Gansu

The "City of Gold" along the Yellow River—home to China's most iconic bridge, legendary beef noodles, and gateway to the ancient Silk Road.

The western terminus of the Great Wall of China, a formidable Ming Dynasty fortress guarding the strategic Hexi Corridor on the ancient Silk Road.

China's Nickel Capital, sitting on one of the world's largest nickel-copper sulfide deposits at the edge of the Gobi Desert.

A historic mining city on the upper Yellow River known as the "Copper City" of China, home to the spectacular Yellow River Stone Forest UNESCO Global Geopark.

An ancient cradle of Chinese civilization and home to the UNESCO-listed Maijishan Grottoes — a masterpiece of Buddhist cliffside sculpture.

The eastern gateway of the Hexi Corridor and ancient Silk Road, where the legendary Bronze Galloping Horse was unearthed and Chinese Buddhism first took root.

Home to the surreal Rainbow Mountains of the Zhangye Danxia National Geopark — one of China's most spectacular natural wonders and a vital Silk Road oasis.

Home to the sacred Taoist Kongtong Mountain, a UNESCO Global Geopark, Pingliang is a historic transportation hub in eastern Gansu between Xi'an and Lanzhou.

China's gateway to the stars — home to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, with a rich Han Dynasty Silk Road heritage and vibrant Gobi culture.

A historic city on the Loess Plateau, home to China's largest oil and gas field and the ancestral roots of the Zhou Dynasty.

Known as "China's Potato Capital," Dingxi is the largest potato production base in the country, situated on the Loess Plateau in central Gansu, and also renowned for its traditional Chinese medicine herbs.

Known as "Gansu's Jiangnan," Longnan is the greenest corner of Gansu — a mountainous region of bamboo forests, karst caves, and giant panda habitats bordering Sichuan.