Lanzhou 5A National Attractions

🏛️ 5A National

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🏛️ 5A National Attractions · Lanzhou

Last verified 23 Aug 2025

Heads-up: Within Lanzhou city limits there are no national 5A scenic areas at present. The riverside belt (Zhongshan Bridge → White Pagoda Mountain → Waterwheel Park) is graded 4A, and the city has been working toward a 5A application for that corridor.

1 Quick Metrics

5A inside Lanzhou city

0 (current provincial list)

Nearest 5A (≤ ~3 h from downtown)

Bingling Temple (Yongjing / Linxia) · Maijishan (Tianshui) · Kongtong Mountain (Pingliang)

Typical ticket range

¥70–¥120 (site entry; boats/cableways extra)

Booking

Real-name QR widely used; buy via each site's official mini-program or on-site window

2 Why It Matters

Lanzhou works best as a hub: you sleep riverside, then day-trip to grottoes and sacred peaks that carry Gansu's top rating. This sets expectations (no 5A in town) while still unlocking world-class rock art and mountains within a comfortable radius.

3 Pro Tips

Bingling Temple (炳灵寺) — Go early from Liujiaxia Reservoir (speedboat 60–80 min, water level & wind can suspend boats). Combine with reservoir dam viewpoint; bring sun/hat for exposed cliff paths.

Maijishan (麦积山) — HSR to Tianshui South (~1.5–2 h) + shuttle/DiDi to the park. Expect vertical plank walkways; soft-soled shoes help.

Kongtong Mountain (崆峒山) — Best light 15:30–17:30 on the West Cliffs. Cableway + loop walkway saves knees; watch last car time.

4 5A Targets within Easy Reach (from Lanzhou)

🏛️

Yongjing, Linxia Prefecture (≈80–100 km S)

Bingling Temple Grottoes / 炳灵寺世界文化遗产旅游区

Tang–Ming cliff-cut Buddhas above a reservoir gorge

5A status confirmed by Gansu list; access by Liujiaxia boats.

🏔️

Tianshui (HSR + 1 h road)

Maijishan Grottoes Scenic Area / 天水市麦积山景区

Honeycomb of 1,600+ cliff caves linked by red plank walkways

Provincial 5A roster; doable long day trip.

⛰️

Pingliang (~2.5–3 h by road)

Kongtong Mountain Scenic Area / 国家重点风景名胜区崆峒山

Daoist sacred peak, stacked temples & stone ridges

Listed 5A in Gansu's official catalog.

FYI: Lanzhou's Yellow River Scenic Belt (Zhongshan Bridge, White Pagoda, Waterwheel Park) is a beloved 4A cluster now; the city has publicly discussed upgrading it to a unified 5A "urban riverfront" in the future, but it's not approved as 5A yet.

Map your days from a Lanzhou base—grottoes one day, Daoist peaks the next—No Tourist Traps. No BS.