2020 Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop Travel Guide
Over two thousand kilometers of the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop, passing through grasslands, lakes, snow-capped mountains, traversing the vast Gobi Desert, and crossing the Qaidam Basin. Experience the vastness of the desert, watch the sunset over Danxia landforms, observe the Milky Way, admire thousand-year-old murals in the Mogao Caves, and see vast flower fields at the foot of snow peaks... From then on, you will fall in love with the vastness and magnificence of the Northwest.
Qinghai-Gansu Loop
6-Day Itinerary Overview:
D1——Xining-Tar Temple-La Ridge Mountain-Qinghai Lake-Chaka Town
D2——Chaka Salt Lake-Emerald Lake-Dachaidan
D3——Dachaidan-Yadan Devil City-Dangjin Mountain-Akesai-Yangguan-Dunhuang
D4——Dunhuang-Mogao Caves-Mingsha Mountain-Crescent Spring-Dunhuang
D5——Dunhuang-Guazhou-Jiayuguan-Zhangye Danxia
D6——Zhangye-Biandukou-Qilian Grassland-Menyan-Heiquan Reservoir-Xining
7-Day Itinerary Overview
D1——Xining-Tar Temple-La Ridge Mountain-Qinghai Lake-Chaka Town
D2——Chaka Salt Lake-Emerald Lake-Dachaidan
D3——Dachaidan-Yadan Devil City-Dangjin Mountain-Akesai-Yangguan-Dunhuang
D4——Dunhuang-Mogao Caves-Mingsha Mountain-Crescent Spring-Dunhuang
D5——Dunhuang-Guazhou-Jiayuguan-Zhangye Danxia
D6——Zhangye-Biandukou-Qilian Grassland-Qilian Zhuoer Mountain
D7——Qilian-Arou Temple-Menyan-Gangshika Snow Peak (Daban Mountain View)-Heiquan Reservoir-Xining
Preparation Before Departure
01, Please prepare all kinds of sunscreen items, sunscreen, sunscreen spray, sunscreen hat, sunscreen clothing. If you don't want to turn from a fairy or handsome guy into a walking tan, please be well-prepared for sun protection.
02, Be prepared for possible altitude sickness. If you are not confident in your physical condition or think you might experience altitude sickness, please take Rhodiola ten days before departure. There are two types of this medicine: capsules and herbal tea. Regardless of which one you buy, please take it at least ten days in advance. To reiterate: so-called anti-altitude sickness medicine only alleviates symptoms and does not prevent altitude sickness entirely.
03, Prepare various medicines just in case:
01: American ginseng lozenges, Bufferin, to control headaches caused by altitude sickness. Personal use of ibuprofen granules, suitable for both adults and children, is very effective for headaches.
02: Glucose oral solution is a must. Severe headaches from altitude sickness can cause serious vomiting, and drinking glucose can replenish energy.
03: Cold medicine, anti-diarrhea medicine, fever medicine, anti-inflammatory medicine, motion sickness medicine, etc.
04, Prepare warm clothing. The weather in the highlands can change rapidly. One moment you might be worried about sunburn, and the next moment you might be cold. So, please prepare at least one piece of warm clothing.
05, Prepare your ID card and wallet, as these are indispensable on the road.
06, Bring a power bank for your phone, a phone charger, spare batteries for your camera, and spare memory cards for your phone. The scenery along the way is so beautiful that you might run out of battery before reaching the next scenic spot.
Transportation:
Best Ways to Reach Xining
[Plane] In the summer of 2016, Xining added more than 20 routes, covering major cities nationwide. Most coastal cities need to transit through Xi'an to fly to Xining, while major provincial capitals can fly directly to Xining. There are more flights to Lanzhou than to Xining, and the cost is 20%-40% cheaper.
[Train] There are many trains to Xining from all over the country, and the Baolan high-speed railway opened in 2017, making it convenient to transfer from Xi'an by high-speed train.
However, the best way to reach Xining is to fly to Lanzhou first and then travel from Lanzhou to Xining.
Two Ways to Travel from Lanzhou to Xining
1. Bus: There are airport buses from Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport to Xining, costing 100 yuan per person. There are buses at 12:30, 15:30, and 19:30, taking about 2.5 hours. They can drop passengers off at Ximen, Huitong Hotel, or any allowed stop in Xining city center.
2. Intercity Train: The intercity high-speed train from Zhongchuan Airport to Lanzhou West Station (yes, it departs from Zhongchuan Airport to Lanzhou West Station) runs frequently from 7:28 AM to 10:34 PM, taking about 40 minutes. From Lanzhou West to Xining, the high-speed train runs frequently from 7:40 AM to 8:55 PM, taking about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Tips: If you fly directly to Xining, you can choose the airport shuttle service at Xining Airport, which uses regular vehicles to safely deliver you to your destination without haggling or being overcharged.
Great! Normal tickets need to be reserved in advance. You can make an appointment through platforms such as Trip . After the appointment is successful, you can pick up the ticket with your ID card and enter the park. The normal ticket is more than the emergency ticket. It is very shocking. The art treasure in the desert is a worthwhile trip.
Since the emergence of Buddha light, it has been excavated by many generations. Mogao Grottoes have witnessed the spread and evolution of Buddhism in China. The murals and Buddha statues in each cave tell about different people's beliefs. Very good experience! Note: Be sure to book a normal ticket three weeks in advance (there are introduction films before the visit and you can see 8 caves, and some caves for emergency tickets can also be seen)
This is a place of ancient civilization. It is shocking to come here. This is the first time I have seen the vast land in the west. The special geographical location has created a long-lasting tourist environment. Thanks to our generations of ancestors!
Humanistic attractions, no fun, but really shocking is that there are too many people, you must buy normal tickets, and the emergency ticket items are separate. Therefore, the experience is completely different. Recommend Dunhuang Night Market
Have you seen faith? A force that lasts for thousands of years but still thrives, go to Dunhuang, see Mogao Grottoes, which contains such strength. Sanwei Mountain, Mogao Grottoes' home. Dunhuang, Sanwei Mountain, Mingsha Mountain, Crescent Spring and Danghe's home. Hexi Corridor, Dunhuang's home. China, home of Hexi Corridor. Asia and Europe, home of the Silk Road. On the eastern edge of the desert Gobi of the Silk Road to the Western Region, Dunhuang became a hub for economic and cultural ties between East and West, and achieved the Mogao Grottoes shaped by the blend of East and West civilizations. For more than a thousand years, Buddhism has been fulcrums of dentures and Buddhas, with Dunhuang as its fulcrum, spreading eastward to every corner of China. The road to the west is difficult and dangerous. Buddha has built spiritual homes for travelers. Mogao Grottoes have used statues and murals to record the civilization of faith left by the passage of time and space. Faith is like the wind in the desert, to shape the enduring power of Yadan, driving generations of Dunhuang people to build Mogao Grottoes.
Although the emergency ticket can only see 4 caves, several classic caves have been copied in the cultural relics protection research and exhibition center, and the text introduction is more detailed. There are also two digital movies online, but the visual effect may be almost the same, but the preheating effect is similar. In addition to the friends who are clinging to the scene, I feel that this "4 Grottoes + Show Center + Online Movie" is enough to watch. In addition to the queue for a long time at the beginning, the 4 Grottoes are also queued up behind, but they basically enter quite fast, so it takes more than 2 hours to see. Then the display center watched for about an hour. Dunhuang may be too famous, and it feels more particular than other head grottoes, but the point is actually similar. In addition, there is a VR experience hall where children can play. It is a special cave replication of the display center and an introduction and interaction.
The attraction management facilities are very good. First watch two movies to introduce the history of the attraction. The second ball screen movie is very shocking, and I feel immersed in the cave. Then I went to the cave by car, queued for the tour guide, and managed together. Although there were many people, it was not messy. The tour guide took a look at the eight caves. Then you can go to Linyi Grottoes to see it slowly. It is very convenient to take a taxi in the city for only 20 yuan. There is a taxi waiting in line at the door, so it is convenient to take a taxi back to the city. There are many taxis in Dunhuang, the driver is very enthusiastic, and the charge is to play the watch, which is very cheap. We are passports and there is no way to buy tickets online. I called and asked to know that the passport can buy tickets on the spot. It is only limited to three games, 8:30, 11:30, and there is an afternoon I forgot the time. The scenic spot also considered the special needs of a few people, very thoughtful.