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Dunhuang travel guides

Everything to sort out before you book in Dunhuang: how Mogao tickets work, whether you need a tour, the dunes and the camel ride, the long Gobi day, how many days to stay and when to come.

Mogao Caves Tickets 2026: A, B, Winter & Special CavesA, B, winter and special caves: what each ticket buys.Read the guide →Mogao Caves Tour or DIY 2026: What a Guide Really AddsBook Mogao yourself, or pay for a guide and a car?Read the guide →Mingsha Shan Camel Ride 2026: Tickets, Prices & SunsetTickets, camels, sand boots and the best hour on the dunes.Read the guide →Yumen Pass & Yadan Day Trip 2026: Tickets, Distances, ToursThe long Gobi day: distances, tickets and tour types.Read the guide →Dunhuang Itinerary 2026: How Many Days You Really NeedOne, two or three days, and the Silk Road beyond.Read the guide →Best Time to Visit Dunhuang 2026: Month by MonthMonth by month: heat, cold, crowds and ticket prices.Read the guide →

Tours

Choose your Dunhuang day

The three tours most people choose between. Every tour has its own page with what the price covers and what guests say.

Mogao Caves Half-Day Tour from Dunhuang Mogao only ★ 4.73 to 4 hoursFree cancellation

Mogao Caves Half-Day Tour from Dunhuang
Half dayHotel pickupHeadsets

Just the caves: hotel pickup, the films at the Digital Exhibition Center and the guided cave visit. You give passport details at booking, because every Mogao ticket is issued in your name.

What's included
  • Mogao admission, marked as included in the itinerary
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off by air-conditioned minivan
  • Professional guide, with headsets
  • Bottled water
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Full tour details
From$209per person Reserve
Private Day Tour: Mogao Caves & Crescent Lake Best value ★ 4.810 hoursFree cancellation

Private Day Tour: Mogao Caves & Crescent Lake
PrivateMogao + dunesNight market

Mogao in the morning, the Mingsha dunes and Crescent Lake later, then the Shazhou night market. The from-price is the cheapest option; entry tickets come with the all-inclusive one.

What's included
  • Pick guide only, guide and car, or all-inclusive with entry tickets
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off on the car options
  • About 3 hours at Mogao, then the dunes, the lake and the night market
  • Lunch, camel ride and special caves cost extra
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Full tour details
From$94per person Reserve
Yumen Pass, Han Great Wall & Yadan Private Tour Gobi day ★ 5.06 to 8 hoursFree cancellation

Yumen Pass, Han Great Wall & Yadan Private Tour
PrivateEntry includedPark buses

The desert day: the Jade Gate fort, Han dynasty wall ruins and the wind-carved yardangs of the Yadan geopark. Entry fees and both park buses are included; most of the day is the drive.

What's included
  • Private air-conditioned car and English-speaking guide
  • Entrance fees for Yumen Pass and the Yadan geopark
  • Battery buses inside Yumen Pass and Yadan
  • Hotel pickup in Dunhuang
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Full tour details
From$279per person Reserve

Plan your date before you go

Mogao in the morning, the singing dunes and Crescent Lake in the afternoon, with a private guide. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Check dates for the private Mogao and Crescent Lake day