Ready for an adventure that combines city vibes with serene spiritual sites?
Are you looking for an adventure that combines the cool city vibes with serene peaceful sites? Venturing into Gansu Province in the north-central part of China might be exactly what you are looking for!
Start your journey in Lanzhou, the lively capital of Gansu Province, known for its stunning Yellow River views and bustling streets. Just a few hours away, escape to the peaceful Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist sites outside Tibet.
Experience the perfect blend of urban excitement and tranquil beauty in this unforgettable trip!
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Lanzhou
Where is it?
Lanzhou, the vibrant capital of Gansu Province, is situated along the banks of the Yellow River in northwestern China, which makes it an important part of the old Silk Roads
Why go?
Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province in China, might not be as famous as Beijing or Shanghai, but it has plenty to offer for travellers looking for a unique and enriching experience.
Here’s why you should consider visiting Lanzhou:
- It is a great stopover on the journey from or to Tibet
- Base before setting out further into Gansu
- Pleasant climate - dry and warm, not extremely hot in the summer
- Lanzhou beef noodles 😄
How to get there
The best way to get to Lanzhou, as anywhere in China is naturally by train - it is a regional hub, easily accessible from all directions.
Getting there by train:
- Beijing: 7-9h on a high speed train
- Xi'an: 3h on a high speed train
- Lhasa: 24h on a sleeper train
- Urumqi: 11h on a high speed train
- Chengdu: 7h on a high speed train
- Shanghai: 11h on a high speed train
While the distances from major cities might be long, its location makes it a great stopover for even further ventures towards Xinjiang and Tibet provinces when traveling from the East - we visited Lanzhou on the way back from Tibet in order to avoid staying in Xining twice, but rather exploring something new.
Where to stay
We stayed in Hilton Lanzhou City Center, which we loved. It is a high-rise building with amazing views on the city, and very friendly English-speaking staff.
With a few children-friendly family rooms and an indoor playroom, it is a perfect place for families travelling with small children - trust me, it made our older daughter cry in the next destination that she wants to go back to Lanzhou!
The hotel chef preparing Lanzhou Beef Noodles in the hotel buffet bar
What to do and see in Lanzhou
Here is a short list of things you should include in your visit to Lanzhou if time allows
- Sample authentic Lanzhou beef noodles (兰州牛肉面) at a local restaurant
- Stroll along the Yellow River and visit the Zhongshan Bridge
- Explore the Gansu Provincial Museum to learn about local history and culture
- Take a cable car ride up to the White Pagoda Mountain for panoramic city views
- Visit the Water Wheel Expo Park to see traditional irrigation methods
- Wander through the colourful Night Market on Zhangye Road
- Admire the unique rock formations at the Bingling Temple Grottoes
- Enjoy a peaceful moment at the Five Spring Mountain Park
- Experience local Muslim culture in the Xiguan Mosque area
- Take a day trip to the rainbow-colored Danxia landforms nearby
- Visit the Lanzhou Folklore Museum to learn about local customs and traditions
- Relax in Wuquanshan Park, known for its natural springs and lush greenery
Our favourite things we did in Lanzhou
For us Lanzhou was just a stopover but we enjoyed it nevertheless.
Indoor playground
First of all, it was our first glimpse of China's amazing indoor playgrounds for kids, which are unlike anything we have available in Europe. We found one by chance right next to our hotel and Hanna absolutely loved it.
Chinese don't seem to have a lot of outdoor playground - we don't really know why but our guess would be it is due to its: 1) extreme weather condition that makes them impractical - it is either too hot, too cold, or too rainy 2) rapid growth of the country - only few decades back probably playgrounds wouldn't be a priority to build and now the raising middle class prefers high-end entertainment centres.
Walking along the river and exploring local park
One of our favourite things about China is that people just do stuff. They meet and play music, dance, do tai-chi or any other random activity. Parks are always full of elderly getting their daily exercises in one of the many outdoor gyms - it is absolutely fantastic to watch as the outdoor gyms in Europe built for the same purpose are always empty.
Lanzhou Beef noodles
Arriving in China, the idea of eating a noodle soup for breakfast seems a bit odd, but once you get used to it, it makes absolute sense and is a perfect warm start of a day. Each city has its own take on the noodles - and Lanzhou's specialty is a beef broth with hand-pulled noodles and a lot of toppings - absolute delight and Hanna loved it!
Xiahe and Labrang Monastery
Why go?
If you are interested in Buddhist and Tibetan culture, but have no resources to go to Tibet, Labrang Monastery offers you a great authentic experience at a fraction of a cost, time and effort required to do so.
But by no means you should reduce Xiahe and its Labrang Monastery to just Tibet's little sister.
We loved our stay in Xiahe (even though Hanna was a bit disappointed that the hotel didn't match the standards set by Hilton in Lanzhou (what do you mean there are no toys in the room?!).
Labrang is an inspiring place - it gets very busy in the summer so I would recommend avoiding that period.
How to get there?
Xiahe is just a 3h bus journey from Lanzhou. Buses leave from the Lanzhou South Bus Station. The bus didn't seem to be completely booked when we took it even in the peak of the summer travel season - many Chinese tourists travel on tours - but in China it is always a good idea to book at least one day ahead to make sure you are able to take the bus at the right time.
Where to stay?
There are plenty of simple, Tibetan-style hotels in the proximity of Labrang Monastery - most of them very basic but with a reasonable price tag.
We stayed in Snow Mountain Inn, very close to the monastery and were quite happy with the choice.
Our favourite things we did in Xiahe
Here is a list of activity ideas in and near Xiahe:
- Explore the magnificent Labrang Monastery, one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries outside Tibet
- Join the monks' morning kora (pilgrimage circuit) around the monastery
- Visit the Tibetan Medical College to learn about traditional healing practices
- Take a horseback riding trip on the stunning Sangke Grasslands
- Experience local Tibetan culture by staying in a traditional nomad tent
- Hike in the surrounding hills for breathtaking views of the town and monastery
- Sample authentic Tibetan cuisine, including yak butter tea and tsampa
- Shop for traditional Tibetan handicrafts and religious artifacts in the local markets
- Attend a traditional Tibetan festival if your visit coincides with one
- Visit the Ganjia Grasslands for a glimpse of nomadic life
- Explore the nearby Dadong Nunnery for a different perspective on monastic life
- Take a day trip to the Bajiao City Ruins, an ancient Tang Dynasty town
- Learn about Tibetan Buddhism by attending a public teaching at the monastery (if available)
- Visit during the Monlam Prayer Festival to witness spectacular religious ceremonies
Our favourite things we did
Visiting Labrang Monastery
During of our time constraints, we were unable to follow our own advice and visit off-season, so Labrang Monastery was quite busy, with its enormous parking lot full of tourist buses. However, it was still quite an incredible sight. We were also very happy with the change of climate to the pleasantly cool mountainous countryside.
Sampling local Muslim cuisine and visiting random cafes
Although there are many tourist trap restaurants, if you are willing to turn a corner and just step into a random, almost hole-in-the-wall eatery, you can experience delicious local cuisine and warm welcome of the locals. Xiahe has quite a numerous Muslim minority, which influenced its cuisine.
Visiting Snowland Art
Run by a longtime foreign resident, open and free-spirited Canadian Kristel Ouwehand that speaks fluent Tibetan, is a famous stopover for foreign tourists. She is happy to invite you for tea and chat about anything really, and you can support her work by purchasing of one of hers or her students artwork. Hanna really enjoyed watching students at work and talking to an English speaker.
What to do next
For us, since we were time-limited and it was our first big trip with kids, the journey in Gansu ended back in Lanzhou, but if you are more flexible and have more time on your hands , Zhagana can be your next stopover.
Check out some additional info here.
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