Northwest China Loop | The Most Beautiful Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop in Summer, Seeing All Scenery at Once
Preface
If we had never met, I would still be the same me, occasionally dreaming, wandering between two points and one line, working in an office at a job that was predictable from the start, day after day, year after year, never imagining that meeting you would change my life…
I’ve always believed that there must be a magnetic field between people, radiating outward along the lines of shared values. We met on a journey, and since then we’ve been traveling between cities and countries, turning our passion into a career.
Five years ago, we both came to Qinghai for the first time that summer. You cycled while I rode in a car, yet we never crossed paths. But those destined to meet will eventually find each other at some corner. In recent years, we have endlessly missed the endless rapeseed flowers by Qinghai Lake, the sunrise that seemed to rise from the sea, the gentle summer breeze, and the free-roaming yaks on the green grassland…
Finally, taking advantage of both having free time, we agreed to travel around the Northwest this most beautiful season—grasslands, lakes, deserts, seas of flowers… Many say that without visiting the Northwest, you don’t know how big China is. In the Northwest, you encounter more than half of China. Crossing grasslands, traversing deserts, driving through the Gobi, facing snow-capped peaks—all the fantasies about the Northwest are covered by a complete loop that showcases the most classic scenery. Amid the desolate deserts and lush grasslands, we explore the meaning of life, interpreting our love for life through the journey.
Before starting the full text, enjoy a short video of the beautiful scenery. Just three minutes record our wonderful six-day journey.
For those about to travel to the Northwest, here are answers to a few common questions: 1. The altitude in the Northwest ranges from 2000 to 4000 meters. Altitude sickness may occur above 3000 meters, but don’t worry too much. Generally, the Northwest is not extremely high. If concerned, you can take Rhodiola in advance to help prevent altitude sickness; it’s adjustable. 2. Summer temperatures in the Northwest are between 15-28°C. The weather changes quickly, mostly sunny and partly cloudy, with occasional rain. Bring a windbreaker and long pants. Mainly summer clothes, but the temperature difference between day and night is large, so keep warm. Also, bring an umbrella. 3. Northwest travel involves walking, hiking, horseback riding, camel riding, etc. Comfortable flat shoes are recommended. For walking in the desert, slippers are convenient to shake off sand. 4. UV radiation is strong at high altitudes; bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a sun-protective jacket, hat, etc. Women should bring hydrating masks and spray to replenish moisture in time. 5. Prepare photography and charging equipment in advance: DSLR, phone, drone. On good weather days, you can get great shots. This time we brought a DJI Mavic 2 drone, Nikon D800E, Nikon Z6, lenses 15-30mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, 35mm, 50mm, Sony RX0 II, etc. 6. The Northwest is a multi-ethnic area; respect local customs and avoid sensitive topics. 7. Nature has no cleaners; protect the environment by taking a trash bag and not littering. Thank you.
The vast Northwest has sparse population, suitable for self-driving or charter/ride-sharing. We considered a lot: self-driving on unfamiliar roads could lead to wrong turns, and driving is tiring—six days would exhaust us. We finally agreed to hire a local driver to be more reliable, saving detours and letting us see all kinds of scenery at once, so both body and mind can feel the charm of the Northwest. If you are also planning to go, you can message me for more info about our driver. A reminder: book through formal channels. Don’t fall for cheap offers near train stations or airports. Never get fooled! Six-day five-night itinerary: D1 Xining – Tar Temple (ticket 70) – Laji Mountain – Qinghai Lake – Jiangxi Gully – Heima River – Xiangpi Mountain – Chaka Town (stay at Chaka Town) D2 Chaka Salt Lake (ticket + sightseeing car 70) – Dachaidan翡翠湖 [stay at Dachaidan Town] D3 Dachaidan – Nanbaxian Yadan – Petrol Town (ticket 20) – Dunhuang [stay near Mingsha Mountain] D4 West Thousand Buddha Caves (peak season Mogao Caves tickets must be booked one month in advance) – Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring (ticket 120) [stay in Dunhuang] D5 Dunhuang departure – Guazhou (honeydew melon) – Jiayuguan (ticket 120) – Zhangye Qicai Danxia (ticket 75) [stay at Qicai Town, Zhangye] D6 Zhangye – Biandukou Scenic Area (most beautiful national highway 227) – Menyuan – cross Daban Mountain – Xining
Starting from Xining, three people, one car, began our Qinghai Grand Loop tour… Following Tibetan custom, we decided to circle the lake clockwise. Five years ago we missed Tar Temple due to time; this time we made up for it. Our driver took us from Xining to Tar Temple. During peak season, Tar Temple is very crowded. Self-driving is not recommended; parking is expensive and time-consuming. Luckily, Master Yang knew the way well, saving us time. Must praise! If you’re looking for the most worldly sacred place in Qinghai, almost everyone would say Tar Temple. It’s a holy site for Tibetan Buddhists, but even for non-believers, the richly decorated architecture, murals, and appliqué thangkas are worth seeing.
Tar Temple in Tibetan is “Gumbum Champa Ling,” meaning “Monastery of Ten Thousand Buddha Statues.” It is one of the six major monasteries of Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, with over 600 years of history, holding high religious status in China and Southeast Asia.
Its iconic buildings come into view as you climb the steps and enter: eight pagodas. Many take photos here. I also made a wish, hoping that many years later, I will still remember my original dream…
Around the pagodas are local devotees, holding prayer beads and chanting sutras, circumambulating in circles. When you feel the faith, it exists.
The monastery is built on the mountain slope, with pagodas standing tall, halls brilliant and staggered. Prayer wheels turn right as Tibetans chant lowly, and bodhi trees bloom on the walls…
A sudden heavy rain trapped us inside the monastery. Silently listening to the rain and chanting, the most beautiful is not the rainy day, but the eaves where we hid from the rain together…
The air was moist with高原气息 and hot yak butter smell. Colorful Tibetan ornaments, pulu, rammed earth walls, mani piles, prayer flags, prayer wheels, cheese, tsampa, butter lamps, highland barley wine… each is the most straightforward expression of Tibetan culture…
[TIPS] Address: 56 Jinta Road, Xining City. Opening hours: April 1-October 31 (peak) 07:00-18:00; November 1-March 31 (off-peak) 08:00-17:00. Ticket: 70 yuan/person.
From Tar Temple to Qinghai Lake, we had to cross Riyue Mountain. The scenery along the way is not to be missed, bringing back memories…
The advantage of chartered car is freedom: stop anytime at suitable spots to capture desired views. No need to worry about early tour groups or missing bus schedules. Regular scenic spots are beautiful, but the scenery along the way is even more worth clicking the shutter. Whether posting on WeChat Moments or Weibo, this trip will look more impressive, making likes reach an all-time high!
Riyue Mountain has a beautiful legend: When Princess Wencheng reached Chiling (now Riyue Mountain) about to leave Tang territory, she felt sorrow. Looking west to Tubo, the sky was high and clouds low, the grassland vast; looking east to Chang’an, she missed her homeland. She took out the “Sun and Moon Mirror” given by the empress to see Chang’an scenery and relatives, but accidentally broke it into two pieces—sun and moon—hence the name.
The mountains stretch, with prayer flags fluttering in the wind. Yaks and sheep dot the slopes. The winding road climbs, clouds seem within reach, the air is fresh. Looking down, the surrounding mountains are quiet and empty.
14 kilometers below Riyue Mountain is Daotang River, the only river in China that stubbornly flows from east to west. It condenses too many complex homesick tears of Princess Wencheng, flowing quietly and gently into Qinghai Lake…
Daotang River winds more than 40 kilometers, clear to the bottom, like a bright silk ribbon falling on the grassland.
Crossing Riyue Mountain and Daotang River, the vast deep blue lake gradually appears between the blue sky and grassland. The time on the road becomes a non-stop “flowing visual feast,” afraid that a moment of distraction will miss a lifetime unforgettable scene.
Summer is the most beautiful season of Qinghai Lake. Golden rapeseed flower seas are the best companion, poetry and distance. No need for superb photography skills; every frame has the potential to become a screensaver or wallpaper.
Driving all the way to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, open, continuous grasslands. Arriving at the lakeside, surrounded by a large patch of rapeseed flowers, as if God’s palette was overturned on earth, stretching to the horizon. The flower seas by the lake are mostly fenced off by locals, 10 yuan per person to enter and take photos. We chose a colorful flower field, more expensive at 40 yuan per person, but worthwhile for photo lovers.
Golden rapeseed, purple lavender, green highland barley interweave for tens of kilometers. Walking through it feels like walking in a painting, propping up the beauty of the entire Northwest. Beautiful to the point of not being able to look away, wanting to use all superlatives, but in the end just repeating: so beautiful, so beautiful.
In July and August, the temperature difference between day and night in Qinghai is huge. In the daytime sun it’s hot enough to make you squint, but it can’t stop our excitement seeing such a vast beautiful scene. Being here, I feel like a part of the painting.
Arriving at the familiar Erlangjian Scenic Area, it’s more developed and commercialized than five years ago. You can ride horses, yaks, hot air balloons, speedboats—lots of activities. Here, yaks have become photo props, dressed up beautifully by their owners, like a yak beauty contest.
I looked around by the lake for a long time, found the most handsome yak with a smooth hairstyle that instantly attracted us. Confirmed, I rode it and became a scenery by the lake. Riding yak for photos costs 20 yuan per person. The Tibetan herders are quite good at doing business with their cows.
I prefer the tranquility of the west lakeside road: straight road, blue sky, green grass. Driving on that straight road, with such vigorous vitality, the colors cleansed my eyes. Looking at the blue expanse, even doing nothing, it’s a rare sense of comfort in the city.
Discovered a small path extending to the lake, dropped everything and ran towards it. A 20°C summer is simply a paradise on earth.
The leisurely yaks scattered on the grassland greeted us friendly. Living in such environment and air, they must be very happy.
Qinghai is not like a city, bustling and hurried; nor like a paradise, distant and unfamiliar. It is a spiritual home many yearn for, a tranquility and eternity that can be reached in the mortal world…
Many people go to Qinghai not only to check in at Qinghai Lake, but also to take photos at Chaka Salt Lake. Five years ago, when I first went to Chaka, my best friend and I were so excited that we couldn’t stop pressing the camera shutter. The only downside was the crowds. Five years later, I decided to take new photos of the Sky Mirror.
Chaka Salt Lake, also called Caka or Dabunur, travelers have given it a wonderful name “Sky Mirror,” and even National Geographic China rated it as one of the 55 places to visit in a lifetime. This time we went to the Sky No.1 Scenic Area, located east of the original scenic area. Although it belongs to Chaka Salt Lake, the difference is that Sky No.1 has fewer tourists, relieving pressure during peak season. During Qinghai’s peak season, the 2km traffic jam from the national highway to Chaka parking lot is a disaster.
Here, no need to Photoshop out crowds; no noisy street market. Only this expanse of blue lake and sky. No need to deliberately find angles; any random shot is a godly picture that “only exists in heaven.” (It is said Chaka Salt Lake offers free entry for Zhejiang ID holders, but we didn’t try and obediently bought tickets. If you are from Zhejiang, try with your ID next time.)
The decoration at the entrance is very distinctive, showing a unique artistic beauty under the blue sky.
The Sky No.1 Scenic Area is huge. If you want to walk the entire way, I advise you to give up—better use that energy for more photos. The small train in the scenic area is specially used to carry tourists. The steam locomotive becomes a unique scenery line, leisurely shuttling among the salt lakes, adding a touch of playfulness, carrying expectant passengers to view the stunning Chaka Salt Lake.
The sightseeing car runs on a circular track, no backtracking, with four stops: Diamond Boardwalk, Love Boardwalk, Lucky Corridor, and Lake Heart Viewing Platform. Sitting on the car, the lake and sky merge into one, so beautiful that time seems to stop, as if this train has no end, wandering in the blue-and-white world forever…
The overall layout is connected by boardwalks, solving photo-taking difficulties and protecting the salt crystallization layer.
There are many experience projects: riding camels, horses, go-karts, gliders… If you have enough time, you can spend a whole day here, but it’s extremely hot—make sure to take sun protection.
The “Diamond Sunken Boardwalk” allows you to admire various salt flowers, which, like the boardwalk name, look like diamonds sinking into water, shining even in the water.
For photos here, wearing a red dress is highly recommended. The bright red skirt dances freely with the wind, contrasting and echoing the surrounding quiet blue, making the originally tranquil scenery lively. Walking here, I feel like I’ve taken over the whole sky…
Some might wonder why I chose Chaka Salt Lake in this August scorching sun, a place freely receiving the sun’s baptism. But summer is actually the most beautiful time for Chaka Salt Lake. The sunlight shining on the lake surface creates a different world.
The Love Boardwalk in the scenic area is a must-visit for couples. The boardwalk forms a heart shape when connected, which can only be seen clearly from a drone, but drones are forbidden in the scenic area, so you can only enjoy it on the ground. The lake water here is deeper than the original scenic area, so it’s more suitable for taking photos on the boardwalk. Pure, reflections, blue and white interwoven, like a dream.
Taking photos at Chaka Salt Lake is very weather-dependent. As long as the weather is good, you can shoot a fairyland. It reminds me of those uninhabited beautiful scenes in Hayao Miyazaki’s animations that seem to have come into the real world. The sky mixes with the blue of the lake, reaching the extreme of beauty, and occasional clouds are the finishing touch.
If I had to choose a favorite stop in the scenic area, I would recommend the last stop of the sightseeing car. Maybe many tourists are aesthetically tired and skip it without getting off, so there are fewer people, allowing arbitrary photo taking.
The small train once used by salt lake workers is now a photo prop. It extends into the distance in the white salt lake, as if leading to the end of the world, or as if stepping out of Spirited Away.
There are patches of salt flowers sinking in the clear lake water, and golden triangles made of salt piles. Don’t underestimate these small triangles; they are popular internet photo spots. For Virgos, it’s undoubtedly a holy land, without any flaws.
Perhaps because I love such scenery, I want to take excited photos at every spot, hoping the camera can record the most beautiful moments between me and Chaka Salt Lake. When I get old, I can show the photos to my children and grandchildren: “Look, I’ve been to a fairyland too.”
The salt lake is beautiful but also fragile. Don’t harm it out of love. Leave nothing but memories. Let this mirror left by God forever reflect the most beautiful appearance of heaven…
[TIPS] Address: East of Chaka Salt Lake, Wulan County, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Opening hours: All year 06:00-21:00. Ticket: 50 yuan/person, sightseeing car: 20 yuan/person. Recommended shooting times: before 8 am and after 6 pm.
If Chaka Salt Lake is called the Sky Mirror, some will object: “What about Emerald Lake? How can you ignore it!” Don’t worry, the Northwest has many beautiful spots. I’ll tell them one by one. It was already afternoon when we left Chaka Salt Lake. After lunch, our driver brother rushed towards Dachaidan to catch the sunset. Deep in Dachaidan, at an altitude of over 3,000 meters, Emerald Lake is like a gem fallen into the mortal world. Be sure to bring a drone here; from a bird’s-eye view, it looks like emeralds inlaid on the earth. Green is presented vividly here—deep or shallow, rich or light…
It is said that real natural beauty should be on the road, not fenced in. Emerald Lake is indeed such a gift from heaven. It was originally a mining area of the Dachaidan Chemical Plant Salt Lake Mining Team. After years of mining, it has become the current beauty. It is not yet fully developed, free of charge, but it will likely be developed as a scenic spot soon. From Dachaidan Town to Emerald Lake is a primitive gravel road. Navigation doesn’t work well, and there’s no mobile signal. It’s recommended to have a local driver to lead the way.
When we arrived, it was dusk, not the best light. There are few lakes in the world that can withstand a God’s perspective, and Emerald Lake is one of them. Under drone view, it’s breathtakingly beautiful. Unlike Chaka, it is not a single lake but composed of scattered small lakes. Only by seeing it with your own eyes can you understand how stunning it is.
This dark brown land, white salt crystals and blue-green lake water blend together, peaceful and quiet, like a knocked-over palette. Locals call this saltwater “brine.”
It is not as bustling as Chaka Salt Lake; only a vast, quiet and comfortable area. Standing casually, there’s a natural charm.
Between the lakes are wide roads. The lakes on both sides offer different views: one reflects the Yadan Devil City, the other reflects the Kunlun Snow Mountains. Magic mirror and fairyland meet here. You can walk barefoot on the salt lake shore, feel the coolness of the summer plateau lake, face the vastness, let the wind blow your cheeks, and empty your mind.
Perhaps it is a relic left by Buddha or some deity. Emerald Lake scatters into many pieces on this spiritual land. Walking on the ground, you can only appreciate one-tenth of its beauty. Overlooking, it’s like thousands of emeralds inlaid on the earth…
In Qinghai, it gets dark after 9 pm every day. The few clouds also sensibly hide, letting the starry river flow before people’s eyes. The starry sky over Emerald Lake is quiet and bright; the Milky Way and constellations are clearly visible. I spent several hours shooting the starry sky on the shivering plateau, feeling the silence for kilometers around, only the stars covering the sky casting their glow. I felt I had taken over the entire starry sky…
[TIPS] Address: Dachaidan, Qinghai Province. Ticket: Free.
The principle of mutual generation and restraint holds everywhere. The Northwest has rare fairylands, and naturally, demon realms accompany them. If Chaka and Emerald Lake are light shed by God, then Nanbaxian Yadan is the shadow under the light…
Nanbaxian Devil City, like Emerald Lake, is an undeveloped natural landscape. It lies on the northeastern edge of the Qaidam Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the main landform types of the Qaidam Basin. It consists of intermittent long ridges of earth and grooves. It is the largest wind-eroded earth forest group discovered in China, which is why it’s called Devil City.
The Northwest is vast, with long distances between destinations. When the car sped on the straight National Highway 315, it felt like a scene from a road movie.
To go to Nanbaxian Yadan, it’s recommended to drive a bit inside. Many drivers lazy and drop you at the entrance, but that is not the essence; the real essence is deeper in, though the road is rough and easy to get lost. Our driver was very enthusiastic and took us to a place without tourists, allowing us to take photos freely. So thoughtful!
The Yadan landform in Qaidam was formed from lake sediments of the late Tertiary and early Quaternary 75 million years ago. Due to geological uplift, they left water bodies, and the salt and sand condensed crust was sculpted by westerly winds, making it one of the largest and most typical Yadan landscapes in the world. The total area of Yadan forest here is about 21,000 square kilometers, average altitude 3,260 meters, the largest wind-eroded earth forest group found in China. Because of its strange and grotesque landform, shifting fierce winds, eerie sounds generated by the terrain, and the iron-rich rocks causing strong geomagnetism that often makes compasses fail, leading to disorientation, it is regarded as a Devil City, a maze.
Time is not only a butcher knife but also an immortal carving knife. It uses wind and water as handles and blades, working diligently for thousands of years on the mud-sand rock, finally making the sandstone peel off, loosen, collapse, forming various bizarre rock shapes over time.
If you don’t visit this place in person, you may never realize how magnificent it is. I had seen many photos of Devil City in National Geographic, but when I set foot on this land, I was still shocked. For a hundred square kilometers, there is not a single blade of grass. Under dry and windy conditions, the unique Yadan landform was formed…
Looking far into the distance is endless sandy land, dotted with various shapes of high and low small hills. Upon closer inspection, some look like tigers, some like horses, gathered together, majestic like a hundred beasts bowing to the unicorn in a yellowish haze.
Looking again, these hills resemble bunkers, wheat stacks, or yurts, standing in this sea of sand like a long-abandoned dead city, awe-inspiring and admirable.
Before nature, humans are always so small. Crossing thousands of mountains and rivers, under the profound witness of natural changes, the vicissitudes of time are insignificant…
[TIPS] Address: Northern margin of Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Ticket: Free.
I believe many have seen the movie “The Ghouls”? The town in the movie that looks like a 3D model—Petrol Town—actually exists! Fans of Ghost Blowing Lights, look here!
Before departure, I specifically searched for the mystery of Petrol Town. I thought it would be hidden in a hard-to-reach place, but it turned out to be right by the highway, as if waiting for travelers to relieve its loneliness. Located in Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County, like the movie plot, this once prosperous small town became ruins overnight, desolate. The intact buildings and facilities make people feel as if they can still see its former vitality.
Entering Petrol Town by car costs 20 yuan per person. The ticket collector even dresses up in a rough style, jumping out to collect tickets. With the yellow sand-covered abandoned town, it feels like the American Wild West, full of excitement!
With excitement, entering Petrol Town is like walking into the movie. Everywhere are broken buildings and abandoned facilities. Although not as grand as other spots, it’s unexpectedly a great place for photos!
A very impressive scene in the movie is a bus stuck upside down into the ground. Unexpectedly, this was not special effects! Seeing the real bus upside down almost moved me to tears. Without hesitation, I posed for photos!
Any random wall or abandoned car can immediately produce a Wild West vibe! The clothing doesn’t need to be dreamy like the Sky Mirror; simple and clean is enough, paired with a cloak and hat—even a girl looks heroic. Here you will discover a new self, not only beautiful but handsome!
There are many building relics from the 1980s: government buildings, cultural centers, gas stations, schools, small shops… They are no longer radiant like during prosperity but hunched over, eroded by wind, sand, and rain over the years, adding traces of time rather than rough artificial damage.
There are also abandoned cars, tanks, factories, overgrown with weeds, some even growing through the facilities. If you are a photography enthusiast or like taking personality shots, you will be overjoyed because this place is so suitable for taking pictures!
The gloomy yellow soil color is the background of a no-man’s land movie, also a mysterious and distant color. Standing casually, you become a character in the movie frame, carrying desolation through the desert, not asking where you come from or where you are going, just sharing this unique scenery.
Petrol Town has a magical power. Walking on its paths, my heart was intertwined with excitement and desolation. I couldn’t help wanting to explore every quiet corner to take movie-like photos, but seeing the town’s devastation, a sense of bleakness arose. Bearing the weight of time, it allows us from modern cities to glimpse past life and even the changes of eras.
[TIPS] Address: 150 meters south of intersection of National Highway 215 and County Road 281, Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County, Jiuquan City. Old county seat of Aksai. Ticket: 20 yuan/person.
Heading towards Dunhuang, this grand stage of the Western Regions is full of exotic charm and ancient legends. It has world-class cultural heritage, the largest existing Buddhist art sanctuary in the world. Almost surrounded by desert, it has nurtured a long Silk Road civilization. With a crescent spring in the vast desert, it has attracted travelers from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign. It boasts magnificent natural landscapes, diverse cultural sights, and historical depth that millenniums of wind and sand cannot bury…
In Dunhuang, you must check in at Mogao Caves, but peak season tickets are extremely hard to get—need to book online a month in advance. We didn’t get Mogao tickets, so we went to West Thousand Buddha Caves, 35 km from Dunhuang city. Compared to the fame of Mogao, West Thousand Buddha Caves are more secluded, but they were carved earlier. It has 16 complete caves, but most were carved in the Northern Wei Dynasty, so they are old and severely damaged. Only 9 caves are open to tourists.
West Thousand Buddha Caves seem to be set in a large pit, overlooking the meandering river, standing in an oasis. Looking around, it’s rare to see such vitality in the vast desert. It has stood alone in the yellow sand for hundreds of years, once the Poqiang Pavilion that heard the clashing of weapons of a dynasty, and the necessary road to the Yangguan Pass on the Silk Road…
Descending along the steps, I saw the caves carved on the cliff. Looking up, the Gobi and trees are at the same height, leaves rustling, flat land, pavilions—it seems to bring you back a thousand years. In its prime, it was not as scarred by years as now; even after repairs, it cannot hide its accumulated wounds…
Many tourists who couldn’t get Mogao tickets moved to West Thousand Buddha Caves, so when we went, it was a typical “queue two hours, visit twenty minutes” story. We randomly visited a few caves, no photography allowed inside, just to feel the artistic beauty.
[TIPS] Address: About 35 km from Dunhuang city, carved on the cliff along the Danghe River. Opening hours: 08:30-17:30 (May-Oct), 09:00-17:00 (Nov-Apr). Ticket: 30 yuan/person.
In Dunhuang, besides Mogao Caves, Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring are not to be missed. Mingsha Mountain lies south of Dunhuang. When the wind howls, the sand mountain roars; when the breeze blows, the sound is like strings, hence the name.
The camel bells on Mingsha Mountain echo over the desert in the hot air. If the Hexi Corridor is desolate and grand, then Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring are the unique and romantic parts of the Silk Road, witnessing a thousand years of the desert…
We arrived at the scenic area in the evening, still crowded. The hot desert had no shelter; the heat made me restless.
Climbing over dunes, looking at the Crescent Spring and ancient pavilion in the distance, it felt like a mirage. I’ve always heard that Crescent Spring is the most beautiful scenery in Dunhuang. Indeed, it lives up to its reputation. Surrounded by yellow sand dunes, who would imagine they hold a spring so clear? Like a delicate girl hidden in a golden house, the more dust flies around, the clearer and brighter she becomes.
Fire and water have always been incompatible, and desert and clear spring rarely coexist. But in Mingsha Mountain, you can see the wonder of desert and spring living side by side—one rugged, one gentle, nestled together, lying quietly for thousands of years…
Wearing a red dress, like a female ranger hidden in the desert in a movie, without the worries of modern cities, just enjoying the magnificent boundless yellow sand.
At Crescent Spring, the most attractive things are not just the spring wonder and grand dunes, but the sunset there. Many people wait on the hillside for sunset. The afterglow shines on the emerald spring, making the crescent ripple with silver waves. The setting sun casts a layer of gold on distant sand dunes, like celestial flying apsaras with flowing sleeves.
Unlike the daytime sun that illuminates everything clearly, the setting sun gives us a great gift in the evening. In the slanting light, the dunes show different shades, layers more distinct, matching the poem “Nature’s magic concentrates beauty, yin and yang cut dusk and dawn.”
I love these continuous, layered dunes. No matter how many people walk over them, a gust of wind will always reshape the sand into mountain forms with gentle curves, like the most delicious bite of a cream cake—dense and sweet.
After sunset, the desert is very cool. Hearing the distant camel bells fade into the vast yellow sand, hearing the wind howl over the spring, time slows down. This moment will be treasured forever.
Watching the starry sky in the desert is a thing, but Mingsha Mountain is not recommended for star photography due to light pollution. Let this beautiful scenery stay in memory.
[TIPS] Address: 5 km south of Dunhuang city. Ticket: peak 110 yuan/person, off-peak 55 yuan/person.
In Gansu, you must visit Jiayuguan, known as the First Pass Under Heaven. It is one of the three great wonders of the Great Wall, a world cultural heritage! Jiayuguan connects to the Overhanging Great Wall on Heishan in the north, and the First Pier in the south. Historically called the throat of Hexi, it is majestic in terrain and architecture, known as the key to the border pass. Now, visiting Jiayuguan requires a combo ticket for three attractions. Our thoughtful driver Brother Yang waited for us to finish one attraction and took us to the next.
Standing outside Jiayuguan, I felt its majestic grandeur. Not only in scale but also in architectural features. Jiayuguan Pass has inner, outer, Luo, and Weng cities, and a moat outside. The camera cannot capture it all; only standing at the foot of the pass can you truly feel the shock of this huge project.
500 years ago, Jiayuguan firmly closed China’s western gate, facing the frontier. Climbing the city tower, looking out, the overgrown Gobi outside the pass is spectacular in the wind. The plaque “First Pass Under Heaven” hangs high. Before you lies the endless Gobi, the majestic vermilion city tower under the jade-like snow peaks of Qilian Mountain is especially magnificent. However, throughout the ages, “Don’t laugh when drunk lying on the battlefield; how many warriors return from ancient battles?” How many tragic songs of separation and death has this vast desert city witnessed?
Sometimes I feel humans are as small as dust, sometimes as great as giants. It’s hard to imagine how our Chinese ancestors, without heavy machinery, built the Great Wall with such perseverance and faith. Every brick and tile carries the loyalty of ancient people to defend their country; every inch of land flows with the unyielding Chinese blood.
Jiayuguan city tower resembles a majestic general guarding the border, wearing golden armor and boots, holding a blood-soaked saber, standing upright on the wall, walking slowly towards us from thousands of years ago, telling us the historical stories he witnessed, the storms and snow.
There is a folk rhyme: “Once you leave Jiayuguan, your tears won’t stop.” Today, Jiayuguan is a grand historical attraction for us, but for the ancients, it was a place full of sorrow. Border areas always see frequent battles. Many soldiers sleep forever here; the city platform bears the sweat and tears of homesick people. Stepping close to the city feels like entering history, with shock and sadness intertwining in my heart.
In ancient times, military generals regarded Lord Guan as the god of war, so a “Lord Guan Temple” was built inside Jiayuguan City, with a plaque reading “Majesty Declared Both Home and Abroad,” symbolizing the dignity of the Chinese nation.
Inside the temple stands a red-handled Guan Dao, symbolizing Lord Guan’s invincibility, also meaning to bless soldiers to overcome obstacles and return safely.
Besides the Jiayuguan Pass, the Overhanging Great Wall to the north, known as the “Western Badaling,” is also famous. A poem praises: “The Great Wall stretches thousands of li; layers of black mountains and overhanging walls.”
The Overhanging Great Wall is not built on flat ground; it is built on a steep ridge with about a 45-degree angle, hanging like a Great Wall, hence the name. From afar, it looks breathtaking, like a yellow dragon coiling on the mountain.
Building the Great Wall was already extremely difficult; building on this rugged ridge was even harder. This Jiayuguan trip left me awestruck from one shock to another without respite.
Standing by the enemy tower on the city wall, near the beacon tower, looking at the scenery inside and outside the city. Not as desolate as Jiayuguan, perhaps because it relies on Heishan, there are more greens instead of being buried by yellow sand. In the yellow sand desert, green represents infinite vitality, lightening the mood.
Of course, when it comes to the Great Wall, the First Pier south of Jiayuguan must be mentioned. When I heard First Pier, I thought it was the most spectacular pier among countless ones on the Great Wall line, but unexpectedly, it refers to the pier where the Great Wall rises. It echoes the “Old Dragon Head” on the coast of the Bohai Sea in Shanhaiguan, Hebei, together forming this ten-thousand-mile dragon, the head and tail, guarding the border.
Here stand not only the pier but also training grounds, commander’s tent, war drums, chariots, stables… It seems you can see generals and soldiers discussing strategies to resist the enemy in the tent, dedicating their whole lives to their family and country. Even if they can only accompany the endless sand in this life, they are willing without regret.
[TIPS] Opening hours: 08:30-18:00. Ticket: peak (May 1-Oct 31): 100 yuan; off-peak (Nov 1-Apr 30): 50 yuan.
An ancient poem says: “If you don’t look at the snow on Qilian Mountain, you might mistake Zhangye for Jiangnan.” Zhangye is like a water town on the Gobi, gentle yet rough. Its charm hides in the cold wind at night, in the endless Gobi desert, in a story called spring and autumn…
On the Hexi Corridor, this colorful Danxia landform fully displays the beauty of nature. “Color like red cinnabar, brilliance like rosy clouds.” Amidst the flowing light and shadow, it’s like a palette knocked down to the mortal world, layered, with steep cliffs and majestic momentum. At first sight of the colorful Danxia, before I could gasp, I thought of the fairy Zixia and Monkey King from A Chinese Odyssey: my beloved may not come on colorful clouds to marry me, but he will accompany me to see this colorful Danxia, holding my hand in a magnificent scene.
Early morning, evening, and after rain are the best times for photos. Although we didn’t go at the best time, it was still enough to make us linger. Standing on the viewing platform, looking at this gorgeous landscape with distinct layers and colorful rocks, it’s as splendid as an oil painting, not something that should exist in reality. Truly “color like red cinnabar, brilliance like rosy clouds.” No regrets in a lifetime to come here.
Zhangye Qicai Danxia is mainly composed of red conglomerate, sandstone, and mudstone, developed in red strata from Jurassic to Tertiary. It is the general name for various Danxia peaks formed by vertical joints in thick red sandstone and conglomerate layers.
Walking along the red brick road, hills rise and fall on both sides. Sitting in the car, you can see layered colorful mountains in the distance, set against the blue sky and white clouds, like a masterpiece oil painting.
Arriving at a mountaintop viewing platform, immersed in this colorful ocean, you can fully enjoy the unique beauty not inferior to the Five Sacred Mountains.
Looking at the painting from a flat angle may not capture its entirety. Many people choose to take a paraglider or hot air balloon to overlook this earthly rainbow. From above, it’s another beautiful scene. The Danxia peaks look like the uneven paint blocks in French oil paintings, thick and heavy, making you feel the unadorned boldness and masculine beauty of the Northwest wilderness.
It’s hard to say how many tens of thousands of years of rain and wind erosion formed these strange rocks. From a distance, these bizarre rocks harmoniously display their fiery red posture, revealing their beauty and enthusiasm to the world without restraint, like the blood-red arteries beating in our bodies, vast and powerful.
[TIPS] Linze Danxia enters from the west entrance; Sunan Danxia is at the east entrance. Linze has five viewing platforms. No.1 platform consists of seven or eight different platforms, each with its own characteristics. No.2 platform requires climbing a high staircase, offering a panoramic view. No.3 platform has a Colorful Fan; between No.3 and No.4 you pass the filming location of “A Simple Noodle Story” – the Mazi Noodle Shop. No.4 platform is “Knife Mountain and Fire Sea” with distinct layers. You can also take a glider here to experience overlooking Danxia. No.5 platform is the west entrance back to Linze; after climbing, you can overlook the Danxia landform from the top; on a clear day you can even see Qilian Mountain in the distance. Ticket info: Zhangye Danxia Geological Park ticket: Qicai Danxia 74 yuan (ticket 54 + electric car 20); Binggou Danxia 60 yuan (ticket 40 + electric car 20). Visitors cannot climb the colored hills on their own; they must take the scenic electric car to the four viewing platforms. Opening hours: Summer 7:00-18:00, Winter 7:30-17:00.
Unconsciously, the six-day trip is nearing its end. Time on the road always flies so fast. Driving from Gansu to Xining along the most beautiful National Highway 227, the scenery is picturesque all the way. Passing through Biandukou, known as the “Southern Gate of Hexi Corridor,” tens of thousands of acres of rapeseed flowers bloom, filling the view with golden and green colors.
From afar, you can see large patches of fluffy golden rapeseed flowers and highland barley interweaving to form a beautiful landscape. After seeing yellow sand for days, this vibrant, lively scene makes your whole head fizz with lemon-like bubbles—fresh and refreshing.
Although Biandukou was once a military point, a battleground, it is now a “rapeseed flower source” where rapeseed flowers compete in beauty. When driving by, you can’t rush through. Despite all being rapeseed fields, each section has a different view, making you stop and ask the driver to drive slower, slower.
In August, in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it would already be scorching hot, but here the climate is very comfortable. Flocks of cattle and sheep graze on the Qilian Grassland; every frame is an unforgettable tranquility.
The Menyuan rapeseed flowers I’ve been longing for for years finally arrived. They silently swept over this small plateau city with the most brilliant gold. Before coming, you might think rapeseed flowers are nothing special; after going, you will sincerely sigh: Is there any more beautiful flower sea?
Bordered by Qilian Mountain in the north, Yong’an City in the west, Yulong Beach in the east, and Daban Mountain in the south, wherever you look, you see a golden ocean. When blue, green, and yellow blend together in Menyuan, the stunning beauty is beyond words. Unlike the gold of sand, the golden rapeseed and green highland barley are not messy but clearly layered, forming a gradual ocean. In the distance, Qilian Mountain still shows some snow, making it feel like the back garden of a celestial being.
When the wind blows, you can smell the fragrance of rapeseed flowers passing through your hair. From any angle, it’s a warm-colored flower sea painting. Under the deep blue sky of the plateau, harmonizing with distant mountains, near water, villages, and homes, all tones are just right naturally.
Natural scenery is always hard to convey in words or images. No matter how many words or angles, the recorded beauty is not even a thousandth of what you see with your own eyes. One word “beautiful” is enough.
A sudden shower left our memories in Menyuan and ended our perfect Northwest trip. If you have a chance, you must come yourself.
The six-day five-night Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop comes to an end. Thank our driver Master Yang for taking us to see the most essential beauty of the Northwest, eating the most authentic food, and spending every day wonderfully.
The places not visited, the photos not taken, the words not said—all are left for next time. Looking forward to the next trip, giving you a more perfect Northwest journey.
