Northwest China Road Trip: The Most Comprehensive Guide to the Gansu-Qinghai Grand Loop
Last year, with the Happy Flight program, our group of friends chose Dunhuang, a key city on the Silk Road, as our first stop. Upon arriving in Dunhuang, the first attraction we visited was, of course, the Mogao Caves. The Mogao Caves were built in 366 AD during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. They were later continuously expanded and renovated through the Northern Wei, Sui, Tang, Northern Song, and Western Xia dynasties, until after the Yuan dynasty when they gradually declined and were abandoned.
Now, if you travel from Dunhuang Airport back to the city center, you will pass by an ancient city wall, which is the film set built for the movie "Dunhuang."
After the abandonment of the Mogao Caves, no new caves were opened during the Yuan dynasty. By the Ming dynasty, Dunhuang was even closed off beyond the Jiayuguan Great Wall. Thus, Dunhuang became a land beyond the frontier, a nomadic pasture.
Continuing forward, under a large tree stands a flying Apsaras statue, gracefully dancing. Apsaras are celestial beings in Buddhism that fly in the air, often appearing around bodhisattvas during sermons, scattering flowers or dancing. In many Dunhuang murals, we see images of Apsaras, including the city emblem at the entrance to Dunhuang, a statue of a flying Apsaras playing a pipa behind her back. Witnessing the exquisite murals firsthand is breathtaking. The Mogao Caves have a total of 735 caves, but only 60-70 are open to the public year-round. Upon entering, you will be awestruck by everything before you, focusing intently on the mottled stone walls within their confined spaces.
The Mogao Caves currently have 735 caves, containing a vast number of murals and painted clay sculptures, making it the largest and richest art site in China and the world. Admission tickets are divided into Category A, Category B, and Category C, as well as special cave exhibitions. We bought the cheapest Category B tickets, which allowed us to visit four caves.
Throughout the Mogao Caves, most caves are original, carved into the cliff face.
During the visit, visitors line up in groups, each group assigned a guide who randomly leads the group to view caves. To prevent air from entering and oxidizing the murals, the guide locks the door after each visit.
The Nine-Story Building is the first cave visited with a Category B ticket and the last with a Category A ticket. As the name suggests, the building is a nine-story wooden structure appended to the front of a cave, rebuilt during the Republic of China period. Originally only four stories, it was rebuilt successively through the ages, with the last renovation completed in 1935.
The cave was carved during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras of the Tang dynasty (713-742 AD). Inside, it houses a Maitreya Buddha, said to be the successor of Sakyamuni, thus known as the Future Buddha.
Legend has it that the Buddha's face was modeled after Empress Wu Zetian, with a round, full form, a serene posture, and a dignified demeanor. The entire Buddha statue is 26 meters tall, with a knee width of 12 meters. Looking up from the feet, the grand and majestic statue is the second-largest Buddha in the Mogao Caves.
The Buddha's feet are large, with clearly visible toenails, reflecting the aesthetic art of the Tang dynasty.
The murals inside the cave were repainted during the Song dynasty and are also very exquisite. However, the murals at the entrance passage, said to be original from the Tang dynasty, have now faded and are difficult to see clearly.
The Reclining Buddha Cave houses the Nirvana statue of Sakyamuni. The reclining Buddha is 15.8 meters long, with a beautiful form and a serene expression, depicting Sakyamuni's entry into nirvana, liberation from samsara, and his passing.
Behind the reclining Buddha, a group of small statues represent the disciples' different reactions to the Buddha's nirvana, each with distinct facial expressions.
The ceiling murals are extremely ornate, with countless small Buddha images filling the view. Imagine how much effort and time the painters must have spent creating such exquisite images within this small space.
The murals outside the cave are much simpler, and the colors are not as vivid, possibly due to prolonged exposure to air oxidation.
After the visit, the guide locked the cave door again.
In 366 AD, the monk Lezun opened the first Buddhist niche at Dunhuang. After 1,650 years of construction, these historical paintings that transcend time have become a World Heritage Site. Along with the Yungang Caves in Shanxi and the Longmen Caves in Henan, the Mogao Caves are known as one of China's "Three Great Cave Art Treasures."
So, how were the Mogao Caves carved? Why have the murals remained unfaded after a thousand years? How were the large Buddha statues made and built?
With these questions, I visited the Dunhuang Cave Art Research and Exhibition Center to find answers. First, the geological environment: the Mingsha Mountain where the Mogao Caves are located is dry and rainless year-round, providing an excellent external environment for preserving stone carvings, murals, and painted sculptures. Second, the pigments used: the painting pigments displayed in the Dunhuang Cave Museum are all made from natural minerals, processed through selection, crushing, iron removal, grinding, and grading to produce various shades suitable for painting.
The colors are pure, rich, and vibrant yet not gaudy, with weather resistance, light resistance, and resistance to acid and alkali corrosion. Even after being buried in soil for many years, their brightness remains unaffected, achieving effects that synthetic pigments cannot match. Additionally, animal glue was used as a binder for mineral colors, cleverly bonding the mineral particles together. Overlapping different pigment colors produces the unique color effects of mineral pigments, giving the paintings a colorful charm.
Each cave at Mogao is a comprehensive art form combining painted sculptures, architecture, and murals. From start to finish, a cave's construction generally involves a series of processes: repairing the cliff surface, carving the cave, painting murals and statues, and building and decorating the cave entrance or hall. From the beginning, the cave construction involved a fairly detailed division of labor. The main types of craftsmen involved included: 1. Cave carvers, who chiseled rock to form the caves on the Mogao cliff; 2. Stonemasons, who worked on cave excavation, processing building stone, and making and repairing stone tools; 3. Mud workers, who handled civil engineering and building; 4. Carpenters, who worked on civil engineering and the manufacture, processing, and repair of wooden tools; 5. Sculptors, who made painted clay sculptures; 6. Painters, who executed the paintings.
The Mogao Cave Museum also displays artifacts related to the Library Cave, including copies of Dunhuang manuscripts and paintings that have been lost abroad.
Exhibits include handwritten manuscripts, block-printed texts, whose content is mainly Buddhist scriptures, as well as Taoist classics, Confucian classics, poems, letters, official documents, etc. These are of great research value to scholars, especially for those studying ancient Chinese history.
The cave sculptures are also exquisitely crafted. Although they are replicas, the color restoration is rich, and the Buddha figures are serene and tranquil. From these artistic treasures, we can glimpse some aspects of religious and social life in medieval China.
It is easy to imagine that this enormous painting project must have consumed the lifelong energy of many painters, requiring them to stay in Dunhuang and dedicate their entire lives to achieve such artistic accomplishments.
The painted sculptures and murals of the Dunhuang caves are profound and extensive, mostly depicting Buddhist content: like the statues of deities, the Jataka tales of Sakyamuni, Buddhist stories, and historical Buddhist narratives, all painted on the four walls, ceilings, and niches of the caves.
The image above depicts a story of donors paying homage to the Buddha.
Additionally, there are paintings depicting various aspects of social life at the time, such as hunting, farming, weaving, construction, dancing, weddings, funerals, etc. Looking closely at the clothing of the figures, one can see the characteristics of attire from different periods.
The murals of the Dunhuang caves reflect the social life and customs of the time. For example, in this image, the hair of the three people on the right appears to be of foreign origin.
These are the decorative floor tiles buried in the caves.
These are the four steps for building a large Buddha statue: first, make a wooden frame; second, bind straw on it; third, cover with mud; fourth, carve and color.
The materials used at Mogao: azurite No. 3-14, ground from lapis lazuli. Both the murals and sculptures use mineral pigments, ground from ore, with bright, thick colors and strong expressive effects.
Tickets for the Mogao Caves must be booked in advance on the official website. I bought a Category B ticket for 100 yuan per person, which included the digital exhibition hall and on-site visits to four caves.
Transport: Taxi: It is about 9 km from the city center to the digital exhibition center. Bus: Take bus No. 12 from the Silk Road Yiyuan Hotel. We went by chartered car. Address: Near 314 Provincial Road, Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province.
Visitor tips: Mogao Caves have Category A, B, and C tickets. Category A allows visits to 8 caves, Category B to 4 caves, and Category C only the digital film. Reservations must be made in advance. Visitors must show a health code and wear masks throughout the visit.
Dunhuang Travel Guide: The filming location of "The Nine-Tiered Demon Tower," Aksay Oil Town. Our next stop on the Gansu-Qinghai Grand Loop was Aksay Oil Town.
Oil Town is a popular internet-famous attraction on the Gansu-Qinghai loop. After paying a 20 yuan entrance fee, you can enter this "ruin" for photo shoots.
Oil Town is built on a vast flat area, overgrown with weeds;
Many adobe houses have collapsed, while the existing brick buildings have most of their interiors dismantled and removed, leaving only shattered and incomplete door frames.
The town's roads are quite straight and orderly, but the streets are lifeless, filled with a sense of decay and stagnation. I first learned about the town from the movie "The Nine-Tiered Demon Tower," which claims that in 1985, monsters attacked the town, killing everyone, leading to its abandonment.
Driven by curiosity, I researched and found the real reason for the town's abandonment: the harsh natural environment of the northwest. The town was primarily a resource extraction site, and as time passed, oil resources gradually depleted. When the oil field entered a development slump, the town lost its value. Combined with water and food shortages, it was simply abandoned.
What to do at the Oil Town ruins? Of course, take photos at the movie filming locations. The abandoned town has become a filming site for many movies, like "West Wind Blows Fiercely" and "The Nine-Tiered Demon Tower." Wandering through the former cinema, government building, hospital, kindergarten, old prison ruins, etc., you will experience a sense of loneliness rarely felt in daily life.
Photography is the best way to experience the Oil Town ruins. The town retains a 1980s Chinese flavor, perfect for photos. Every shot captures a sense of decay and abandonment. You can create industrial-style, post-apocalyptic, or cool, striking images. Perhaps this is the aesthetic of decay that time brings.
The buildings still bear many monster props used in previous films, wrapped in chains with long fangs, looking somewhat terrifying.
A billboard for motorcycles from the 1980s.
A map inside the government building, made of ceramic tiles, still unfaded after all these years.
The theater where monsters attacked in the movie "The Nine-Tiered Demon Tower."
There is a shop in the town, and a bus with the tower inserted upside down on the main road. Also, on the ruins by the road, there are planes, tanks, and jeeps, all great backdrops for photos.
For industrial-style photos, head to the factory building behind, with the big characters "Safety Promotes Production" still on the high wall. There is also a bus stop in front.
A road sign for Route 16 in New Mexico, USA.
Visitor tips: Navigation destination: "Boluo Zhuanjing" or Aksay Oil Town. Parking fee 40/vehicle, ticket 20/person.
Eboliang Geological Park
In the long days without overseas travel, people have to wander around domestically. As a result, many lesser-known domestic attractions have been developed.
Today, I'm taking you to the number one internet-famous spot on the Gansu-Qinghai Grand Loop, hailed by many netizens as "the place on Earth most like Mars" - the Eboliang Geological Park in Lenghu, Qinghai.
"Eboliang" is the local name, a Mongolian word meaning "obo" or "mound." It's easy to understand from the shape: a vast land with many piled-up mounds.
And indeed, only by visiting Eboliang can you truly feel the desolation of the northwest.
The area is often windy; whenever a vehicle passes, it kicks up high dust. Up close, the land is barren; from afar, the Gobi shimmers under the sun. Only upon closer inspection do you realize it's layers of alkali salt crystals reflecting sunlight. With a chronic water shortage, no plants can survive here.
According to geologists, the desolate "Eboliang" is the place on Earth most like Mars.
Eboliang Geological Park is located on S305 Provincial Road, a no-man's land, so the park is free.
The park has no paved roads; you can only follow the tire tracks of previous vehicles.
The best scenery is inside the earth forest; the further you go, the more unique the views, all alien to our daily lives.
We climbed one of the taller mounds to overlook the entire yardang group.
Each mound looks like an aircraft carrier in a vast ocean, majestic. The individual yardang forms at Eboliang are very diverse, including turtle-back mounds, trough-ridge types, beacon-tower types, pillar types, and many more.
The dense beacon-tower-shaped mounds resemble thousands of troops standing on a battlefield, a unique landscape that is breathtaking.
Although I haven't visited the Devil's City in Xinjiang, the peak clusters at Eboliang are definitely a natural yardang landform museum in China.
Nature's uncanny work has left Eboliang with such magical lines, incredibly beautiful!
Visitor tips: Address: Eboliang Yardang Landform Scenic Area, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Ticket: Free. Photography tips: As with all scenic spots, the golden hours are half an hour before sunrise and sunset. Also, this is the best place to photograph the Milky Way. The uninhabited area is an excellent spot for stargazing; many car commercials are filmed here.
Notes: First, after dark, it's easy to get lost driving or walking in Eboliang because there are no real roads, and navigation won't work. Second, within the yardang group, all mounds look the same; visibility is limited, there are no reference points for direction, and basically no signs. The entire Gobi is crisscrossed with chaotic tire tracks. Although the sunset is beautiful, leaving is difficult if you don't stay overnight. Third, don't leave the main track easily; you risk getting stuck. There are many tracks, and we once took a shortcut to save time, but got stuck after a long stretch. Fortunately, we reversed in time to get back to safety.
Aerial view of the Eboliang Mars Camp, the world's largest yardang group, with breathtaking scenery. Deep in the Qaidam Basin, there is a suddenly uplifted wind-eroded earth forest group covering a total area of 20,000 square kilometers, the largest wind-eroded earth forest group discovered in China and one of the largest and most typical yardang landforms in the world.
According to experts, the formation of this wind-eroded earth forest group is due to the Himalayan orogeny, after which the ancient seabed rose, seawater dried up, and continuous wind erosion created the current turtle-back, dome, pillar, and trough-ridge yardang shapes.
In this no-man's land of Eboliang, every step is on soft, sandy soil with lots of dust. There isn't a single blade of grass around, earning it the title "the place on Earth most like Mars."
Interestingly, there is a "Mars Camp" built here that provides accommodation and meals. The layout is entirely based on the space station structure of astronauts, with sleeping pods that look just like in the movies.
However, I heard that accommodation here is quite expensive.
The biggest advantage is that it's the only hotel within Eboliang Geological Park, and every night after dark, you can see the entire Milky Way crossing the sky with the naked eye.
Because there are no towns within 70 km of Eboliang, there is no light pollution, making it an excellent spot for stargazing in China. Using the yardang landforms as a foreground with the Milky Way creates stunning photos and videos.
Visitor tips: Mars Camp No. 1 Address: Inside Eboliang Yardang Geological Park, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Transportation: After seeing the "Eboliang Yardang Geological Park" billboard on National Highway 315, turn onto a dirt road and follow the Mars No. 1 Highway signs. The camp provides accommodation and meals.
Specialty: Outside the camp, there are some balance instruments that astronauts use for training; visitors can try them. The Mars Camp is also China's first research Mars simulation base. Families can engage in science education such as stargazing and space walks, cultivating children's interest and laying the foundation for becoming scientists.
For photography enthusiasts: When photographing the starry sky, be sure to shoot before the moon rises. Even with a full moon, you can still capture beautiful starry skies. For creative photos, you can buy a spacesuit or glow-in-the-dark clothing online as props to stand out from ordinary photos.
On the road, we encountered a small vendor selling travel supplies. The food prices were similar to those in the city, which is quite reasonable in this no-man's land, so we quickly stocked up on some provisions.
Let's talk about another internet-famous spot in Qinghai: the Emerald Lake in Mangya. Although it's not as famous as Chaka Salt Lake, it is composed of lakes of various sizes forming a cantaloupe-like pattern that other salt lakes don't have. So its clear beauty is a paradise for photography enthusiasts like me.
Mangya Emerald Lake is a mining area of the Dachaidan Chemical Plant's salt lake. It hasn't been developed for tourism yet, so it's currently free.
The color of Mangya Emerald Lake is related to the mineral concentration in the water. The lake water contains a lot of magnesium and potassium. When water evaporates, the lake becomes crystal clear, especially after sunlight emerges. The lake color resembles jade and is very beautiful.
According to information, the Tibetan Plateau was an ocean billions of years ago. Then, due to crustal movements, the land rose and uplifted. After seawater evaporated, the salt in the original seawater remained, forming many salt lakes in low-lying areas, and Mangya Emerald Lake is one of them.
Photography tips: It is suitable to choose bright-colored clothes, which can easily produce great photos. The best sunlight is at noon. The salt lake's color can be dull; we were a bit disappointed at first. After waiting over an hour, when the sun came out, everything became beautiful.
Photography notes: The light at Emerald Lake is very strong. When flying a drone, it's recommended to use a neutral density filter to avoid overexposure, or turn on HDR mode.
On the weekend, the mountains were all this red; the snowy mountain in the image below is the Kunlun Mountains.
The white stuff is salt.
You can lie down on the salt lake to take photos, or take pictures on a glass boat for 50 yuan per person.
The salt lake is very large; driving around it takes about 15 minutes.
Emerald Lake tips: Transportation: Currently, there is no bus to the scenic area; only self-driving is possible. We chartered a car to get there. Opening hours: All day. Ticket: Free. Address: Inside the original Dachaidan Chemical Plant Salt Lake Mining Area, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Tips: It is not recommended to go into the water, as the salt concentration is high. If skin touches the saltwater, it will immediately form a layer of white salt. Accommodation: There are no hotels near Emerald Lake; the nearest town is Dachaidan, where accommodation is acceptable.
Northwest Loop Self-Drive Tour: The Mysterious Mangya Aikeng Spring, Like an Eye Embedded in the Earth
The northwest is a very magical place. In this barren land, there are many little-known beautiful sights. During our 8-day self-drive trip, every day's scenery made us marvel at nature's beauty. So it's right to go out and see more.
On the fourth day, we arrived at Mangya. Besides Emerald Lake, Aikeng Spring is also a must-visit spot.
Aikeng Spring has many names: "Demon's Eye," "Eye of the Qaidam," "Eye of the Earth" - all vivid descriptions of this magical spring.
The earliest person to discover and record this spring in the world was a Russian explorer named Nikolai Przhevalsky. In his book "Towards Lop Nor," he quoted the local Mongolian language and recorded the spring as "Aikeng Spring." "Aikeng" means "terrible" in Mongolian, because birds and beasts dare not approach the spring, and the land where the spring flows is barren, so local herders call it the "Demon's Eye."
The real reason is that the sulfur content in Aikeng Spring is too high. After long-term evaporation, the soil around the spring has been impregnated with precipitated minerals, destroying all vegetation and soil. If animals drink this water, they will die from poisoning.
From an aerial view, you can see a flat, vast, expansive land with an elliptical spring of 10 meters in diameter. In the center, boiling water constantly churns and surges, with brilliant colors, very beautiful.
The magical thing about Aikeng Spring is that from the air, you can see the central spring and the deep red ring-shaped deposits around it, forming a peculiar pupil shape, like an eye embedded in the earth.
Next to the spring, there is a pile of mani stones set up by local herders for prayer.
Local herders have built a simple iron-frame viewing platform, which costs 10 yuan to climb.
Since the spring water is corrosive, the herders have built a temporary bridge for visitors to cross safely using water pipes.
Around the spring, nothing grows, but 800 meters away from the spring, you can still see green plants growing on this salinized land. Note that the white is not snow but salt crystals.
In the distance, you can see the majestic Kunlun Mountains covered with white snow, very spectacular.
The condition of National Highway G315 is okay. From the intersection to the scenic area, it's a 30-kilometer gravel road, rough and narrow, so passing oncoming traffic requires caution.
This is the entrance to Aikeng Spring scenic area, which is free. Here you need to get out of the car, show your travel code, and register your license plate number and personal ID number.
Notes: After leaving National Highway G315, you still need to travel 30 kilometers on a dirt road, which is bumpy and very difficult. There is a safety line inside the spring, but you can walk outside the line, though the soil is brittle. The Demon's Eye is best viewed with a drone, but when flying, you must keep an eye on your drone, as it's easy to crash. On-site, you can see at least 20-30 drones flying together. Transportation: No public transport, only self-driving. Take National Highway G315 from Mangya towards Xinjiang. After passing the Qinghai province checkpoint, you will see a sign pointing to Aikeng Spring. Follow the dirt road for another 30 kilometers. Opening hours: 9:00-18:30. Address: Huatugou Town, Mangya City, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Ticket: Free.
Along the way, you will see many oil wells on both sides of the road, part of the Qinghai Oilfield.
Behind the oil field are endless snowy mountains.
Dachaidan Emerald Lake
Dachaidan Emerald Lake in Qinghai: A Green Gem Left on Earth, Mysterious, Low-Key, and Free
Compared to Mangya Emerald Lake, Dachaidan Emerald Lake is larger and more colorful. Another advantage is that it's only about 10 kilometers from Dachaidan Town, and the road is very good. It takes only 10 minutes to drive to the scenic area, very convenient.
The scenic area is a mining area of the Dachaidan Chemical Plant's salt lake mining team. Before entering, you can see the factory's big slogan.
The scenic area has a parking lot and restrooms. With signposts and a popular glass boat, it has the best facilities among Qinghai's salt lake scenic spots.
You can experience its beauty in various ways. Drone photography is still the first choice because from the air, the salt lake is particularly spectacular.
Countless broken green gems are scattered as dozens of lakes of varying sizes embedded in the earth.
Not far away are continuous snowy mountains. When there is no wind, the calm lake surface is like a mirror, reflecting the blue sky and floating white clouds, incredibly beautiful.
The tour route is a clockwise loop. After entering, turn left and follow the road along the lake. When you see something nice, park on the side of the road.
There are many types of salt lakes here. The most popular is the "Heart-shaped Lake": a heart-shaped pattern of white salt crystals on black-brown land, with light green water in the middle. Lying beside it for photos is super beautiful!
This lake is at the last exit. When you see a red spire, the heart-shaped lake is 60 meters ahead.
Salt Lake Knowledge: Let's continue talking about the formation of salt lakes. 200 million years ago, the Tibetan Plateau was still a vast ocean. After the Himalayan orogeny, the seabed rose to form the Tibetan Plateau. Some low-lying areas collected seawater, which then receded and evaporated, forming salt crystals deposited in the area. Modern people have developed this area into a mining area. These lakes of various sizes are the pits left by workers after mining. Because the salt content in each pit is different, the lake water can show different patterns, textures, and colors. When sunlight shines, the light penetrates the lake water, and the varying densities of the water produce different colors.
The best time for photography is noon, when the sun is strongest, and drone shots have no shadows. Also, sunset is said to be very beautiful, but due to time constraints, we didn't see it.
There is no light pollution around, making it suitable for astrophotography, especially time-lapse videos. We didn't persist because of strong winds at night and went back to rest.
Visitor tips: Address: Dachaidan Emerald Lake, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province (about 10 km from Dachaidan Town). Opening hours: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM. Transportation: Navigate to Dachaidan Emerald Lake. Ticket: Free. Public transport: Not available; self-driving is best.
West Taijinar Salt Lake
During this northwest self-drive tour, we visited four popular salt lakes: East Taijinar Salt Lake, West Taijinar Salt Lake, Dachaidan Emerald Lake, and Mangya Emerald Lake. Each has unique characteristics, but the most magical is West Taijinar Salt Lake.
The special feature of West Taijinar Salt Lake is that it is a two-colored lake. It's not obvious from the ground, but when you fly a drone up, you'll be amazed to find the calm lake surface split by a road into two parts: one side green, the other side emerald green, very magical!
The reason for this magical lake is mainly due to flood, alluvial, wind, and lacustrine clastic deposits, as well as some salt chemical deposits. It belongs to a sulfate-magnesium salt lake, with abundant lithium resources, which are used to make lithium batteries.
Visiting this lake is very convenient because National Highway G315 runs across the lake. There is no specific viewpoint; just park on the side of the road when you see a good spot.
The road surface is not paved with asphalt or concrete; it's all dirt road, so vehicles kick up clouds of dust.
A silhouette at sunset, isn't it beautiful?
The two-colored lake looks the same color as the sea. If I didn't tell you it's in Qinghai, just from the photo, you would think it was taken at the seaside.
Sunset clouds reflected on the water with wild ducks flying together. Doesn't it have the artistic conception of the Tang poem "Sunset clouds fly with a solitary duck, the autumn river merges with the sky's vast blue"?
Travel tips: Address: Dachaidan Administrative Committee, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Transportation: The two-colored lake has not been developed for tourism, so traffic is not smooth. You can charter a car, carpool, or self-drive. Best photography time: Sunset is the most beautiful moment on the lake surface, but at that time, my drone had just run out of battery, so I didn't capture this beauty. Although this lake is a salt lake, there are many water birds living on the lake. In the evening, they fly in flocks, a spectacular scene. Ticket: Free. Accommodation suggestion: After crossing the bridge, there are homestays at the Water Yardang. Basically, those who come to Water Yardang stay here for one night. Accommodation conditions are relatively poor, with few rooms. The best rooms are converted from shipping containers; the cheapest are tents. The homestay front desk is a supermarket where you can stock up on food and water. But bathing is difficult, mainly due to the shortage of fresh water. Rooms do not have private bathrooms; public bathrooms are provided but not very clean. There is Wi-Fi. Staying in a container costs over 300 yuan per night, but considering the surrounding area is all uninhabited, you have to make do. Travel suggestions: East Taijinar Salt Lake, West Taijinar Salt Lake, and Water Yardang are not far apart, so you can visit them all in one day. The two lakes are free, but the Water Yardang Scenic Area charges 120 yuan per ticket, which is quite expensive.
The Most Beautiful National Highway: G315
Self-driving in the northwest, taking the most beautiful highway G315, to encounter beautiful landscapes. Continue exploring the beauty of the northwest. There are several national highways in China that are must-visit at least once in a lifetime. I have already taken the 318 National Highway from Shanghai to Tibet three times. This time on the Gansu-Qinghai Grand Loop, I chose to take the much-revered G315 National Highway.
G315 became an internet-famous highway only last year. It starts from Xining City in Qinghai Province and ends at Kashgar in Xinjiang, the westernmost point of mainland China, spanning 3,063 kilometers.
The most impressive section of G315 is the U-shaped road that crosses the desert. Since the road is built following the undulating desert terrain, I find the most stunning part is a slope that looks like a vertical ascent towards the sky, very unique.
The road condition on G315 is very good, all asphalt, and the road surface is very clean.
From the air, it looks like a huge black dragon lying on golden sand.
Driving straight on G315, outside the window, there is nothing but yellow sand, no human presence, exuding the desolate atmosphere of the desert.
Every day of traveling in the northwest feels like my eyes are in heaven. We drove through one uninhabited area after another, crossing the Qaidam Basin, witnessing China's unique Gobi landscape, and reaping rich rewards.
It was already September when we went, but there were still many groups of people coming to take pictures. They opened their windows and leaned out to admire this most beautiful national highway.
Some people waved their silk scarves to greet us.
In the distance of the desert are majestic snowy mountains. It is said that there is a large temperature difference in the desert, and it is not suitable for human survival, but animals like wolves and camels can still live there.
Climbing to the top of a hill, you can see further, all endless yellow earth.
Behind the car is Mount Altun.
Panoramic view of G315. The desert is not static; it constantly shifts and changes its dune shapes with the wind.
Next to G315 is Xiaochaidan Lake. The weather was good today, with high visibility. On the opposite shore of the lake, there are continuous red mountains.
We stayed overnight in Dachaidan Town and then headed to Dachaidan Emerald Lake the next day.
Must-Visit Attraction in Northwest China: Water Yardang, and How It Formed
In the beautiful Qaidam Basin of the northwest, there is a unique world-class attraction: the magical Water Yardang Geological Park.
The full name of Water Yardang Geological Park is Wusute Yardang Geological Park. "Yardang" in the local Uyghur language means a row of steep small hills.
Looking out, you see numerous elongated islands like warships on the blue water, reflecting against the endless lake surface and Gobi, creating a stunningly beautiful scene that is unforgettable.
How did this spectacular landscape form? According to experts, it may be due to global warming, where thermal effects melt surrounding snow, expanding the lake surface and submerging the original wind-eroded earth forest group, resulting in this magical Water Yardang landscape.
The earth forest within the Yardang Geological Park can be climbed. You can see that no plants grow on the mounds, showcasing the most primitive natural appearance.
The entire Water Yardang is densely covered with various oddly shaped peak forests, mostly elongated, some elliptical. Standing on top of an earth forest, you feel the vastness of the world and the insignificance of humans. Drones can highlight this grand momentum.
Walking along the lake, you can see some water birds living on the tranquil lake, which is also their natural habitat.
Visitor tips: Address: Next to National Highway G315, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Transportation: Whether you are on the Haixi line or the Gansu-Qinghai Grand Loop, you will pass by this attraction. It's on the Liuge Expressway and Xisha Highway, about 260 km from Dachaidan Town. Ticket: 120 yuan including shuttle bus. Photography tips: A drone is necessary to capture the shocking momentum.
Accommodation tips: There is an RV camp inside the scenic area where you can rent a vehicle to experience RV life. The RVs have private bathrooms, TV, Wi-Fi, etc., making them the best accommodation in the area. The advantage of staying here is that you can open the window to see the brilliant starry sky, also very beautiful.
The Water Yardang landform area has undergone tens of millions of years of geological movement to give birth to this extremely spectacular wind-eroded earth forest group.
East Taijinar Salt Lake
A must-visit spot on a northwest tour, hidden deep in the Qaidam no-man's land, is the East Taijinar Salt Lake, praised as the "Maldives of Qinghai."
The most special thing about East Taijinar Salt Lake is that its water color is Tiffany blue, clear, matching the color of seawater in the popular island destination Maldives.
In the days when overseas travel is not possible, visiting Qinghai's version of the "Maldives" is also quite nice.
East Taijinar Salt Lake is more beautiful than imagined. The lake stretches infinitely, and with the white salt beach underfoot, it feels like a seaside vacation. Jumping on a glass boat for photos, it's completely "pretending to be on an island."
East Taijinar Salt Lake is a free attraction. Actually, it is a chemical mining area in Dachaidan Town. The lake is a magnesium sulfate salt lake, and the water contains abundant lithium, boron, potassium, magnesium, etc., which are important industrial raw materials.
Compared to Qinghai's other internet-famous "Sky Mirror" Chaka Salt Lake, East Taijinar Salt Lake is more primitive, less commercialized, with fewer tourists, still a niche secret spot.
East Taijinar Salt Lake, West Taijinar Salt Lake, and Water Yardang were originally connected. Later, due to lake water drying up, they gradually separated.
Salt lake and salt flats: see the silver beach formed by salt on the shore. The entire lake area has no animals or plants.
Observation platform where you can go up to take photos.
Before entering the scenic area, you pass through this dirt road.
The mining area's safety notice reminds visitors that although the lake water is clear and transparent, you cannot swim in it because the water is a solution of magnesium chloride crystals.
Speaking of stone forests, the first that comes to mind might be the Stone Forest in Kunming, Yunnan. In northern China's Jingtai County, there is also a Yellow River Stone Forest in Gansu, comparable to Yunnan's Stone Forest.
The Yellow River Stone Forest Scenic Area is located in the southeast of Jingtai County, Baiyin City, Gansu Province. The stone forest covers an area of 10 square kilometers, with landforms rare in China and unique to the northwest, earning it the title "Chinese Natural Wonder" and being selected as one of the Top 100 Northwest Scenic Spots.
The first time I saw the Yellow River Stone Forest, I was immediately awed by its majestic sight. The stone forest is connected to the winding Yellow River; tall mountain bodies are cut into deep gullies. The peak forests are all loess-colored, rough, vigorous, simple, and heavy, displaying western characteristics.
The scenic area entrance is on the mountaintop. We took a sightseeing bus down to the valley floor, then switched to an electric cart to continue the tour. During this time, we could also take a sheepskin raft to experience drifting on the Yellow River. The most unique part was riding a mule cart with northwest style through the canyon.
Compared to other famous scenic spots in China, the canyon inside the Yellow River Stone Forest is more winding, with towering peaks, hanging cliffs, and majestic natural shapes. People have given them romantic names like "Elephant Drinking Water," "Goddess Looking at the Moon," "Lovers Under the Moon," etc.
Our tour order: park the car in the parking lot, buy tickets at the ticket hall above, then walk to the bus stop to take the bus down the mountain.
The entrance of the scenic area has a model of the stone forest.
There is also a mural of the Yellow River Stone Forest National Geopark, depicting ancient people living by the Yellow River.
After descending the mountain, the first attraction is the Panlong Cave, a fairyland on earth.
"Panlong Cave" is hidden in a canyon within the stone forest. It is a temple with some Taoist relics.
The ground into the cave has been paved with flat tiles, making walking comfortable.
Both sides are planted with many green plants and bamboo, very pleasing to the eyes.
The main gate of Panlong Cave is carved with two golden dragons, with a pair of stone lions on each side.
At the cave entrance, there is a stone tablet with blue background and gold characters, introducing that Panlong Cave was first built in the first year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty (1796 AD).
Panlong Cave has two levels. The above image shows the ground floor of the main entrance, with statues and shrines.
Entering the cave, you look up to see a naturally formed Tai Chi diagram on the ceiling, said to be a pattern of dragon and phoenix auspiciousness—can you see it?
Looking carefully at the image, I am crawling through a secret passage to the underground level of Panlong Cave to explore.
You can see that the underground level also has statues and shrines.
The interior of the cave is dimly lit, and the temperature is noticeably a few degrees lower than outside. It is said that Panlong Cave got its name because locals often saw mist emerging from the cave entrance, like the immortal breath of a dragon. Later, during the Qing dynasty, Taoist priests built temples inside the cave, forming a religious site. Nearby villagers would come to burn incense on festivals.
An aerial view of the Yellow River Stone Forest shows a large oasis at the bottom, in stark contrast to the desolate stone forest.
In the background, the Yellow River makes a big turn, with a green sandbar island in the river.
The stone forest intertwines with the Yellow River, oasis, and villages, showcasing the charm of a natural garden.
The winding road down the mountain has many 180-degree sharp turns.
The roads are built along the cliffs. As the altitude drops, the scenery outside the window becomes more beautiful.
View from above of the deep gullies cut by flowing water.
We arrived at the embankment by the Yellow River.
Tourist information: Address: Longwan Village, Zhongquan Township, Jingtai County, Baiyin City, Gansu Province. Opening hours: 07:00-18:00. Ticket price: Package ticket 125 yuan/person (including entrance, shuttle bus, electric cart, one-way cruise). Suggested visit duration: Half a day. Transportation: The scenic area is 160 km from Lanzhou Airport. We drove, taking about 2.5 hours from the airport.
The Last Turtle City in the World, Abandoned Deep in the Northwest Gobi, Once a Popular Film Location
Historically, Lanzhou was the forefront of battles between agricultural and nomadic civilizations. During the Ming dynasty, the Great Wall was built to defend against northern nomadic invasions, and Yongtai Turtle City was a fortress built for war. It is located 27 km southwest of Jingtai County, Gansu Province. Its shape from above resembles a golden turtle, hence the name Yongtai Turtle City.
The city wall of Yongtai Turtle City is oval in shape, with four barbicans resembling the turtle's limbs.
The fortress is over 400 years old and is currently well-preserved, except for the wooden structures on the barbicans that have been destroyed. Remnants of military facilities like moats and beacon towers can still be seen, showing its former grandeur as a military stronghold.
Yongtai Turtle City is a slowly disappearing ancient city in the northwest. The surrounding area is semi-desert Gobi, with sparse natural vegetation. Only drought-resistant plants like edelweiss and sedge grow on the Gobi.
From an aerial view, the majestic fortress is surrounded by endless Gobi, fully displaying the desolation of the northwest.
The city was most prominent during the Ming and Qing dynasties, serving as the most important military fortress to protect Lanzhou. Because of it, Lanzhou was never conquered. However, due to environmental changes, the city gradually declined. Now, only a few shepherds live inside.
Passing through the rammed earth barbican gate, you can explore the old city. Many old yellow earth buildings remain, with straight and tidy streets. A straight main road leads out of the city gate, with several wells. The central crossroad was once the most prosperous commercial street, according to an old town resident. But now it's empty and quiet, filled with tranquility.
Inside the city, countless dilapidated houses and broken courtyard walls remain. Residents have converted some unused houses into sheepfolds, while others have planted sunflowers on the ruins of collapsed buildings.
The best-preserved building in the city is the "Yongtai Primary School," built in the third year of the Republic of China (1914). It is a Western-Chinese hybrid Gothic building. However, due to a lack of students, the school closed a few years ago and is now the Yongtai Turtle City History Museum.
The museum is a great place to learn about the history and culture of Yongtai Turtle City. It displays pictures, text, and some physical objects, explaining that in the 36th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty (1608), Yongtai Turtle City was built as a military fortress. The highest commander inside the city was the Lanzhou Deputy General. The city once stationed up to 2,000 soldiers, including about 500 cavalry. Ancillary buildings included a gunpowder yard, fodder yard, mill, and horse field.
During the Qing dynasty, descendants of the famous anti-Jin general Yue Fei from the Song dynasty—Yue Zhenbang, Yue Shenglong, and Yue Zhongqi—three generations of generals, also garrisoned the city. Because of the natural landscape and historical culture of Yongtai Turtle City, many popular films and TV dramas have been shot here, such as "Pretty Big Feet," "That Snowflakes," and "The Last Winter Day."
There is no light pollution around the ancient city, making it an excellent place for stargazing near Lanzhou.
Using the weathered ancient city as a foreground to capture the brilliant Milky Way makes for shocking photos.
