Yardang National Geopark


Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark (Chinese: 敦煌雅丹国家地质公园) is a national park in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, China, that shows the Yardang geological feature of the area. Yardang has been created over time by the soft part of the earth's surface being eroded by wind and rain, with the hard part of the rocks remaining in the desert.

The geopark is located about 180 kilometers northwest of Dunhuang's town center and covers an area of 398 square kilometers.  Some of the uniquely shaped rocks in the geopark are named "Mongolian Bao", "Camel", "Stone Bird", "Peacock", "The Golden Lion Welcoming His Guests" (Chinese: 金狮迎客), etc.

The unique rock formations in the park developed over a period of 700,000 years. The Yardang geomorphic formations found in the Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark are the largest in China.

One of the most remarkable sites in the Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark is the Yardang Ghost Town. Located within the Ghost Town is the Aisikexiaer Castle. The word 'Aisikexiaer' means 'old city' in the Uyghur language.

Client’s Reviews

  • TravellingBish

    Reviewed 19thSeptember2013

    We have avoided group tours for nearly all of our 5weeks in China however had little choice on this one and glad we bit the bullet and went - stunning. The tour stopped a number of average stops on the way however the finale of...More

  • TravellingNature

    Reviewed 12thOctober2013

    If you travel as an individual tourist, this is the place to avoid. They make you wait up to an hour until they have a full bus load. Of course the tourist groups get immediate attention because of their numbers. The individual tourist gets the...More

  • kwoong

    Reviewed 28thOctober2016

    Arrived by coach from Dunhuang and was put onto designated shuttle bus within the park. The bus stop at several stops (3 or 4, cannot remember) and we have about 10-15 mins each at each stop to walk around and take photos. Picturesque landscape, vast...More

  • J K

    Reviewed 23rdNovember2014

    You can take a day tour to the park in a minivan for 60 RMB (pay for your ticket when you arrive) that includes stops at the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty and Yumen Pass. You get to see a lot of the Gobi...More

  • nickiBH

    Reviewed 6thOctober2017

    If you have a few days in DunHuang, and after visiting the MingSha Mountain and the Crescent Moon lake, if you plan for a day trip, you can consider Yadan, to see the different rock formations. Depending on the time you visit the geopark, it...More

  • Cindy C

    Reviewed 5thJune2016

    an amazing experience, peaceful and surreal! when the sun comes out it brings out the different colours of the sandstone formation and it's up to your own imagination

  • Jessica K

    Reviewed 2ndSeptember2012

    We had only 2 full days in Dunhuang but made it all work easily. We rented a car and driver from the Silk Road Hotel (1500 RMB for the weekend or about $230USD), and on one day they took us out to Yadan National Park....More

  • Alistair450

    Reviewed 28thApril2019

    This geographic feature is 180 km from Dunhuang and is well worth the two and a half hour drive. The drive alone is worth the time as you are treated to wonderful views of the desert. A stop along the route is given and allows...More

  • Harvey w

    Reviewed 10thApril2015

    We visited the Yadan National Geological Park by renting a private car about 4 hours driving in the desert and Gobi. The hardest part is that this isn’t toilet during these 4 hours, so we have to visit to the Yumen pass to go to...More

  • Eve420

    Reviewed 4thNovember2016

    The nature of Yadan where one can leisurely admire is spoilt by the fact that tourists have to stick closely to the bus routes. Every drop off point was given about 10 minutes and you have to hop back to the bus and continue to...More

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