Self-Drive Through the Best Sections of the Northwest Grand Loop: 5 Days and 4 Nights to Explore All the Viral Spots, Perfect for a National Day Getaway

Since last summer, the Northwest Grand Loop tour has become extremely popular. It usually starts from Qinghai Lake and goes to the Hexi Corridor, stringing together stunning sights like Chaka Salt Lake, Water Yadan, and the Mogao Caves. However, due to the sheer number of amazing attractions, the shortest itinerary takes at least 7-8 days, which is not very friendly for office workers. Even for someone like me who is constantly on the road, many places are only given a quick glance, with no opportunity to delve deeper and explore their beauty.

I just returned from Dunhuang last week. This time, the Northwest Grand Loop I took was different—it only "extracted" a section of the Gobi Desert, but included the Oil Town from "The Ghouls," the ultra-cool Mars Camp, and the half-sea, half-lake Xitai Jiner Lake, all in 5 days and 4 nights. Honestly, it's perfect for those who don't have much vacation time but still want to experience the Northwest. No more superficial sightseeing; it's like living like a local.

So, while the memories are still fresh, I'll write down the scenes and feelings from the trip—how to eat, how to have fun, how to plan the itinerary, and even some self-driving tips and precautions along the way. September just happens to avoid the summer tourist peak, so if you're interested, feel free to venture deep into the Northwest and embark on a self-drive journey through the extreme desert landscapes.

Day 1: Arrive in Dunhuang from various locations

Day 2: Dunhuang → Mogao Caves → Crescent Moon Spring

Day 3: Dunhuang → Oil Town → Mars Camp → Water Yadan

Day 4: Water Yadan → Hongya Valley

Day 5: Golmud → Depart

1. The altitude on this trip is relatively high, with large temperature differences between morning and evening and strong UV rays. Please prepare sunglasses, sun hats, jackets, and sunscreen.

2. Drink mainly bottled water to avoid diarrhea.

3. If you have high blood pressure or heart problems, do not drink alcohol or engage in strenuous exercise at high altitudes. To prevent altitude sickness, it is recommended to take Rhodiola rosea in advance.

Day 1: Dunhuang Night Market

I flew from Beijing to Dunhuang. The city was already lit up with lights. After quickly unpacking, I headed straight for the Dunhuang Night Market. Located on Yangguan East Road in Dunhuang, I first learned about this night market from the variety show "Go Fighting!". A group of celebrities wearing floral shorts walked the tourist route and especially recommended a food tour of Scallion Beef Pancake → Red Willow Skewers → Flatbread with Meat → Wusun Hand-Grabbed Rice.

But at that time, the show was recorded during the day, so apart from remembering the recommended foods, my impression of the Dunhuang Night Market wasn't deep. When I arrived, the sheer number of stalls surprised me. The colorful lights made all kinds of food look mouthwatering, and the reasonable prices made me exclaim "Wow!" The night market is divided into three parts: local specialty products, a food street, and a food court. With skewers in one hand and flatbread with meat in the other, it was common to see visitors strolling leisurely through the market in this pose.

The Dunhuang Night Market features Western Region specialties, including the highly recommended Donkey Meat Yellow Noodles from locals, essential daily dishes like lamb skewers and Hu Yang Braised Pancakes, Dunhuang Liangpi to beat the summer heat, Pao'er Yougao (a pastry popular in Tang Dynasty palace banquets)... and one exclusive Dunhuang drink: Apricot Peel Water, made from Dunhuang's "King of Fruits"—Li Guang apricots. One sip, and it's sour, sweet, and refreshing, leaving a lasting impression with its unique taste.

At the Dunhuang Night Market, you can not only soak in the atmosphere and taste authentic food but also admire a variety of artworks. Beautiful woodcarvings, thousand-year-old Populus euphratica wood seals, delicate silks—all these concentrate the boldness of the Northwestern people into these refined objects, adding a touch of vitality to the city.

Day 2: Dunhuang → Mogao Caves → Crescent Moon Spring

"Dun" means great, "Huang" means prosperous. This city seems to have nurtured grand ideals since its birth, and the Mogao Caves are one of the most fantastical. Unlike other cave sites in China, the Mogao Caves are carved into conglomerate rock, which is not ideal for carving. The vast majority of works are clay sculptures and murals, recording the appearance of the first encounters between East and West. Their beauty and power have repeatedly amazed the world. Even those with little knowledge of Buddhist art can't help but be deeply drawn to the Mogao Caves.

This is my second visit to the Mogao Caves, but it doesn't diminish my love for them. I always study the written guides carefully before setting out. Departing from downtown Dunhuang, I drove 25 kilometers southeast, passing through a barren desert. When an oasis appeared, it meant the Mogao Caves had arrived.

The companion for the entire trip was the Audi Q7. Honestly, this large SUV, with a length of over 5 meters, a massive trunk, and a full-time all-wheel-drive system, is perfect for a Northwest journey. When driving on Gobi desert roads, even though they are paved, sand particles can still affect vehicle stability. At such times, the full-time all-wheel-drive system can quickly and appropriately adjust the power distribution between wheels, ensuring safety and improving ride comfort.

I won't go into detail about the Mogao Caves' numerous caves, painted sculptures, murals, scriptures, and the regrettable Library Cave. Remember to book in advance—you can visit 8 caves and watch two films about Dunhuang and the history of the Mogao Caves.

Among the 8 caves are Cave 16-17 (Library Cave) and Cave 96 (Great Buddha of the North). Groups of 20 people follow a guide who explains each cave one by one. Some caves are completely dark, and you can only see using the guide's flashlight's cold light to avoid damage to the artworks. Mobile phones and cameras are strictly prohibited.

Though 8 caves are just a drop in the vast Gobi, visiting them still takes most of the day. Each cave has its own characteristics with vivid depictions worth savoring. The most impressive to me were Cave 45's Tang Dynasty sculptures and Cave 158's Reclining Buddha. Cave 45 has the best-preserved Tang Dynasty sculptures in the cave complex. Both the Avalokitesvara Sutra on the south wall and the Amitayurdhyana Sutra on the north wall are lifelike and brightly colored, as if telling the story of a thousand years of history.

In Cave 158, the Reclining Buddha lies with its head to the south and feet to the north, with a peaceful expression and a relaxed side-lying posture. Standing before it, my heart calmed like the ocean, and I felt my own insignificance—the beauty of art touches the soul. Around the Reclining Buddha are weeping disciples, serene bodhisattvas, and various other figures showing extreme acts like cutting ears, stabbing chests, and opening bellies—a truly astonishing sight.

Another treasure of Dunhuang is the Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring. These two unique wonders have been inseparable for thousands of years: a clear spring in the middle of golden sand dunes, where the sand never buries the spring, creating a romantic scene of water reflecting the sand mountain. When I arrived at this sea of sand, the five-colored sand underfoot, the seven-star grass beside the Yuequan Pavilion, and the iron-back fish in Crescent Moon Spring formed another beautiful desert landscape. At that moment, holding a loved one's hand would have been a wonderful choice.

The most distinctive way to visit Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring is by camel, and the best views are from powered paragliders and helicopters. Riding a camel through the desolate scenery, with endless golden sand stretching ahead, a gentle breeze smoothing away shallow footprints, instantly transports you back a thousand years.

After finishing the Dunhuang leg of the trip, I noticed that the Q7's front and rear lights are very techy and easy to recognize. Since it's rare to see such a convoy in the city during daily life, it added a unique charm to the beautiful Dunhuang nightscape.

Day 3: Dunhuang → Oil Town → Mars Camp → Water Yadan

Anyone who has watched "The Ghouls" will never forget that town full of monsters. When the film was popular, people thought it was a fictional place, but it actually exists. It's located about 100 kilometers south of Dunhuang. Originally the old county seat of Aksai, its official name is Luobozhuanjing Town. Due to harsh natural conditions, in the 1990s, the town's residents collectively relocated to Hongliuwan Town, dozens of kilometers away. Since then, the town has become desolate, known as "Ghost Town" or Oil Town.

This unofficial attraction unexpectedly became popular and an important stop on the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop. Even though the movie brought some vitality to the "Ghost Town," when I walked into Oil Town, the thrilling feeling remained. The vast town is deserted; residential buildings, hospitals, schools, and other structures still stand but show no signs of life. Those ruins once echoed with people's laughter, now standing lonely, filled with solitude in every brick and tile.

Taking photos here always gives an illusion of doomsday: overturned buses, monsters on the ruins, kindergartens buried in weeds... all against the faint silhouette of snow-capped mountains in the distance, creating a strong visual impact, as if silently waiting for visitors to lift a heavy seal.

Continuing from Aksai County, we crossed Dangjin Mountain and gradually entered the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai Province. Then we passed the abandoned Lenghu Town. When we saw the 0 km marker of Mars Highway 1, the Mars exploration adventure officially began. It's called the "Mars trip" because the Eboliang no-man's land has the most beautiful Yadan landforms in the Qaidam Basin, with potholed ground resembling the surface of Mars.

In fact, this section to Mars Camp truly tests vehicle performance. The varying depths of large potholes were no challenge for the Q7's adjustable air suspension. The bumps had little impact on ride comfort, as the air suspension effectively filtered out the vibrations.

Unlike the Urho Ghost City in Xinjiang, where you can only enter by sightseeing bus, you can drive through Eboliang no-man's land, which was truly exciting. Looking at both sides of the road, rolling hills rose one after another, overwhelming the eyes and making it easy to lose direction. But as we got closer to the top of Eboliang, these strange hills gathered into dirt forests, some like towering buildings, others like grand monuments. Driving through them was mesmerizing.

One thing to note when self-driving here: be extra cautious on soft ground. Although the Q7's full-time all-wheel-drive system reacts very quickly to limit slipping, you should still try to avoid wheel spinning.

Standing on top of Eboliang, looking down, the surrounding ridges were dotted with various natural wonders: tortoise-shell shapes, domes, cones, etc. The Lenghu Mars Camp is also located here. The camp offers two types of accommodation: space capsule-style rooms and tent-style rooms. The former is similar to Japanese capsule hotels, while the latter is more natural and suitable for stargazing.

Far from the city's noise, camping here, watching the spectacular sunrise and sunset over the desert like a painting, felt like being on Mars. Then, wearing a spacesuit for photos made it seem like visiting another planet—isn't this a dream destination?

After staying overnight at Mars Camp, we continued to the vast Gobi the next day, driving onto G315 National Highway. The most famous section of this road is also in the Qaidam Basin. The road is undulating with large elevation changes, and the seemingly endless black asphalt appears to stretch straight into the sky. Some call it China's version of "Route 66," but I think it's even more desolate and grand, like a lonely wanderer—you never know where it ends.

Driving on this "wavy" viral highway, enjoying the fun of self-driving, I also fully appreciated the Q7's spacious rear seat space. I could lie on my side or take a nap, and adjust the temperature of the independent rear climate control zones without affecting the other passenger. The vehicle's cabin quietness was also excellent. Connecting CarPlay, casually tapping the 10.1-inch touchscreen, and listening to soothing music from the Bang & Olufsen sound system added a sense of tranquility to this Northwest trip.

About 36 kilometers northwest along G315, we arrived at Xitai Jiner Lake. Originally, Xitai and Dongtai Jiner Lakes were one lake, but they split after the lake shrank. G315 runs right through the middle of Xitai Jiner Lake, dividing the water into distinct colors. Driving through, with sapphire on one side and emerald on the other, and occasional birds skimming the water, it was both beautiful and unique.

Between Dongtai and Xitai Jiner Lakes lies Wusute, a place even more distinctive. There are many Yadan landforms in the world, but only here do you find Water Yadan. The water comes from melted snow from the Kunlun Mountains, eventually forming this magical landscape of lakes and small hills. Since the Water Yadan is relatively remote, it's suitable for self-driving while enjoying the views. It felt like walking in a forgotten world, after all, it's a unique landscape on Earth.

I was surprised again by the sunset at Wusute. In the cool season, flocks of waterbirds and wild ducks played in the lake. As the sky darkened, light fell on the Yadan, creating sparkling reflections. People, vehicles, and the Water Yadan coexisted in the sunset's afterglow, outlining the beauty of the desert. I couldn't help but marvel at nature's painting skills.

Day 4: Water Yadan → Hongya Valley

Everyone says, "South Kunlun, North Qilian, with a vast desert below." The surprises hidden in the expansive Qaidam Basin are far more than these. On the northwest side of the basin, the Red Cliff (Hongya) hides a piece of the Earth's original colors. Covered with hills and Danxia landforms, the area is crisscrossed with gullies. Occasional sandstorms create strange phenomena across the red earth.

Driving deep into Hongya Valley, every frame is a stunning scene, just like a saying: "Only the clouds in the sky remind you that this is not Mars, but the Qaidam Basin."

Reluctantly ending this Northwest journey, driving the Audi Q7 through the Gobi, over sand dunes, on smooth highways, and through challenging off-road sections, the vehicle performed admirably in all conditions. It's no exaggeration to say that a self-driving trip to the Northwest to see the scenery is worth ten ordinary trips. If you have time, you should plan one too!