Zhangye Danxia National Geopark (Linze)

Zhangye Danxia National Geopark, in Linze County near Zhangye in Gansu, China, is a UNESCO-listed landscape of striped sandstone hills in the Qilian foothills. Over millions of years, layers of red, orange, yellow and green mineral-stained rock were folded, uplifted and eroded into rippled ridges, ravines and towers, and the result looks as if the hills were painted in bands. The park lies about 40 km west of Zhangye city, and visitors move around it by a compulsory shuttle bus that runs between four main viewing platforms. Each platform offers a different view. Some look across broad fields of banded ridges, others look down on narrow ravines or toward formations given names such as the Seven-Coloured Mountain, and each is reached by a boardwalk or stairway of varying length. The steps between platforms can be steep, and the viewing decks fill up around sunrise and sunset. The park is a photographer's destination, as the colours change dramatically with light and weather. They appear most vivid at sunrise, at sunset and just after rain, while midday sun tends to flatten the effect. The ticket is valid for two days, which lets visitors return for both sunset and sunrise sessions. A full visit takes about three to four hours, and shuttles run about every 15 minutes during the day. Crowds are heaviest around sunset and at the platforms nearest the entrance, and during summer holidays and national holidays the queues for buses and viewpoints can be long. Visitors seeking quieter conditions can arrive early and move to the farther platforms first. The air is dry and the sun strong, so water, a hat and sunscreen are useful, and a windproof layer helps in the morning. Opening hours and ticket prices change by season, and visitors should verify them before travelling.