Zhangye Travel Guide

Zhangye Travel Guide

Zhangye (simplified Chinese: 张掖; pinyin: Zhāngyì) is a prefecture-level city in China's Gansu province.

Due to the strategic importance in its military and geographical location, Zhangye became the center of politics, economy, culture and diplomatic activities of every past dynasty in the north-western part of China. Zhangye was one of the four counties in Hexi Corridor (the Western River) in ancient times and was once known as Ganzhou.

Situated in the central part of Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province, Zhangye is adjacent to Wuwei area and Jinchang city to the east and connected with Jiuquan area to the west, which makes it the joint point that links the southern and northern routes of the Old Silk Road with the Juyan Old Path. Zhangye witenesses a unique vision of lonely desert and flourishing oasis with the Qilian Mountain standing in the south, the Heli Hill and Longshou Hill lying in the north and the Black River running though the whole area. The plain land and fertile soil contribute a lot to its luxuriant forests, abundant grain and fragrant melon and fruit. Jokuls, grasslands, green waters and desserts reflect one anotherand stage a spectacle of particular interest with both charms of southland and amorous feelings of the Great Wall. There are such fine verses as "I' ll never forget the snow on the Qilian Mountain and I' ve miataken Ganzhou for Jiangnan (the prosperous part in south of the Changjiang River)" to describe it.

Climatic Features: continental climate with the average sunlight of over 3000 hours annually; coldest in January and hottest in July and the comfortable months for travel is from June to September

Average Temperature: 7C annually
Rainfall: annual average rainfall 104-459mm