We have breakfast at the hotel and then drive to Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu. Early settlement in this region could be dated to the Han Dynasty and has a history of over 2,000 years. The city used to be called the Golden City, when it was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road. To protect the city, the Great Wall of China was extended as far as Yumen.

After the fall of the Han Dynasty, Lanzhou became the capital of a succession of tribal states. Mixed with different cultural heritages, the area at present-day Gansu province, from the 5th to the 11th century, became a center for Buddhist study. The city acquired its current name in 1656, during Qing Dynasty.

We will again have lunch on the way to Lanzhou, dinner in the city and stay overnight at the "Hotel Savoy Muslim" (4*).