10 Days in Guyuan

More than 130 caves from the 5th century and a Tang Buddha about 20.6 m; national protection since 1982 on the old Silk Road's northern route. Factual visits at the halls.

1. guyuan xumishan grottoes
2. guyuan xumishan museum

About 1.5 hours south to Jingyuan County; peaks above 2,900 m, spruce gullies, cold streams.

1. guyuan liupanshan forest park

The stepped pools counted as the Jing River's source, then a red-cliff gorge walk — both nearby in Jingyuan.

1. guyuan laolongtan
2. guyuan yanzhi canyon

Red pillars and mesa tops in Xiji County, about 1.5 hours northwest; loess-plateau views from the crags.

1. guyuan huoshizhai

Also in Xiji — a long valley lake formed when the 1920 Haiyuan earthquake, about magnitude 8.5, dammed the slopes; one of the deadliest quakes of the 20th century, presented plainly at the site.

1. guyuan xiji earthquake lake

East into Pengyang County, about an hour — contoured terraces step down the loess ridges, green in summer and gold at harvest.

1. guyuan jinjiping terraces

The 3rd-century-BC rammed-earth wall line near town, and the museum's 6th-century gilt silver ewer from the Northern Zhou tomb dug in 1983.

1. guyuan qin great wall
2. guyuan guyuan museum

South to Longde County on the Liupan road — a restored loess village of clay courtyards, brick carving workshops and a slow lunch.

1. guyuan longde old lane

An honest neighbor day — the massif belongs to Pingliang, Gansu, about 80 km southeast, under two hours by road; stone steps climb toward 2,100 m. Factual visits, back at night.

1. pingliang kongtong mountain

A final round of hand-pulled lamb and buckwheat noodles at the market, then the train or the road east.

1. guyuan city markets