up. And Zhangye's Danxia is a mountain range in seven colours, brightest after rain.

What to Eat

Lanzhou beef noodles are the province's morning ritual: hand-pulled noodles in a clear beef broth, finished with radish slices, coriander and a slick of chilli oil — “one clear, two white, three red, four green.” Liangpi are cold steamed noodles cut into ribbons, tossed with sesame paste, vinegar and chilli for the classic summer snack.

Folk Customs

Practical Tips

Photos: Mogao Caves, Crescent Moon Spring — via Wikimedia Commons, CC-licensed. Licenses and authors available on the original file pages.