How to rent a car with a driver and do a day trip in Zhangye?

Zhangye is a city in Gansu Province in Northwest China, situated on a key route of the ancient Silk Road. For travelers with limited time, its most famous feature is undoubtedly the Rainbow Mountains—those colorful hills cascading down like layers of an oil painting. But Zhangye is much more than that: Buddhist grottoes, ancient temples, and deep canyons are all within easy reach in a single day.

Why choose to rent a car and hire a driver for a day trip in Zhangye?

For foreign tourists, renting a car with a driver in Zhangye is probably the wisest transportation option. In China, you can't drive yourself, and Zhangye's attractions are:

• Scattered: The distance between attractions can easily be one or two hours by car, making public transportation far less flexible than a private car.

• Convenient and hassle-free: The driver picks you up from your hotel and drops you off after the tour, eliminating any worries about navigation, parking, or finding your way.

• High time efficiency: With limited time in a day, hiring a car allows for seamless connections between attractions, eliminating time wasted on waiting and transfers.

Zhangye's core attractions

1. Rainbow Danxia – A must-see destination

This is Zhangye's most iconic attraction, and the sole reason most tourists visit Zhangye. The mountains rise in layers, displaying colors such as red, yellow, orange, gray, and white, like a palette of colors on earth.

• Who is it for: Everyone. No background knowledge is needed to be impressed.

Recommended visit duration: 3-4 hours.

• Best time to enter: 2 hours before sunset (after 4 PM is recommended in summer). Midday sunlight will make the colors appear dull. The Danxia landforms will be more vibrant after rain.

• How to enjoy the experience: Enter from the North Gate or West Gate and take the park's sightseeing bus to visit the four viewing platforms in turn. Viewing platform No. 4 (Rainbow Sunset Platform) offers the best view and is also the best spot to watch the sunset.

2. Zhangye Giant Buddha Temple – City Cultural Center

Located in the center of Zhangye city, the temple was built during the Western Xia Dynasty (1098) and has a history of nearly a thousand years. It houses the largest indoor reclining Buddha statue in China.

• Suitable for: Visitors interested in history, Buddhist culture, and ancient architecture.

Tour duration: 1-2 hours.

• How to visit: In order, visit the Great Buddha Hall, the Hall of Ten Thousand Saints (Buddhist Art Exhibition Hall), the Sutra Repository, the Earth Pagoda, and the Shanxi Guild Hall.

• Features: Located in the city center, easily accessible, it can be the first stop in the morning or the last stop before returning home.

3. Mati Temple – a grotto perched on a cliff.

Mati Temple is not a single temple, but a group of grottoes carved into the cliffs at the foot of the Qilian Mountains. It includes the Thousand Buddha Caves, the North Temple Grottoes, and the Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes. The grottoes are built into the mountainside and require climbing steep wooden stairs to reach them.

Duration of visit: 3-4 hours.

• Opening hours: 8:00-18:00 during peak season.

• Special reminder: The grotto stairs are narrow and steep; those with a fear of heights should exercise caution. It is windy and the temperature varies greatly on the mountain; it is recommended to bring a jacket.

4. Pingshanhu Grand Canyon – Wilderness Landscape

It is often compared to the Grand Canyon in Colorado, USA, by tourists from Europe and America. It is known for its deep canyons, layered rock walls, and vast wilderness.

• Who is it suitable for: Travelers who enjoy hiking, canyon scenery, and the "West Wilderness" vibe.

Duration of visit: 3-5 hours. The entire hike is approximately 5 kilometers and takes 3-4 hours.

• How to experience it: It's about a 1-hour drive from the city center. Regular ticket holders hike down to the valley floor, traverse the narrow gorge, and climb the cloud ladder. More advanced tours offer off-road vehicles and camels for transportation, suitable for those with limited stamina or who want to save time.

• Note: This is the most physically demanding attraction of the day; it's recommended to schedule it in the morning or allow ample time.

5. Shandan Military Horse Farm – The world's largest royal horse farm

Located on the Damaying Grassland in Shandan County, Zhangye City, the Shandan Military Horse Ranch is one of the world's oldest royal horse ranches, founded in 121 BC by Huo Qubing, a famous general of the Western Han Dynasty. Here, you can not only enjoy the vast grassland scenery, but also witness the spectacular sight of herds of horses galloping against the backdrop of the Qilian Mountains.

• Suitable for: Travelers who enjoy the outdoors, horseback riding, grassland scenery, and photography. Summer (June-September) is the best season.

Duration: 3-4 hours. The horse ranch is very large; if you want a more in-depth horseback riding and sightseeing experience, it is recommended to allocate half a day.

What to do:

• Watch the horses gallop – Around 7:30 am and 4 pm are the best times to photograph the "Ten Thousand Horses Drinking Water" and "Ten Thousand Horses Galloping" scenes.

• Horseback riding experience – There are multiple routes to choose from; Route 4 offers a stunning view of the snow-capped mountains.

• Enjoy scenic views and photos at Luan Bird Lake.

• Visit the horse ranch's history and culture exhibition.

Driving time from Zhangye city center: Approximately 2-2.5 hours.

Special reminder: Shandan Military Horse Ranch is the furthest attraction from Zhangye city center (over 2 hours one way), and it is not recommended to combine it with other distant attractions in a day trip.

6. Binggou Danxia – A palace-style Danxia landscape

Binggou Danxia is located in Kangle Township, Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, Zhangye City, and is a core component of Zhangye Danxia National Geopark. If the Rainbow Mountains are known for their colors, Binggou Danxia is known for its unique shapes—it boasts the most typical and largest "window-lattice palace-style Danxia landform" in China.

• Suitable for: Tourists who enjoy photographing geological wonders and unique landforms. It's quite different in style from the Rainbow Mountains, suitable for those who want to see "a different kind of Danxia."

Tour duration: 1-3 hours. For a more in-depth visit, 3-5 hours is recommended.

What to do:

• Xiaoxitian Scenic Area and Daxitian Scenic Area

• Important landscapes: Louvre Phantom, Root of the Earth, Silk Road Pass, Divine Camel Welcoming Guests

• Get up close to the Danxia landforms and travel through the canyons.

Best time to visit: Early morning or late afternoon when the sunlight shines at an angle, giving the Danxia landform a warm glow. The light is especially good after 4:00 PM.

Distance from Zhangye city: Approximately 45 kilometers, about 1-1.5 hours drive.

Difference from Rainbow Mountains (Qicai Danxia): Rainbow Mountains are gently sloping, rounded, colorful hills; Binggou Danxia has a relatively uniform color but features majestic and unique formations, mainly steep, reddish-palace-like cliffs. The two are only 18 kilometers apart and are suitable for combined visits.

7. Kangle Grassland – A “Sky Grassland” at the foot of the Qilian Mountains

Kanglu Grassland is located in Kanglu Township, Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, Zhangye City, at the northern foot of the Qilian Mountains. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction. With an average summer temperature of only around 20℃, it is an excellent summer retreat. The grassland and Danxia landforms converge here, creating a unique natural landscape. It is also the only area in China where the Yugur ethnic group is concentrated, offering visitors a chance to experience their unique minority culture.

• Suitable for: Tourists who enjoy grassland scenery, summer retreats, and ethnic cultural experiences.

Tour duration: 3-4 hours. Tourists with limited time can visit only the first half (before the Nine Rows of Pines), which takes about 3 hours.

Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00

What to Do:

• Nine Rows of Pine Trees – A landmark of the grassland

• Horse Ridge Sightseeing

• Horse Riding, Archery, and other grassland experiences

• Kanglong Temple – An ancient temple originally built during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty

• Every July, a grand grassland festival is held, featuring horse racing, wrestling, and traditional Yugur cultural performances.

Driving time from Zhangye city center: approximately 1 hour

Kanglu Grassland and Binggou Danxia are geographically very close, about a half-hour drive from Binggou Danxia. Both attractions are in the same direction (west of Zhangye city), making them ideal for a combined visit.

One-day tour itinerary

Don't try to do too much in one day in Zhangye.

Option 1: Classic Nature Tour (Highly Recommended)

• Rainbow Mountains + Giant Buddha Temple (Optional)

Suitable for: First-time visitors to Zhangye, those with limited time, and those who want to see representative landscapes.

Option 2: Enhanced Natural Landscape

• Rainbow Mountains + Ping Shan Lake Grand Canyon

See two extreme landforms in one day—colorful hills and deep, rugged canyons.

Note: This is the most physically demanding route. Both attractions require walking, so it will be quite tiring in a day. Recommended for travelers with good physical fitness.

Suitable for: Travelers who enjoy canyon and wilderness scenery and have good physical fitness.

Recommended trips:Zhangye Danxia Day Tour: Rainbow Danxia & Canyon

Option 3: Grassland + Colorful Danxia Landform

• Kanglu Grassland + Rainbow Mountains

The green of the grassland and the red of the Danxia landforms create a strong visual contrast.

Suitable for tourists who want to experience both the vastness of the grasslands and the wonders of the Danxia landforms.

Option 4: In-depth Cultural Tour

• Mati Temple + Rainbow Mountains

More in-depth and visually appealing than just visiting temples in the city.

Note: The drive between the two attractions is quite long (approximately 100 kilometers), so a full day trip will be quite packed but packed with activities.

Suitable for: Tourists interested in religious culture who want to experience the combination of "grottoes + Danxia landforms".

Recommended trips:Zhangye Rainbow Danxia Tour with Mati Temple

Option 5: Shandan Military Horse Farm Special Line

Shandan Military Horse Ranch (Full Day)

Shandan Military Horse Ranch is the furthest from Zhangye city (2-2.5 hours one way), and is not suitable for combining with other distant attractions.

Suitable for: Tourists who enjoy horseback riding, grassland scenery, and are willing to spend a whole day at a single attraction.

Useful Tips

1. Language: Most chartered drivers only speak Chinese. It is recommended to prepare the names of attractions (in both Chinese and English) and hotel addresses on your phone in advance. We can provide English-speaking tour guide services.

2. Climate: Zhangye has a dry climate and strong ultraviolet radiation. Regardless of the season, bring sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses, and drink plenty of water.

3. Temperature Difference: There is a large temperature difference between day and night, especially when visiting Mati Temple (altitude approximately 2600 meters), where it is windy and cold. It is recommended to bring a jacket.

4. Lunch: Lunch for day trips is usually not included in the chartered vehicle fee. You can ask the driver for recommendations of restaurants along the way or near the scenic area. Light meals are available at the Rainbow Mountains scenic area.