2022 July Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop Self-driving Tour
Route: Xining ---- Menyuan ---- Qilian ---- Zhangye ---- Jiayuguan --- Dunhuang ---- Dachaidan --- Chaka ---- Qinghai Lake ---- Xining
Accommodation: Xining Westin Hotel, Jiayuguan Dynasty Hotel, Dunhuang Kaiyuan Starlight Resort Hotel, etc.
Attractions: Menyuan Hundred-mile Rape Flower Sea, Qilian Zhu'er Mountain, Zhangye World Geopark, Jiayuguan Pass, Dunhuang Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring, Dunhuang Mogao Caves, Dachaidan Emerald Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, Qinghai Lake.
Special Cuisine: Hand-grabbed lamb, donkey meat pancake, beef noodle soup, grilled lamb skewers, air-dried yak meat.
"A solitary smoke straight in the vast desert, a setting sun round over the long river."
The "Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop" is also called the "Northwest Grand Loop". It starts and ends at Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, traversing major cities in Qinghai and Gansu, with a total distance of about 2,300 kilometers. The northern route from Zhangye, Jiuquan to Dunhuang is part of the "Hexi Corridor"; the southern route from Dachaidan, Delingha to Qinghai Lake mainly features lakes and grasslands. Qinghai Lake is the largest inland lake in China.
The "Hexi Corridor" is a historically famous corridor located in Gansu Province, west of the Yellow River, hence the name Hexi (West of the River) Corridor. It is a great corridor through which the ancient Silk Road connected with the world, and Western Buddhism first entered China.
It is a scenic corridor: deserts, gobi, Danxia landforms, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and many other extreme landscapes converge here.
It is also a corridor of civilization: grottoes, the Great Wall, border passes, ancient temples, ancient cities, and many other cultural heritages and historical allusions gather here.
Today's "Hexi Corridor" is still full of vitality and energy. It is a tourist hotspot, where you can see many white wind turbines and blue photovoltaic panels. A national highway and an expressway run through the corridor, facilitating travel and the transportation of goods.
We flew from Guangzhou to Xining, then drove from the airport. The first stop was the Menyuan Hundred-mile Rape Flower Sea, located in Haomen Town, Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. We chose to take National Highway 227 to enjoy the scenery along the way, instead of the expressway. Leaving Xining, we soon entered grasslands, where green pastures were dotted with white sheep and brown and black cattle leisurely grazing. Before arriving at Haomen Town, we had to cross the Daban Mountains at an altitude of over 3,700 meters. From the viewing platform on Daban Mountain, we overlooked the entire rape flower sea—a golden ocean of rapeseed flowers interspersed with green highland barley fields, creating a layered scene; white houses stood at the foot of the mountains, with a golden sea in front—a huge colorful picture unfolded before our eyes.
Following the boardwalk, we climbed to the Yuanshan viewing platform in the middle of the flower sea, where we could both see the golden rape flowers up close and enjoy the distant view, breathing fresh air. We could even buy a cup of coffee and sit in a pavilion, watching bees diligently gathering nectar, fully experiencing the beauty of nature.
National Highway 227 passes through the Qilian Grassland, flanked by green mountains on both sides with an open grassland in the middle, and an asphalt road running through it. We slowed down to fully appreciate the green grass, blue sky, white clouds, winding streams, and herds of cattle and sheep. That evening, we arrived at a hotel in Qilian County town and had local specialties—grilled lamb skewers and beef noodle soup—at a restaurant near the hotel.
On Day 3, after breakfast at a restaurant opposite the hotel, we set out for Zhu'er Mountain. On the right was the sacred Tibetan mountain, Ami Dongxiao Snow Mountain, with snow-covered peaks standing majestically across the river from Zhu'er Mountain. We took a sightseeing bus from the parking lot to the mountainside, then followed the boardwalk to climb Zhu'er Mountain, enjoying Danxia landforms and golden rape flower fields in the distance along the way. At the summit, the massive Ami Dongxiao Snow Mountain stood before us. Unfortunately, it was raining, and the snow mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist, shyly hiding its true face. Due to the rain, the temperature at the top was only a few degrees Celsius, requiring down jackets.
At noon, we had hotpot at Qilian Hotel. After lunch, we headed towards Zhangye. To avoid retracing our steps and to see the scenery along the way, we chose National Highway 213 to Zhangye. After dozens of kilometers still in the Qilian Grassland, we entered a mountainous area and found a closed tunnel ahead due to a landslide. Seeing an old road over the mountain at the tunnel entrance with traces of vehicle passage, we decided to take that old road to cross the mountain. The old road was poorly maintained, full of potholes, but we were accustomed to renting SUVs and could handle rough conditions. Though a bit difficult, it was better than spending hours driving back to Qilian and taking another route to Zhangye. After about 40 minutes of bumpy winding mountain road, we reached the top, where the temperature was only 2°C and it was raining with sleet, with no cell signal. We worried about vehicle trouble. Carefully descending the winding mountain road, we finally reached the other side of the tunnel in about 40 minutes (through the tunnel it would have taken just a few minutes). We breathed a sigh of relief—we made it! Continuing forward, there were indeed many small landslides, but the vehicle could pass. Driving along the river, we suddenly saw many cars parked ahead. Going further, a water pipe blocked the road, forcing us to stop. Asking a passerby, we learned that a large landslide was about 100 meters ahead. For safety, passage was allowed only at fixed times with staff assistance, but it was now around 4 PM and no staff were present. We considered spending the night in the car, as we had dry food, water, fruit, and enough warm clothes. We immediately canceled the hotel in Zhangye. More and more cars lined up behind us. Discussing with some fellow travelers with Jiangsu A and Liaoning A license plates, we considered breaking the lock on the water pipe to move it and drive through, but someone said it was illegal. After some trouble, the friends from Jiangsu managed to find construction workers who unlocked the pipe for us to pass. The landslide section was about 40 meters long, with rocks occasionally sliding down. We moved some large rocks and, under the workers' guidance, passed through the landslide area. Another sigh of relief. Continuing, another water pipe blocked the road—this time for COVID prevention check of nucleic acid codes and travel cards. We had taken a test when we landed two nights ago, still valid within 48 hours. After showing our negative green code and travel card, we passed the checkpoint from Qinghai into Gansu. Finally relieved, we immediately rebooked the canceled hotel. Interestingly, the room price was a few dozen yuan cheaper—a reward for passing these three ordeals. But if we hadn't made it through today, and the nucleic acid test expired beyond 48 hours tomorrow, we don't know what would have happened; the entire itinerary would have been disrupted.
After a series of setbacks, we finally arrived at the hotel around 8 PM. Check-in also required a negative nucleic acid test within 48 hours; luckily, we had made it with nearly an hour to spare. We passed the Linze County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and took another test to keep our 48-hour freshness. After parking and unloading, we asked the front desk for local specialty restaurants. They recommended "Sibazheng Bing" (Four Dam Steamed Bread) 500 meters away, so we walked there for dinner. It was indeed unique; we ordered lamb steamed bread and braised spare ribs. The next day after visiting Zhangye World Geopark, we had lunch at the same chain restaurant before heading to Jiayuguan. Dinner finished around 10 PM, but the sun had just set. On the way back, we bought some local fruit.
On Day 4, after breakfast at the hotel, we drove to Zhangye Colorful Danxia World Geopark, about 20 minutes away. After buying tickets, we took the sightseeing bus into the park. There are five viewing platforms; the bus route: Platform 2/3 -> Platform 1 -> Platform 5 -> Platform 4. It is recommended to spend more time on the last three platforms. The bus first stops at Platform 2: Colorful Celestial Destiny—a small area; it's advisable to just climb one viewing deck and then go to the next. Next is Platform 3: Colorful Screen—also small; about ten minutes is enough; the best scenery is ahead. The third stop is Platform 1: Colorful Cloud Sea—a vast view with beautiful scenery on all sides. Features like "Giant Shell" and "Ten Thousand Buddhas Worshiping" along with colorful patterns on the ground against blue sky and white clouds make every shot a beautiful landscape. You can also see the Colorful Screen from here, a more comprehensive distant view. The fourth stop is Platform 5: Colorful Splendor. The last stop is Platform 4: Colorful Rosy Clouds—the most beautiful scenery with the strongest and richest color layering.
After lunch, we left Zhangye for Jiayuguan, a drive of about 2.5 hours. We took another nucleic acid test when exiting the expressway. At the hotel, we had a flat tire repaired and the car washed—the tire pressure warning light had come on due to two nails causing a slow leak. After fixing the tire, we washed the car which had gotten dirty from the mountain climb and landslide crossing the day before, then confidently set off for Jiayuguan Pass.
Jiayuguan Pass is located 6 km west of Jiayuguan city, built in 1372, over 600 years of history. It is the starting point of the Ming Great Wall, a magnificent and imposing structure that was an important pass for resisting foreign invaders. Climbing the city wall, one could almost see the traces of ancient battles.
On Day 5, we drove from Jiayuguan to Dunhuang, about 400 km and 4+ hours. Traveling through the Hexi Corridor on expressway, we saw typical northwest landscapes: gobi, snow mountains, deserts. We also saw many wind turbines and solar power stations. Arrived at the hotel at noon, had lunch, napped, then around 4 PM set out for Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring. It was overcast with light rain, temperatures a bit low. We climbed the sand mountain in the rain, playing with sand, and viewing Crescent Moon Spring and surroundings. Walking barefoot on soft, fine yellow sand, we had intimate contact with nature.
On the morning of Day 6, we visited Dunhuang Mogao Caves. To control visitor numbers, the scenic area requires advance booking or ticket purchase.
Dunhuang Mogao Caves are located on the cliffs of the eastern slope of Singing Sand Mountain, 25 km southeast of Dunhuang city, on the west bank of Dangquan River. Upon entering, we watched two films: the first introduced the thousand-year history of the Mogao Caves; the second was a dome film providing an in-depth look at the Buddha statues and murals. Then we took a 20-minute sightseeing bus to the caves to visit some statues and temples. They demonstrated the superb artistry of ancient sculpture and painting, as well as scenes of life and Buddhist faith at the time, fully showcasing the profoundness of Chinese culture. Unfortunately, many scriptures were stolen or taken away by foreigners—"Dunhuang is the heartbreaking history of Chinese academia." Fortunately, after the founding of New China, the Dunhuang Research Academy was established to study the profound art of Mogao Caves, preserving and developing this ancient wisdom.
After visiting the Mogao Caves, at noon we went to a special noodle restaurant in Dunhuang, a famous local thousand-year-old specialty snack spot. We ordered stick meat and braised pork intestines, paired with zhajiang noodles, which were delicious. The owner, seeing we were from out of town, specially let us try their special sour soup, and even gave us a cantaloupe from their own farm before we left. After lunch, the weather was very sunny, so we revisited Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring to experience different weather conditions. The scenic area ticket is valid for three days, allowing multiple visits.
On Day 7, we departed from Dunhuang in the morning for Dachaidan Emerald Lake, about 380 km, around 5 hours. We arrived at Dachaidan Town at noon, had lunch, then went to the scenic area.
Emerald Lake is located a few kilometers west of Dachaidan Town, the westernmost part of Haixi Prefecture. The lake here is actually dense clusters of salt beds. These salt beds are filled with water, reflecting colors like light blue, emerald green, and dark blue resembling jade under sunlight. There are snow mountains by the lake, reflected in the water. Choosing the right angle, one can take some artistic photos. There is a small train that takes visitors to various viewing platforms. At night, we stayed in Delingha, the capital of Haixi Prefecture, and bought some local products in the city.
On Day 8, we left the hotel and found a Taiwanese-style breakfast shop—the best we encountered. The food was simple but well-made with generous portions. We ordered soybean milk, millet porridge, century egg and lean meat congee, small steamed buns, pan-fried meat buns, fried dough sticks, and large meat buns, all for just over 40 yuan. The soybean milk came in a large bowl, and we could take away what we didn't finish for free. Then we drove for over 2 hours to Chaka Salt Lake.
Chaka Salt Lake is located in Chaka Town, Wulan County, Haixi Prefecture. The lake is rich in edible salt, with reserves sufficient for the national population for 70 years. It covers an area of over 100 square kilometers and has two attractions: Sky Mirror and Sky No.1. We visited Sky Mirror; it was free for recent high school graduates. The lake is full of salt, with only about 20 cm of water on the surface. We rented special shoe covers and walked into the lake. Girls are advised to wear bright-colored dresses like red or yellow; reflections on the white lake surface with blue sky and surrounding snow mountains create artistic photos. The scenic area tour distance is 4.8 km; it's best to take the small train to various viewpoints. On Ctrip, train tickets were 40% off, including shoe cover rental. We played until 3 PM, then had lunch at 4 PM, and got a nucleic acid test in town. Then we set off for Qinghai Lake.
After over an hour's drive, we reached the west side of Qinghai Lake. Qinghai Lake is 105 km long and 63 km wide, the largest saltwater inland lake in China. Its Tibetan name is "Cuo Wenbo" (meaning "blue sea"). It is located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, within Qinghai Province. It was formed by a fault depression between the Datong Mountains (part of the Qilian range), Riyue Mountain, and Qinghai Nanshan. We took National Highway 109 from the west side through the entire lake area to the east side to stay. Choosing a lakeside hotel allowed us to watch sunrise and sunset. National Highway 219 runs along the lake, flanked by vast grasslands, pastures, and golden rape flower fields. The golden rapeseed flowers, deep blue lake, azure sky, and white sheep form a natural picture with distinct colors and layers. We stopped, walked into the grassland, accompanied by cattle and sheep, freely strolling, watching various wildflowers blooming, and searching for white mushrooms hidden in green grass. We drove the car to the lakeside to watch Huang fish feeding and seagulls flying. We played as we went, arriving at the hotel around 8 PM, just as the sun was setting, covering the lake and grassland with golden twilight.
On Day 9, we woke up to see the distant mountains glistening with golden light—dawn was coming. Minutes later, the sun climbed over the mountain top, shedding rays of golden light across the earth. It was time to start a new day's journey. We packed up, left the hotel, and headed towards Xining, arriving at noon. We found a renowned restaurant with a great atmosphere for lunch. After eating, we went to the airport to return the car and flew back to Guangzhou in the afternoon, ending a pleasant trip.
