14 Days in Yan'an
Two weeks at loess pace: free historic courtyards, Hukou Falls, the mausoleum, Nanniwan, Ganquan's slots, two days each in Yulin and Xi'an, with slow town days between.
Quick Answer
Is 14 days enough for Yan'an?
14 days lets you go beyond Yan'an's core into neighborhoods, food markets, and one or two day trips at a relaxed pace.
Source: NihaoVisit Yan'an guide
14-day Yan'an itinerary at a glance
Use our full Yan'an travel guide as the base and adapt it to 14 days. Keep the city's three signature attractions as the backbone; fill the rest with neighborhood walks, food markets, and an easy day trip.
Arrival & Pagoda Hill
Nine-story brick pagoda (44 m) on the 1,135 m hill; grottoes below, and the free light show after dark.
- yanan pagoda hill
- yanan qingliangshan
- yanan yanhe riverside
Historic Sites Loop
Free with passport at every gate; the memorial hall (founded 1950, closed Mondays) needs about 2 h.
- yanan zaoyuan
- yanan yangjialing
- yanan revolution memorial
Wangjiaping & Fenghuangshan
A second, unhurried morning at the sites — Wangjiaping sits next to the memorial hall — then a market-lane evening on Erdaojie.
- yanan wangjiaping
- yanan erdaojie food street
Hukou Waterfall Day Trip
About 3 h each way to Yichuan county; the Yellow River narrows from some 300 m to a 30 m slot and drops more than 20 m.
- yanan hukou waterfall
Luochuan Orchards
About 1.5 h south, Luochuan is one of Shaanxi's apple counties — orchard visits and fresh juice in the September-October season, county-town markets any time.
- yanan luochuan orchards
Huangling — Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum
About 2 h further south; cypress paths of Qiao Mountain and the Xuanyuan Temple tablets, the ancient cypress said to be some 5,000 years old.
- yanan huangdi mausoleum
Nanniwan & Ansai Drums
Back up the expressway and 45 km southeast of town; rice paddies by day, a waist-drum performance by night.
- yanan nanniwan
- yanan ansai drum show
Ganquan Slot Canyons
About 1.5 h southwest; narrow red-gold sandstone slots, the main channel about 1 km, best in midday light.
- yanan yucha grand canyon
Slow Yan'an
Peony slopes at Wanhuashan in May, shaded walks other seasons; laundry, noodles and an early night before the northern leg.
- yanan wanhuashan
North to Yulin — Great Wall Terrace
About 2.5 h north into Yulin (honestly, a neighbouring city) for the Ming-era Zhenbeitai terrace of 1607 and the Hongshixia cliff grottoes.
- yanan yulin zhenbeitai
- yanan yulin hongshixia
Hongjiannao Lake & Return
About 1.5 h further north to a desert lake of roughly 41 km square — gulls in summer, reedbeds in autumn — then back to Yan'an.
- yanan hongjiannao
Xi'an Day One (neighbouring city)
About 2 h by train south to Xi'an — honestly labelled; it has its own page on this site — for the Terracotta Army in the afternoon and a first stroll of the old town.
- yanan xian city
Xi'an Day Two (neighbouring city)
City Wall by bike in the morning light, the Muslim Quarter lanes at lunch, and the Bell Tower square at dusk.
- yanan xian city
Back North & Departure
Morning train back up to Yan'an, one last riverside walk under the lit pagoda, then the evening connection onward.
- yanan yanhe riverside
Budget for 14 days in Yan'an
| Tier | Per day | 14 days total |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | USD $50–$80 | USD $700–$1,120 |
| Mid-range | USD $100–$200 | USD $1,400–$2,800 |
| Luxury | USD $300+ | USD $4,200+ |
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Frequently asked questions
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See also: Yan'an travel guide, China visa 2026, China trip cost.