01City Guide
Mogao Caves
莫高窟
All Ages
Admission
Reservation required; choose a regular or emergency visit online.
Typical Visit
Half a day
Quick Facts
Ticket
Free entry; stamping and craft activities cost extra
Hours
09:00–21:00
Transport
No metro. About CNY 6 by taxi from Dunhuang Bookstore; nearby accommodation can be within walking distance.
Duration
2–3 hours
Best Time
A useful indoor city stop at any time of day
Visitors
All ages
How to Visit
1
Travel to Dunhuang Seal Studio near Danghe East Road and Xiangyun Road
The studio is about 120 m south of the intersection of Danghe East Road and Xiangyun Road. A taxi from Dunhuang Bookstore is about CNY 6, and nearby accommodation can also be within walking distance. The listed hours are 09:00–21:00 and entry is free.
Tip:Free entry does not mean that all stamping and craft activities are free.
2
Start with the free-stamp area in the basement
Bring an empty notebook or obtain one on site, then start in the free-stamp area. There are hundreds of free stamps, while popular periods can leave little table space.
Tip:Complete the free stamps first, then decide whether to pay for colour stamp sets, rubbings, or roller stamps so you do not change your budget after queueing.
3
Add crafts after stamping when travelling with children
Schedule clay tablet painting, mural copying, or incense-bead bracelet making after stamping. The listed visit time is 2–3 hours, and there are many suitable craft activities for children.
Tip:The stamping tables are small and adults may need to help when it is busy.
4
Finish in the café area and continue the city culture route
Rest in the ground-floor café area after stamping, then browse the cultural products. For a city culture route, visit Dunhuang Museum, Dunhuang Wujie, Dunhuang Seal Studio, then Dunhuang Bookstore to reduce backtracking.
Tip:Coffee and workshops are charged separately, so read the activity details before setting your time and spending.
Highlights
- A Dunhuang-themed stamping venue with designs including flying apsaras, the nine-coloured deer, and caisson patterns.
- The basement combines stamping, rubbings, and several hands-on craft activities.
- A former waterworks site adapted into a space that combines industrial interiors with Dunhuang elements.
- A ground-floor café, reading area, and cultural-products section provide a useful city break.
Insider Tips
✦Bringing your own notebook is simplest; buying one on site adds both cost and choosing time.
✦Arrive soon after opening for popular stamps and less pressure on table space.
✦Choose paid activities individually rather than trying to buy every experience to collect all stamps.
✦Coffee and workshops are charged separately, so read the activity details before setting your time and spending.
More Dunhuang Attractions
02City Guide
Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake
鸣沙山月牙泉
All Ages
Admission
CNY 110 peak-season adult ticket; passport adult tickets are available. Shuttles and activities cost extra.
Typical Visit
3-5 hours; longer if adding a later dune climb
03Historic Walk
Dunhuang Museum
敦煌博物馆
All Ages
Admission
Individual visitors collect an entry ticket with valid ID; groups reserve in advance.
Typical Visit
2-2.5 hours
04Historic Walk
Encore Dunhuang Show
又见敦煌演出
Adults Focused
Admission
Separate performance ticket required; choose a ticketed showtime.
Typical Visit
About 90 minutes, plus entry time
05Food District
Shazhou Night Market
沙洲夜市
All Ages
Admission
Free entry.
Typical Visit
1-3 hours
06Historic Walk
Yangguan Scenic Area
阳关景区
All Ages
Admission
CNY 50 admission plus a CNY 20 sightseeing bus; CNY 90 combined admission ticket with Yumen Pass, with sightseeing buses extra.
Typical Visit
2-3 hours