Tucked away in the Gansu Province of north-west China, there’s a rainbow that never fades. Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park, also known as the Rainbow Mountains, is a 24-million-year-old formation that trumps the elusive pot of gold every time. Shaped by eons of wind and rain, these sandstone, mudstone and gravel domes in a kaleidoscope of colours reach up to 3800 metres high, and have remained virtually undisturbed by humans.
Drop in on a balmy afternoon during September, when the golden autumn light is strong and the palette of colours – rosy red, blood orange, sunny yellow and even a hint of dusty blue – are at their most vivid. Choose your viewpoint and lose yourself in nature’s psychedelic hills.
Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park, where the Rainbow Mountains are situated, is about a half-hour drive from Zhangye.
We recommend nabbing a spot near the viridescent rapeseed fields in neighbouring Qilian County for striking juxtaposition.