The intriguing Mati Si - literally Horse-hoof Temple - is located in the tiny Tibetan town of MATI in mountains about 60km south of Zhangye. It's a complex of Buddhist caves carved into a cliff face connected by a series of back-breaking passageways, tunnels, balconies and stairways. Once in Mati, finding the cave temples is easy - people will crowd around to show you the way. Apart from the Mati Si, there are other temples and monasteries dotted around the area, all within walking distance. Overall, Mati has an interesting atmosphere, and is full of cheerful Tibetans offering you rides on their horses. The countryside around is an area of cool pine forests, mountains and grasslands.

 

To visit Mati, you'll need an Alien Travel Permit from the Zhangye PSB. The fourth-floor office on Qingnian Xi Jie issues the permit in minutes without fuss. On summer weekends tourist minibuses costing ¥12 each way leave for Mati at 7am, returning at 5pm. Otherwise, you'll need to stay a couple of nights in Mati - the only bus from Zhangye's main bus station leaves at 3pm and takes three or four hours, while the bus coming back from Mati leaves at 7am. The ride costs around ¥6 each way. You'll find cheap accommodation (up to ¥75) in the immediate vicinity of the bus station in Mati.