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| Stunning Scenery ! Simply Awesome ! |
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Zhangye Colourful Danxia Geopark
(Rainbow Mountains), Gansu |
Day 23 Thursday Sept 18 2025 Zhangye, Gansu Part 2 - this post focused on my 1/2 day visit to Zhangye Colourful Danxia Geopark (14.30 > 20.30) - pretty straight forward as our hostel had arranged the afternoon tour together with 5 of the tour members from different hotels ! So we just showed up & used our sense of sight to admire, admire & admire the rainbow mountains right in the vicinity of our eyes ! A beautiful day !
Zhanye Danxia Geopark - famous for its stunning colourful landforms known as "Rainbow Mountains". These unique formations are the result of layered red sandstone & mineral deposits, sculpted over millions of years by wind, water & tectonic plate movements. The park features wooden walkways & viewing platforms that allow visitors to explore different scenic areas, most notably the Colourful Danxia & Binggou Danxia. Early morning & late afternoon are the best times to visit to witness the vibrant colours illuminated by the rising or setting sun !
1) MPV van pick up (14.30) from our hostel for a recommended 1/2 Day Tour to Zhanye Colourful Danxia Geopark (Rainbow Mountain), Gansu, (a tour group of 7, shared transport Y$50 per pax).
2) Zhanye Colurful Danxia Geopark Visitor Center, Gansu - free admission for senior above 70+, concession ticket Y$65 (senior 65+), shuttle bus Y$38, shared transport arranged by hostel Y$50.
3) Shuttle bus ride from Geopark Visitor Center > Zhangye Colourful Scenic Spot Area
4) Arriving in Zhanye Colorful Danxia Geopark - high visitors turn up on this bright sunny afternoon !
5) Sunset Sails Returning, Zhanye Colourful Danxia Geopark, Gansu - Formed in horizontal mudstones & sandy mudstone in a lake environment between 145 & 100 million years ago, this area was squeezed & deformed about 80 million years ago by crustal movements & the rock layers changed from horizontal to concave downwards. Geologically, this form is called a syncline & the wings are often weathered & eroded into a colourful hilly geomorphology.
6) Publicity on A1 photography with Rainbow Mountain background.
7) Helicopter rides, Zhanye Colourful Danxia Geopark - for enthusiasts & adventurous ones wanting to have a panoramic view of the Rainbow Mountain from the sky !
8) Moving on by shuttle bus to Colourful Cloud Sea Terrace, Zhanye Colourful Danxia Geopark.
9) Arriving in Colourful Cloud Sea Terrace, Zhangye Colourful Danxia Geopark.
10) It's show time & selfie, one up for my photo album & a snap shot with one (an Australian & Canadian trained fresh graduate from China) travelling with his mum) of our tour members ! This young man is very friendly & chatty & we enjoyed his company during our 2 hour visit in Rainbow Mountains !
11) Hot air balloon rides for those who like to have an aerial view of the Zhangye Colourful Danxia Geopark, must be very scenic looking from the top !
12) Monkey Grazing At The Sea - Due to the differential weathering of rocks, the relatively hard brown sandstone remains at the top because of its strong wind resistance. With the gentle rock layers on the east side as a backdrop, the nearly vertical rock layers form a wing of the folds, resembling "a sacred monkey emerging from the mountains of purgatory, sitting & watching the sea of fire without knowing the years, the fiery eyes see the rise & fall & after several times of vicissitudes, the mulberry fields become mulberry fields".
13) Exiting the Zhangye Colourful Danxia Geopak to North Gate thus ending our 1/2 day afternoon tour of the Geopark, a fruitful outcome seeing one of the Best Danxia Landform in Zhangye - no regret signing this day tour on our first day of arrival in Zhangye !
14) Exiting the North Gate & a tedious "hunt" for our MPV van (both of us had forgotten where our van was parked) in order to meet up with our driver to drive us back to our hostel in the city ! But we were eventually picked up after a few rounds of communication via WeChat with one of the tour members we acquainted during the trip ! A great day & a great outcome !
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