At 8am, your guide will meet you at your hotel lobby centrally located in Dunhuang with a signage writing your name on. Then you will take 2-hour car ride to Yulin Caves. The Yulin Caves were built on bank cliffs at two sides of the Yulin River valley. There are now 42 major caves in existence together with hundreds of others scattered around, 31 on the east bank and 11 on the west bank. The first group of caves was built in the Northern Wei dynasty and in the following dynasties more caves were cut or restored. The forms of caves and contents of paintings show close connection with those in the Mogao Grottoes so they are important constitute parts of Dunhuang art complex, and have great historical and art value. The grottoes preserve nearly one thousand statues and more than one thousand-square-meters frescoes. You will follow the cave guide to visit some caves to learn the history.
Note: The entrance fees for both caves are only for regular caves, and you can pay locally if you would like to visit special caves.
Afterwards you will head to Suoyang City Ruins. Suoyang City Ruins was inscribed on UNESCO's list of World Cultural Heritages in 2014. Built in Han Dynasty (202BC-220AD), this border town prospered in Tang Dynasty (618-907). Suoyang City was deserted gradually after the closure of the Jiayuguan Pass in 1524. There are towers, houses, lanes, and city walls that can be seen today in the city ruins.
Then you will head to the huge statue of Sun of the Earth. The statue is 4.3m in height, and 15m in length. It is surprise to view such a bit statue in the gobi desert.
Chinese lunch is included today.
Later you will be transferred back to your hotel in Dunhuang where the wonderful day trip concludes.
