Jia Yu Guan is better known as the location that marks the beginning of the Great Wall of China. This city is full of sights to see. I would say that Jia Yu Guan would be the main destination for travelers to Gan SU Province. There is a lot for travelers to see and do here.
Jia Yu Guan Fort 嘉峪关城楼
The fort is one of the most popular sights to see while in Jia Yu Guan. The fort itself has a very ancient and traditional feel to it. It’s one of those times in your life where you might think “this might be the oldest place I’ve ever been”.
Nonetheless, there is plenty to see and do while at the Jia Yu Guan Fort. Aside from walking around the fort itself, there are games that can be played, performances that can be viewed, souvenirs that can be bought and (if you were interested) camels that can be ridden.
The performances
The performances are similar to that of a Chinese Circus. There are feats of acrobatics, balancing, strength as well as Kung Fu performances. It is very impressive to see and it is included in the price of the entrance ticket, so it doesn’t cost anything extra. The performances are highly recommended because normally you’d have to pay 50-60 USD to see a performance like that.
How much time should be spent there?
I’d say allot a half day to visit the fort. It is located very close to the center of the city so there isn’t much time that will be spent in transit. Approximately 4-5 hours should be allotted to spend in the Jia Yu Guan Fort.
Due to the fact that the fort is close to the city you could take a regular taxi or Uber to get there without spending that much time or money.
Side note:
It is very dry and hot in Jia Yu Guan during the day. There is the risk of dehydration and sunburns. Dress appropriately (cover up) or buy some sunscreen. Also, bring an abundance of water. You can also buy some while there but expect to pay a higher price for waters at any tourist sight.
The Great Wall 长城
The Great Wall in Jia Yu Guan may not have the incredible scenery that the one in Beijing has but it does have other characteristics that make it unique and one of the popular areas to visit while in Jia Yu Guan.
There is something that you should know about the Great Wall in Jia Yu Guan and that is that it is very steep. If you have knee problems, a fear of heights or difficulty climbing up steep stairs you may just want to take pictures from the base of the Great Wall.
The Great Wall in this area is surrounded by desert, so there will not be much variance in the color of landscape of the surrounding area. That being said the surrounding area is still very beautiful and worthwhile to see.
Once you’ve ascended to the top of the Great Wall you can play on the mountains surrounding the wall (it really is more fun than it sounds). Many people that have visited before wrote their names in the mountain using rocks (as seen above).
How much time should be spent there?
This section of the Great Wall will not take that long to climb. I’d say it can take anywhere between an hour and two hours depending upon your hiking pace. The commuting time to the Great Wall also isn’t that long, approximately 30-40 mins.
That being said a half day should be enough time for you enjoy the experience of being at the opposite end of the Great Wall (in relation to Beijing).
Watch out!
As with every other part of the Great Wall that I have been to, there is this very annoying habit that the local drivers (Black Cabs) do to trick foreigners into spending more money than they should for a cab ride. Beware of the black cab drivers. I recommend using Uber or Didi (cab service app) to arrange for pick ups.
The Dolphin Museum & Dong Hu Park 海豚博物馆和东湖公园
The Dolphin Museum is a very tall dolphin-shaped building with the exterior walls made of glass that has a museum located inside of it. At night the lights on the outside of the dolphin turn on and alter colors. This makes the Dolphin Museum a popular destination to visit at night.
Visitors who buy a ticket to the museum can go up to the top floor where there is a glass bottom floor and great views of Jia Yu Guan. To be honest the first floor of the Dolphin Museum is just a regular museum (about mainly astronomy). There is nothing breathtaking about it. You could overlook it and head directly for the top floor.
There is also a very nice park called Dong Hu park, with a lake area just outside the Dolphin Museum. It makes for a very pleasant walk up to and away from the museum.
It would be best to walk around Dong Hu Park while there is still a bit of sunlight out so you can enjoy the scenery of the park. Then, once dusk is approaching head up to the observatory (top) floor in the Dolphin Museum so you can see the sunset on the city of Jia Yu Guan. Then as you exit the Dolphin Museum it will be dark and you will be able to see the dolphin lit up from outside the building.
The First Block the Great Wall 长城第一墩
The significance of this sight goes without saying. It is the first block of the longest wall created in the history of mankind. That being said…it kind of just a rock in the desert. However they do have an underground observatory/mini museum that you can enter and learn more about the area.
The surrounding area to me was more impressive than the block itself. Roaming a round the surrounding area and seeing the huts, rivers, bridges and everything else there is a good way to spend your time while in this area. I will say that this area is a must do if you are in Jia Yu Guan, if not for any other reason than to say that you’ve been to the first block in the construction of the Great Wall.
Jia Yu Guan Vineyard 嘉峪关葡萄园
If you’re into wine or would just like to see a vineyard in the middle of the desert this place will be worth a look. There are tours that will take you down to the cellars where all the wine is stored. They will show you how the wine was grown, made and even give you some samples of the wine. It’s pretty much your standard wine tour. At the end of the tour you will have the chance to purchase bottles of wine. Like with other vineyards these bottles of wine will be a bit more expensive. However, the good thing about China is that overall the cost of items are cheaper than in the U.S. So, if you were inclined to buy a bottle of wine (depending on which one) it wouldn’t necessarily break the bank.
Honestly, unless you are a wine aficionado, I would say that this is one of the places that you could go to if you’ve done everything else that you wanted to do and just wanted to kill a bit of time. The tours last a couple hours, so this can be one of the shorter timed activities that are planned while in Jia Yu Guan.
The Wetland Area
I personally didn’t have the time to visit the wetland area while in Jia Yu Guan, but it does see like a very interesting place to visit if you have the time. Being that Jia Yu Guan is the middle of the desert it still boggles my mind to know that there is a wetland area. It seems like a very rare place. It may be worth a visit to see the different ecosystem and wildlife that is inhabiting the area.
The only information that I can provide about this area is that the wetland area is not far from the city center and will only take about 30 minutes (more or less) to get there.
International Kev 