The Wonders of Nature

Calling today a rest day is not entirely accurate, because I went on two excursions to attractions near Zhangye. For the first trip, I had to leave the hotel as early as 7:20 a.m.

Together with a tour group, I traveled by large coach to the Pingshanhu Grand Canyon, located 56 kilometers from Zhangye. We arrived at the entrance at around 9:00 a.m.

I chose the luxury package—after all, you have to treat yourself once in a while—which included a variety of means of transportation and allowed me to see a large part of the canyon.

At 12:40 p.m., we returned to the city. I then had a little more than an hour to rest at the hotel before heading out for the afternoon tour.

I was especially looking forward to the colorful Danxia Mountains (Zhangye Danxia Geopark), as several people had recommended them to me during my journey. Once again, I chose the extended tour so that I could see more of the park. There were only three of us, accompanied by a tour guide, and we covered 34 kilometers within the geopark to visit its most spectacular viewpoints.

At the end, we also visited the viewpoint that every tourist comes to see. It was only there that I truly noticed just how many people were around. And this wasn't even the peak tourist season yet. During the high season, between 30,000 and 40,000 visitors come here every day, with the record standing at 58,000 visitors in a single day.

By the time we got back to the city, it was already late. I also needed to get up early, as tomorrow's forecast is 38°C—today it reached 39°C. With temperatures like that, I'd much rather set off early in the morning.