Cities — Gansu Province

Lanzhou

City

Lanzhou

Lanzhou · 兰州 · Lanzhou

B+

Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu, is famed for its hand-pulled noodles, Yellow River scenery, and as a Silk Road hub.

Jiuquan

City

Jiuquan

Jiuquan · 酒泉 · Jiuquan

B

Gateway to the Gobi Desert and home to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, blending space-age tech with Silk Road history.

Wuwei

City

Wuwei

Wuwei · 武威 · Wuwei

B

Wuwei boasts Silk Road relics, Tibetan Buddhist temples, and the rare white yak in this historic Gansu city.

Suzhou

City

Suzhou

Suzhou · 苏 · Suzhou

B-

Not to be confused with its Jiangsu namesake, this Suzhou in Gansu offers Silk Road history and desert landscapes.

Longnan

City

Longnan

Longnan · 陇南市 · Longnan

C+

Longnan offers lush landscapes, tea plantations, and access to remote Tibetan and Qiang minority villages in southern Gansu.

Linxia Chengguanzhen

City

Linxia Chengguanzhen

Linxia Chengguanzhen · 临夏城关镇 · Linxia Chengguanzhen

C+

Linxia Chengguanzhen is known for its Hui Muslim culture, vibrant markets, and as a center for traditional Chinese medicine.

Gannan

City

Gannan

Gannan · 赣南 · Gannan

C+

Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture offers alpine grasslands and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.

Maiji

City

Maiji

Maiji · 麦吉 · Maiji

C

Maiji is home to the Maiji Mountain Grottoes, a collection of Buddhist cave art dating back to the 4th century.

Tianzhu

City

Tianzhu

Tianzhu · 天柱 · Tianzhu

C

Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County offers alpine scenery and Tibetan Buddhist culture on Gansu's eastern edge.

Hezuo Tibetan Lake Town

City

Hezuo Tibetan Lake Town

Hezuo Tibetan Lake Town · 合作湖畔镇 · Hezuo-lake

C

Lakeside Tibetan market town with prayer flags, yak butter tea and easy treks — ideal for culture, monastery visits and alpine lakeside hikes.

Rammed-Earth Fort Town (Dingxi)

City

Rammed-Earth Fort Town (Dingxi)

Rammed-Earth Fort Town (Dingxi) · 定西土墙堡镇 · Dingxi

C

Wind-sculpted loess forts, traditional folk markets and dramatic northwest light — great for history and landscape photography.

Sangke Monastery Town (Xiahe)

City

Sangke Monastery Town (Xiahe)

Sangke Monastery Town (Xiahe) · 桑科寺镇 · Sangke

C

Small Tibetan town centered on a lively monastery, prayer-flaged lanes and yak-butter tea stalls — rich in Himalayan culture and photography spots.

Gulang

City

Gulang

Gulang · 古浪 · Gulang

C

Gulang County features sections of the Great Wall and desert-oasis landscapes.

Qingyang

City

Qingyang

Qingyang · 石庆阳 · Qingyang

C

Qingyang is known for its agricultural heritage, traditional folk arts, and proximity to the Loess Plateau.

Jinchang

City

Jinchang

Jinchang · 金昌 · Jinchang

C-

Jinchang is an industrial Gansu city with nickel mines and nearby Silk Road relics.

Dongxiang

City

Dongxiang

Dongxiang · 东乡 · Dongxiang

D+

Dongxiang in Gansu is a remote county with Dongxiang Muslim culture and arid landscapes.

Yuzhong

City

Yuzhong

Yuzhong · 榆中 · Yuzhong

D+

Yuzhong County near Lanzhou features modest attractions like Xinglong Mountain and local Tibetan cultural influences.

Xifeng

City

Xifeng

Xifeng · 西凤 · Xifeng

D+

A small county town in Gansu primarily serving as an agricultural center with limited tourist infrastructure.

Qinzhou

City

Qinzhou

Qinzhou · 钦 · Qinzhou

D+

A small city in Gansu with limited tourism, primarily known for local agriculture and traditional crafts.

Xihe

City

Xihe

Xihe · 西河 · Xihe

D

Small county in Gansu with limited tourism appeal, primarily known for its rural landscapes and agricultural heritage.