Dreaming of the Northwest - A Place Where the Soul Draws Closer to Heaven

It's been over a month since I returned from the Northwest, and I haven't started writing a travelogue yet because there are too many beautiful memories, making it hard to begin. This trip was tough on the road, with an average of five to six hours of driving each day—rushing to destinations, rushing to attractions, rushing for the light. But as time moved on and I returned to my familiar life, I felt that period was like borrowed days from someone else's life, warming and illuminating my youth.

In everyone's heart, there are places where the soul arrives before the body. The Northwest is exactly that for me—a place close to the sky yet far from the mundane world. Though I enjoy beach vacations, my longing for grasslands, deserts, and Gobi is even stronger, and I have an almost obsessive fixation on Dunhuang and Qinghai Lake. So since I was going to the Northwest, I had to choose the Great Northwest Loop. My travel companion this time was a close friend from high school. Since it was a trip for two girls, and considering the tough routes in the Northwest, we rarely chose to join a group tour. Of course, we didn't just pick any group; following a colleague's recommendation, we chose Scarecrow Travel, which is more suitable for young people. I won't go into detail here to avoid seeming like I'm advertising, but I really want to introduce this great travel organization to everyone. Well, I'll intersperse some introductions in the following travelogue.

Let me first share a few photos I'm quite satisfied with:

How to capture jumping was also a skill I learned on this trip

Sunset over the desert

Fireworks by Qinghai Lake

Morning glow of Qinghai Lake

D1: Home - Xining

Since we chose to travel in August, coinciding with the best season and summer peak, airfare was much higher than usual. Direct flights to Xining were too expensive, but luckily Ningbo had direct flights to Lanzhou, which were much cheaper. So I bought the tickets more than a month in advance. It turned out that during the peak season, you must buy tickets early—I paid 2000 RMB per person round trip, and two weeks later the price directly jumped to 4000 RMB per person. I patted myself on the back for being smart. Getting from Lanzhou to Xining was very convenient: Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport has an intercity railway to Lanzhou West (about 40 min), then a bullet train from Lanzhou West to Xining (1h20min). The two train transfers cost less than 80 RMB total, and including waiting time, it took 2.5 hours to reach Xining—very convenient. We arrived in Xining around 4 PM, dropped off our luggage, and immediately went exploring the streets of Xining. The streets were filled with Muslims wearing hats and scarves, giving me the illusion of being in a foreign country. The most common buildings in the city were actually mosques. My first impression of this city was the particularly blue plateau sky and the long daylight—it didn't get dark until around 8 PM. After a full day of traveling across three provinces—from Zhejiang to Gansu to Qinghai—it was an unforgettable experience. We met up with the group and rested early to save energy for the intense journey ahead.

D2: Xining - A'rou Monastery - Zhu'er Mountain - Qilian

We set off from Xining in the morning, crossing the Qilian Mountains all the way. On the alpine pastures, there were long-haired yaks and flocks of sheep; the empty asphalt road had very few vehicles. In the grasslands deep in the Qilian Mountains, we saw a temple from afar on the vast prairie—A'rou Monastery. It stood quietly in the prairie, as gentle and firm as its name. There were few passing tourists and no city noise—only peace and inclusiveness remained between heaven and earth. In the afternoon, we arrived at the Tianjing Qilian Zhu'er Mountain Scenic Area. A sudden heavy rain trapped us halfway up the mountain, and we had to rush down before fully enjoying the scenery—this was the first regret of the trip. In the evening, we stayed at a homestay run by Brother Ma, a Hui ethnic local. After being drenched by the rain, we enjoyed his delicious hotpot, and warmth gradually filled our hearts—it was thoroughly enjoyable. Our leader told us Brother Ma's story, revealing the connection between Brother Ma's home and Scarecrow: Brother Ma's homestay only receives Scarecrow teams, and he is the imam (an Islamic religious title) in his village, a respected elder. Brother Ma also taught us a lot about Muslim customs, and everyone gained much religious knowledge—a rewarding experience.

Empty roads in the west

Passing by rapeseed flower fields

Zhu'er Mountain before the storm

Brother Ma's homestay

Brother Ma's delicious hotpot

D3: Qilian - Ebo Ridge Pass - Zhangye

Today we continued crossing the Qilian Mountains, passing the Ebo Ridge Pass at an altitude of 3685 meters, and arrived at Zhangye Danxia Geological Park in the afternoon. We were lucky—it was cloudy when we entered, but around dusk the weather cleared. Under the slanting sunlight, the Danxia displayed ever-changing colors, instantly stunning me. Watching sunlight flow slowly across the colorful Danxia mountains, I marveled at the wonders of nature.

D4: Zhangye - Jiayuguan - Guazhou

We departed from Zhangye in the morning and traveled along the Hexi Corridor, passing through vast Gobi. At noon, we arrived at the strategic town of Jiayuguan. Beneath the towering snow-capped Qilian Mountains lay the ancient Jiayuguan Pass, which, together with the Great Wall at the foot of the Qilian Mountains, formed the western defense system of China. Climbing up the gate tower, we saw the Great Wall undulating like a dragon across the vast Gobi, with snow-covered Qilian Mountains stretching to the horizon. In the evening, we arrived in Guazhou to check in, and strolling through the small western town at night had its own charm.

D5: Guazhou - Dunhuang - Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring

Today had the shortest driving time. We finally arrived in Dunhuang and set foot on the long-awaited Mogao Caves. The tickets for Mogao Caves were as hard to get as train tickets during Spring Festival. Tickets go on sale 30 days in advance on the official website. Fortunately, I booked the trip early, so I was lucky enough to get a regular ticket. Those who couldn't get a ticket could opt for an emergency ticket, which could only be purchased within a 30-kilometer radius of Dunhuang city, and the purchase mini-program required location access. There was a big difference between emergency and regular tickets. A regular ticket included two digital films and a professional guided tour of eight caves (the guide from the Dunhuang Academy chooses the caves based on the day's situation, so the caves you see may differ each time). An emergency ticket only allowed you to visit four fixed caves, and those four caves were also accessible with a regular ticket. In other words, a regular ticket gave you access to 12 caves, while an emergency ticket only gave you four. During the off-season, special caves are also opened. I suggest that those with a special attachment to Mogao Caves should go in the off-season—fewer people and you can see more. We had to queue for quite a while this time. We spent almost a whole day experiencing the artistic treasures on the Silk Road. The exquisite murals and statues told stories unknown to us, and history unfolded like a scroll. Only one word could describe my feelings at that moment: awe. At dusk, we arrived at Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring. We climbed a high dune and sat at the top to wait for the desert sunset. I especially loved the evening at Mingsha Mountain. Standing on the hill, I watched the neon lights beside Crescent Spring gradually light up, and with them, the entire night of Dunhuang. Our group formed a circle, watching fireworks, singing, and gazing at the stars. Then, excited and a bit scared, we helped each other run down the high sand dune—it was beautiful and real.

Murals on the outer wall

Crescent Spring at nightfall

D6: Dunhuang - Delingha

Today was the longest driving day. We crossed a vast uninhabited area, fully experiencing the vastness and desolation of the Northwest: rolling desert highways, endless Gobi, weird yardang landforms, and steep snow-capped Qilian Mountains... Along the way, we passed an abandoned oil town: Bolo Zhuanjing Town, said to be the filming location for the movie "The Ghouls." The empty sandy streets, wreckage of vehicles, empty cinema space, eerie ghost house, and strange graffiti on government buildings all provided a strong visual impact, making it an excellent place for alternative photos. We arrived in Delingha in the evening and checked in. This is a comfortable and peaceful small city, famous for the poet Haizi's poem "Sister, Tonight I Am in Delingha," which makes it almost a holy site in the hearts of literary youth.

Wind turbines everywhere along the road

Ruins in Bolo Zhuanjing Town

D7: Delingha - Chaka Salt Lake - Qinghai Lake

Today we set off from Delingha to the Sky Mirror—Chaka Salt Lake. Unlike the good weather of previous days, it rained when we were at Chaka, so we couldn't truly appreciate the beauty of the Sky Mirror—this was the second big regret of the trip. Around dusk, we finally saw Qinghai Lake, which I had dreamed of, but again the weather prevented us from enjoying it fully. Fortunately, we stayed overnight by the lake, at least giving us hope for good weather the next day. At 11 PM by Qinghai Lake, the temperature was 9°C. The rain finally stopped. Our leader called us down via WeChat; I wore three layers of clothes and two pairs of pants to play with fireworks in the howling cold wind. I was delighted to learn a new photography skill, somewhat making up for the day's rain at Chaka and Qinghai Lake—at least there was a highlight.

D8: Qinghai Lake - Xining

We got up at 6 AM to watch the sunrise, but the clouds on the horizon were too thick, so we only saw the glow. Fortunately, it didn't rain. The morning Qinghai Lake was very quiet. I strolled along the shore, watching the sparkling lake, groups of ducks playing, birds flying overhead, and Mani stones left by unknown passers-by—enjoying this rare tranquility. By noon, when we were about to leave, the weather improved. Finally, I saw the beautiful blue lake exactly as in my dreams—from light blue to deep blue to sapphire, the color changing under the sunlight—an incomparable beauty. As our leader Xiao Guo said, Qinghai Lake is a place you want to visit again and again. This trip was for you, and I will come again in this life. In the afternoon, we returned to Xining and visited the Dongguan Mosque and Mojia Street in the city center with my friend. Then we had a farewell dinner with the group, marking the end of this itinerary.

Sunrise glow over Qinghai Lake

Sunrise glow over Qinghai Lake

Burning liquor for lake worship

Birds in the morning light

Dongguan Grand Mosque

D9: Xining - Home

Another day on the road, crossing three provinces back to the warm home. I must mention the bullet train from Xining to Lanzhou—it was the most crowded train I've ever taken. We bought tickets late, so there were no tickets to Lanzhou; we could only buy a ticket to a station before Lanzhou and then buy a supplementary ticket onboard. In the peak season in the Northwest, there were too many tourists—comparable to Spring Festival travel rush. There wasn't even room to stand; getting on and off the train was like being pushed by the crowd. At least I experienced the Spring Festival rush atmosphere.

The journey is over, and I still want to praise our Scarecrow team and leaders. Most of Scarecrow's itineraries are destination-based group tours, even overseas tours. Scarecrow's teammates have age restrictions of 16-40 years old, making interactions among young people more exciting. They focus more on local cultural experiences and interaction among teammates, like Brother Ma's religious popularization, music sharing among teammates, and sharing fun travel stories. They also continuously create surprises during the trip, like suddenly producing drinks and speakers atop Mingsha Mountain, or homemade fireworks by Qinghai Lake at night. This time there were two leaders and 17 teammates. Leader Xiao Guo was a novice; we were apparently her first business and also her assessment route. If she passed the assessment, she could officially become a leader. Xiao Guo was a part-time leader; her main job was running a homestay in Shanghai. She was an interesting person—she co-rented with her guests, enjoyed experiencing different lives, and meeting all kinds of people, which was why she applied to be a part-time leader at Scarecrow. During the trip, she told us interesting stories about her guests. Although she wasn't very familiar with some tour guide tasks, it didn't affect our travel experience. The assistant leader, Leilei, was from Hulunbuir—very generous—exactly the type of northeastern girl I love. She was Xiao Guo's assessor on this trip and a travel enthusiast. Before taking our group, she had just returned from Africa for a month and hadn't even gone home before leading us directly. She was adjusting to jet lag throughout the trip. During the travel story sharing session, she told us about her experiences in India, which were very interesting. Alright, the recommendation ends here. In short, it was an unforgettable journey that will linger in my memory for a long time.

Finally, let me post a few group photos. Many of the beautiful photos on this trip were taken by Xiao Guo, and I am especially grateful to her. A leader who can take photos should be standard for a group tour—perfect.