Westward Travelogue: Northwest Journey

July arrived, and my child’s summer vacation was just around the corner. I had been planning the trip well in advance, eager to show him the magnificent scenery of our country. Following my wife’s suggestion, we decided to head northwest this time. Last year, the two of them joined a group tour in Qinghai, taking a small loop route, and they absolutely loved it. This time they wanted to explore the larger loop. After doing some research, I decided to go on a self-guided tour to the northwest again. The preliminary plan was as follows: travel entirely by train, departing from Beijing, first passing through Xi'an, where we would stay for two days; then continue westward, with a stop in Lanzhou for one day; from Lanzhou to Zhangye, stay two days; from Zhangye to Dunhuang, stay two days; then return to Beijing from Dunhuang. Total trip was seven days. The detailed itinerary went like this:

On July 17, we took a high-speed train from Beijing West to Xi'an at noon. It was very fast, reaching Xi'an in just over three hours. After settling in, we went to the Drum Tower and Huimin Street in the evening. Many people say you shouldn’t eat street snacks on Huimin Street in Xi'an; you should go to Sajinqiao instead. But we couldn’t resist the cliché—Huimin Street may not be the best for food, but it’s still a must-visit spot. On Huimin Street, I recommended my family try Jiasan Soup Dumplings, and they were truly delicious. We also had the Terracotta Warriors ice cream. That wrapped up the first day.

On July 18, we had booked tickets for the Terracotta Warriors in advance. It rained heavily that day. Heeding a driver’s advice the day before, we took a ride-hailing car and avoided the expressway exit at the Terracotta Warriors, instead taking the city road through Tongguan. It felt about the same speed, but we discovered an outlet mall in Tongguan—shoppers might want to keep that in mind. Also, Huaqing Pool is in Tongguan, but I wouldn’t recommend visiting it; even the guides didn’t suggest it because it’s not worth the price and there’s not much to see. If you want to go to Mount Li, though, that could be worthwhile. At the Terracotta Warriors, we hired a guide—three families per group, about 25 yuan per person (more or less). It was quite good; we toured three halls and learned a lot of history. Half a day is enough for the Terracotta Warriors. After that, we visited the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, which is very close to the Terracotta Warriors. There are free shuttle buses from the Terracotta Warriors site. The imperial tomb has not been excavated yet, with only a few scattered burial pits open to visitors. However, one of the largest pits features the famous bronze chariot, which is worth seeing. If you’re short on time, you could skip this spot. There are also several large-scale live performances, but we didn’t watch them due to time. This depends on personal interest; tickets are pricey, starting around 300 yuan. In the late afternoon, we drove to the famous Grand Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. How to put it? It’s a man-made spectacle, just so-so, a typical check-in spot, and incredibly crowded. In the evening, we dined at a nearby Xi’an-style restaurant. The food was decent and not too expensive.

Throughout our time in Xi’an, we used ride-hailing cars the whole way, no reservations needed, very convenient. I wouldn’t recommend renting a car—the traffic is complicated, and after a full day of sightseeing, energy is a big issue. In Xi’an, we not only ate lamb paomo (crumbled flatbread in lamb soup), but also hulutou. Many people don’t know what hulutou is—it’s basically large intestine paomo, and it’s surprisingly good, worth a try. In summary, the Xi’an trip was a culinary journey. From soup dumplings to Chinese burgers, from saozi noodles to hulutou, it was all about eating.

On the morning of the 19th, we set off for Lanzhou and arrived just after 1 p.m. Once settled, we sampled the local cuisine and drank apricot peel tea. In the late afternoon, the whole family strolled to the famous Iron Bridge for a walk. Actually, Lanzhou city doesn’t have many sights to see; it’s more about enjoying the scenery along the Yellow River and drinking a beer.

Early on the 20th, we departed for Zhangye, a longer journey, arriving at Zhangye Railway Station in the afternoon. At the station, we picked up our pre-booked off-road vehicle and started our Zhangye adventure. I highly recommend the Runhu Holiday Hotel here—excellent value, huge rooms, great service, and they even offer foot bath service, though the breakfast was just okay. After a brief rest, around 3 p.m., we headed to the famous Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Area, hoping to see the sunset over the rainbow mountains. It took less than an hour by car to reach the scenic area. Once inside, you need to take a shuttle bus; the distance isn’t too far, but you also rely on shuttle buses to travel between the viewing platforms—just queue up and hop on. Each spot has boardwalks; just follow the path. One important tip: be sure to buy a sun hat in advance; the blazing sun will drain your energy. Walking through all the main viewing spots takes about two hours. At the final spot, you can see the classic colorful Danxia landscapes. There’s also a helicopter service (880 yuan per person) and paragliding—adventurous pursuits we didn’t try. It was overcast that day, and in the northwest, you usually have to wait until around 9 p.m. for sunset. Seeing that it was still early, we decided to head back.

On the 21st, we went to another well-known attraction in Zhangye: Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon, hailed as China’s answer to the Grand Canyon in Colorado. This is farther away, about a two-hour drive. Once at the scenic area, you again take a shuttle bus—the ride is quite long and bumpy, so be prepared. At the first stop, guides will recommend special services (get your mind out of the gutter), like camel riding or taking a mountain vehicle. I don’t think they’re necessary; you can easily walk it yourself. Camel riding can also be done in Dunhuang, so that’s just my suggestion. After a stretch on the boardwalk, you enter the canyon proper, descending a long staircase. The path isn’t very steep, so it’s not too challenging. Inside the canyon, you’ll encounter a famous spot called Yixiantian, which is more demanding; you can choose this route (only for children 1.4 meters and above) or take the regular path to bypass it. Another thing to note is the exit: it’s a spiral staircase made of iron columns, going straight up and down. If you’re afraid of heights, brace yourself. The whole hike takes about two hours and is a test of stamina. (To be continued)