# DunhuangTours.com - Dunhuang tours, Mogao Caves tickets and the Gobi sites, compared

> Independent guide to Dunhuang (Gansu, China): the Mogao Caves and their ticket classes, Mingsha Shan and the Crescent Lake,
> Yumen Pass, the Han Great Wall ruins and the Yadan geopark, private day tours and multi-day Silk Road trips, with prices and booking.
> Not affiliated with any tour operator, the Dunhuang Academy or Viator.

Site: https://dunhuangtours.com
Language: en (also fr, de, es, it). Currency: USD for online tours, CNY for official tickets. Country: China (Dunhuang, Gansu).

## Verified facts

- Mogao Caves (Dunhuang Academy, dha.ac.cn): 1 Apr-30 Nov regular ticket CNY 238 (digital films + 8 caves), reduced 148; 1 Dec-31 Mar CNY 140 (films + 10 caves); emergency ticket CNY 100 (4 caves, no films).
- Mogao daily caps: 6,000 regular (A) tickets and up to 12,000 emergency (B) tickets; both often sell out in July and August.
- Every Mogao visit is a real-name timed reservation (www.mgk.org.cn or the official WeChat account), checked against the passport; visits start at the Digital Exhibition Center, then a shuttle runs about 15 km to the caves.
- Open caves rotate for conservation; visitors cannot choose them. Special caves cost CNY 150-200 each, sold on site. No photography inside the caves.
- Hours: 08:00-18:00 (Apr-Nov), 09:00-17:30 (Dec-Mar).
- Mingsha Shan and Crescent Lake: about 5 km south of town; ticket CNY 110 (Apr-Oct), CNY 55 (Nov-Mar), valid 3 days; camel ride about CNY 100.
- Yumen Pass about 90 km northwest (ticket CNY 40 plus bus); Yadan National Geopark about 160-180 km (about CNY 120 with the compulsory park bus).
- Private Dunhuang tours price per person by group size; the Viator from-price is the cheapest option for the largest group.

## Tours listed on this site

Booking links are Viator (pid P00318890) affiliate links. The site earns a
commission at no extra cost to the reader and says so at https://dunhuangtours.com/affiliate-disclosure/.
Prices are 'from' prices in USD per person at the last build and move.

- Private Day Tour: Mogao Caves & Crescent Lake (Mogao Caves + Mingsha Shan, Dunhuang) - from $94 per person, 10 hours, entry tickets: All-inclusive option only; rated 4.8 from 11 Viator reviews. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/private-mogao-caves-crescent-lake-day-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/Dunhuang-Private-Day-Tour-of-Mogao-Grottoes-Crescent-Lake-and-Singing-Mountain/d24682-10289P160
- Mogao Caves Half-Day Tour from Dunhuang (Mogao Caves, 25 km from town) - from $209 per person, 3 to 4 hours, entry tickets: Mogao, marked as included; rated 4.7 from 3 Viator reviews. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/mogao-caves-half-day-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/Classic-The-Silk-Road-Half-Day-Tour-The-World-Heritage-Mogao-Grottoes/d24682-40805P32
- Yumen Pass, Han Great Wall & Yadan Private Tour (Gobi desert, 90 to 180 km northwest) - from $279 per person, 6 to 8 hours, entry tickets: Yumen Pass, Han wall and Yadan included; rated 5.0 from 2 Viator reviews. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/yumen-pass-han-great-wall-yadan-private-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/Dunhuang-Private-Day-Tour-Jade-Gate-Pass-Han-Great-Wall-Ruins-and-Ghost-City/d24682-19099P675
- Private Customized Dunhuang Day Tour (Your choice of sites, Dunhuang) - from $179 per person, 8 hours, entry tickets: Not included, cash on the day; rated 5.0 from 20 Viator reviews. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/private-customized-dunhuang-day-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/Private-Customized-Dunhuang-Day-Tour/d24682-40805P36
- Private Mogao & Crescent Lake Day with Entry (Mogao Caves + Mingsha Shan, Dunhuang) - from $100 per person, 8 to 9 hours, entry tickets: Mogao + Mingsha included; new listing, no reviews yet. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/private-mogao-crescent-lake-tour-with-entry/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/Private-day-tour-to-Dunhuang-Grottoes-and-Mingsha-sand-dune-and-crescent-moon-lake/d24682-142283P144
- All-Inclusive Mogao, Singing Dunes & Crescent Lake (Mogao Caves + Mingsha Shan, Dunhuang) - from $239 per person, 10 hours, entry tickets: Mogao + Mingsha included; rated 4.6 from 7 Viator reviews. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/all-inclusive-mogao-singing-dunes-day-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/Dunhuang-Private-Day-Tour-including-Mogao-Grottoes-Singing-Dunes-and-Crescent-Moon-Spring/d24682-32685P8
- Mogao, Singing Dunes & Silk Road Show Day (Mogao, Crescent Lake, Dunhuang Theater) - from $389 per person, 13 hours, entry tickets: "All activities", per the listing; rated 5.0 from 5 Viator reviews. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/mogao-dunes-silk-road-show-day-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/Private-Day-Tour-Mogao-Grottoes-Singing-Sand-Dunes-and-The-Silk-Road-Show/d24682-40805P11
- Yumen Pass, Yangguan & Yadan Small Group (Gobi desert, northwest of Dunhuang) - from $118 per person, 12 hours, entry tickets: Yangguan, Yumen and Yadan included; new listing, no reviews yet. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/yumen-yangguan-yadan-small-group-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/Dunhuang-Yumenguan-and-Yadan-Small-Group-Tour-with-Tickets/d24682-5665875P12
- Yadan Geopark Private Jeep Tour (Yadan National Geopark, Gobi desert) - from $399 per person, 6 to 7 hours, entry tickets: Yadan included; rated 4.0 from 1 Viator reviews. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/yadan-geopark-private-jeep-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/Private-Tour-to-Yadan-National-Geologic-Park/d24682-40805P49
- 3-Day Private Dunhuang Silk Road Tour (Mogao, both passes, Yulin Caves) - from $745 per person, 3 days, entry tickets: Not on the inclusion list: ask; new listing, no reviews yet. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/3-day-private-dunhuang-silk-road-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/3-Day-Private-Silk-Road-Tour-of-Dunhuang-Mogao-Grottoes/d24682-214248P110
- 8-Day Silk Road Trip: Dunhuang to Zhangye (Dunhuang, Jiayuguan and Zhangye) - from $2,499 per person, 8 days, entry tickets: Admission marked included at each stop; rated 5.0 from 16 Viator reviews. Page: https://dunhuangtours.com/tours/8-day-silk-road-trip-dunhuang-zhangye/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dunhuang/8-Day-Private-Silk-Road-Trip-of-Dunhuang-Jiayuguan-Zhangye-with-Accommodation/d24682-40805P29

## Guide pages

- https://dunhuangtours.com/guides/mogao-caves-tickets/ - Mogao Caves tickets 2026: the CNY 238 A ticket, CNY 100 emergency B ticket, CNY 140 winter ticket, special caves, booking with a passport, what tours include.
- https://dunhuangtours.com/guides/mogao-caves-tour-or-diy/ - Mogao Caves with a tour or on your own in 2026: booking the ticket yourself, getting to the Digital Exhibition Center, the site guide, when a tour pays.
- https://dunhuangtours.com/guides/mingsha-shan-crescent-lake-camel-ride/ - Mingsha Shan and Crescent Lake 2026: CNY 110 ticket valid 3 days, camel ride about CNY 100, sand boots, sand sliding, sunset and which tours include it.
- https://dunhuangtours.com/guides/yumen-pass-yadan-day-trip/ - Yumen Pass and Yadan day trip from Dunhuang in 2026: about 300 km of desert road, tickets, park buses, the Han wall, Yangguan and which tour type fits.
- https://dunhuangtours.com/guides/dunhuang-itinerary-how-many-days/ - How many days in Dunhuang? Plans for 1, 2 and 3 days with Mogao, the dunes, Yumen Pass and Yadan, plus a Silk Road extension to Jiayuguan and Zhangye.
- https://dunhuangtours.com/guides/best-time-to-visit-dunhuang/ - Best time to visit Dunhuang: May, June, September and October for weather, July and August for crowds, winter for the CNY 140 Mogao ticket and empty dunes.

## Blog posts (dated)

- 2026-10-28: https://dunhuangtours.com/blog/mogao-winter-tickets-2026-27/ - Mogao low season 1 Dec 2026 to 31 Mar 2027: CNY 140 for the films and 10 caves, hours, the 15:00 sales cut-off, Mingsha Shan at CNY 55 and winter tours.
- 2026-10-28: https://dunhuangtours.com/blog/china-visa-free-entry-dunhuang-2026/ - Who can visit Dunhuang without a visa in 2026: the 30-day list to 31 Dec 2026, why the US is not on it, and why the 240-hour transit rule excludes Gansu.
- 2026-10-28: https://dunhuangtours.com/blog/dunhuang-in-winter-2026-27/ - Dunhuang from December to February: real temperatures, winter hours at Mogao and the dunes, sunrise times, winter flights and the 6 Feb 2027 New Year rush.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- No tour can choose the Mogao caves or skip the reservation: every visitor, with or without a tour, holds the same real-name ticket.
- 'Mogao included' does not say which class: an emergency (B) ticket shows 4 caves, a regular (A) ticket 8.
- You do not need a tour for Mogao: foreigners can book the official ticket with a passport.
- The Yumen Pass and Yadan day is mostly driving: Yadan is about 160-180 km from Dunhuang.
- A tour from-price is usually the per-person price for the largest group and cheapest option, not what a solo traveller pays.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage or the relevant guide. Prices, ticket rules and seasons change; verify close to your travel date.