Jiayuguan Fortress
Jiayuguan Fortress
4
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
171 reviews
Excellent
60
Very good
68
Average
34
Poor
6
Terrible
3
Anne B
Beijing, China74 contributions
Oct 2020 • Friends
The place is historically very important but honestly we did not get very much from the whole story behind.
Some explanations in English are hardly to understand, others are better.
Might be a good idea to take the audio guide to understand more about the background and give better ideas about the life which happened in the Fortress.
Some explanations in English are hardly to understand, others are better.
Might be a good idea to take the audio guide to understand more about the background and give better ideas about the life which happened in the Fortress.
Written October 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zarza's Travels
Auckland, New Zealand1,000 contributions
Jul 2021 • Friends
It wasn't quite what I was expecting, very modern and not much information available about the history of the place. Having seen several sections of the wall, this was probably the least impressive. I think if you only have a short time here, missing this and going straight to the part of the wall you can climb is probably your best bet! Was quite busy when I went, lots of selfie requests and people blocking quite small paths trying to get the perfect picture. In summary, it was ok, but nothing special.
Written July 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin T
Launceston, Australia32 contributions
Apr 2016 • Couples
A must see for anyone travelling the Silk Road as this was a strategic military post along the ancient route. Mid-April was a fantastic time to visit Jiayuguan Pass as the weather was mild (cool) and there were very few foreign tourists. Apparently during the high season the site is crammed full of tourists and the weather is 'boiling' hot. The wall here looks very different to the Great Wall that you see north of Beijing. Here the wall is constructed of compressed mud rather than the bricks and mortar used in other parts of the wall. Have someone explain the 'traps' that were built into the fort's construction as well as the 'single' brick (you'll know it when you see it).
From the fortress walls you can see snow capped mountains to the south and dark coloured desert hills to the north. The 15km wide gap (pass) between the two is the reason the wall and the fortress are here.
Located next to the wall is the Great Wall Museum which is full of historical artefacts and information related to the construction and maintenance of entire Great Wall. Once again, well worth a visit.
Some Tips:
-Wear comfortable shoes as there is quite a bit of walking involved (although you can hire a bicycle)
- Unless you are a fluent Chinese speaker / reader..get a good local guide otherwise much will be missed due to a lack of understanding.
- it can be very windy on top of the fortress so it's worthwhile getting a face mask to protect your mouth and nose from blowing sand.
- If you intend travelling further along the Silk Road to Dunhuang, skip the camel rides here at Jiayuguan. The camel rides offered at Dunhuang are much better.
From the fortress walls you can see snow capped mountains to the south and dark coloured desert hills to the north. The 15km wide gap (pass) between the two is the reason the wall and the fortress are here.
Located next to the wall is the Great Wall Museum which is full of historical artefacts and information related to the construction and maintenance of entire Great Wall. Once again, well worth a visit.
Some Tips:
-Wear comfortable shoes as there is quite a bit of walking involved (although you can hire a bicycle)
- Unless you are a fluent Chinese speaker / reader..get a good local guide otherwise much will be missed due to a lack of understanding.
- it can be very windy on top of the fortress so it's worthwhile getting a face mask to protect your mouth and nose from blowing sand.
- If you intend travelling further along the Silk Road to Dunhuang, skip the camel rides here at Jiayuguan. The camel rides offered at Dunhuang are much better.
Written April 21, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
worldnomad_01
Los Angeles, CA1,596 contributions
Sep 2014 • Couples
As others have mentioned, the fortress was entirely rebuilt but it still made for a very interesting and enjoyable place for us. The architecture of the buildings, the small Daoist temple, the acrobats, the people in uniforms of the time recreating ancient battles, the interesting guy, dressed in a historic costume, selling "ancient" Chinese "passports" with your name on it and a variety of other merchants selling all kind of stuff, they all contributed to a very enjoyable time. Bactrian camel riding is available or, for more excitement, you could try a motorized delta wing flight, which will surely make you feel so happy once you're back on solid ground.
We had a blast ...
We had a blast ...
Written October 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Foo Vung T
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia94 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
Before stepping into this Fortress, one should google and understand the history of this place. The place is well maintained. However it can be crowded with loads of tour buses. The place is not huge. If you have a guide, it will be even more meaningful.
Written September 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Walter v
Beijing, China40 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
The fortress is fascinating in many aspects. First and foremost because of it's location (Hexi corridor, just in between two mountains) and history. The fort has been renovated well, but it makes it a bit too 'sculptured' at the same time. In the surroundings, many efforts are mad to lute tourists, such as camel rides, quad rids, arrow shooting etc.
In the background you see the 'booming' city: huge steel and coal factories. I actually found that charming in a way. This is the 'real' China.
In the background you see the 'booming' city: huge steel and coal factories. I actually found that charming in a way. This is the 'real' China.
Written April 29, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shareru
Amsterdam, The Netherlands56 contributions
May 2016 • Friends
As others have mentioned this fortress has been restored. However not rebuilt from the ground up. Although I'm not a fan of these massive restorations, once you see the exhibition after entry you understand why it is necessary. In only several decades in the 20th century big parts of the wall started crumbling down and restorations are needed to save it. You can question the way it is done, but all in all it gives an impression of what it must have looked like when it was fully functional.
It is unfortunate that there isn't more information here about the way of life in the fortress, instead there games that can be played, like bow and arrow or riding a camel. Could be nice if you're here with kids. Without rushing or stalling it took us 1,5 hrs. Skip the little cart at the entrance, it's a very short walk to the fortress entrance. We found the exit to be confusing, but it seems which ever road you take you'll end up at the same exit, which is different from the entrance.
For a visit to the Fortress and Wall we paid 100rmb to our taxi driver to drive us and wait. We skipped the sign post even though it is included in the 120rmb ticket for the three sites.
I found the photo opps to be limited as much of the surrounding area is heavy industry. Still an interesting place to visit.
It is unfortunate that there isn't more information here about the way of life in the fortress, instead there games that can be played, like bow and arrow or riding a camel. Could be nice if you're here with kids. Without rushing or stalling it took us 1,5 hrs. Skip the little cart at the entrance, it's a very short walk to the fortress entrance. We found the exit to be confusing, but it seems which ever road you take you'll end up at the same exit, which is different from the entrance.
For a visit to the Fortress and Wall we paid 100rmb to our taxi driver to drive us and wait. We skipped the sign post even though it is included in the 120rmb ticket for the three sites.
I found the photo opps to be limited as much of the surrounding area is heavy industry. Still an interesting place to visit.
Written May 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alan-Phillips6
Auckland Central, New Zealand20 contributions
Jun 2015 • Solo
It was fascinating.... you dont get as many tourists as you do when visiting the wall in Beijing and in other areas - and that is the beauty of it. It is easily accessible. It is also not as commercialised.
I like the fact that local people in this region are highly dependant on tourism as they go the extra mile and they want you to tell others about the place.
You also see more of tancient and the real China that we read in history books. T
Its remote and one can enjoy the region without the hustle and bustle of the 2 largest cities in China. - that is good.
Furthermore you get to see blue sky all the time.
I like the fact that local people in this region are highly dependant on tourism as they go the extra mile and they want you to tell others about the place.
You also see more of tancient and the real China that we read in history books. T
Its remote and one can enjoy the region without the hustle and bustle of the 2 largest cities in China. - that is good.
Furthermore you get to see blue sky all the time.
Written June 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DawgAbroad
Seattle, Washington24 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
As other reviewers have mentioned this is no longer a historical site, but a re-creation of one. Save your time and skip this entire area of Gansu, as everything is "restored" in the Chinese way, meaning it's not so much restored as it is torn down and rebuilt. Total waste of time and money.
Written August 15, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stubie6
Canberra, Australia12 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
We were excited to come to Jiayuguan to see a part of history but ended up finding this place- a recreation through the eyes of Chinese tourism. The fort might as well be in the outskirts of Beijing since it's a total reconstruction. Even though the whole thing looked new, many parts of the site were being renovated when we were there so totally unaccessible. The ticket price was something like 120kuai/pp despite most of the place being closed. The lake was a dried up bog. Vendors inside desperately tried to sell you bicycles, knik-knaks, archery, costume-photos, puppet shows, etc as if they knew you were bored.
The fool who designed the place cut corners. Cannons (yes, cannons) lined the walls but were universally falling off their mounts and there was rubbish everywhere. You can safely conclude your money is going straight into the corrupt officials pockets who ruined the site in the first place.
The fool who designed the place cut corners. Cannons (yes, cannons) lined the walls but were universally falling off their mounts and there was rubbish everywhere. You can safely conclude your money is going straight into the corrupt officials pockets who ruined the site in the first place.
Written August 5, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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