Hear about travel to the Silk Road as the Amateur Traveler talks about his recent trip to the Gansu province of China, Buddhist Grottos, stunning landscapes, barren deserts, and the original Great Wall of China.

More than 2,000 years ago, Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty sent his prodigy general Huo Qubing to seize the Hexi Corridor from the Xiongnu nomads, founding four fortified outposts—Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang—that anchored the eastern Silk Road.

Centuries later, the monk Xuanzang left Lanzhou for India along the same desert corridor, returning with Sanskrit scriptures that reshaped Chinese Buddhism.

Following their footsteps today reveals grottoes, Great Wall forts, and rainbow-striped badlands that still echo with the sounds of camel bells and caravan legends.

Historic BackgroundDay‑by‑Day ItineraryDay 1 – Arrival in Lanzhou

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-the-silk-road-in-gansu-china/

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