2-Day Lanzhou Private Trip to Bingling Temple and Labrang Monastery

guide aboard an air-conditioned private vehicle. It’s a 1.5-hour drive to Liujia Gorge.  Liujia Gorge is the large water-power engineering project which was completed in 1974. It is the seventh step hydro-electric station, with multifunction such as generating electricity, controlling flood, breeding aquatics, irrigating, shipping, and sightseeing. Upon arrival, enjoy the Yellow River, Liujia Gorge and surrounding area. To save your valuable time, you will take the high speed boat to reach the Bingling Temple. (1 hour).

The grottoes are in two temples, upper and lower, and are distributed on the cliff that is 2 kilometers long from north to south, borders on the Yellow River and is strategically located and difficult to access. Bingling Temple Grottos started in the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316). There are altogether 34 grottoes, 149 shrines, 694 big or small stone statues, 82 mud statues here. There is an ink preface of that time found in the No.169 grotto, which is the earliest preface found in the all the grottoes by far. It was listed as the UNESCO world culture heritage in 2014. Accompanied by your tour guide, stroll around and learn the grottoes's history, value and meaning. Your lunch is also included, after the tour heading directly to Xiahe where the Labrang Monastery is.

The Labrang monastery is a holy place where Buddhism followers learn the essence of Buddhism. Over four thousand monks live here. Constructed in 1709 by Ngawang Tsondru, Labrang Monastery houses a rich collection of Buddhist scriptures, about 65,000 of them in 18,200 volumes in various categories, including philosophy, collected works, medicine, sabda, history, biography and craftsmanship. Stroll around the halls and courtyards with your tour guide, get to know the history of Tibetan Buddhism, admire amazing architecture which mixed Han and Tibetan style, learn about the temples belief, people and soul. Enjoy a delicious Tibetan lunch in the local restaurant. Afterwards, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Lanzhou(Approx. 3.5 hours drive). You also can choose to finish your tour in Xiahe and get to your next destination on your own.