9-day route book for the Northwest Grand Ring Road: Qinggan Grand Ring Road + Hoh Xil + Mangya Aiken Spring + Dunhuang + Zhangye

The Northwest Grand Ring Line, also known as the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Ring Line, is a tourism ring line that passes through the two provinces of Qinghai and Gansu. The conventional Qinghai-Gansu Great Ring Route does not pass through Hoh Xil, one of the four uninhabited areas in China, Dongjinair Lake, Shuishui Yadan, Mangya "Devil's Eye" Aiken Spring, and Mangya Emerald Lake. Therefore, when planning the route, I deliberately added the itinerary of Dongtai Jinair Lake, Shuangyadan, Hoh Xil, Kunlun Pass, Mangya Aiken Spring, and Mangya Emerald Lake in order to make the journey of the Northwest Grand Ring Route more perfect.

Starting from Xining, the famous scenic spots passed along the way include: Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, Hoh Xil, Kunlun Mountains, Dongtai Jinaier Lake, Shuishui Yadan, Mangya Aiken Spring, Mangya Emerald Lake, Dunhuang (Mogao Grottoes, Crescent Spring), Zhangye Colorful Danxia, ??Qilian Mountain Prairie, Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers, etc.

The whole journey is 3,400 kilometers, and it takes 9 days to drive by car, with an average daily driving distance of 380 kilometers. (Traveling in the northwest no-man’s land, the average daily journey is 400 kilometers, which is within the normal range and is not rushed at all.)

Route: Departing from Xining, First arrive at Kumbum Monastery and visit for 2-3 hours, then have lunch in Huangzhong County. Driving over Laji Mountain, we drove all the way to watch the Riyue Mountain passed by Princess ** when she entered Tibet, as well as the legendary Daotang River formed by the tears of Princess **. We arrived at Qinghai Lake Erlangjian Scenic Area at about 2 pm. From June to September, rapeseed flowers bloom all over Qinghai Lake, with yellow flowers, lake green, sky blue, and snow white, spreading out to become the most classic business card of Qinghai Province. In the evening, go to Chaka to check in.

Attractions: Laji Mountain, Riyue Mountain, Daotang River, Qinghai Lake.

Mileage: 320 kilometers, 6 hours of driving.

Route: After breakfast, enter the real "Mirror of the Sky" Chaka Salt Lake Sky No. 1 Scenic Area. To see the beautiful side of Chaka Salt Lake, you need to spend time waiting for the right wind volume, light, white clouds, blue sky and other conditions. Three hours is more suitable. After lunch, pass through Dulan and drive to Golmud City, which is known as the "Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Roof of the World, and Kunlun Culture". On the way, we pass through Dulan County and visit the nearby Xiangride Panchen Monastery or the Sea of ??Flowers in Haisi Temple. Overnight in Golmud City .

Attractions: Chaka Salt Lake, Xiangride Panchen Palace, Sea of ??Flowers at Haisi Temple.

Mileage: 480 kilometers, 6 hours of driving.

Route: Departing from Golmud, the car drives through the vast and desolate no-man’s land. The roads are vast and desolate, and Tibetan antelopes can be vaguely seen. Passing Nachitai and Xidatan, overlooking the majestic and bright Yuzhu Peak (6178 meters above sea level), visit the Wuji Dragon and Phoenix Palace where the Chinese nation is "the descendant of the dragon and the descendant of the phoenix". After passing the Kunlun Mountain Pass (4767 meters), we arrived at the legendary cold spring that never freezes all year round. It is known as the "holy water on earth and the nectar of icebergs". In the afternoon, drive back to Golmud, overlooking the Hoh Xil No Man’s Land at the Suonandajie Protection Station, an outpost of the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve. Overnight in Golmud.

Attractions: Hoh Xil, Kunlun Pass, Yuzhu Peak, Wuji Dragon and Phoenix Palace, Freezing Spring.

Mileage: 360 kilometers, 6 hours of driving.

Route: Depart from Golmud, visit the new Internet celebrity attraction "Qinghai Maldives" Dongtai Jinair Lake, arrive at "Qaidam" at about 2 p.m. A city on the water in no-man’s land” Usut Water Yadan, feel the uncanny craftsmanship of nature. In the afternoon, we passed through Huanggualiang and Laomangya, and experienced the G315 national highway, which separates Lop Nur and Hoh Xil, two of China's four largest uninhabited areas, and felt the loneliness and magnificence of the uninhabited areas. Overnight in Huatugou, Mangya Town.

Attractions: Dongtai Jinair Lake, Xitai Jinair Lake, Wusut Water Yadan.

Mileage: 600 kilometers, 9 hours of driving.

Route: Start from Huatugou and head towards the depths of Alar Grassland to explore Aiken Spring, known as the "Eye of the Devil" in Mangya. Aiken Spring, located in the vast desert, is like boiling water, constantly rolling and rising. The sulfur minerals around the spring have been precipitated for a long time, forming a colorful and unusual pupil shape, like an eye embedded in the earth. . In the afternoon, visit Mangya Emerald Lake, and then continue to stay in Huatugou.

Attractions: Aiken Spring Devil’s Eye, Mangya Emerald Lake.

Mileage: 260 kilometers, 4 hours of driving.

Route: Starting from Huatugou, passing through Laomangya, Huanggualiang and Oboliang. Oboliang is independent from other Yadan sandy lands and is covered with towering forests. You can overlook the dense and mysterious Devil City nearby, as if you are on Mars. All the way north, the vehicle travels through the endless Gobi and Yadan landforms, with unknown salt lakes dotted on both sides of the road. In the afternoon, pass through Lenghu and Aksai, visit the Lenghu Yadan Landform (Qinghai Devil City), and arrive at Dunhuang, which has the "Dream Shazhou and World Buddha Capital" on the Silk Road and Hexi Corridor. Ji Xianlin once said: "The four major civilization systems in the world: China, India, Greece, and Islam; the place where they meet is Dunhuang."

Attractions: Oboliang, Lenghu Yadan Jifei, Dunhuang.

Mileage: 558 kilometers, 9 hours of driving.

Route: Take a bus to the Mogao Grottoes, known as the "Louvre of the East" and one of the "Four Great Grottoes in China". In the Mogao Grottoes, the flying murals will last forever. After the visit, we will go to Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring at 3 pm. During the visit, you can ride a camel and stay overnight in Dunhuang.

Attractions: Mogao Grottoes, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring.

Mileage: 10 kilometers, driving time 0.5 hours.

Route: Depart from Dunhuang, pass through Guazhou and Yumen, and arrive at Jiayuguan Pass, the "City of Steel and the Great Wall West Pass" standing in the Gobi at about 2 p.m. Along the way, you can overlook the ever-lasting snow on the top of the Qilian Mountains, as well as the spectacular and well-proportioned wind power stations on the Gobi Desert. More than 2,000 years ago, Huo Qubing, the hussar general of the Western Han Dynasty, campaigned in Hexi. Today, I can vaguely feel those legendary and prosperous years through the car window. In the evening, drive to Linze County to check in.

Attractions: Yumen Pass, Jiayuguan Pass, Qilian Mountain.

Mileage: 550 kilometers, 5.5 hours of driving.

Route: Depart from Linze and visit the "Danxia Landform, Colorful Hills" Zhangye Colorful Danxia in the morning. Then, pass through Ebao Town, arrive at the Qilian Prairie, climb over the Dongshu Pass (4120 meters above sea level), and come to Menyuan to enjoy the hundreds of miles of rapeseed fields (open in early July). Overlook the Gangshika Snow Mountain (5254 meters), cross the Daban Pass (3940 meters), view the Heiquan Reservoir by car, and finally arrive at the terminal in Xining, ending the impressive journey of the Northwest Great Ring.

Attractions: Zhangye Colorful Danxia, ??Qilian Prairie, Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers, and Black Spring Reservoir.

Mileage: 420 kilometers, 6.5 hours of driving.

1. Safety issues: Not only does Hoh Xil have a harsh climate, but there are also wild animals such as wolves and brown bears in the depths. Do not cross without permission. Ordinary tourists can only reach the Sonamdaje Monument to view Hoh Xil.

2. Altitude sickness: The altitude near Hoh Xil, Bufrost Spring, and Kunlun Pass is about 4,600 meters, which is prone to altitude sickness. You can bring anti-altitude sickness items such as glucose and oxygen bottles in advance.

3. Ticket reservation: There is a maximum daily limit for tickets to the Mogao Grottoes Scenic Area, and advance reservation is required.

4. Mileage description: For self-driving tourist routes such as the Qinghai-Tibet Line and the Northwest Great Ring Road, the scenic spots are far apart, and most of the journey is in deserts and uninhabited areas. There are no sharp turns on mountain roads that require slowing down. , Even if you are traveling by car, the average daily driving distance is 400-500 kilometers, which is very normal, so there is no need to worry.

The eternal wasteland, the sea of ??stars, the overlapping peaks, and the boundless grassland constitute the memory of the Northwest Great Ring. Looking at any domestic tourist route, no one can combine vastness, wildness, depth, gentleness and tenderness like the Northwest Grand Ring Road.

This lonely, vast, savage, desolate, silent but vibrant area, if you don’t go there once in your life, how can this world be considered worthwhile?