4-Day Yan'an Tour

Morning: Arrival in Yan'an

Arrive Yan'an, a gateway to the Loess Plateau's rugged beauty. A private transfer takes you to your downtown hotel, offering glimpses of terraced hillsides dotted with traditional yaodong (cave dwellings). Check in and prepare to immerse yourself in the city's revolutionary legacy.

Afternoon: Yangjialing Revolutionary Site

Step into the heart of China's Communist Party history at this sprawling complex. From 1938–1943, Mao Zedong and other leaders lived and worked in hand-carved cave offices. Explore the Central Auditorium, where the 7th Party Congress reshaped China's future, and view original manuscripts, military maps, and propaganda posters in the onsite museum.

Evening: Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall

Dedicated to the Yan'an era (1935–1948), this museum blends artifacts with cutting-edge technology. Lifelike dioramas depict key moments like the Long March's conclusion, while interactive screens decode Mao's On Protracted War. Don't miss the replica of the Red Army's cave printing press, which produced ideological pamphlets under wartime scarcity.

Hotel: Yan'an Grand Hotel.

Morning: Hukou Waterfall

Witness the Yellow River's most dramatic moment as it narrows into a 30-meter-deep chasm, unleashing a thunderous roar. Known as “Smoke from the Water,” the cascade creates perpetual rainbows in sunlight. Walk the Hukou Plank Path to feel the mist on your skin and hear legends of Yu the Great's flood-taming feats.

Afternoon: Ansai Folk Village

A UNESCO-recognized hub of intangible heritage, this village celebrates Loess Plateau traditions. Master the frenetic rhythms of Ansai Waist Drum Dancing, a 2,000-year-old art mimicking ancient battles and harvest rituals. Participate in paper-cutting workshops, crafting intricate designs like Red Army Soldiers or Double Happiness symbols under local artisans' guidance.

Evening: Yan'an 1938 Cultural Block

This retro-themed street recreates 1930s Yan'an with cave-style theaters and Red Army reenactments. Savor Hongjun Buckwheat Dumplings—stuffed with wild herbs and lamb—at a communal long table. Cap the night with The East Is Red musical, a revolutionary opera blending folk songs and shadow puppetry.

Hotel: Yan'an Grand Hotel.

Morning: Ganquan Grand Canyon

Hike through wind-sculpted sandstone formations resembling frozen waves and honeycombs. The canyon's Heaven's Gate Arch frames panoramic views of the plateau, while hidden gullies echo with shepherds' folk tunes. Watch for desert flora like Caragana shrubs and endemic birds such as the crested ibis.

Afternoon: Fengzhuang Cave Dwelling Village

Experience sustainable living in yaodong homes carved into golden cliffs. Join villagers in preparing Zaochun (sorghum buns steamed with jujube) and learn how these earth-insulated dwellings stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Explore the Underground Granary, an ingenious Cold War-era food storage system still in use today.

Evening: Bao'an Pagoda Night View

Ascend Pagoda Hill to this Tang Dynasty icon, illuminated against Yan'an's skyline. The pagoda's nine tiers symbolize Buddhist cosmology, while its base houses stone tablets inscribed with Qing Dynasty poetry. Enjoy a farewell dinner of Yan'an Mutton Soup, slow-cooked with cumin and hand-pulled noodles.

Hotel: Yan'an Cave Dwelling Heritage Inn.

Morning: Huangdi Mausoleum

Honor the mythical Yellow Emperor, forefather of Chinese civilization, at his sacred burial site. Stroll among 50,000 ancient cypress trees, some over 3,000 years old, and visit Xuanyuan Temple to view stone steles inscribed by emperors from Han to Qing dynasties. Holographic projections revive Qingming Festival rituals honoring ancestral spirits.

Afternoon: Nanniwan Revolutionary Site

Once barren land transformed by the 359th Brigade's 1940s farming campaign, Nanniwan symbolizes self-reliance. Plant millet in demonstration fields, harvest honey from cliffside apiaries, and tour the Red Education Base showcasing handmade tools and diaries from the “Great Production Movement.”

Evening: Departure

Transfer to Yan'an Airport. Collect souvenirs like Ansai Paper-Cuts (delicate red designs symbolizing luck) or Yan'an Jujube (sweet dried dates). Optional last meal: Guo Kui (crispy stuffed flatbread) with Huanglong Rice Wine at a riverside eatery.