Things to do in Linze

No. 6 of Activities in Gansu

Sunset Sightseeing in Zhangye

In Zhangye, sunset is an indispensable highlight of the travel experience. Zhangye's unique Danxia landform will show its charming charm at sunset. Standing on the observation deck, you can see the setting sun pouring down like molten gold, dyeing the mountains with a warm and mysterious color. Red, orange, yellow, purple and other colors are intertwined together, like paint on a palette being splashed at will, but just right to form a shocking picture. In addition to the Danxia landform, Zhangye's grasslands, lakes and other natural landscapes also show a different style at sunset. Here you can slow down and feel the infinite charm of nature.

No. 7 of Best Things to Do in Northwestern District of China

Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot

Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot is located in Linze and Sunan counties at the northern foot of Qilian Mountain. The attraction is 40 km east of Zhangye city and 20 km north of Linze county. Covering a total area of 50 sq km with 4 sq km accessible to visitors, it's currently recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark and a national 5A-level tourist attraction. The attraction features seven viewing spots, including Colorful Cloud Sea, Colorful Fairyland, Colorful Splendor, Colorful Rainbow Glow, Crouching Tiger Gorge, Colorful Ao River, and Wanxiang Earth Forest Valley, along with over 30 scenic views such as Dragon Playing with Fire (colorful hills), Monkey Gazing at the Sea, Turtle Asking the Sky, Golden Toad Seeking the Way, Giant Scallop, Colorful Screen, Sleeping Beauty, and Crouching Tiger. It is a highly integrated area of colorful hills and Danxia landforms. The colorful hills amaze visitors with their vibrant hues, intricate layered patterns, majestic scale, and breathtaking vistas. The Danxia landform area of Wanxiang Earth Forest Valley features towering peaks resembling a forest, with a harmonious yet dramatic arrangement of sparse and dense formations. These extraordinary shapes, carved by nature's artistry, combine grandeur, peril, wonder, elegance, and serenity in one spectacular landscape. After being promoted to a national 5A-level attraction and global geopark, Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot aims to become an international travel destination. By deeply exploring and optimizing regional cultural resources, the scenic spot will leverage its unique tourism assets and cultural heritage to transform into a western China-based international resort with scientific research appeal. Centered around colorful hills and Danxia landforms, it highlights the aesthetic and scientific value of geological resources while prioritizing their protection and development. The composite attraction primarily offers geological sightseeing and recreation, complemented by cultural experiences, folk customs, and leisure vacations.

Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot - Viewing Platform

Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot - Viewing Platform is an ideal place to admire the Danxia landform, attracting countless visitors with its unique perspective and magnificent scenery. Standing on the viewing platform, visitors can fully experience the colorful and spectacular nature of the Danxia landform from different angles. The scenery here is like colorful rainbows scattered over the hills, especially in the afterglow of the sunset, when the colors are even more brilliant, making it an ideal place to watch the sunset. The design of the viewing platform fully considers the needs of visitors, with flat and spacious walkways suitable for visitors of all ages to walk safely. Whether traveling with family or alone, visitors can find a comfortable viewing experience here. There are clear signs in the scenic area to help visitors easily find the location of the viewing platform, ensuring that visitors do not miss any wonderful attractions. The viewing platform is not only a place to admire natural beauty but also an ideal place to relax and enjoy the gifts of nature.

No. 3 of Night Attractions in Zhangye

The Danxiakou Town

Danxiakou Tourism Resort Town is one of the filming locations of CCTV's poverty alleviation drama "No One Can Be Left Behind". It is the prototype of the "Stone City" in the drama and a comprehensive tourism resort town with a high degree of cultural experience and Jiangnan charm on the Silk Road. Stepping into it, there are many restaurants and wine shops, small bridges and flowing water, fences and paths, which are simple and elegant and fresh and bright. Everywhere can be painted. The town integrates Hexi specialty food, boutique homestays, street atmosphere performances, and folk customs displays of the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, bringing you a unique one-stop experience. There is also a national indoor real-life sand show - a large-scale historical situational drama "Return to Zhangye", which interprets the changes of Zhangye and the prosperity of the ancient Silk Road.

Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot - Little Potala Palace

The towering, upright sandstone resembles the ruins of a deep, ancient castle, standing abruptly on the land, known as the "Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot - Little Potala Palace". This formation was developed through the combined effects of water and wind erosion. Due to the varying hardness of the rock, differential wind erosion occurred, resulting in many layered mounds with a relative height of 10–30m, creating a fantastical castle-like appearance. Due to the arid climate, there is little vegetation covering the rocks, making them appear even more rugged and imposing.

Colorful Danxia Scenic Spot - Tethered Hot Air Balloon Flight Experience Area

Jinsha Bay Desert Tourism Resort

Danxia Qicai Town

Qicai Town is located to the east of the Qicai Danxia Geological Park in Linze County, from which it gets its name. Built with a photography theme, Qicai Town is divided into five major sections: Colorful World, Colorful Sunshine, Colorful Moonlight, Colorful Light and Shadow, and Colorful Homes. It is a comprehensive cultural tourism town that integrates stay, dining, shopping, entertainment, leisure, and experience.

No. 10 of Best Things to Do in Gansu

Zhangye Giant Buddha Temple

The Zhangye Giant Buddha Temple is located in the urban area of Zhangye. It was first built during the Yong'an era of the Western Xia Dynasty and has a history of over 900 years. The temple is renowned for housing one of China's largest indoor clay reclining Buddha statues, along with other distinctive ancient structures such as the earthen pagoda and the Shanxi Guild Hall, which are open for visits. Exhibitions inside the temple help travelers understand Buddhist art and the history of the Zhangye Giant Buddha Temple. As one of Zhangye's iconic attractions, it is a must-see for visitors to the city. The current site of the temple is not large, with a depth of approx. 200 m and a width of approx. 100 m. Visitors can enter from the western square and explore on foot. The main buildings open for visits, from west to east, include the Giant Buddha Hall, the Hall of Ten Thousand Saints (now the Buddhist Art Exhibition Hall), the Scripture Hall (now the Buddhist Texts Exhibition Hall), the earthen pagoda, and the Shanxi Guild Hall. A complete tour takes approx. 1–2 hrs. The Giant Buddha Hall is the temple's most significant structure and the highlight for travelers. It features one of China's largest indoor clay reclining Buddha statues, depicting the Nirvana of Sakyamuni. The statue measures 34.5 m in length and 7.5 m in shoulder width—so massive that a single finger can accommodate a lying person, and one ear can seat 10 people side by side. The hall also houses statues of the Ten Great Disciples and the Eighteen Arhats, along with exquisite murals depicting Journey to the West and the Classic of Mountains and Seas. The Hall of Ten Thousand Saints and the Scripture Hall, located in the central area, now serve as exhibition spaces for Buddhist art and texts, displaying sculptures, grotto statues, scriptures, and other artifacts. Notable among these is a collection of over 6,000 Buddhist scriptures personally bestowed by Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, many written in pure gold, which are the temple's prized treasures. The earthen pagoda, standing over 30 m tall, is east of the Giant Buddha Hall. Its two-tiered base features four small pagodas on each level, adorned with exquisite carvings and housing solemn Buddha statues. The Shanxi Guild Hall, situated northeast of the temple complex, was originally a merchant guild hall during the Qing Dynasty. This typical northwestern residential courtyard features ancient architecture with intricately carved beams and painted pillars, exuding rustic elegance.

No. 5 of Global Traveller-Picked Attractions in Zhangye

Binggou Danxia

Binggou Danxia Scenic Area is located in the Zhangnan Sunan Yugu Autonomous County. It is a natural scenic spot dominated by the red palace-type Danxia landform. Compared with the Zhangye Danxia landform scenic spot (also known as the colorful Danxia) not far away, Danxia's color is relatively simple and has little change, but the main feature of the scenic spot is that the shape of the Danxia landform is very unique here. The style of the style is very large. Moreover, due to the late development here, there are fewer tourists than the colorful Danxia, ​​and you can have a quiet view.