Maqu Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)

Langmusi-Maqu-Zhouqu-Zhuoni-Lintan-Luqu-Diebu-Xiahe-Hezuo trip

🚗🚗🚗Travel Itinerary: Day1: Labrang Monastery→Sangke Grassland→Ganjia Secret Land Day2: Baishiya→Red Sect Temple→Daxia River Day3: The First Bend of the Yellow River→Awan Cang Wetland→Maqu The First Bend of the Yellow River Scenic Area Day4: Niangma Temple→Ximeiduo He Tang→Maqu Grassland Day5: Langmusi→Bailong River Grand Canyon→Aba Prefecture Namo Grand Canyon Day6: Zhagana→Dari Viewing Platform→Lazikou Day7: Milarepa Buddha Pavilion→Meiren Grassland→Hezuo Monastery

Gansu Maqu, the first bend of the Yellow River in the world

🍁 The Yellow River is the mother river of the Chinese nation, known to the world for its magnificent and long history. The first bend of the Maqu Yellow River, also known as the Yellow River First Bend Nature Reserve, is located on this nearly 10,000 square kilometers of grassland with towering mountains, high snow peaks, vast pastures, and lush water grass. Here, there are famous river bend horses and many precious wild animals. 🍁 'Maqu' in Tibetan means the Yellow River, and Maqu is a city named after the Yellow River. Looking at the map, the Yellow River forms a huge U-shape in this area, and Maqu County is built on the upper right of the U. The Yellow River nourishes Maqu County, where there are high-quality natural pastures everywhere, and you can enjoy the beautiful natural scenery everywhere. 🍁 In April 1976, the construction of the Maqu Yellow River Highway Bridge began, and it was completed and opened to traffic in three years. The first bridge across the Yellow River was extraordinary. The bridge connects Maqu County in the north and Awan County in the south, not only connecting the two banks of the local Yellow River, but also opening a door to the outside world for Maqu.

Maqu County Horgeri Viewing Platform

The Horgeri Viewing Platform in Maqu County is 3550 meters above sea level, and the wetland park is at the foot of the mountain, where the wetland water system all flows into the Yellow River. Here, the legend of Gesar is passed down. The mother and son of Gesar who were exiled here, after hard and unyielding efforts, finally overcame the harsh ecological environment and established their own tribe.

Langmusi-Maqu-Zhouqu-Zhuoni-Lintan-Luqu-Diebu-Xiahe-Hezuo trip

🚗🚗🚗Travel Itinerary: Day1: Labrang Monastery→Sangke Grassland→Ganjia Secret Land Day2: Baishiya→Red Sect Temple→Daxia River Day3: The First Bend of the Yellow River→Awan Cang Wetland→Maqu The First Bend of the Yellow River Scenic Area Day4: Niangma Temple→Ximeiduo He Tang→Maqu Grassland Day5: Langmusi→Bailong River Grand Canyon→Aba Prefecture Namo Grand Canyon Day6: Zhagana→Dari Viewing Platform→Lazikou Day7: Milarepa Buddha Pavilion→Meiren Grassland→Hezuo Monastery

Awancang Wetland is the core area of the famous Zoige, Bohai and Manzatang wetlands in China. There are many fork rivers and swamps due to poor water and diarrhea, which makes this vast grassland rich in water and cattle and sheep. In 2008, in the Beauty of China event organized by China National Geographic, the Maqu Wetland Group centered on Awancang was named the China's Five Most Prairie Wetlands. Fortunately, the local Tibetans held a ritual of worshipping the mountain gods in the sang pond.

Langmu Temple | Gannan must pass the pilgrimage site Some people say "Do not come to Langmu Temple, equal to not to Gannan", which shows the importance of this Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Gannan. Langmu Temple is generally planned to travel in Gannan or North Sichuan. It is close to the Gannan Labrang Monastery to the north and the Zoige Grassland to the south. [Recommended travel itinerary] arrive at Langmu Temple at noon on the first day. In the afternoon, visit the Gedi Temple in Sichuan, then walk to the Bailongjiang Gorge and stay in the town at night. The next morning, I went to the Gandan Sai Chi Temple in Gansu. After that, you can take the Noons shuttle bus to leave Langmu Temple and go to other attractions in Gannan. [What can I experience here? 1 Langmu Temple Riding Langmu Temple There is a horse-riding tour nearby. The horse team has a consultation shop in the town. The price ranges from 150-400 yuan. The horse-riding destination includes the source of Bailongjiang and Hongshi. Cliffs, flowers and other places. 2 Langmu Temple celestial burial is biased toward Gansu in Langmu Temple. There is a celestial burial platform on the back hill of Saiji Temple. The celestial burial in this area is more open and can be viewed by tourists. If you have the consent of your family, you can take pictures. 3 Turning the mountains and turning the water to the stupa Tibetan people's devout faith is the snow lotus in the sky, full of pure to pure. They are kind and simple, and they only turn for the faith. An ancient turn of the road outside Xiahe Labrang Monastery is a lap I have to go to the Labrang Monastery every time. This is also one of my favorite temples.

A must-visit temple in this lifetime, any casual snapshot is National Geographic worthy

I personally think it's even more photogenic than Labrang Monastery. Although Labrang Monastery has a strong background and reputation, in terms of scenery and photography, I prefer Langmu Temple (of course, Labrang Monastery is also beautiful~) Langmu Temple is located at the border of Gansu and Sichuan. There are two Langmu Temples, one in Sichuan (which is where my photo was taken), and another in Gansu (due to time constraints, I arrived on the evening of the first day🌇 and left early the next morning, so I didn't have time to visit the one in Gansu). The two Langmu Temples are very close to each other, within walking distance. (In picture 2, the golden roofs in the distance are the Gansu Langmu Temple) The Sichuan Langmu Temple🎫 entrance fee is 30 yuan per person, and there is also a canyon inside, which is worth visiting if you have enough time. Right upon entering the Sichuan Langmu Temple, you can see a hillside, which I think offers the best views (there is also a slope on the Gansu side that is very beautiful, so if you have time, you can go to the one in Gansu). Photography tips: These pictures were taken with a 24-200 lens or a drone. Wide-angle lenses below 24mm were rarely used I personally feel that the Sichuan side of Langmu Temple is suitable for shooting sunsets, while the Gansu side is suitable for sunrises, and of course, drones can also capture stunning shots. A casual snap is a National Geographic picture, but if you're short on time, I recommend the Langmu Temple in Sichuan. Accommodation🏠 There are many options near the scenic area, but book online in advance as there are not many hotels with elevators. Dining🍚 There are many Sichuan and Chongqing restaurants nearby that taste quite good.

The ultimate summer retreat! My top pick for a niche hidden gem travel destination, I absolutely love Gannan

🔸 'Langmusi' is the general name for this area where Sichuan and Gansu meet, mainly featuring two temples, the Sichuan side's Gerdi Temple and the Gansu side's Sech Temple. 🔸 Both temples have their own unique charm, but personally, I feel that for photographing the temples themselves, the Sech Temple in Gansu stands out more with its iconic large gilded roofs and yellow-white walls that shine brilliantly under the sunlight. 🔸 For the Gerdi Temple on the Sichuan side, after entering the scenic area's main gate, I directly climbed the hill on the left. From there, you can overlook the entire scenic area, capturing both the Sech Temple in Gansu and the Gerdi Temple in Sichuan in all their beauty‼️ 📍Location | Langmusi Town, Luqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu 🚘Transport | The roads along the way are national highways and are good to drive on, but the traffic can get congested when entering the small town 🎫Ticket | Normally, both temples do not charge for admission, but they may do so during holidays 🍱Food & Lodging | There are many accommodations and restaurants in the town, and you can stay directly in the town ⏳️Touring Suggestions | You can take a small path from the back mountain to Sech Temple, then exit through the main gate, so you don't have to backtrack ⭕Caution | The altitude here is around 3480 meters, so you may experience altitude sickness. Remember to walk slowly during your visit and avoid running vigorously

For a unique Labor Day travel experience, consider visiting an underrated and less crowded city

This destination is cheaper than Tibet and has a lower risk of altitude sickness. The endless meadows stretch to meet the distant snow-capped mountains. Colorful jungles spread across canyons and hillsides. Beneath the sacred mountain lies the hidden village of Zhagana. Forests, snow mountains, valleys, grasslands, and temples, This place has its own memorable name📍Gannan. - Generally, seven days is enough. Day 1-3 Lanzhou-Linxia-Hezuo-Zhagana Day 4-5 Langmusi-Sangke Grassland-Labrang Monastery Day 6-7 Xiahe-Baishiya-Ganjia Secret Land - ✈️Fly to Zhongchuan Airport, then take the city rail to Lanzhou Station. There are many direct flights, ✈️with fares as low as 800+ offering great value for money. Alternatively, 🚄taking a direct train to Lanzhou is very convenient, with a journey time of about 10 hours. - 🌟6 must-visit highlights 📍Ganjia Secret Land Drive through the sprawling grassland roads to enter a cloud-top secret land where ancient cities, monasteries, villages, grasslands, canyons, pastures, and caves merge into one. - 📍Langmusi Known as the 'Little Switzerland of the East,' this town is where a small stream brings together the peacefully coexisting Tibetan and Hui ethnic groups. You can hike into the Namu Canyon to seek the source of the Bailong River and delve into the area's mystical legends. - 📍Zhagana A hidden paradise known as 'Earth's Eden,' and one of the '50 places to go in your lifetime' as rated by 'Chinese National Geography.' It consists of four Tibetan-style villages and a scenic area. Stay in a small village at the foot of the sacred mountain, take an early morning stroll through the stone city, and hike to a viewpoint to await the sunrise🌅. - 📍Labrang Monastery The 'Harvard and Peking University of Tibetan Buddhism,' the outer walls of Labrang Monastery are made up of more than 2,000 prayer wheels, holding the Guinness World Record for the 'world's longest prayer wheel corridor.' On the way to Labrang Monastery, the golden domes are visible from afar, with Tibetan incense swirling around and Buddhist devotees prostrating devoutly on the ground, praying for happiness. - 📍Sangke Grassland The most beautiful pasture in Gannan, where herds of cattle and sheep roam freely. Lead a gentle pony and gallop forward on horseback, listening to the melodious Tibetan folk songs, purifying the soul. - 📍Baishiya The lesser-known 'Dolomites' of Gannan, Baishiya, where a natural mountain screen divides the Ganjia Grassland into two high-altitude pastures with a 1000-meter elevation difference. Clouds hang like jade belts over the cliffs, and the temples and villages nestled in the mountains seem to tell endless stories. - ✅Tips 🌟The temperature difference between day and night on the grassland is significant, so bring warm clothing; the night sky is beautiful🌃. 🌟Be sure to protect yourself from the sun, as the UV radiation is strong in high-altitude areas! 🌟There are many cattle and sheep on the grassland, so drive carefully.