Gansu's Top Must-Do Activities for an Amazing Travel Experience
Gansu tourism offers a diverse experience including exploring TCM culture, enjoying Yellow River scenery, visiting grottoes, tracing civilization origins, experiencing Tibetan villages, wandering Longnan landscapes, visiting a royal racecourse, crossing Qilian Mountains, reliving revolutionary history, and tasting local cuisine.
The top ten activities that must be experienced when traveling to Gansu can be summarized into the following ten aspects in combination with the recreational and cultural tourism line products released by Gansu Province and The Yellow River cultural theme tourism line:
1. Exploring TCM Recreation Culture
Introduction: In Pingliang and Qingyang in Gansu, you can experience the TCM recreation culture in depth. Visit Qihuang Chinese Medicine Culture Museum to understand the profundity of Chinese medicine. In the health town of Medicine King Cave in Qingcheng, you can experience activities such as asking tea in Longjing, meditating on scripture copying, lectures by Taoist masters, and private soup in hot springs, so as to feel the relaxation and healing of the body and mind.
2. Enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Yellow River
Introduction: Along the Gansu section of the Yellow River, from Lanzhou, you can enjoy the spectacular nature of the Liu Jia Gorge and feel the majesty of the Yellow River. At the same time, you can also visit the iconic sites such as the statue of the Yellow River Mother and the First Bridge on the Yellow River to appreciate the unique charm of the Yellow River culture.
3. Visit the Grottoes Art Treasure
Introduction: Gansu is a treasure trove of cave art, and the Maiji Mountain Grottoes, Bingling Temple Grottoes and Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes are world-class cultural heritages. Visitors can enjoy the sculptures and murals in these grottoes up close and feel the charm of art that spans thousands of years.
4. Tracing the Source of Chinese Civilization
Introduction: Gansu is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization. Visitors can visit the Dadiwan Ruins and Fuxi Temple to explore the origin and development of ancient civilization.
5. Experience the grassland and Tibetan villages
Introduction: In the Gannan region, tourists can go into the grasslands, lakes, stone forests, canyons and other natural landscapes, and experience the unique Tibetan style of Tibetan cottages, starlight pastoralism, bonfire pots and villas, and feel the purity and serenity of nature.
6. Walking Longnan landscape scrolls
Introduction：Longnan area is blessed with beautiful mountains and water, and the seasons are like spring. Visitors can stroll between the green mountains and water, feeling the nature's ingenious workmanship and quiet beauty.
7. Visiting the Royal Military Racecourse
Introduction: In Shandan Royal Military Racecourse, tourists can experience the heroic spirit on horseback and feel the unique charm of ancient military culture.
8. Crossing the Qilian Mountains
Introduction: Qilian Mountains is one of the famous mountain ranges in Gansu. Visitors can cross the Qilian Mountains to enjoy the magnificent natural scenery and unique national culture.
9. Relive the Revolutionary History
Introduction: Gansu is one of the important areas of the Chinese revolution, tourists can go to the former site of Huining Red Army Division and Nanliang Revolutionary Memorial Hall to relive the revolutionary history and feel the solemnity and gravity of red culture.
10. Local Cuisine
Introduction: Gansu has a rich variety of local cuisine, such as Lanzhou Beef Noodles, hand-held mutton, Jingyuan lamb and so on. Tourists may taste these local delicacies and experience the unique food culture of Gansu during their journey.
The above ten activities cover the main features and highlights of Gansu tourism, whether it is the natural scenery or human history, all of which can make tourists have a full harvest during their journey in Gansu. If you have any questions or would like to customize your trip, please contact us! Popular Tour Packages in Gansu:
Xi'an to Dunhuang Silk Road Tour
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What Our Clients Say?
Based on 10,000+ traveler reviews
Daniel Dorothea
Canada
Reviewed on April 29,2025
Shopping on Nanjing Road in Shanghai was just amazing! It's truly the "First Commercial Street of China", where tradition and modernity blend perfectly. You can find awesome souvenirs and experience the trendy vibes in cool stores. The neon lights at night are just spectacular, shining bright like Times Square in New York. The food here is incredible too. I had a feast for my taste buds. Shanghai, I'll definitely be back!
Destination(s):
Shanghai
Date of
Experience:
May 08,2024
Elvis Eva
Canada
Reviewed on June 20,2025
As a solo traveler from Canada, I was nervous about navigating China alone—but this 11-day tour was PERFECT! From hiking the Great Wall at sunrise (Day 3) to gasping at the Terracotta Army (Day 5), every day delivered ‘pinch-me’ moments. The real showstopper? Zhangjiajie’s Avatar Mountains (Day 7)! Our guide made the stone pillars come alive with stories.
Massive thanks for handling all logistics—bullet train tickets, entry passes, car! And the 4-star hotels surprised me.
Destination(s):
Beijing Xian Zhangjiajie Shanghai
Date of
Experience:
June 02,2025
Simon
America
Reviewed on May 29,2025
Our 2-day Zhangjiajie tour was beyond spectacular! As someone who’s visited Beijing and Shanghai for work, this trip revealed China’s wild, magical heart. Day 1 in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park felt like stepping onto Pandora—I’m a huge Avatar fan, and Yuanjiajie’s floating peaks left me breathless. The misty pillars and lush valleys like pure movie magic!
Then came Fenghuang Ancient Town, we eat dinner beside the thundering waterfall. It seems Unreal! The night views of stilt houses glowing over the river were straight from a fairy tale.
For fellow Avatar lovers and adventure seekers: Don’t miss this bucket-list experience! 10/10 would return.
A Well-Traveled Film Buff, May 2025
Destination(s):
Zhangjiajie
Date of
Experience:
May 08,2025
