8-Day Self-Drive from Dunhuang to Haixi: 'Mars Camp', Yardang Landforms, and Endless Salt Lakes

📍 Orlando · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 46 likes

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Not long ago, I came across a tempting video: a vast Tiffany-blue lake, driving across the desolate Gobi. Those scenes stirred our hearts, as we hadn't traveled in a long time. After researching online, we discovered many lesser-known destinations in Haixi, so we booked flights, rounded up a few friends, and set off.

[Transportation]

1. To get to Dunhuang, you can take a train or plane. Flights usually require a transfer in Lanzhou or Xi'an. We departed from Nanning, first transiting in Lanzhou for 3 hours before flying to Dunhuang. Upon arriving at Dunhuang Airport, we picked up our car.

2. After arriving in Dunhuang, we rented a car for self-driving. There are few attractions in the city center; Yulin Grottoes, Mogao Caves, and Yadan Demon City are all far from downtown, so it's best to drive or hire a car.

[Car Rental]

1. We rented a Hyundai Santa Fe. After comparing prices, we found it to be a 7-seater, only 8 yuan more per day than the Hyundai IX35, offering more space and comfort.

2. When picking up the car, you need to present your original driver's license and ID card, and inspect the vehicle. If you overfill the gas tank when returning, the difference will be refunded.

3. Basic insurance is generally included (deductible: under 1500 yuan you pay all; 1500-5000 you pay 1500; over 5000 you pay 20% of the vehicle value plus 1500), but it's recommended to purchase a supplementary basic protection: no deductible under 5000, and 20% above 5000.

4. If traveling with friends and renting multiple cars, bring walkie-talkies. Many areas have no phone signal, making walkie-talkies essential for communication.

[Accommodation]

1. In Dunhuang city, it's recommended to stay near Mingsha Mountain or the Dunhuang Night Market.

2. Lenghu Town has few hotels. We stayed at Chuanjia, which has a restaurant downstairs—very convenient.

3. Mars Camp accommodation is limited: capsule rooms cost 720 yuan per room for one person; you can bring one child for an extra 100 yuan.

4. The stay at the Water Yadan RV Camp was terrible—so many mosquitoes, even dead ones on the bed. When we asked the front desk for mosquito coils or repellent, they said they were out.

5. Golmud city has many hotels, but we highly recommend the one we stayed at—great value for money and very satisfying. See the travel diary for details.

6. At the Starry Sky Camp, if there's a sandstorm, you won't see the stars.

[Dunhuang Baiyun Inn] https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/36254192.html

https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/15565762.html

[Mangya Mars Camp] https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/63059491.html

https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/21334579.html

https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/20026241.html

[Golmud Xingcheng Hotel] https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/60632336.html

[Important Tips]

1. The weather is extremely dry. Be sure to bring plenty of water, vitamins, face masks, and lip balm, or your skin will crack in no time.

2. The temperature difference between day and night is huge. In the morning, you need a down jacket; at noon, a dress. Our car was piled with clothes (we kept changing, haha).

3. Sunscreen! Apply thickly to your face, limbs, and all exposed skin. Wear sun-protective clothing if possible. Do post-sun repair, or you'll peel instantly (advice from someone who got sunburned).

4. When booking the car, pay attention to the time; inspect the vehicle when picking up; drive safely and watch the fuel level.

5. Lanzhou Airport offers free transit meals and hotel, but check your flight times.

6. Tickets for Mogao Caves and Dunhuang Museum need to be booked in advance.

7. During the pandemic, check the local epidemic prevention policies and prepare accordingly. I am a Wuhan native living in Nanning (ID card from Wuhan), so I got a nucleic acid test before traveling and carried it with me. Several companions from Wuhan also brought negative test results within 7 days.

8. During the pandemic, flights are very changeable. Our return flights to Chengdu, Wuhan, and Nanning were all canceled, and we had to rebook on the spot. Be especially careful with connecting tickets.

The last time I visited Dunhuang was six years ago, and that's where I met Mr. Wu. Returning to the place where we met made this trip even more special. From Nanning to Dunhuang, we had to transfer in Lanzhou. Passengers on domestic flights with a transfer at Lanzhou Airport (meal times: before 08:30, 11:00-12:30, 17:00-18:30) can get a beef noodle voucher at the transit counter.

The free beef noodle is basically vegetarian, so we added meat at our own expense, making it authentic beef noodles with chili oil, finishing every last drop.

After picking up the car and arriving in the city, it was already 5 p.m. We stayed at Yueyaquan Village, near Mingsha Mountain, where the entire street is lined with guesthouses. It's about a 5-10 minute walk to Yueya Spring. Baiyun Inn was good value, but some rooms had a sewer smell from the drain. The hotel didn't include breakfast, but nearby you could get a set (buns, porridge, soy milk) for 12 yuan. The front desk told us that Mingsha Mountain stops admitting visitors at 8:30 p.m., and the sun sets around 9:15 p.m., so after dropping off our luggage, we headed to Mingsha Mountain to watch the sunset.

To enter Mingsha Mountain, you need to show a Gansu health code; visitors from Hubei must provide a nucleic acid test report. Ticket: 110 yuan per person, no advance booking required. Drones are strictly prohibited inside the scenic area, and there is a parking lot. In Dunhuang, you can also book starry sky camping (outside the scenic area) with a bonfire party and outdoor barbecue.

As you can see from the photos, Mingsha Mountain was quite crowded. Compared to six years ago, there are more entertainment facilities: camel rides, desert off-road vehicles, and paragliding. The sun radiation is very strong with super UV rays, so be sure to protect yourself.

The best angles to view or photograph Yueya Spring are from the top of the sand dune looking down, or from a close-up level view. Seeing this scene, I couldn't help but sing, "Whose heart is it..."

We stayed until sunset before leaving. We went to the city to buy water and snacks for the next few days, had dinner at a restaurant, and returned to the inn to rest.

For dinner, I highly recommend "Damahu Yangrou Bing" (Lamb with Flatbread). Hu Yang Rou Bing is a local Dunhuang specialty. The lamb is tender and flavorful without any gamey taste, and the flatbread is soaked in meat juice—delicious. Besides Hu Yang Rou Bing, we also tried stir-fried elm seeds for the first time. Stir-fried chive with egg had no onion taste but was very fragrant—we ordered another serving and asked for it at every restaurant thereafter. The ingredients are fresh, and the service is good—worth a try.

Dunhuang to Aksai "Nine-Story Demon Tower" — Driving distance: 104 km, Time: 2 hours

Early in the morning, we departed from Dunhuang, starting our first day of self-driving. From Dunhuang to Aksai is only about 100 km. Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County (Aksai County for short) belongs to Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, at the junction of Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang. It is the only Kazakh autonomous county in Gansu. Our first destination, the Aksai Oil Town, is a filming location for the movies "West Wind" and "The Demon Girl."

It was even more surreal than we imagined: a bus stuck in the earth, a factory full of abandoned junk, strange sculptures, dilapidated buildings—a strange and interesting town in the vast Gobi. Great for photo enthusiasts.

Ticket: 20 yuan per person; electric cart: 10 yuan per person, but we didn't buy it because the area is small and you can walk while snapping photos. Free parking at the entrance.

Aksai Oil Town to Lenghu Town — Driving distance: 148 km, Time: 2.5 hours

Leaving Oil Town after 2 p.m., we had no restaurants nearby, so we ate the dry food we'd prepared and kept an eye out. Driving on the Gobi is very different from city driving—endless, lifeless, few cars, but every encounter becomes a surprise.

As we drove, the sky gradually clouded over. Normally it's very dry here, with annual rainfall of only about 300 mm, but we happened to encounter one of the rare rains of the year.

Under the overcast sky, the Black Mountains looked even more mysterious, as if veiled in thin gauze, like an ink painting. We pulled over to take photos.

After over 4 hours, we arrived in Lenghu Town around 4 p.m., with drizzle still falling. Lenghu Town has limited hotels; we stayed at Haixi Chuanjia Business Hotel, which has a restaurant next door—convenient. The rooms were clean, and there was parking.

The owner said the road from Lenghu Town to Mars Camp was impassable due to rain. The terrain is saline-alkali, very prone to getting stuck after rain; inexperienced drivers should wait for clear skies. After an hour, the rain stopped, and we had dinner. Around 7 p.m., some friends who had booked at Mars Camp still wanted to go (720 yuan per capsule), so we split into two cars: those with reservations went first, and the other car would join them the next morning.

The ones who went to Mars Camp didn't arrive until nearly 10 p.m. They said there was no signal all the way, and they almost got stuck. Luckily, our rented car was a 4WD SUV, and it didn't get dark until after 9 p.m. Hope we make it tomorrow.

Lenghu Town to Mars Camp — Driving distance: 80 km, Time: about 3 hours

From Lenghu to Mars Camp, the GPS gives a very long detour (308 km), but there's a direct road. The front desk drew us a detailed map. The next morning we got up at 7 a.m.; the sun was shining. Chuanjia Hotel didn't have breakfast, so we drove to town for about 5 minutes. After breakfast, we filled up the tank, bought some supplies at the supermarket, and set off.

After turning from National Highway 215 onto Mars Road 1, the road condition became very poor, and we lost cell signal. Some sections hadn't dried completely from yesterday's rain, causing the car to slide and the steering wheel to become uncontrollable. At such times, don't panic and don't brake, or the car might get stuck. Just go slowly, continuously adjusting the steering wheel.

After three bumpy hours, we finally saw Mars Camp in the desert!!! And we finally got a cell signal!!

Lenghu Mars Camp is located in the Eboliang Yardang, 60 km west of Lenghu Town, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. It covers about 80 mu and can accommodate 60 people in capsule rooms.

The current price for a capsule is 720 yuan per room per person; men and women are separated, and two people cannot share. One parent can bring a child for an extra 100 yuan.

If you're not staying overnight, you cannot enter the capsule area for photos; you can visit the public areas and outdoors.

At the front desk, you can rent spacesuits for photos. Simple version: 88 yuan for 30 minutes, 158 yuan for an hour; advanced version: 300 yuan for 30 minutes, 500 yuan for an hour.

There's a saying: "Since we're here..." We rented an advanced suit and experienced being in space, but even an hour didn't feel like enough.

There are no private bathrooms in the capsules; there are separate shower and shared bathroom areas. Meals are available: breakfast 88 yuan per person, but portions are small.

Taking photos outdoors was really tough—the suit was thick and stuffy; we had to get back in the car to cool off after a while.

Last summer we visited Wadi Rum in Jordan, where "The Martian" and "Star Wars" were filmed, often considered the most Mars-like place on Earth. But when we came to Lenghu Mars Camp, we found its Yardang landforms uniquely different, and driving on Mars Road 1 was a joy.

Lenghu Mars Camp to Water Yadan — Driving distance: 119 km, Time: 3 hours

After spending the morning at Mars Camp and having lunch, we set off for Water Yadan. The weather was very dry and hot; even drinking lots of water, our lips felt chapped.

The road from Mars Camp to Water Yadan was incredibly beautiful. Clear blue skies, endless varied Yardang formations—we shed yesterday's gloom and enjoyed the fun of desert driving.

After nearly two hours, our friends in the back fell asleep. Suddenly, the person in the front passenger seat shouted, "Look, a lake!" We checked the GPS and found it was West Taijinar Lake. That means East Taijinar Lake must be close!

The shore of West Taijinar Lake consists of Quaternary flood, alluvial, aeolian, lacustrine clastic deposits, and salt chemical deposits. The lake water on either side of the road shows different colors. The mud on the shore is easy to sink into, so it's best to take photos from the roadside. This road has one lane each direction; don't stop in the middle of the road, and watch for cars when crossing.

From West Taijinar to Water Yadan is very close. We checked into the Water Yadan RV Camp, which was the [least recommended] accommodation of our trip.

The Water Yadan RV Camp is inside the Water Yadan Scenic Area. Even hotel guests must first buy a scenic area ticket: 60 yuan per person, plus 60 yuan for an electric cart (staff said it's a 10 km round trip). Private cars are no longer allowed inside. We bought tickets and checked in at the hotel.

We booked a family RV for four people. Some RVs face the sun, others not; ours faced away. We were shocked when we entered: swarms of flies, many dead mosquitoes on the bed—I thought it hadn't been cleaned. No air conditioning, stuffy and hot. Staff said to open the windows; it would be cool at night. When we asked for mosquito coils or repellent, they said they were out and new ones hadn't arrived yet. They moved us to a sun-facing RV; fewer flying mosquitoes, but still many dead ones on the bed. The nearby Usute Yadan Hotel was fully booked. If there were any other option, we wouldn't have stayed there.

Dinner was at the second floor of the ticket office. The first page of the menu had a la carte items; the second page had set meals. Many dishes in the set meals weren't on the a la carte page. If you wanted to order a la carte from the set menu, the waiter would name a random price: scrambled eggs with tomatoes 38 yuan, shredded cabbage 38 yuan. Service was extremely slow—half an hour for two vegetable dishes; the rest didn't come until after we finished those.

Breakfast the next day was the same place, with limited choices. Congee was like rice soup. But it was the only restaurant inside the scenic area, so we had no choice.

Despite the poor accommodation and dining, the scenic area itself is unique. We've visited Yadan Demon City and Eboliang Yardang, but Water Yadan was a first. The raised formations look like warships in the water.

At night, we walked to the Yardang edge and looked up at a sky full of stars. After the moon set, the Milky Way became clearer. If you looked long enough, you could see shooting stars. But it was very cold at night—wear long pants and a windbreaker.

Water Yadan to East Taijinar Lake — Driving distance: 28 km, Time: 20 minutes

It's only a 20-minute drive from Water Yadan to East Taijinar Lake. On our way to West Taijinar, we noticed that the sun reflecting off the lake made photos look bad, so we left Water Yadan after breakfast.

When we finally reached the lake, it was breathtaking!!! So beautiful that words cannot describe it—truly the "Maldives of Qinghai." The Tiffany-blue water stretches endlessly, with occasional white saline flats. No filter needed—it's visually stunning! Absolutely worth the trip!

Be sure to apply sunscreen! I forgot to put sunscreen on my legs that day, and within an hour I was sunburned. Later, wearing long pants was painful, and my skin peeled when I got home—a painful lesson.

From East Taijinar, we headed to Golmud. Along the way, we passed a popular photo spot: a large U-shaped road at marker 766 on National Highway G315. Many people go to the lowest point to take photos, but for safety reasons, we don't recommend it. There are many large trucks in both directions; if they can't brake coming down the slope, or if the photographer is not paying attention, accidents can easily happen.

Because we kept stopping to take photos, we arrived at Charhan Salt Lake after 7 p.m. The GPS led us to a local factory; the guard wouldn't let us in, saying we had to take the scenic area bus, but it had already closed. Reluctantly, we left it for next time.

In Golmud, we stayed at Golmud Xingcheng Hotel. It's a highly recommended hotel with excellent value.

It's not far from the city center, with free parking at the door and free breakfast on the first floor. The staff were very welcoming. The rooms were spacious, well-equipped, and stylishly decorated; the bedding was as good as five-star hotels, ensuring good sleep. There's a restaurant next door with tasty and affordable food. If we ever return to Golmud, we'll stay here again.

Golmud Xingcheng Hotel to Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon — Driving distance: 160 km round trip, Time: about 3 hours round trip

From Golmud, the altitude increases. Today's destination, Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon, is at about 3,500 meters. Shortly after leaving Golmud, we entered the Qinghai-Tibet Highway section managed by Tibet.

This highway has many large trucks, like Transformers heading toward us. We also encountered cyclists heading to Tibet and sheep by the roadside—a completely different feeling from our drives in Gansu and Mars Camp.

At the entrance of the Grand Canyon, we had to switch vehicles because we needed to cross a water section and climb slopes; only scenic area off-road vehicles could do it. The driver filled up the tank and off we went!

Today's itinerary: drive an ATV through the front section of the canyon, hike the middle section, and finally reach South Lake.

The wading section was only about 1 km, but it was a new experience. In the ATV, golden canyon walls on both sides, rushing streams below. We drove upstream; at rapids, water splashed into the vehicle. Bumpy but exciting.

When safe, the driver let us drive ourselves. It was much harder than imagined! The manual gear shift required two hands for the girls to shift, but "since we're here," we had to try.

After crossing the stream, the driver brought out cold noodles and braised dishes for lunch. Of course, we took our trash with us.

For the middle section hiking, wear comfortable shoes. Don't run or jump; walk slowly. Two of our friends experienced altitude sickness here—shortness of breath and headaches.

We climbed to the top of the canyon for a different view. The earth had cracked to form this canyon, and snowmelt from distant mountains flowed into it, creating the stream. This was also a filming location for the movie "Tianmu."

From the canyon to South Lake, it's only a 5-minute ATV ride. South Lake adds vitality to this dry land. The lake and blue sky mirrored each other, a perfect end to the day.

Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon was the southernmost point of our trip. Now we started heading back. As we drove, the sky gradually darkened. Normally, the sun sets after 9 p.m., but we checked the news and found that sandstorms had hit Xinjiang, Gansu, and Qinghai. Friends who had just arrived at East Taijinar Lake posted photos full of sand—no blue to be seen. We felt lucky.

That night, we stayed at Haixi Dachaidan Beidou 37° Starry Sky Camp. The online photos had looked beautiful, but due to the sandstorm, we saw nothing and went to bed early. The camp is right off the national highway, easy to find. Breakfast included. Each room is an independent tent with one transparent wall for viewing. However, the interior walls were covered in leather, giving off a strong smell. The water heater in the bathroom took half an hour to reheat between showers. There were many mosquitoes at night, so we couldn't open the door.

The camp had character and was better value than Water Yadan and Mars Camp. If the weather is good, it's worth a try.

The next morning, the sandstorm was still severe. The camp offered sand sliding and other activities, but we weren't interested, so we headed straight back.

Starry Sky Camp to Emerald Lake — Driving distance: 29 km, Time: half an hour

Emerald Lake was the last scenic spot on our Qinghai road trip. No ticket needed. It's a large area; you can drive around to find good photo spots. Although there was a sandstorm that morning, obscuring distant mountains and making the lake look pale, from above, the lake showed emerald green, mint blue, and milky white salt flats—like emeralds embedded in the earth. You can imagine how beautiful it usually is.

Due to the weather, we didn't stay long at Emerald Lake before hurrying back. Thinking back on the trip—Oil Town, Mars Camp, snow-capped mountains, canyons—despite some regrets, it gave us reasons to come again.

From Emerald Lake back to Dunhuang is 349 km, about 5.5 hours. When we saw sand dunes, we knew Dunhuang was near.

For the last two nights in Dunhuang, we stayed at Dunhuang IU Hotel, a 5-minute walk from the Dunhuang Night Market. Nearby there are many local must-try restaurants. Rooms were spacious and comfortable, well-equipped, good for sleep, and great value. The only downside: no free parking; we had to use a public lot, costing 15 yuan per night per car.

As soon as we checked in, we went to the night market! Shazhou Night Market is fantastic! You can buy many local souvenirs: bottled sand art, engraved seals, Flying Apsaras merchandise, and replica murals of Mogao cave paintings. These delicate items were irresistible. Prices were reasonable, and you can haggle.

Midway through the market, there's a food zone called Shazhou Food Post, blending western Chinese flavors with Dunhuang specialties. Must-try items: Hongliu barbecue (meat skewered on red willow sticks), Xinjiang baked buns, Xinjiang kettle meat, Li Guangji apricot peel tea (the best we had), and Pao'er Yougao (a unique Dunhuang dessert)!

Dunhuang City to Yulin Grottoes — Driving distance: 324 km round trip, Time: about 4 hours round trip

We had already visited Mogao Caves last time, so this time we chose to see Yulin Grottoes in Guazhou, a branch of the Mogao art system. Yulin Grottoes, also known as Wanfo Gorge or Yulin Temple, is located 70 km south of Guazhou County, under the administration of the Dunhuang Research Academy. The caves are carved into the cliffs on both sides of the Yulin River Gorge, named for the elm trees along the river. Like Mogao, photography is strictly prohibited inside the caves.

Yulin Grottoes opening hours: 9:30-17:00, ticket sales: 9:30-16:00

1. During epidemic control, only 5 caves are open, ticket price 40 yuan per person per visit (excluding special caves). Other caves and the Yulin Grottoes courtyard exhibition hall are temporarily closed.

2. Daily ticket reservations are limited to 50% of total capacity, i.e., 900 tickets per day. Sales stop when this limit is reached.

3. All visitors must apply for a "National Epidemic Prevention Code" (for non-Gansu visitors) or "Gansu Health Travel Code" (for Gansu visitors) before booking. Only green code holders can book; yellow or red codes are not allowed.

4. Implement the "one entry, one test, real-name registration" system: check health code, take temperature, register information. Visitors without a second-generation ID card are not allowed entry. Wear a mask correctly throughout the visit.

On the way back from Yulin Grottoes, we passed the sculpture "Son of the Earth." This sculpture is on the Gobi Desert in Guazhou, created by Professor Dong Shubing from Tsinghua University. It is 15 meters long, 4.3 meters high, and 9 meters wide, depicting a giant sleeping baby lying face down. Carved from red sandstone using 3D technology and assembled piece by piece, the artist's original intention was to encourage people passing by to cherish the earth's resources and protect the environment.

We returned to Dunhuang city at 2:30 p.m., so we visited the Dunhuang Museum again. I believe the essence of a place is in its museums, and since photography is not allowed in Mogao Caves, the museum has 1:1 replicas of special caves to compensate.

The Dunhuang Museum also requires reservations. Enter with your ID card after reserving. Admission is free.

The basic exhibition layout of Dunhuang City Museum consists of a preface hall and five exhibition halls: Hall 1: Great development of Dunhuang in the Han Dynasty; Hall 2: Continued development in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties; Hall 3: Prosperity in the Sui and Tang Dynasties; Hall 4: Tubo period and Five Dynasties, Song, Yuan, Ming; Hall 5: Development of Dunhuang in the Qing Dynasty. At each hall entrance, you can scan for audio guides.

Below is a replica model of Mogao Cave 45, located in Hall 3. The cave is 439 cm long, 471 cm wide, and 503 cm high. The statues and murals are exquisitely detailed, directly reflecting the lifestyles of various social classes at the time.

For dinner, we chose [Jingyuan Ga Liu Delicious Lamb]. Their lamb is truly authentic—whether hand-pulled or cumin lamb chops, the meat is tender and flavorful. The "hand-pulled" retains the natural taste without any gaminess, while cumin adds aroma. The ingredients are excellent. However, the "Dunhuang cold jelly" is not recommended—just sour, not tasty.

On the afternoon of the 1st, we suddenly received a text that our next day's flight was canceled. Our original morning return flight had to be changed to an evening flight with a transfer in Lanzhou. Fortunately, Lanzhou Airport provided a free night's accommodation. So we had an extra half day to play on the 2nd.

We searched for city attractions; the closest was White Horse Pagoda. Legend has it that some devout Buddhist followers buried their white horse under this ancient city and built a pagoda in its memory, hence the name. But when we arrived, the gate was closed. We could only peek through a hole in the wall.

We then went to Thunderclap Temple near Mingsha Mountain. Does "Thunderclap Temple" remind you of Journey to the West? In the novel, there are two Thunderclap Temples: one on Spirit Mountain and one in Little Western Paradise, both in Western Bull Continent.

The Thunderclap Temple in Dunhuang is not the one from Journey to the West. Originally called Jietuo Nunnery or Guanyin Hall, it has been restored to Tang Dynasty Buddhist monastery style and expanded to become the most important Han Buddhist religious activity site in Dunhuang. There is free parking nearby, and admission is free.

The front courtyard buildings are very old, with peeling paint. The back courtyard has been renovated and expanded, with majestic halls.

The most interesting thing we found here was the "Passing Evil Cave." This is a unique traditional folk structure in the Dunhuang area. It is said that if you crawl through it three times, you can ward off disasters and diseases and ensure safety. After reading the introduction, we followed suit and crawled through three times.

The 8-day self-drive trip finally came to a successful end. It was our first self-drive in Qinghai, but definitely not the last. We are grateful for the beautiful scenery and memories. A VLOG is in progress and will be posted on Ctrip Travel.

Feel free to leave comments if you have questions—we'll reply promptly. Thank you for your attention.

Travel Diary Table of Contents:

1. Before Departure

2. [Flights, Car Rental, Hotels, Tips]

3. D1: Arrive in Dunhuang, Mingsha Mountain & Yueya Spring

4. D2: Aksai, Lenghu Town, Mars Camp

5. D3: Mars Road 1 – Water Yadan

6. D4: East Taijinar Lake, Charhan Salt Lake – Golmud

7. D5: Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon – Haixi Dachaidan Starry Sky Camp

8. D6: Emerald Lake – Dunhuang Shazhou Night Market

9. D7: Yulin Grottoes, Dunhuang Museum

10. D8: Dunhuang White Horse Pagoda, Thunderclap Temple, Return