Day Trip to Bingling Temple Caves, Lanzhou, China

I decided to book the local group tour on my 3rd final days at Lanzhou. I was looking forward to visiting Dunhuang for famous Mogao Grottoes but the place was affected by the flood . I am more interest in Mogao Grottoes than Bingling or Maijishan Grottoes. I have visited Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang so Bingling Temple cave doesn't impress me at all. Maybe I will try to visit Mogao another year when I continue my silk road journey to Urumqi.

I booked the tour from the local travel agent. It was a bus group tour with Mandarin speaking tour guide. Joined me that day are all local Aunties and Uncles. A bit havoc but overall fine. Just do your own thing, everything would be fine. The bus departed as early as 7am from Lanzhou City Hotel where everyone gathered.

My hotel packed some breakfast for me. Cold breakfast! Well..better than nothing. Forgot to snap my breakfast box from Hotel - hard-boiled egg, cold mantao, halal sausage, bread and box of milk.

How I communicate with people? No, I don't! I just observe the situation and follow people accordingly. English speaking group tour is kind of expensive. Not worth since I don't listen to people anyway! huhuhuh...stubborn case.

The bus ride is almost 2 hours from the city centre to the Lianhua Wharf. From there you can choose to take the ferry or speed boat. Thank God the majority agreed to take the ferry instead of the speed boat. The speed boat will be around one hour journey. While the ferry will take around 3 hours journey. YES!!! 3 hours in the ferry and then later another 3 hours ride back. So total 6 hours ferry and 4 hours bus ride. Hurl!!!! ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).