In-depth tour of Yongjing, the small town by the Yellow River! Complete guide to grottoes + canyons + flower seas

Yongjing, a seriously underrated treasure town, hides grotto art comparable to the Mogao Caves and stunning Yellow River landscapes 🎨

Only 1.5 hours from Lanzhou, with fewer crowds, beautiful scenery, and free admission, please keep this 2-day travel guide!

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🚗 Itinerary Planning

DAY 1: Lanzhou → Liujiaxia Reservoir → Dinosaur Geopark → Jingwei Distinct Confluence Viewing Point → Yellow River Flower Embankment (night tour)

DAY 2: Bingling Temple Grottoes → Yellow River Three Gorges → Luojia Cave Temple → Gangou Temple Grand Canyon (optional)

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✅ Must-Visit List

1️⃣ Bingling Temple Grottoes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

See a thousand years of grotto art for 50 yuan, with exquisite Northern Wei polychrome sculptures in special caves (highly recommend caves 169/172)

2️⃣ Liujiaxia Reservoir ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Boat tour on the azure lake, with a magnificent dam flood discharge (best value free attraction)

3️⃣ Yellow River Three Gorges ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A landscape painting of loess stone forests and the Yellow River, even more stunning from aerial views

4️⃣ Luojia Cave Temple ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Ming Dynasty temple built on a cliff, with well-preserved grotto Buddha statues

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📸 Photo Guide

▪ Yellow River Flower Embankment: Purple vervain flower sea in July + Yellow River background, like being in Provence

▪ Jingwei Distinct Confluence: Capture the magical moment of the blue and yellow river waters meeting with a telephoto lens

▪ Grotto Walkway: Shoot silhouettes with the grottoes as the background for a full artistic vibe

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🍲 Food Tips

▫ Hand-pulled lamb with Sanpaotai: refreshing and healthy

▫ Highland barley cake: crispy, sweet, perfect as travel snacks

▫ Yellow River big carp: freshly caught from the reservoir, incredibly tender

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💎 Practical Advice

🔸 Recommend combining with Baolong Mountain, White Pagoda Temple, and other attractions to extend your trip

🔸 Large temperature difference between morning and evening, bring a light jacket

🔸 Please follow cultural relic protection regulations when visiting the grottoes