Rainbow Mountain China
China Rainbow Mountains are magnificent with gorgeous colors, which developed at about 200 million years ago. Covering an area of over 400 square kilometers, it is composed of lots of smooth and sharp cliffs, most of which are several hundred meters high, and cliffs look very powerful for their neighbors are plains and rivers. Zhangye Danxia Geopark, enjoys he honors of "The world's top ten magical geographical wonders”, is the best place for photography. The best time to see the rainbow hills is in the late afternoon/evening as the sun is setting. Blues, reds and golds are among the colours visible in the breathtaking rock formations. It is a glorious view! ZhangyeTravel offers the tours to visit the Coloured Mountains China with unbeatable price. We are here to help you design your own unique tour. "Nihao and welcome to China!"
Viewing Platforms of Zhangye Danxia Geopark
There are six viewing platforms in Zhangye Danxia Geopark and you are suggested to go from the west gate, to the first, second, third and fourth platforms. (The north gate also opens to these platforms, but it is not so unhindered when compared with the west gate and there are few sightseeing buses there.) The fifth viewing platform is near the east gate and the sixth platform is beside the north gate. But in general, most visitors will go into the park from the west entrance. They will just take a sightseeing bus to visit from the first viewing platform, then to the second, third and fourth platforms sequentially and get off at each spot. After the sightseeing they will get on the bus in line to the next viewing platform.
Zhangye Danxia in Linze county: There are four viewing platforms here: The first, second, third and fourth platforms.
The first viewing platform is near the gate for just 10 minutes to walk there. It is the biggest one among the four viewing platforms. It consists of seven or eight different platforms. If you want to go to every platform to take a photo, it will cost you at least half an hour for the whole journey. The first viewing area is more suitable for wide-angle lens. And using splicing is also a good choice if possible.
The second platform is ten minutes walk from the first platform, but you might be tired physically for the tough mountain road. It is the highest platform in the park and you can see the full view of Zhangye Danxia Geopark. But you need to climb 666 steps for about half an hour to get there. We suggest the one with plenty of time and good physical strength climbing it for sightseeing. You will spend at least 20 minutes climbing to the top of the second platform.
At the third viewing platform, you can see the famous “Seven Colour Screen”. The steps here are made of three different colors alternately and bring out the best picture with the mountains of similar colors. Between the third viewing platform and the fourth platform, you will see Mazi noodle shop which is the site of the movie “San Qiang” directed by Zhang Yimou. But you cannot get off for a visit as it has become shabby and dangerous.
The fourth viewing platform is the main platform and the best spot to watch the sunrise or sunset. It is set in a ridge from east to west. Climbing to the ridge from the avenue, overlooking to the south, you will see the colorful mountain ridge on the eastern side presenting a variegated picture through the sunshine of the sunset. That is the famous scenic spot of “Swords Mountain and Flames Sea”. It is suitable for telephoto pictures because the hierarchical scattered levels are so distinctive.
There are two viewing platforms in Sunan: The fifth and the sixth platforms. But you need to walk to the sixth platform.
If you want to go to Sunan, please take the bus with the sign of the east entrance. About one of the two viewing platforms said before in Sunan, please walk to the east from the fourth viewing platform in Linze and you will get to the best viewing platform. If you take a bus, you will arrive in the fifth viewing platform directly. You need to climb the highest mountain and you can enjoy the unrivalled panoramic views of Danxia at the top of the mountain. Besides, you can see Qilian Mountain at the furthest distance. Actually at the fourth and fifth viewing platform, you can see “Swords Mountain and Flames Sea”. But the fourth viewing platform is further and higher with a full view of the rainbow colored mountains; while the fifth platform is closer to the spot “Swords Mountain and Flames Sea”. So it depends on you to choose the full view or close-up.
If you want to visit the sixth platform, it is very convenient. After visiting the fourth platform, you should not take the bus back but walk back and go towards the north gate for 200 meters at the fork between the third and fourth platforms, then turn to the hill.
