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Dunhuang

County-level city in Gansu, China

Dun­h­u­ang

Dunhuang is a county-level city in northwestern Gansu Province, Northwestern China.

Plan a trip to Dunhuang From Ürümqi

According to the 2010 Chinese census, the city has a population of 186,027, though 2019 estimates put the city's population at about 191,800. Known as Sachu (沙洲), it was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road and is best known for the nearby Mogao Caves.

Get in

Getting to Dunhuang

  1. 01
    Dunhuang Airport

    Flights are available from Beijing, Lanzhou, Urumqi, and Xi'an.

  2. 02
    Dunhuang Train Station

    The station is about 12 km outside the town to the northeast and close to the airport.

See

Worth seeing

  1. 01
    Mogao Caves

    A UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with exquisite Buddhist art and manuscripts.

  2. 02
    Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Lake
  3. 03
    Yang Pass

    A fortified mountain pass built during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

  4. 04
    Yumen Pass

    The Yumen Pass was built around the same time as the Yang Pass.

  5. 05
    Huyang Forest

    It consists of a small forest of rare poplares (Populus Divesifolia).

  6. 06
    White Horse Pagoda
Do

Things to do

Summer of Dunhuang Variety Show. June–October. Performances of singing and dancing in the Silk Road traditions. Camel Trek, arranged by Charlie Johng's Cafe, Mingshan Road (Across the road and 50m north from the long-distance bus station), dhzhzh@163.com. Typically leave around 16:00-17:00. Get to know the desert firsthand on a 2- to 7-day camel trek across spectacular sand dunes.

Eat

Where to eat

There's a normal-priced supermarket opposite the long-distance bus station (beside Feitian Binguan) to stock up on water, snacks and other groceries. Charlie Johng's cafe, Mingshan Road (opposite the long-distance bus station and 50 m north). Reasonably priced western meals available. Very helpful staff. ¥25 for English breakfast set. Shirley's cafe, Mingshan Road (opposite Charlie Johng's cafe).

  1. 01
    Lovina Pizza

    A nice quiet pizza restaurant (only one in town) with good easy to read menu with English and pictures.

  2. 02
    Oasis

    Run by an Oklahoman, this cafe has good coffee, milkshakes, and a small menu with pizza and hamburgers.

How locals move

Getting around Dunhuang the local way

  • Go nextTwice daily minibuses run the 65 km in 1½-2 hours for ¥15 between Huatugou and Shimiankuang (石绵矿 literally: asbestos mine), a tiny worker hamlet north of a large surface-level asbestos mine.
  • Go nextA minibus leaves from Shimiankuangs "bus station" to Charklik at 11:00, costs ¥80.
  • Go nextThe minibus leaves from in front of the bus station in Charklik (Ruoqiang) at 08:00 Beijing time (06:00 unofficial local time) and arrives in Shimiankuang about 6 hours later, and generally in time to catch the afternoon minibus from Shimiankuang to Huatugou.
  • Go nextThe 09:00 minibus from Huatugou meets the minibus leaving from Shimiankuang about 11:00.

From Wikivoyage: Dunhuang, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.