[ad_1]
While living in China, my husband and I would often take trips to remote areas. At the time, we were living in a city with a population of 21+ million and I needed to escape the city for some R&R and nature.
I had always wanted to visit the Rainbow Mountains of Peru, but after moving to China, they were a little bit too far away. So, upon learning about the Rainbow Mountains of China, I decided to visit this lesser-known location.
These mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular destination for people living in China. However, due to the remote location, the park is difficult to visit if your time in China is short.
June-September is the best time to visit. We visited during my summer holiday in August, which was a great time but quite busy since many schools are closed in August.
Where are the Rainbow Mountains of China?
The Rainbow Mountains of China, also known as Zhangye National Geopark, are in the foothills of the Qilian Mountains. The colorful mountains look like they’ve been carefully painted and are in China’s Gansu Province.
While there’s a lot of history and culture associated with the location, including being a part of the historic Silk Road, the area remains quite untouched.
There are 56 ethnic groups in China. The Yugurs, who were completely nomadic for centuries, are an ethnic group in Zhangye.
Historically, the Yugurs traveled around the Qilian Mountains to find necessary resources. Now, as the area has developed, the locals no longer seem to live a nomadic lifestyle. However, it is possible that some still live a semi-nomadic lifestyle.
We came across some yurts while exploring the area, but they seemed to be permanently settled in their locations.
While the Rainbow Mountains are in a remote area, they’re pretty easy to access. We arrived by train since we were already traveling in the area, but Zhangye is also accessible by plane.
Once we arrived in Zhangye, we took a 1-hour cab ride to our yurt campsite. The airport is about 15 minutes further than the train station.
Where we stayed & what made it a unique experience
While researching where to stay, I stumbled upon the KaoShan Tent (Zhangye). This yurt campsite is approximately a 6-minute walk to one of Zhangye National Geopark’s main gates.
I was seeking some relaxation and thought it was the perfect place to stay. The atmosphere of the campsite and the proximity to the Rainbow Mountains made it an ideal spot.
The yurts were right next to some of the mountains. Although these mountains aren’t as colorful as others within the park, they have their own subtle beauty.
Upon arriving, we noticed that the area was secluded and not very developed. Thankfully, the facilities at the yurt resort had everything we needed, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The main dining location is in the big tent near the campsite entrance. The dining hall, which was modestly decorated and very clean, served a variety of food.
The campsite is nestled among some of the mountains, which was one of our favorite parts. In addition, there were plenty of outdoor spaces to relax around the property.
We appreciated the outdoor spaces since we were both craving nature. During our downtime, we enjoyed relaxing in the hammocks and walking around the area.
During our travels around China, we had the chance to stay in many unique places. While some of the locations are memorable, our stay at KaoShan Tent (Zhangye) is certainly one of our favorite accommodations ever.
I had always wanted to stay in a yurt. While it was technically glamping, it did not disappoint! The yurt had a comfy bed and outlets and was clean and spacious.
There are no bathrooms within the yurts, so you have to use the shared bathrooms not too far away.
Nightlife at the Yurts
One of the highlights of staying at the yurts was the nightlife. They had a bonfire, live music, and BBQ that you could purchase.
It was a self-serving BBQ. So you select the skewers, take them back to your table, and cook them. In fact, Chinese BBQ is one of the 5 foods changed my view of Chinese cuisine.
As we were cooking our meats and veggies, a singer put on a show. The food, the show, and the backdrop of the mountains made for an awesome night.
At one point, while the performer was singing, ladies came out in traditional Yugur outfits. As the lights glimmered upon the mountains and the fire cracked, guests slowly trickled in to join in the traditional dancing.
More and more people began to join, so I jumped in as well. We swayed around the fire, kicking up our feet and following the footsteps of the local dancers.
After dinner and dancing, my husband and I made our way back to our yurt. As the lights faded and the night set in, we were in awe of the bright stars illuminating the night sky.
We found a remote location, sat down, and counted the shooting stars. This moment reminded me that sometimes the simplest moments can make the best travel memories.
The Rainbow Mountains at Zhangye National Park
After checking in to our yurt, we took the short walk to the park and purchased our tickets. We decided to go on the first day to see the sunset at the park.
Zhangye National Geopark has three different entrances, but Linze Danxia Scenic area is the most developed and visited.
After entering the park, we hopped on a bus. There are a few different stops within the park, but some of them are quite far apart. There is a constant stream of buses that stop at each scenic view.
I’m going to be honest. I thought that the colorful mountains would be visible immediately and that wasn’t the case.
I expected that the photos online were highly saturated, but at the beginning of the bus ride, I was initially disappointed that the mountains were not very colorful. The initial colors were reddish and white. While still pretty, the colors were not as captivating as I initially expected.
However, as we got further into the park, I understood why these mountains are called the Rainbow Mountains of China. While this location is still saturated in many photos online, it was stunning as we got further into the park – particularly at sunset.
As the sun set, the red and yellow hues came to life. The colors were a perfect contrast to the bright blue sky.
We enjoyed the park at sunset, but since we were staying for two nights, we wish we would have woken up early the next day to visit again for sunrise.
However, since our trip was short, we wanted to check out another popular location in the area: Pingshan Grand Canyon.
A day trip to Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon
When I was younger, my parents took my brother and I on a 2-week trip in the Western United States. We started in Tennessee and drove all the way to California and back. I remember being fascinated by how the scenery changed from green hues to red.
Growing up in the lush mountains of Tennessee, I had never had the chance to experience this type of geography until this family trip.
As a nature enthusiast, I wanted to experience this landscape in China as well. So, on our second day, we visited China’s Grand Canyon.
We were able to arrange a car and driver through our yurt campsite. We woke up early to make the 1 hour and 40-minute drive to Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon.
They estimate you need 2-3 hours to complete the park, but we could have stayed longer. The hike begins at the top of the canyon, and you walk down a paved path into the canyon.
We opted to just do the hike, but the park also has some other activities.
The path is no longer paved once you reach the bottom of the canyon. As an avid hiker, I considered most of the hike to be relatively easy.
However, there are spots within the trail that could be challenging for some. The only part of the trail that I didn’t like was the steep ladder we had to climb to ascend the canyon.
We took the ladder to ascend back to the top of the canyon, which was absolutely terrifying for someone who doesn’t like heights. It is difficult to see from this photo, but the ladder is extremely tall and crowded.
We crammed in like sardines and slowly made our way to the top. There were times when we had to pause due to the number of people, which made the climb take a long time.
I’m unsure of the exact measurements of this ladder, but it was extremely tall. I’ve never seen anything like it at a travel destination. If I ever go back, I’d probably see if there was another way to ascend the mountain.
What I would have done differently
Our main goal was to visit the Rainbow Mountains, which were stunning, but there are some things we wish we would have done differently. In hindsight, I regret not planning more before arriving at the yurt campsite.
We had just finished up a trip in the Gobi Desert before heading to the Rainbow Mountains, so we were a bit exhausted and didn’t plan well enough. Thankfully, the staff at the yurt campsite were able to help us organize our last-minute day trip to Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon.
We were thankful that we planned the additional day trip, but here are several things we wish we would have done differently:
Gave ourselves more time
My husband and I both enjoyed our trip, but we both agreed that we should have planned to stay longer. The yurt resort was a relaxing experience, and it would have been nice to visit the Rainbow Mountains during sunrise.
Factored in the yurt campsite trails
We wish we would have had time to hike one of the trails near the yurt campsite. There are 10 different trails in walking distance to the resort. Some of the trails are biker-friendly and some are only for hiking. The trails vary from a couple of hours to all day. You can even rent a bike and guide for the trails.
Seen the Mati Temple
We regret not visiting the Mati Temple. The Mati Temple is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes away from the yurt resort. Since we were already nearby, we wish we would have taken a day trip to visit this cave temple. This would have been a very interesting cultural experience.
👉 Read Next: These foods changed my opinion about Chinese cuisine
***
Overall, our trip to the Rainbow Mountains was a great experience. While some photos of the mountains found online are saturated, the colors come to life at sunset. I imagine they are equally beautiful at sunrise.
The yurt stay at KaoShan Tent (Zhangye) is still one of our favorite overnight experiences. If my husband and I ever have the chance to return, we would definitely go back for another stay. We’ll just make sure to plan our must-do activities in advance!
Did you know China is slowly making it easier for travelers to visit? You can learn more about what I believe makes China an interesting travel destination here: Americans, here’s why I think you should travel to China.