Tips for a 7-day trip to the Northwest: From Qinghai Lake to Dunhuang and Zhangye, every beautiful scene is unforgettable

Gansu and Qinghai are located in the northwest region of my country. One is located in the Hexi Corridor, which was an important transportation artery on the ancient Silk Road; the other is located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which is the only way to connect the mainland and Tibet. The province is separated by the Qilian Mountains. Although they belong to two sides of the mountain range, forming different natural landscapes and humanities and histories, the beautiful scenery and great culture are indeed connected.

Starting from Xining, Qinghai, passing through Qinghai Lake, detouring through Dunhuang and entering Gansu, and then crossing the Qilian Mountains from Zhangye back to Qinghai. This long northwest Gansu-Qinghai loop attracts many Chinese and foreign tourists every year due to its many beautiful scenery. Come and have fun. Below, Mr. Qingjiao will take you on this large loop route and enjoy the most beautiful scenery in the world in 7 days!

Transportation: Since there are many cities to visit on the Grand Ring Road, various small attractions are scattered in different locations, and the public transportation in this area is not too convenient, so small tours are highly recommended. Friends choose to drive or charter a car to travel. All major travel websites have formal car charter services, and prices fluctuate depending on the off-peak and peak seasons.

Accommodation: After arranging the route, book the hotel for the night online in advance. The earlier, the cheaper it will be.

Note: This area has a high altitude, so pay attention to altitude sickness and sun protection. You can bring some medicine to treat high fever, diarrhea, colds, and scrapes. There is a big temperature difference between morning and evening, so be sure to add layers of clothing.

Starting from Xining city, our journey begins at Kumbum Monastery in Huangzhong County. Founded in the twelfth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1379), Kumbum Monastery is the birthplace of Lama Tsongkhapa. Because there is a large silver pagoda in memory of Lama Tsongkhapa and then a temple, it is named Kumbum Monastery. This is the Buddhist center of Qinghai and even northwest my country, a national 5A-level scenic spot, and the most popular landscape on the northwest Gansu-Qinghai Ring Road.

Tour recommendations: Kumbum Monastery covers an area of ??450,000 square meters. The buildings are built on the mountain and combine the styles of Han palaces and Tibetan flat-roofs, including the Babao Ruyi Pagoda, the Dajinwa Temple, There are more than a thousand buildings such as the Great Sutra Hall, Maitreya Hall, Jiujian Hall, Xiaohua Temple, and Xiaojinwa Temple, all of which are large in scale. The temple also has the famous "Three Wonders of Kumbum Temple Art" butter flowers, murals and embroidery.

Tickets: 70 yuan in peak season. 40 yuan in off-season.

After leaving Kumbum Monastery and walking for 1 hour, you will reach Laji Mountain. Laji Mountain is located in Hainan Prefecture and is a branch of Riyue Mountain. It is called "Gong Maola" in Tibetan, which means the place where Gala Chicken (stone chicken) inhabits. It is the boundary mountain between Xining and Hainan Prefecture. The mountains wind from west to east. The highest peak is 4,524 meters above sea level. The Laji Mountain Pass, which is 3,820 meters above sea level, is where the Ningguo Highway passes through.

Recommended tours: Laji Mountain is the only way from Xining to Qinghai Lake. The altitude continues to climb along the way. There are endless mountains along the way. Some places are exposed rocks, and some places are exposed. It is covered with alpine meadows where many cattle and sheep graze. Due to the high altitude, many friends will have high reflexes, so it is not recommended to play for a long time.

Tickets: Free. Large prayer flags are NT$20.

Leaving Laji Mountain, passing through Riyue Mountain and Daotang River, we arrived at Erlangjian, the core landscape of Qinghai Lake. Erlangjian, also known as Base 151, is located on the south side of Qinghai Lake. It is a long and narrow peninsula deep into the lake. It is named because it is shaped like a sword. It is also a national 5A-level scenic spot, mainly featuring the ecology of grasslands, beaches, animals, etc. Natural landscapes and folk cultural activities are the main contents.

Tour recommendations: Erlangjian Scenic Area is not too big and mainly includes bird watching platform, deer watching garden, sea watching bridge, sea watching pavilion, dock square, auspicious four auspicious sculptures and other landscapes. There are also water entertainment activities such as jet skis and self-driving yachts. Appreciating the scenery of lakes and mountains, experiencing Tibetan customs, and water entertainment are all good choices. Accommodation: After visiting Erlangjian Scenic Area, you must go to Heimahe Township for accommodation in the evening.

Tickets: 90 yuan in peak season, 50 yuan in off-season. Sightseeing bus is 20 yuan. Yacht round trip costs 180 yuan.

The reason why we stayed in Heimahe Township the day before was because we wanted to watch the sunrise here on the second day. Heima River, located on the west bank of Qinghai Lake, is the best place to watch the sunrise in the entire Qinghai Lake. Various "blockbuster" movies can be taken in minutes. It is the most popular sunrise spot for tourists, with thousands of people watching it every day. Thousands of tourists stay here, watch the sunrise, and have fun.

Tour recommendations: Since the accommodation in Heima River is still some distance from the lake, friends must check the sunrise time in advance, get up early and go out early to find a good location. The temperature in the plateau area will be very low in the morning, so be careful to keep warm.

Tickets: Free.

After seeing the beautiful sunrise, we went to the most popular internet celebrity scenic spot in Qinghai Lake: Chaka Salt Lake. Chaka Salt Lake is a natural crystalline salt lake with an altitude of 3,100 meters. It is oval in shape and has a total area of ??105 square kilometers. It is one of the four major salt lakes in the Qaidam Basin. Because of its beautiful landscape, it is called China's "Mirror of the Sky" by netizens and is a must-see on the Northwest Grand Ring Road.

Recommended tours: Friends can visit the Salt Lake Wetland, Skyland Plaza, climb to the observation deck, and admire various rare salt sculptures. Then take a small train, battery car, or walk into the center of the Salt Lake, where you can take photos and check in, enjoy the endless "mirror of the sky", and put the beautiful scenery on your mobile phone.

Notes: The Salt Lake has a high altitude and strong sunshine. Be prepared for sun protection and wear sunglasses. When entering the salt lake, you need to rent shoe covers and wear slippers. It is best for girls to wear brightly colored long skirts when taking photos, which is more conducive to taking reflective photos.

Tickets: 60 yuan in peak season, 30 yuan in low season (free for Zhejiang tourists). The small train costs 50 yuan one way. The sightseeing bus costs 5 yuan one way. Cruise ship is 90 yuan. 20 yuan for the sightseeing tower. Accommodation: After leaving Chaka and continuing on, you can stay in Delingha or Dachaidan in Haixi Prefecture for the night.

On the third day of the trip, we first went to the Emerald Lake in Dachaidan in the morning. Emerald Lake is named after the emerald-like color of the lake. In fact, it was originally the mining area of ??the Salt Lake Mining Team of the Dachaidan Chemical Plant. It is a wonder formed by years of mining. Whenever the weather is calm, this place looks like huge pieces of jasper, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. Its beauty is worthy of being blown away.

Tour recommendations: Unlike the blue and white colors of Chaka Salt Lake, this place is mainly green, and it has not yet been developed as a scenic spot. It is mainly popular due to mutual recommendations from tourists, but The appearance is not inferior to that of Chaka, and he can also shoot "blockbusters" in minutes. Since it is a "wild scenic area", there are many mosquitoes inside, so you should bring mosquito repellent. Tickets: Free.

Leave Emerald Lake and head to the Southern Eight Immortals Devil City in the afternoon. The Southern Eight Immortals Devil City, also known as the Da Qaidan Devil City, is a Yadan landform in Qinghai. It is located on the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is a Yadan landform that consists of rows of long strips of mounds and depressions extending intermittently. The landscape is one of the largest and most typical Yadan landforms in the world.

Tour recommendations: This is also an undeveloped "wild scenic area" with a large area scattered on both sides of the road. It is almost surrounded by Gobi desert, like a desolate no man's land. In addition, there is also the world's only water Yadan.

Tickets: Free. Shuiyadan is 60 yuan. The sightseeing bus costs 60 yuan for a round trip. Accommodation: After leaving Dachaidan, it is recommended to continue onward and stay in Dunhuang city for the night.

Dunhuang, located at the westernmost end of Gansu's Hexi Corridor, is world-famous for its unique geographical location, natural scenery and brilliant grotto culture. Although the city is not big, there are many places worth visiting. We will spend the next two days in Dunhuang. On the first day, we went to the famous Mogao Grottoes. Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, commonly known as Thousand Buddha Caves, was built in the second year of Jianyuan of the former Qin Dynasty (366) and reached its peak in the Tang Dynasty. It is a world cultural heritage and a world-class comprehensive art that integrates architecture, colored sculptures and murals. It is a must-see.

Tour recommendations: Because the Mogao Grottoes are extremely precious, the scenic spot has restrictions on passenger flow every day. You must make an appointment online in advance before visiting. Only one reservation can be made for each ID card. Then bring the order number to the Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center 30 minutes before the scheduled show starts to handle the ticketing business. After visiting the Digital Center, you can take a sightseeing bus to visit the Mogao Grottoes. It should be noted that: on-site visits to the Digital Center and Mogao Grottoes require ticket verification twice. Photography is not allowed in the caves. Bring large bags, selfie sticks, and cameras to enter.

Tickets: 180 yuan in peak season. 90 yuan in off-season. Including the Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center experience (7 digital cave displays) + round-trip shuttle bus + on-site visit to the Mogao Grottoes area (8 physical caves and museum groups). The Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center is located on the south side of 9 kilometers of Provincial Road 314, near Dunhuang Railway Station and Airport.

After leaving Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, we headed to another must-see destination in the afternoon: Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring. Mingsha Mountain is named after the sound of sand. It is completely covered by desert and is one of the deserts closest to the city. It is particularly spectacular every night at sunset. The Crescent Moon Spring is surrounded by Mingsha Mountain and is named after its shape that resembles a crescent moon. It is the only national 5A-level scenic spot in Dunhuang and a unique wonder that must be visited.

Tour recommendations: In the scenic area, friends can not only visit the Mingsha Mountain in the desert and the Crescent Moon Spring, a pool of clear water, but also experience many rare entertainment projects. For example, you can ride camels in the desert, take beach motorcycles and off-road vehicles for desert adventures, and you can also go grass skiing, sandboarding, and archery on the top of Mingsha Shandong. Tickets: 120 yuan. The sightseeing bus costs 20 yuan for a round trip. Sandproof shoe covers can be rented for 15 yuan.

After visiting Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring, we went to the Shazhou Night Market in downtown Dunhuang in the evening. This is the largest night market in Dunhuang City. It is located next to the Bouncing Pipa Statue Carousel in the city center. Every night, vendors selling various snacks, handicrafts, and agricultural and sideline products gather here. It has local characteristics and ethnic customs. Of course, every night The night market is also crowded with tourists from all over the world.

Tour recommendations: You can try the special snacks here: donkey meat yellow noodles, pulp noodles, Dunhuang haggis, grilled lamb chops, mutton skewers, etc.

There are also various desert-style handicraft scarves, poplar wood products, postcards, coasters, sand paintings, etc.

By bus: Take bus No. 2, 3 or 4 in Dunhuang city and get off at Shazhou Market Station. Accommodation: Continue to stay in Dunhuang city at night.

On the 5th day, we continue our trip to Dunhuang. Today we mainly visit Dunhuang’s western attractions. Since this area is far away from the city, transportation is inconvenient and the attractions are scattered, so it is more suitable for self-driving, chartering, or group tours. . In the morning, we first went to the ancient city of Dunhuang. The ancient city of Dunhuang is actually a film and television city imitating the architecture of the Tang and Song Dynasties. The architectural style has a strong western style and reproduces the majesty of Dunhuang, an important town in the northwest during the Tang and Song Dynasties. Movies and TV series such as "The Legend of the Gods", "Detective Di Renjie" and "Hongmen Banquet" were all filmed here.

Tour recommendations: The ancient city of Dunhuang covers an area of ??150,000 square meters. It is mainly composed of five streets: Dunhuang, Gaochang, Ganzhou, Bianliang, and Xingqing. It is divided into architectural styles based on different regions. Inside, friends can not only enjoy the scenery, taste delicious snacks, but also change into costumes, take photos, and participate in activities such as horse racing, sports cars, archery, and bonfire parties.

Tickets: 40 yuan. Costume experience is 50 yuan.

Leaving the ancient city of Dunhuang and continuing westward, you will reach the Yangguan Scenic Area. Yangguan was built during the period of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty. It was an important town on the Silk Road of the Han and Tang Dynasties. Because it is located south of Yumen Pass, it is called Yangguan. Later, he became famous all over the world because of Wang Wei's sentence "I urge you to drink another glass of wine, and there will be no old friends when you leave Yangguan in the west." It is a pity that there is only a mound of sealed earth left here for future generations to pay homage to.

Tour recommendations: In addition to a monumental mound, there are also some antique buildings built in the scenic area, including historical relics of the Han and Tang Dynasties, natural scenery of the desert, ecological agriculture tourism, and Yangguan Museum. Friends can also climb the city to overlook the distance, experience leaving the customs with an ultimatum, drinking wine to celebrate, training on horseback and archery, carving names on stones, strolling along the Yangguan Road, visiting museum exhibitions, etc. Tickets: 50 yuan.

Further north of Yangguan is Yumenguan, also known as Xiaofangpan City. It is also an important town on the Silk Road and was first established during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. In ancient times, jade from the Western Regions was imported into the Central Plains and had to go through customs inspection and tax payment here, so it was called Yumen Pass. It is the gateway to all parts of the Western Region and plays an important role in ensuring peace and security in the region, maintaining stability in the Western Region, and ensuring the smooth flow of the Silk Road.

Tour recommendations: After more than two thousand years of wind and rain, Yumen Pass has long become a pile of loess and can only be visited and photographed. There are some Populus euphratica forests and reed marshes around which are also very beautiful. There are also ruins of the Great Wall of Han Dynasty nearby, which can be visited together.

Tickets: 40 yuan. (Combined ticket for Yumen Pass, Han Great Wall, and Hecang City.)

Finally, go to another popular scenic spot in Dunhuang: Yadan Devil City. In fact, the official name of Devil City is Dunhuang Yadan National Geological Park, which is the highlight of the entire western route tourism. The park covers an area of ??346.34 square kilometers, which is very large. It is mainly a geological relic formed by wind erosion. Many exterior scenes in Zhang Yimou's movie "Hero" were shot here.

Tour recommendations: Here, friends can enjoy the endless scenery of the Gobi desert, with various stones of different shapes scattered among the Gobi. Especially when the sun sets in the west, the golden sunshine shines on the Gobi, which is spectacular.

Tickets: 120 yuan. Accommodation: After visiting all the scenic spots, return to Dunhuang city in the evening and continue to stay in Dunhuang.

On the 6th day of our trip, we came to another popular ancient city in Gansu: Jiayuguan! Jiayuguan Pass, first built in the fifth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1372), is the westernmost terminus of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. Historically, it was the throat of the Hexi Corridor. Due to its dangerous terrain and majestic architecture, it is known as "the most majestic pass in the world" and is also related to the Shanhaiguan and Zhenbeitai are collectively known as one of the three wonders of the Great Wall of China. They are also world cultural heritage and national 5A-level scenic spots. Later, a city was established here and became a prefecture-level city in Gansu Province.

Recommended tours: Jiayuguan Scenic Area is mainly composed of Jiayuguan Pass, the Hanging Wall, and the first pier of the Great Wall. The most important one is Jiayuguan City, which includes the inner city, outer city, Luocheng, Wengcheng, moats and the north and south wings of the Great Wall, with a total length of about 60 kilometers. There are General Mansion, Wenchang Pavilion, Guandi Temple, archway, theater and other buildings inside the city. There are also the Great Wall Museum and Jiuyanquan Lake outside the city.

Tickets: 110 yuan in peak season. 100 yuan in off-season. The sightseeing bus within Guancheng is 10 yuan. Camel ride is 50 yuan.

After visiting Jiayuguan in the morning, we headed non-stop to Zhangye, another city in Gansu, in the afternoon. Zhangye, located in the middle section of the Hexi Corridor, was called Ganzhou in ancient times. It is the origin of the word "Gan" in the name of Gansu Province. It was an important town on the ancient Silk Road. The colorful Danxia in Zhangye is a must-go place for tourists. The Danxia landform here stretches as far as the eye can see, with unique shapes and majestic momentum. Red, yellow, white, green, blue and other colors complement each other, and under the sunlight, it seems to be covered with a layer of red gauze, shining and shining, which is amazing.

Tour recommendations: The Colorful Danxia Scenic Area is relatively large, with three entrances in the east, west and north and five viewing platforms. Observation deck No. 1 is the largest and is close to the gate.

Observation deck No. 2 is the highest and overlooks the entire Danxia Scenic Area. From the No. 3 viewing platform, you can see colorful screens and pork belly. Observation Deck No. 4 is the main observation deck. The famous "Knife Mountain and Sea of ??Fire" is here. It is also the best place to watch the sunrise and sunset. Observation Deck No. 5 is the smallest, and the Mazi Noodle House, the filming location of "Three Guns" is located here.

Ticket: 74 yuan (including sightseeing bus). Hot air balloon experience is 200 yuan. Accommodation: You can stay in the nearby Danxia Qicai Town at night.

On the last day of the Gansu-Qinghai Grand Ring Road, we returned to Qinghai Province and arrived at Zhuoer Mountain in Qilian County, Haibei Prefecture. Zhuoer Mountain is located next to Qilian County and also belongs to Danxia landform. Standing on the top of the mountain, you have an extremely wide view with no obstructions around you. Opposite is the majestic Niuxin Mountain, Ladong Gorge and Baiyang Valley are on the left and right sides, and on the back are the rolling Qilian Mountains, and the surging Babao River at the foot of the mountain. Especially in the summer when the rapeseed flowers are in full bloom, the beautiful scenery everywhere is like a fairyland, and it is known as the "Little Switzerland of the East".

Tour recommendations: After entering the scenic spot, first take a sightseeing car up the mountain. The average altitude here is more than 3,000 meters, so taking a car is very necessary. After going up the mountain, it’s time to enjoy the beautiful scenery and take photos. There are many sightseeing platforms on the mountain, so you can choose freely. Also, because of the high altitude and strong ultraviolet rays, you need to pay more attention to sun protection. After leaving Zhuoer Mountain, you will pass by the Arou Temple in Arou Township. If you have enough time, you can visit it together. Tickets: 60 yuan in peak season. 30 yuan in off-season. Sightseeing bus is 20 yuan.

The last stop of the Northwest Great Ring Road is the Qilian Mountain Grassland in Qilian County, Haibei Prefecture. The Qilian Mountain grassland is known as one of the six most beautiful grasslands in China. It is very large. It is on both sides of the road from Qilian County to Xining. There are endless green grasslands dotted with thousands of cattle, sheep and horses, and there are thousands of cattle, sheep and horses dotted here. The Qilian Mountains, which are connected to the grasslands, are covered in silver like a continuous white hada. When you look up, you can see the blue sky with white clouds floating in it. Every scene can be said to be a fairyland on earth.

On the way back to Xining from Qilian County, you will also pass through the Baili Rapeseed Flower Scenic Area and Daban Mountain in Menyuan County. This is the most famous rapeseed flower viewing spot in Qinghai, with dozens of rapeseed flowers blooming during the flowering season. Thousands of rapeseed flowers are blooming, and the buttery fields are very shocking. Unfortunately, the rapeseed flowering period in Qinghai is mainly concentrated in July. The scenery is much different at other times, but you can still see Gangshika Snow Mountain from a distance. Finally, return to Xining city to complete the entire journey. Tickets: Free.