Self-guided Chartered Car/Self-drive Tour Route for Northwest China
D1: Gather in Xining—Check into hotel [Free airport pickup]
D2: Xining—Qinghai Lake—Chaka Salt Lake—Chaka Town
D3: Chaka Town—Qarhan Salt Lake—Golmud
D4: Golmud—Wutumeiren Township—Mangya Emerald Lake—Aikeng Spring—Mangya
D5: Mangya—Two-color Lake—East Taijinar Lake—Water Yadan—Dachaidan—Wave Highway (G315)—Dachaidan
D6: Dachaidan Emerald Lake—Aksai—Oil Town—Dunhuang
D7: Dunhuang—Mogao Caves—Mingsha Mountain—Crescent Moon Spring
D8: Dunhuang—Guazhou—Jiayuguan—Zhangye—Colorful Danxia
D9: Zhangye—Qilian—Arou Grand Temple—Zhuoer Mountain (Zhangye—Biandukou—Menyuan Rape Flowers—Daban Mountain—Xining)
D10: Qilian—Menyuan Rape Flowers—Daban Mountain—Xining
D1: Gather in Xining—Check into hotel [Free airport pickup]
D2: Xining—Qinghai Lake—Chaka Salt Lake—Chaka Town
D3: Chaka Town—Delingha—Emerald Lake—Dachaidan Town
D4: Dachaidan—Wave Highway (G315)—East Taijinar Lake—Water Yadan (few hotels, suitable for camping)
D5: Dongtai—West Taijinar Lake—Gasikule Lake (Mangya Emerald Lake)—Mangya City
D6: Mangya City—Aikeng Spring—Yadan Landform Group—Lenghu Town—Aksai
D7: Aksai—Oil Town—Dunhuang
D8: Dunhuang—Mogao Caves—Mingsha Mountain—Crescent Moon Spring
D9: Dunhuang—Guazhou—Jiayuguan—Zhangye—Colorful Danxia
D10: Zhangye—Menyuan Rape Flowers—Daban Mountain—Xining
D1: Gather in Xining—Check into hotel [Free airport pickup]
D2: Xining—Qinghai Lake—Chaka Town—Delingha
D3: Delingha—Emerald Lake—Wave Highway (G315)—East Taijinar Lake—Water Yadan
D4: Dongtai—West Taijinar Lake—Gasikule Lake (Mangya Emerald Lake)—Mangya City
D5: Mangya City—Aikeng Spring—Yadan Landform Group—Lenghu Town—Aksai
D6: Aksai—Oil Town—Dunhuang
D7: Dunhuang—Mogao Caves—Mingsha Mountain—Crescent Moon Spring
D8: Dunhuang—Guazhou—Jiayuguan—Zhangye—Colorful Danxia
D9: Zhangye—Biandukou—Menyuan Rape Flowers—Daban Mountain—Xining
Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop Notes
1. Climate: Temperatures vary greatly along the route. The Qinghai Lake area has low temperatures year-round and strong UV rays; keep warm and protect against sun.
2. Safety: All outdoor activities must follow the guide's instructions. Do not leave the group without permission, cross railings for photos, linger in the middle of the road, or force the vehicle to stop.
3. Transportation: This trip covers long distances. Road conditions are poor along the way, with winding and bumpy mountain roads. Be mentally prepared for long hours in the car each day.
4. Customs: The route passes through multi-ethnic areas. Respect the customs of Hui, Tibetan and other ethnic groups.
5. Photography: If you wish to photograph local people, ask for their permission first.
6. Environment: Do not litter. Do not throw trash out of the car window. Non-degradable waste should be placed in garbage bags and taken to towns with waste disposal facilities. Travel responsibly.
7. Infrastructure: Hotels, restaurants and other facilities along the route are basic and the service levels are not comparable to developed areas. If you encounter difficulties, ask the guide for assistance.
8. Mobile Signal: China Mobile and China Telecom have signal throughout the journey; China Unicom has weak signal, and some areas may have no signal.
9. Health: Qinghai and Gansu are in the northwest region; some areas are on high altitude. The food is heavy in flavor, which may cause acclimatization issues and gastrointestinal discomfort. Prepare basic medicines such as stomach medication.
