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China AttractionBooking guide for foreign visitors
Mogao Caves

Mogao Caves tickets for foreigners

莫高窟 — one recommended booking path, with clear steps.

Last checked 20 Oct 2026

Photo: N509FZ / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

WeChat only — Academy forbids third parties

At a glance

Book ahead?
Required — real-name timed booking
Where
WeChat service account / mini-program「莫高窟参观预约网」(Academy-named)
When tickets release
Site booking window on mgk ticket page: 07:00–22:00; individual account one purchase / 30 days, max 5 tickets (page rules).
Open & closed days
Peak 1 Apr–30 Nov 08:00–18:00 (last entry 16:10); off-peak 1 Dec–31 Mar 09:00–17:00 (last entry 15:10).
Price
Live CNY table is an image on mgk.org.cn — amounts not copied this pass (Check). Trip Non-Chinese Residents SKU ~US$38.61 exists but Academy forbids third parties — not recommended.
Hours
Peak last entry 16:10; off-peak last entry 15:10. Arrive Digital Exhibition Center ≥30 minutes early.
Passport on entry
Academy path for foreign passport / HK·Macau·Taiwan permit: WeChat menu 预约购票 → Ticket Booking. Passport field on that form = Check (not filmed). Bring passport + paper 购票信息单 after regular tickets.
Getting there
Digital Exhibition Center: 阳关东路8899号 (ticket / film hub). Cave zone has no ticket office — do not go straight to the cliffs first.
Time needed
Allow half+ day (film + caves); special caves separate limited product
Recommended path

WeChat「莫高窟参观预约网」→ Ticket Booking

Dunhuang Academy 2026-03-30 notice is explicit: foreign passports use the WeChat service account menu 预约购票 → Ticket Booking. No third party is authorized. www.mgk.org.cn booking is travel-agency login only. WeChat passport fields and foreign-card pay = Check (not filmed this pass).

Open Academy 2026 opening notice

Last checked 20 Oct 2026 · How we verify

Step-by-step booking guide

  1. 1

    Read the Academy rule

    Open the 2026 opening notice on dha.ac.cn (2026-03-30). Note Digital Center 30-minute early arrival, caps, and the no-third-party sentence.

  2. 2

    Follow WeChat「莫高窟参观预约网」

    Service account and mini-program share that name. Menu path stated by the Academy: 预约购票 → Ticket Booking (menu not clicked outside WeChat).

  3. 3

    Book with passport details

    Passport / permit traveler fields on Ticket Booking = Check (not filmed). Do not use Trip.com as authorized primary.

  4. 4

    Collect paper slip, then enter

    Regular / concession: exchange 莫高窟购票信息单 at staffed window or kiosk, then enter with slip + passport. Full-price emergency: ID check at 展2. Cave zone is not the ticket office.

Key pitfalls

  • Academy notice and live mgk popup: no third party is authorized — do not treat Trip.com “Official partner” as authorization.
  • www.mgk.org.cn/booking redirects to 旅行社登录 (agency login) — not individual passport checkout.
  • Hotline 4008-333-715 is consult only (08:30–16:30 on the notice) — no phone booking.
  • Arrive at the Digital Exhibition Center ≥30 minutes early; caves have no ticket window.
  • 2019 help pages still online are outdated — do not follow 散客注册 web steps.
  • Staffed-hours conflict: notice 08:30–16:30 vs mgk page 08:00–16:30 — Check.

If it doesn’t work

Backup options

Brief backups — not competing primary paths.

Longer guide on this siteSee /guides/mogao-caves-tickets-foreigners/ for the passport-focused write-up (kept live).
Hotline 4008-333-715Consult only, 08:30–16:30 on the March notice. Complaint 400-111-0937 (09:00–17:30).
Trip.com Non-Chinese Residents (~US$38.61)UNAUTHORIZED / RISK — Academy forbids third parties. Listed only so you recognize the SKU; we do not recommend it. Passport field was not reached on Trip this pass.

Getting there & nearby

Digital Exhibition Center: 阳关东路8899号 (ticket / film hub). Cave zone has no ticket office — do not go straight to the cliffs first.

Nearby on this guide

Check before you go

Unverified or may have changed — confirm on the booking channel.

  • WeChat Ticket Booking passport / permit field labels — Check (not filmed).
  • WeChat date/slot grid, CNY prices, Alipay / WeChat / foreign cards — Check.
  • Whether mini-program and service-account Ticket Booking are the same form — Check.
  • Live numeric Mogao fares (price table is an image) — Check.
  • Hotline staffed hours 08:30 vs 08:00 conflict — Check.

FAQ

Can I buy Mogao on Trip.com?

A Non-Chinese Residents SKU (~US$38.61) appears on Trip, but the Academy 2026 notice says no third party is authorized. We do not recommend Trip as the Mogao path.

Where do foreigners book?

WeChat service account「莫高窟参观预约网」→ 预约购票 → Ticket Booking (Academy wording). Form fields = Check (not filmed).

Can I call to book?

No. Hotline 4008-333-715 is consultation only.

What about www.mgk.org.cn?

Agency portal. Individual booking redirects to travel-agency login.

Sources

  • dha.ac.cnDunhuang Academy 2026-03-30 opening notice — Ticket Booking path, no third party, caps, hours · accessed 20 Oct 2026
  • mgk.org.cnOfficial ticket portal — agency login; 散客扫码预订; no-third-party popup · accessed 20 Oct 2026
  • trip.comTrip Non-Chinese Residents ~US$38.61 (secondary / unauthorized; passport field not reached) · accessed 20 Oct 2026
  • simplechinatrip.comExisting Simple China Trip Mogao foreigners guide (kept live) · accessed 20 Oct 2026