We had visited the Mogao caves the day before. We visited here as part of a day tour. Some of the paintings in the caves were really beautiful and they are really ancient and original. However, the tour felt quite rushed. We went in 4 caves and were finished in 20 minutes. After introducing the caves, the guide moved to the next one very quickly. I would have liked to have more time to look around, but had to follow the group.

They might not be as well preserved as the Mogao Caves due to their geological conditions, but they are impressive and of more communal, lived in character. Unfortunately only one statue from the Northern Zhou period is left (which is very rare!), even if the caves were not discovered by Western collectors. When you visit, a local guide opens the caves for 3 people max. at the time and guides you, explaining intricate details that are unique to the caves (e.g. the Republican era face paintings, Tibetan and Uighur styles etc.). Not sure if they have English guides, however, but even if you don’t speak Chinese they’re still worth a visit for people interested in history.