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Guyuan Travel Guide

Guyuan Travel Guide 2024

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Guyuan is the only prefecture-level city not beside the Yellow River among Ningxia's five cities. Located approximately between three main provincial capital cities (Xian, Lanzhou and Yinchuan) along the Silk Road, it once was a significant hub of economy, transport and military in Northwestern China, as well as the communicating place of farming culture and nomadic culture. Guyuan is a lesser-known city in a lesser-known region, and seldom foreign travelers will list it in the plan during their first visit to China. However, there are many things to discover and enjoy in Guyuan for travelers with special-interests.

Why Visit Guyuan:

  • The Silk Rod Culture - Guyuan is an important town located on the eastern stretch of the ancient Silk Road where a dozen immense caravans traveled for two millennia. In Guyuan, you can experience interesting history and exotic culture about the Silk Road.
  • The Gathering Place of Minorities - Guyuan is the biggest gathering place of Hui minority, and many other minorities also gather here. Islamic architecture with bright colors painted across ancient mud-brick buildings really attracts visitors' eyes.
  • Historical Sites - The historical sites are also big highlights of Guiyuan, among which Xumishan Grottoes is a must for travelers who visit Guyuan. The Buddhist statues and grottoes scattered across the valley are precious treasures. The ruins of one section of the Great Wall of Qin Dynasty (221 B.C. - 207 B.C.) are also in Guyuan.
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Top Guyuan Attractions - What to See

There are not many attractions in Guyuan, but you will definitely find something interesting and worthwhile to visit. Here we list the most recommended attractions for your reference, and you can choose some for your Guyuan trip.

Guyuan
Xumishan Grottoes

As one of the 10 Greatest Grottoes in China, Xumishan Grottoes are a large collection of 162 Buddhist grottoes, which dated back to North Wei Dynasty (368- 534) and enjoyed a high artistic value.

Guyuan
Guyuan Museum

Guyuan Museum is a comprehensive museum focusing on historical relics dating from the Stone Age through the Silk Road to the Qing Dynasty. It has a total collection of more than 12,000 pieces of cultural relics.

Guyuan
Liupanshan National Forest Park

With a forest coverage rate of more than 80% and an average annual temperature of 5.8°C, Liupanshan National Forest Park is a nice place to enjoy nature and to be away for a summer resort.

Guyuan
Huoshizhai National Geo-park

Huoshizhai gets its name after the red stone cliff which looks like the burning flames. Every spring and autumn, there will be different kinds of flowers which attract numerous butterflies and bees.

Guyuan Weather - Best Time to Visit

Lying in the warm and semi-arid climate zone of the Loess Plateau, Guyuan has a typical continental climate with a long cold period and a short hot period. The temperature varies a lot in different places, because of the large region of hills of mountains in Guyuan. The temperature difference between day and night is large, so it is important to bring an extra coat even if you visit Guyuan in summer. The average temperature in Guyuan City is around 7.5°C. The hottest month is July with an average temperature of 16°C, and the coldest month is January with an average temperature of -8°C. We suggest you visit Guyuan during the months from May to October (especially May, June, September and October) when the weather is most comfortable. If you visit in summer, remember to bring sunblock to help your skin from the strong sunlight.

Related Link Yinchuan Weather >

Guyuan Transporation - How to Get and Travel Around

Guyuan is located in the southmost part of Ningxia, and getting to Guyuan is not convenient. You can take limited flights to Guyuan or normal trains from several cities, and you need to make a transfer at Yinchuan most of the time.

By Flight: There is 1 or 2 daily flights from Yinchuan, Beijing, Yinchuan, Fuzhou and Xian, and 3 or 4 weekly flights from Shanghai and Guangzhou to Liupanshan Airport (about 12 km/20 minutes' drive from Guyuan City). Some flights might be canceled due to the weather conditions or low seasons.

By Train: It is available to take a normal train to Guyuan Railway Station from Yinchuan (about 6.5 hours), Xian (about 7 hours), Lanzhou (about 10 hours), Chengdu (about 20.5 hours), Shanghai (about 27 hours) and Guangzhou (about 34 hours)

Yinchuan to Guyuan: Yinchuan is a good gateway to Guyuan, because it can much be easier to reach from most major cities in China. After you get to Yinchuan by flight or high speed train, you can drive 330 km (about 4 hours), or take a normal train (about 6.5 hours) to Guyuan.

Related Links: How to Get to & Get around Yinchuan | Yinchuan Airport and Flights to Yinchuan

Guyuan Accommodation - Where to Stay

To be frank, the accommodation in Guyuan is rather basic, and there are not much many hotels in Guyuan. If you want a comfortable stay, you'd better accommodate in the city area of Guyuan. Recommended hotels include Guyuan Museum Atour Hotel (故园博物馆亚朵酒店), Xigang Airlines Hotel Guyuan (固原西港航空酒店), Guyuan Taihe Hotel (固原泰和酒店) and Xiyue Hotel (禧悦酒店). For travelers who have a higher demand for hotels, you can accommodate in Yinchuan where the accommodation is much better.

Other Popular Destinations Ningxia

Usually, many travelers start a Guyuan tour from the provincial capital - Yinchuan, which is Ningxia's tourist distribution and transfer hub offering incredible attractions to visit. Moreover, you can also visit Zhongwei (Shapotou Desert) to enjoy the amazing desert view and exhilarating activities. If time allows, you can also go to Shizuishan City (Sand Lake) and Wuzhong City (Qingtong Gorge).

Chinese Name: 固原

Chinese Pinyin: gù yuán

Area: 10,500 Square Kilometers

Population: 1,142,000

Language: Mandarin, local Dialect

Tel Code: (+86) 0954

Zip Code: 756000

Time Zone: (UTC+8)

How to Plan A Ningxia Tour with Guyuan

In order to make full of your holiday, we suggest spending 6 ~ 7 days taking an in-depth Ningxia tour with a visit Guyuan. Yinchuan is a good starting point for a Ningxia tour, and you are recommended to visit all its highlights in 3 days. On your arrival day, you can enjoy a short view of the landmarks in the city area, such as Haibao Pagoda, Drum Tower, China-Arab Axis, etc. Then visit the essence of Yinchuan City - Western Xia Imperial Tombs and the Rock Painting of Helan Mountain. Of course, visiting one of the top wineries and tasting a cup of wine are recommended experiences, whether you are a wine-lover or not. On the third day, go to Ningxia Museum and Shuidong Cave before driving to Zhongwei. It takes 1 ~ 2 days to have desert fun in Shapotou Desert. Visiting Tengri Desert in one day is also recommended. Finally, travel to Guyuan and probe into Guyuan’s rich culture and history in Xumishan Gorttoes and Guyuan Museum before leaving.

The following are our most popular Ningxia tours covering the best highlights, you can choose from a favorite one according to your schedule and interest or contact us to customize a Guyuan tour.

Recommended Tours

Western Xia Imperial Tombs - Chinese Pyramid Listed in World Cultural Heritage Sites
3 Days Yinchuan History and Culture Tour

Yinchuan City and around

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