7 days · Moderate, one flight · May–June, or September–October

Xi'an's warriors and Dunhuang's caves. Ancient China at two speeds, with a flight across a lot of empty land between them.

1. Xi'an
2. Flight · about 3 h in the airDunhuang

1. Day 1

   Inside the wall

   Xi'an · 西安

   Arrive, bike or walk the wall late, eat in the Muslim Quarter without trying every skewer.

2. Day 2

   The pits

   Xi'an · 西安

   Terracotta Army in the morning. Afternoon museum or a second, slower meal. Paomo is lunch, not a midnight experiment.

3. Day 3

   Fly northwest

   Dunhuang · 敦煌

   Flight to Dunhuang. The afternoon is for settling in and confirming tomorrow's Mogao slot, not for a dune sprint.

4. Day 4

   The caves

   Dunhuang · 敦煌

   Mogao on the booked tour. Digital caves included. Rest afterward. The murals are a lot of looking.

5. Day 5

   Dunes at the right hour

   Dunhuang · 敦煌

   Mingsha and Crescent Lake from late afternoon into the color change. Apricots or noodles, early bed.

6. Day 6

   Buffer

   Dunhuang · 敦煌

   A market morning, or Yumen Pass if you rented a car and like empty roads. Otherwise do nothing. Desert days expand.

7. Day 7

   Fly back to a hub

   Dunhuang · 敦煌

   Connections via Xi'an, Lanzhou, or farther. Do not book a same-evening international flight without a long cushion.