Dunhuang West Line Tour | Watch a Desert Sunset.

Compared to the East Line, the Dunhuang West Line has more attractions, but you will return to the city around 10 PM. You can choose to rent a car based on your situation. Route: Silk Road Heritage City - West Thousand Buddha Caves - Yangguan Pass - Yumenguan Pass - Yadan Geological Park [Silk Road Heritage City]: I didn't visit this attraction. It consists of newly built structures, which are more suitable for those who like to take photos. [West Thousand Buddha Caves]: Located in the western section of the Mogao Caves, the tickets are cheap, and you can get a guided tour of four caves. The West Thousand Buddha Caves were more likely funded by ancient commoners. The murals inside are not as impressive as those in the Mogao Caves, but they are still quite beautiful. [Yangguan Pass]: Yangguan Pass is a privately built attraction. The scenic area includes immersive NPC interactions and requires a shuttle bus ride. In reality, only the ancient beacon tower and the newly built Yangguan Road remain. [Yumenguan Pass]: Yumenguan Pass has three attractions. You will first visit Dafangpan City (an ancient granary site) and the Han Great Wall, and finally the Yumenguan Pass ruins. [Yadan Geological Park]: For Yadan, you must join an off-road vehicle tour for a deeper experience. Regular tours only visit five viewing platforms with a ten-minute time limit at each, which is barely enough for photos and doesn't allow close-up views. Off-road vehicles can take you to many more spots, and the Yadan landforms are more spectacular. You can witness the entire sunset. On the way back, the driver will show you the starry sky. However, it was too cold at night, so I took a few photos and returned to the car. Some people might find [Yangguan Pass] and [Yumenguan Pass] uninteresting, but I feel that as time passes, only these yellow earth remnants are left for us to see, which is quite poignant. Especially considering that there might have been prosperous small towns near these ruins, one can only lament the ruthlessness of time.