Two Parts of Qinghai Tour: Part One - Cycling Around the Lake, Part Two - Qinghai-Gansu Loop
On July 17, high-speed train to Zhengzhou then flight to Xining, stayed at Xining Mengli Qiba Youth Hostel. The hostel has standard rooms, double rooms, and dormitory beds, all with private bathrooms and very clean. The owner can arrange carpooling or private car hire. I saw it recommended on Ctrip and Lonely Planet, and the reviews were good. If you don't mind shared bathrooms, Shisan She is also a good choice, offering only dorm beds. The owner of Shisan She has his own fleet for carpooling and private car services. On the return trip, I was grateful to Shisan She for taking me in. Both hostels are close to the train station and long-distance bus station, making transit convenient.
After checking in, I asked the front desk guy for a recommendation and he suggested Dexiao Kang Rou (braised lamb). Took a taxi for 8 yuan. The lamb was tender yet chewy, the potato slices were crispy and fragrant, and the potato noodles were springy. From this meal I saw the many transformations of potato noodles—round, wide, thick, thin—everything goes with potatoes.
The milk egg fermented rice wine (liaozao) was generous with ingredients: roasted peanuts, sunflower seeds, and highland barley, very aromatic.
After dinner, I strolled through the night market to digest, then walked back to the hostel.
On the 18th, I had breakfast and bought supplies in Xining in the morning, then took a bus to Xihai Town in the afternoon to prepare for the lake cycling.
Breakfast was in a local residential area.
Xihai Town is the base camp for cycling around Qinghai Lake, the start and end point. There are many cycling clubs offering bike rentals and support services. The bikes at Haihu (a cycling club) were fairly new, and the partner accommodation along the route was clean and cheap; the owners were very helpful. The lake area is at an altitude of 3000m to 3200m. Cycling itineraries can be chosen based on your condition and weather—3 days, 4 days, or 5 days. The owner of Haihu clearly exercises regularly—she said she just rides bikes (a professional's modesty).
After picking a bike and eating, I strolled around Atomic City (Xihai Town's alias, because it was where the atomic bomb was developed and tested). The hotpot restaurant next to Rongfa Hotel had delicious yak meat slices.
These were the houses where the atomic bomb researchers lived.
On July 19, all the fellow travelers who would start the same day gathered and set off.
Day 1: Xihai Town to Ju Xian Ge restaurant in Hudong Sheep Farm for lunch, then to Jiangxigou, staying at Gonghe Anduo Summer Resort Hotel, total 97 km. The Babao tea (eight treasure tea) at Ju Xian Ge was very good, though a bit too much rock sugar. Seeing the lake after cycling about 40 km was exciting, and seeing blue sky, white clouds, and rape flowers was even more exciting—but after a while it got boring, and I just kept pedaling... The rape flowers along the road were fenced, and entry for photos cost 10-20 yuan; going to the lakeshore was the same price. We passed Erlangjian Scenic Area, which was said to be average, so we didn't go in. A small incident on the first day: the chain fell off, but the most experienced big sister fixed it in seconds.
Encountered a hiker circumambulating the lake resting on the road.
Day 2: Jiangxigou to Heimahe, 55 km. Today's ride was a challenge for the buttocks—it hurt just sitting on the saddle. According to cycling enthusiasts, padded cycling shorts reduce friction and make it more comfortable. Arrived at Heimahe at noon, then carpooled to Chaka Salt Lake in the afternoon, 70 yuan per person, ticket separate. Accommodation and food in Heimahe were relatively poor—a small town for transit and watching sunrise. Dinner was after returning from Chaka; the carpool driver introduced a delicious local Qinghai specialty, very fresh. As for Chaka—the Mirror of the Sky depends on weather, timing, and people. In plain language, it's luck. The day we went, the sky was a bit hazy and there were many people. If you have energy, the sightseeing bus and small train are not recommended; walking is close.
Too tired on the road, stopped to drink yogurt; the herder was friendly.
Day 3: Heimahe to Bird Island, 51 km, the section closest to the lake and the most beautiful—West Lake Road. Stayed at Bird Island Lanhai Hotel. It rained in the morning, no sunrise. Two companions braved the rain and cycled 120 km to Gangcha; two others took the car for part of the way; the rest of us started at 11:00 and, with a side headwind, reached Bird Island around 18:00. Among those who cycled to Gangcha was a 65-year-old sister who looked like she was in her 50s. She started cycling at 50, and before joining our lake tour, she had just finished riding the Sichuan-Tibet Highway (318) to Lhasa. She loves to smile, take photos, cycle, and dance—living life in its most beautiful form. When leaving, my bike tire was flat; the Xingfu Hotel in Heimahe helped pump it up and judged it wasn't punctured. A Tibetan guy on the road helped add air.
A Tibetan companion went to pray for early admission to university.
Had tsampa and butter tea in a herder's tent.
Turned the prayer wheels, praying for the departed small lives we saw on the road to rest in peace. Human activities had disturbed their grassland habitat.
Day 4: Bird Island to Quanji to Gangcha, 67 km. Continued cycling along the lake. Passed the Bird Island scenic area, which was closed, but for 5 yuan you could go to the lakeshore. Found the tire flat again when starting; the owner of Lanhai Hotel helped change to a spare and found the valve was leaking. Started cycling alone—people drift apart, and new people and new connections come. The cycling road is not lonely. Met a Beijing couple with their 7-year-old son cycling; the mother said even in yesterday's strong wind the boy rode the whole way without walking. Met a cycling team from Xining at the Bird Island scenic area—the beginning of a fate.
Gangcha County is a bustling county; there was Guozhuang dance in the evening, but I was too tired to go. Food and drink in the county were affordable: a big bucket of yogurt 15 yuan, and the Tibetan restaurant was delicious.
Day 5: Gangcha to Xihai Town, 87 km. Last day: uphill, uphill, uphill, and the downhill was awesome. The Xining cycling team I met yesterday saw me riding alone and let me join them; they helped carry my luggage. I felt the team's strength, followed closely, and thanks to them I completed the circuit. Knowing I wanted to see the Atomic Bomb Test Site, they even made a detour to take me there. Experienced the "Despair Slope"; the Xining cyclists said, "This is what people from the interior call Despair Slope? It's not that bad."
Lovely cycling friends—they said cyclists are all family.
Thus the cycling around Qinghai Lake ended! High altitude, uphill, and headwinds combined indeed made it challenging; firm determination and teamwork give strength. I won't ride a bike for a few months.
Part Two—Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop 7-Day Tour Begins
Qinghai is my blessed land; I meet companions and new connections.
On July 23 afternoon, returned to Xining, stayed at Mengli Qiba. Consulted the hostel owner about the Qinghai-Gansu loop, wanted to rest one day first and start on the 25th. The owner said there was carpooling on the 24th, and an older sister could share a room; the hostel was full on the 24th and couldn't accommodate, and the carpool for the 25th might not work. So I decided to start the Qinghai-Gansu loop on the 24th. It must be a special fate that made me decide this: I met the wonderful sports mentor Sister Mei, four Cantonese-speaking cool guys and girls—Deng, Jiajun, Xiao Li, Guan Xiao—and the honest, reliable driver Xiao Jian.
At the hostel, washed off the fatigue and went out to find food. Alone, couldn't have a big meal. Had malatang, liangpi, and milk egg fermented rice wine. Then at Yunting Blind Massage, diagonally opposite the southeast gate of Moji Street, I had a full body massage. The masseur knew I had been cycling for days and helped relax my waist, hips, and legs. Comfortable.
Day 1 of the 7-day tour: Left Xining, visited Qinghai Lake and Chaka Salt Lake, stayed overnight in Chaka. Since I had already been to Chaka, I didn't go again; I went back to the hotel first. Shocked by the hotel—it was so modern and luxurious; if it had a bathtub, it would be 5-star, but the price was less than a budget hotel (Xiao Jian said we were lucky with low tourist numbers this year; in peak season, 400-500 won't even get a room; of course, the best luck was having him). Experienced modern technology—elevator and instant hot water dispenser.
The scene was still normal group of women.
At the lakeside again, saw rape flowers again, still beautiful.
My Sister Mei—super stylish, super good at taking photos.
At night: beef bone soup. Xiao Jian said eating at Halal restaurants is clean. Their lamb skewers were delicious. Forgot the name—ask Xiao Jian if you want to know.
Day 2: Chaerhan Salt Lake, Xiaochaidan Lake, Emerald Lake. Stayed in Dachaidan.
The most beautiful scenery of this trip—Chaerhan Salt Lake. After seeing Chaerhan, Emerald Lake didn't seem as attractive. From the second day, toilet difficulties began—due to water shortage, all roadside toilets were pit latrines; unforgettable smell, best to bring an umbrella. When we went, Chaerhan was not open; we could bribe a guard to enter the factory area (ask Xiao Jian for the route). The road was bumpy, motion sickness warning. Fortunately it wasn't open, allowing us to appreciate the stunning beauty.
By the roadside outside the scenic area, Xiao Jian said this was just the surface, but we were already "wowing."
Not the surface: view in large image. Invisible hands used the earth as canvas.
Xiao Jian's drone shot: a lotus flower being constructed in the scenic area; he thought it might be for the opening ceremony of an international cycling race.
Xiaochaidan Lake—watching the water ripples was healing.
Emerald Lake: after experiencing the exclusive beauty above, no big surprise. The sightseeing bus is not recommended; we were fooled by the map into thinking it was huge.
Crowded, not exclusive; didn't want to take photos with heads.
Not a very nice sunset.
Day 3: U-shaped highway, Yadan landform. Xiao Jian said it's earth mounds without water and earth mounds with water. Looking at the mounds—no, each Yadan—think about the millennia of wind and earth entwined. Did the wind sculpt the Yadan's appearance, or did they fall asleep eons ago and turn into Yadan (that thought is cool).
Water Yadan (Wusute) - didn't take the sightseeing bus, just looked from the edge—already stunning. But the bus is worth taking to go deeper. On the way back, a sandstorm started; we were eating watermelon outside the car, got a mouthful of sand. There is star-gazing luxury camping in the scenic area, maybe to experience the howling wind at night.
Day 4: Lonely Highway through Shiyou Town (Oil Town) to Dunhuang, desert camping, slept in a tent.
All the way only road and Yadan, then suddenly Dunhuang—an oasis full of life. At the desert campsite, Xiao Jian arranged a special exclusive experience—desert off-roading, more thrilling than the campsite's desert motorcycles. First time camping in a tent; windy, uneven ground (inexperienced, didn't know to flatten the sand), barely slept, still didn't see sunrise.
Someone else's luxury tent.
Day 5: Mogao Caves, Crescent Moon Spring & Singing Sand Mountain. The easiest day. Early morning, the campsite's owner's mother (real boss's mom, loves off-roading, star photography, and Yadan—cool middle-aged guy) took us to the inn, a partner inn of the convoy. Checked in before 7. After simple wash and breakfast, visited Mogao Caves: admired the painstaking work of craftsmen through the ages, the hopes of families who sponsored the caves for their health and prosperity, and the vastness of Buddhist culture. Noon nap, then at 7 PM went up Singing Sand Mountain to see the sunset and Crescent Moon Spring. Sand bath. Dunhuang is extremely hot during the day; luckily the morning was cloudy, so visiting Mogao wasn't too hot. Singing Sand Mountain had to be later. After sunset, the sand was warm and nice to step on.
Cloudy, no sunrise.
Traffic light for the camel caravan.
Human warmth after leaving the scenic area.
Day 6: Jiayuguan, Zhangye, Rainbow Danxia. Stayed in Zhangye.
Sunny, visited Jiayuguan under the scorching sun.
Stayed overnight in the big city Zhangye. Ordered takeout to save time: a super-sized fermented rice wine. Had a leisurely dinner with Sister Mei.
Day 7: Return to Xining, passed Qilian Mountains, rode horses on the grassland, passed Menyuan. Stayed at Shisan She hostel. Ate Dexiao Kang lamb ribs again. Qinghai-Gansu loop ended.
New way to eat on the grassland: dragon fruit, banana yogurt with high-fiber biscuits.
Menyuan's rape flowers had been ruined by hailstorms two days earlier.
Meaning of travel: see different sceneries, meet different people; everyone is a passerby, leaving a piece of memory.
