Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark: Where Nature Carves Legends
Zhangye of Gansu has always been a brilliant pearl on the ancient Silk Road. Located in the northwest of Dunhuang, 180 kilometers away from the city, Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark is famous for its largest Yardang landforms in the country. It is the largest geopark featuring Yardang landforms discovered so far.
The surprising and fascinating shapes of the Yardang National Geopark are the marvelous creations beyond nature. After the movie Hero was filmed here, the magnificent scenery here has attracted countless tourists. It has become a major tourist attraction in Dunhuang. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987, it is surely an attraction worthy enough for you to explore on a Silk Road trip.
Fast facts about Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark
- Location: Northwest of Dunhuang, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, 180 kilometers from the city center.
- Chinese name: 甘肃敦煌雅丹国家地质公园
- Ticket: Entrance fee 50 yuan + sightseeing bus 70 yuan
- Opening hour：06: 30 – 18: 00
- What to see: Rare, large-scale, and wind-eroded fantastic Yardang landforms
- Time needed: about 3 hours
Geological Formation of the Yadan Landforms
What Are Yardang Landforms
“Yardang” in Uyghur refers to a steep hill, a landform eroded by wind. The Yadan landform stands on the flat Gobi Desert and covers a wide area. Due to its strange landforms, hard-to-find roads, low-lying terrain, strong magnetic force and the whistling sound of the wind, it is favored by many explorers.
How They Formed: Formation Process
The Yadan landform is a representative landform type in extremely arid climate areas. It is the result of erosion of Quaternary sediments by wind and water as the main forces for about 100,000 years. The characteristic landscape here is the large-scale and majestic Yadan bodies in the shape of ridges, walls and towers. They are anthropomorphic and lifelike, complementing the vast Gobi and desert landscapes.
Highlights of Dunhuang Yadan National Geological Park – What to See
Iconic Yardangs: “Golden Lion,” “Peacock,” “Camel”
- Sphinx (Golden Lion) (金狮迎宾): It is a scenic spot created by the magic of nature. From a distance, this boulder looks like a crouching lion with a human face. It embodies a wall-like yardang, which is, kind of a transition from wall-like yardang to towering yardang. Composed of sandy and muddy debris, it has formed an uneven surface after different weathering.
- Peacock (孔雀玉立): It belongs to the columnar yardang stone and is the highlight of the third scenic spot. The overall shape is like a peacock stretching its tail feathers, showing its pride and beauty. However, it has also been destroyed by wind and rain erosion, becoming an incredible miracle.
- Camel (丝路驼队): It is distributed in the scenic area and is one of the classic shapes among the many yardang landforms. Its shape resembles a camel, and its image is vivid and lifelike. In the vast desert, these “camels” seem to be marching, showing the power of life in the desert.
Devil City (魔鬼城)
Yardang National Park is located on the edge of Lop Nur, which is known as the “Sea ofDeath”, and is also the world’s wind outlet. It is also known as the Devil City. When strong winds pass through the desert, you will hear sounds like devil scream. Therefore, many people like to come here for adventure.
Other Iconic Sculptures
- West Sea Fleet (西海舰队): It looks like a fleet floating in the vast desert, like a vast ocean. It is extremely spectacular, magnificent and breathtaking. Walking into these fleets, you will be amazed by the uncanny craftsmanship of nature.
- Turtle Emerging from the Sea (神龟出海): The deformed Yadan, due to the influence of nearby fault activities, has its one end of the originally horizontal stratum tilted upward. After the formation of the Yardang landscape, this deformed structure resembles a turtle emerging from the sea, looking down on its surroundings.
- Yadan Princess (雅丹公主): A typical columnar Yadan landscape. The relatively hard clay layer at the bottom resists erosion, while the softer middle sand layer is more susceptible to wind erosion. As a result of the different erosion effect, the columnar Yadan body is shaped like an ancient princess with a slender waist, graceful and noble and elegant.
Sunset & Stargazing
As the suns sets in the west, the red sun slowly sinks into the horizon, the sky is dyed into a gorgeous orange-red, and the glow burns like fire, reflecting the various Yadan landforms on the Gobi. The best place to see the sunset is definitely the viewing platform in the scenic area. The viewing platform has a very wide view and you can see the magnificent Yadan landform under the sunset.
When night falls, the stars in the sky are absolutely magnificent. The Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark, away from the light pollution in the city, has a starry sky that shines much brighter. The Milky Way crosses the sky with stars dotted in between, and everything seems so close to reach. In the silence of the night with the breeze blowing, it truly feels like you are in the vast universe. It is good for you to find the inner peace here on your Silk Road travel. The starry sky can be appreciated in any open area in the scenic area, especially areas away from lights.
How to Get to Yardang National Geopark from Dunhuang City
Take a direct shuttle bus from Dunhuang Bus Station to Yardang. The bus also passes through the Dunhuang Tourism Center, Western Thousand Buddha Grottoes, Yanguan, and Yumen Pass. The bus departs daily at 08:30.
Best Time to Visit the Dunhuang Yardangs
Dunhuang has a very dry continental climate, and is rainy all year round, with a large temperature difference between day and night. May to October is the best time to travel. In addition, it is recommended to visit the park in the early morning or at sunset, because the temperature will be very high during the day. The best time to enjoy the beautiful sunset in the desert is around 18:00.
Nearby Attractions
- Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Moon Lake: A magical desert oasis landscape. The Echoing-sand Mountain (Mingsha Mountain) is named because the sand makes a sound when the wind blows. The Crescent Lake is famous for its lake shape that resembles a crescent moon.
- Mogao Grottoes: It is the largest and most content-rich Buddhist art holy place in China and even in the world. It has a history of more than 1,600 years, and has the title of “Oriental Louvre”, which fully demonstrates its artistic value.
Essential Tips for Exploring the Park
- It is very hot during the day, so make sure that you can fully protect yourself from the sun and better bring a scarf to cover your face in case of sandstorms or wind.
- The Yadan landform in the scenic area is khaki, so it is better to wear bright clothes (such as red) or carry a silk scarf, etc., for better photographic experience.
- After entering the park, visitors need to take a sightseeing bus to the three main viewing points. The driver will drive the bus to the vicinity of the viewing areas. After getting off the bus, visitors can take photos and enjoy the scenery in the area, and then return to the bus and leave.
