Introducing Lánzhōu
The first major city along the Yellow River (Huáng Hé), Gānsù’s capital has been an important garrison town since ancient times. Following the communist victory and the city’s integration into the expanding rail network, Lánzhōu developed quickly, perhaps too quickly – for a time in the late 1990s it was considered the world’s most polluted city.
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Lánzhōu is a major transport hub, and the beginning of some epic overland journeys into Xīnjiāng, Sìchuān and Tibet. While there are a number of great destinations surrounding the capital, there’s little reason to linger here any longer than it takes to extend your visa or book your train ticket.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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Re: Advice for best route for family through China and Nepal
by Asiatraveller1710 13 September 2011
The best tibetan place in China, outside Tibet, is Xiahe. Zhongdian in Yunnan was kind of a dissappointment, but Xiahe (2-3 hours from…
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Train trip Nanning-Xi'an-Urumqui
by serblanco 06 September 2011
Hello fellow travellers!! I'm planning to travel a sort of Silk Road starting from Phnom Penh, then Vietnam, China, Kazakhstan, Russia…
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RE: Cafe Java in Xining, Qinghai
by Jack87 03 September 2011
I live in Lanzhou, so close. I will visit some day.
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