Travel to China (Beijing and Gannan) – Episode 954

Hear about travel to Beijing, China, and the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Gansu) as the Amateur Traveler discusses the first half of a recent press trip to China, sponsored by the Chinese Tourism Board.

Seven days let you pair Beijing’s imperial centers and Great Wall with the yak‑grazed valleys, monasteries, and soaring limestone of Gannan—history and highlands in a single, unforgettable loop.

Day 1 | Arrive Beijing

Morning

• Land at PEK or PKX before noon. A pre‑booked car or the Airport Express gets you downtown in 45‑60 minutes.
• Stay inside the 2nd Ring Road to limit traffic headaches.

Afternoon

• Forbidden City (Palace Museum) – Reserve tickets with your passport in advance; allow 3‑4 hrs to navigate the 960 × 750 m compound of 980 buildings. Travel China Guide
• Exit the North Gate and climb Jingshan Park for the classic rooftop panorama.

Evening

• Toast your first night with Peking duck at a heritage restaurant such as Quanjude.

Day 2 | Great Wall & Hutongs

Morning

• Private transfer (1 hr 40 min) or public bus to Mutianyu Great Wall. It’s 5.4 km of Ming‑era ramparts and 23 watchtowers that are fully restored and far less crowded than Badaling. Travel China Guide
• Ride the cable car up; if dry, descend via the toboggan run.

Afternoon

• Return to the city and ride a bicycle rickshaw through the lakeside hutongs around Shichahai, finishing with a climb up Drum Tower.
• Sample craft‑beer bars or courtyard cafés.

Evening

• Modern nightlife in Sanlitun, or keep it local with street food near Nanluoguxiang.

Day 3 | West‑Beijing Culture Mash‑Up

• Fahai Temple – Pre‑book one of the 70 daily slots to admire 15th‑century murals rivaling Dunhuang for finesse. China Daily
• Moshikou Historical & Cultural Block – Once an inn‑lined camel stop on the Jingxi Road, now a national‑level leisure district filled with boutique courtyards and snack stalls. Global Times
• Shougang No. 1 Blast‑Furnace SoReal Park – Industrial chic meets VR roller coasters inside a repurposed steel mill.

Day 4 | Fly to Lanzhou, Drive to Xiahe (approx. 3 hr)

• Morning CA1207 or MU flights reach Lanzhou by lunch.
• Drive to the grassland valley of Xiahe (2 ,900 m).
• Late‑afternoon visit to the 3 km prayer‑wheel corridor at Labrang Monastery, the largest monastic complex outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, is still home to around 1,400 monks. Elevated Trips
• Overnight in Xiahe, expect firm beds and Chinese breakfasts.

Day 5 | Sangke Grassland → Langmusi (3,300 m)

• Detour 25 km to the nomad‑dotted Sangke Grassland for yak herds and, if timing aligns, a horse‑racing festival (June–August).
• Continue for 3 hrs to Langmusi, a border town shared by Gansu and Sichuan. Altitude 3,300 m—pace yourself. Silk Road Tour
• Tour the Sertri Monastery.
• Drive 2 hours to Diebu. Overnight Diebu.

Day 6 | Langmusi → Zhagana (Diebu County)

• Scenic drive (4 hrs with photo stops) follows rivers and pine‑clad slopes into the stone‑walled village of Zhagana (“stone box”).
• National Geographic’s Joseph Rock called this amphitheater valley a candidate for the Garden of Eden in 1922. China Highlights
• Drive 3 hrs north to Hezuo, capital of Gannan TAP.

Day 7 | Hezuo & Return to Lanzhou

• Visit the nine‑storey Milarepa Palace, each floor a shrine to a revered lama. andreamarchegiani.it
• Afternoon expressway run (3 hrs) to Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport for an evening departure—or add a night in Lanzhou to sample hand‑pulled beef‑noodle soup.

Practical Notes

• Best Months: Late‑May – early‑Oct avoids Beijing’s winter chill and Gannan’s snowbound passes. It might be best to avoid the Beijing heat in July and August.
• Altitude: Gannan nights top 11,000 feet (3,000 m.) Hydrate, go slow, carry paracetamol; serious AMS is rare but possible.
• Transport: The Xiahe–Gannan high‑speed rail is under construction with station works scheduled through 2027, so road transfers remain essential. Seetao
• Permits: Foreigners need to carry passports.
• Payments: Load Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign bank card.
• Language: English signs and English speakers fade after Lanzhou. Have a translation app and a cell plan that covers China, like T-Mobile. Download Chinese offline dictionaries and practice a few Mandarin basics.

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Show Notes

Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Gansu
Intrepid Travel China – Review of China Highlights Tour (Beijing, Xi’an, Suzhou, Shanghai)
Tibetan Empire
Gelug School of Buddhism
Tibetan Skylines: Ekvall, Robert E.
Gansu Tours – TourRadar
China Tour – Affordable Tours to Asia

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This podcast is about a 2-week trip to China sponsored by the Chinese Tourism Board. I am grateful for the trip, but all opinions expressed are my own.