Take a 6-day in-depth self-driving tour of the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop, and get the must-see attractions and safety tips covered!
Preface
The Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop, which has been very popular in the past two years, is a must-see route in life. We spent six days to complete the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop, visiting all the must-see attractions. This time the itinerary was much simpler!
Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop - 6-Day Self-Driving Route Reference
DAY1 Xining - Chaka Town (Accommodation)
DAY2 Chaka Town - Chaerhan Salt Lake - 37 Degrees North Starry Sky Camp (Da Qaidam)
DAY3 Daxiadan - 315 Blood of the Earth - 315 U-shaped Highway - Nanbaxian - G215 National Highway - Heidu Mountain - Lenghu (Accommodation)
DAY4 Oil Base Ruins - Dunhuang
DAY5 Guazhou Sons of the Earth Sculpture Group — Zhangye
DAY6 Zhangye - Qilian Mountain - Gangshika Snow Peak - Menyuan - Xining
Car Rental Guide
We chose to pick up the car at the airport this time, and it's available 24/7. The contactless service is convenient, clean, and safe. The car is also spacious, so we were able to fit three suitcases and three backpacks in it without any stress!
Attractions Guide
1. Qarhan Salt Lake
Tips:
Chaka Town - Qarhan Salt Lake, recommended playing time: 5 to 6 hours
Golmud - Chaerhan Salt Lake, recommended playing time: 1 to 2 hours
Ticket + bus 100/person (private cars are not allowed to enter as this is an industrial plant)
People on the Internet say that Chaerhan is the "grandfather" of Chaka, and its area is five or six times that of Chaka Salt Lake.
I heard that some local guides drove more than 140 kilometers but still couldn't reach the end of Chaerhan.
No green plants can grow on the Qarhan Salt Lake, but it is home to crystal-clear, jade-like salt flowers. The varying concentrations and composition of the brine during crystallization create these salt flowers in various shapes.
The salt flowers here are like corals, standing in clusters in the salt lake, just like a fairy tale world.
From God's perspective, the Qarhan Salt Lake looks like green paint spilled by God, with large salt flowers "blooming" in the center of the lake.
Before arriving at the Chaka Green Salt Lake, the bus will take us through a potash fertilizer industrial plant. After getting off at the central pier, you can choose to walk or buy a sightseeing bus into the park for 20 yuan per person. I personally think it is unnecessary unless you want to check in at man-made attractions.
Chaluhan's internet-famous artificial camera, the swing, the dead tree, and the white piano are all at the end of the sightseeing bus. If you want to check in, you can take the bus to the end and then walk out.
(The salt flowers in the distance look like white snow)
Complaints: The planning of the scenic area is not very complete at present. The bus runs every 30 minutes, so you will have to wait for a long time.
2. 37 Degrees North Latitude Starry Sky Camp
The Starry Sky Camp near Da Qaidam is an ideal location for photographing the starry sky on a clear day. It's perfect for aerial photography, and it feels like you've traveled to Jordan's Moon Valley.
There are two types of rooms, Planet Room and Villa Suite. The accommodation environment is different from that of the same price, but it is rare to find such accommodation conditions in the desert. We booked a two-bedroom, one-living room villa, and the car can be parked directly at the door of the room.
An ordinary planet room costs about RMB 450 per night, and a two-bedroom, one-living room villa costs about RMB 850 per night. Be sure to book in advance as this place is very popular and easily fully booked.
The small sand dunes opposite the Planet Room are also a fantastic place for photos. They are like a mini desert, and you can easily create a large photo. There are snow-capped mountains opposite, and you can also go sandboarding on the dunes, which is very suitable for parents and children.
3. National Highway 315
1. Blood of the Earth
You will randomly encounter many popular spots on National Highway 315. It takes less than 40 minutes to walk from Daxiadan to the popular bridge "Blood of the Earth". When brown-red river valleys appear on both sides of the vehicle, it means you have arrived.
This place is very suitable for aerial photography. The God's perspective looks like a giant's muscles lying across the road.
The riverbed here contains ferroferric oxide. Coupled with strong sunlight and the drought in the northwest, the riverbed has dried up and turned it blood red.
2. U-shaped highway
This is known as the Chinese version of "Route 66".
This year, safety signs were erected along the U-shaped highway, forbidding stopping for photos. This instantly reduced the number of tourists checking in and taking photos. Even if they did stop to check in, most tourists chose to climb the surrounding hills, which seemed much safer.
We whizzed past, leaving images of the highway on the car.
3. Southern Eight Immortals
The fame of Nanbaxian is not only due to its remarkable Yadan landforms, but also to a tragic story. It is said that eight female geologists from the south, searching for oil resources, entered the area but tragically perished and are buried here. To commemorate these eight female geologists, the area was named "Nanbaxian."
Drive from National Highway 315 to a gas station, turn right and you will enter Nanbaxian.
The Yardang landforms here appear smoother and more orderly, like waves evenly distributed across the desert.
4. National Highway 215
Many people ask whether National Highway 215 or 315 is worth going. In fact, the scenery is really different. From the Nanbaxian fork in the road, we turned to National Highway G215.
(National Highway 315)
(National Highway 215)
215 was a road we had never planned to take, and we didn't even know it existed. It was a road that greatly enhanced our travel experience and filled us with many surprises. 215 passes by Sugan Lake, Heidu Mountain, and the ruins of the oil base.
(Sugan Lake)
After entering Highway 215, we drove for ten minutes without a single car, constantly wondering if we'd taken the wrong road. As sunset approached, we drove near Sugan Lake, which seemed to be shrouded in mist in the distance, becoming hazy. The clouds on the horizon turned pink, and the whole world suddenly became romantic.
The picture in the rearview mirror is more like a movie, with large clouds and a golden sun behind me, a real "Sunset Coaster".
As we continued forward, my phone suddenly picked up a 4G signal, and the location displayed "Black Mountain Gobi." The mountains in the distance resembled an ink painting, their entire mass appearing in a dark grey. It felt more like I was on a foreign planet than on Earth.
Only then did I realize that this must be the "Black Dushan" that has gone viral online! The advice online is to enter with caution without four-wheel drive, but in fact, there is a very clear sign on the side of the road saying that this is a geological protection area and vehicles are prohibited from entering!
Continuing forward, we unexpectedly came across the ruins of an abandoned oil base. Last year we abandoned this place and went to the oil town.
At the entrance, there's a stone tablet explaining the site's story. We realized we'd entered Lenghu, once a major oil hub in northwest China. In September 1958, Lenghu erupted 800 tons of crude oil for three days and nights, becoming nationally famous overnight.
Many ambitious young people came to Lenghu, dedicating themselves to the oil industry. However, by the 1960s, Lenghu Oilfield's production had steadily declined, plunging the area into a development slump. Furthermore, with the completion of the Dunhuang oil base in the 1980s, tens of thousands of oil workers migrated eastward and westward. This small town, once home to tens of thousands of people, was gradually forgotten, becoming the dilapidated state it is today.
We walked in the abandoned town illuminated by the afterglow of the setting sun. The walls were dilapidated and various glass bottles and shoes were scattered on the ground. We didn't know who the owners of these items were and where they were at the moment.
In the distance, a few cars drove in before us, accompanied by the laughter of a few young people. I saw slogans about Chairman Mao on the distant wall. I stood there. It turned out that this place no longer belonged to this world, but it really existed.
The final stretch of National Highway G215 passes through Dangjin Mountain. For several kilometers, the winding road is dominated by the shadows of the rolling mountains, appearing even more spectacular against the dark blue sky.
5. Guazhou Sons of the Earth Sculpture Group
Son of the Earth is just an hour and a half's drive from Dunhuang. En route, you'll enter Guazhou, where desert honeydew melons line the roadside. It's said one melon could last a whole day on the road. On the way to Son of the Earth, you'll pass a cemetery. The tombs of the Northwest seem magnificent, inspiring awe. As you pass through the cemetery, you'll see a prominent sign for the "Outdoor Sculptures." The most notable ones are the statue of Emperor Wu of Han, the Son of the Earth, and the Boundless installation.
(Standing on the Son of the Earth and looking at the "Boundless" in the distance)
When passing by the statue of Emperor Wu of Han, the giant was immediately filled with fear. Coupled with the serious expression of Emperor Wu of Han, the hair on his body immediately stood up. It was quite shocking!
Further down is the most famous "Son of the Earth," a sculpture funded by Professor Dong Jianshu of the Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts. He sleeps soundly, nestled in the embrace of Mother Earth, symbolizing the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.
This giant sculpture, 15 meters long, 4.3 meters high, and 9 meters wide, was carved from red sandstone using 3D technology. It's perfect for aerial photography!
6. Qilian Mountains - Gangshika Snow Peak - Menyuan
On the way to Menyuan, you will pass through the Qilian Mountains National Nature Reserve, which is lush and green in the summer.
Along the way, you'll enjoy the sight of cattle and sheep grazing in the wind-blown grass, and there are roadside stops for photos. Renting a car is convenient, allowing you to choose your route and drive at your own pace, stopping to take photos whenever you see a beautiful view. Many people don't even realize the Gangshika Snow Peak, making it a truly off-the-beaten-path destination!
This is the filming location of "The Climbers". You can climb and hike here, and it is open to the public on a limited basis all year round.
Turning in from the entrance of the scenic area, private cars are free to enter and exit. We drove the car to a roadside at random. Opposite was the snow-capped mountains, and at our feet were all kinds of blooming wild flowers, as if it were a fairy tale world.
The grassland under the Gangshika Snow Peak is very photogenic!
At the end of July every year, the hundreds of miles of rapeseed flowers in Menyuan are very spectacular.
The rapeseed flowers in Baili County stop blooming at the end of June and are not as spectacular as in July, but there are still large areas of pasture.
Lightning avoidance strategies for tourist attractions
We visited most of the popular tourist spots on the Qinghai-Gansu Loop for the second time. Here's our guide to avoiding mines!
1. Chaka Salt Lake
Chaka is a veteran internet celebrity tourist attraction that you will regret visiting if you don’t, and will regret even more if you do.
The little train was not as artistic as I had imagined, and there were so many tourists that it was not practical to take great photos in Chaka.
Personally, I think the sky scene in Chaka is not as beautiful as the one at the entrance of Daxiadan! (Maybe Chaka will be much better on a sunny day)
2. Da Qaidam Emerald Lake
Most cars will park at the entrance, so you must walk inside to take good pictures.
It is not recommended to go if the weather is bad, the scenery will be average.
3. East/West Taijinaier Lake
Dongtaijinaier Lake is known as the Little Maldives of the Northwest. It is very spectacular when photographed from the aerial perspective, and the scenery seen with the naked eye is indeed beautiful as well.
If you go to the northwest in June 2021, the nearest Dongtaijinaier Lake is closed to tourists. I heard that it is releasing flood water.
There is only a small section of Xitaijinaier Lake. You will pass by it when you take Highway 315 to Mangya. It is recommended to take aerial photos. If you are not passing by, it is not recommended to take photos specifically. There is only a small area.
4. Mangya Emerald Lake
Personally, I think the Emerald Lake in Mangya is much more beautiful than the one in Daxiadan, and it is even more magnificent if the weather is good.
Green salt lakes are scattered one after another at the foot of the desert mountains, making the sunset even more beautiful.
If the weather is bad, you don't have to go there specially. It can be regarded as a similar attraction as Da Qaidam Chaerhan.
5. Water Yadan
The tickets to the scenic spot are not cheap. When the weather is clear, the water is bluer and the aerial photography is still very filmy.
But I personally think that aerial photography is more spectacular. If you just stand there and take pictures, it is better to find wild Yadan landforms on the roadside. After all, the ticket price may not be worth it.
6. Oil Town
Because of the filming of "Nine-story Demon Tower", it has become a must-visit spot for internet celebrities in Northwest China.
Personally, I think if you are on your way, you can go and take pictures, whether early or late.
Some of the scenes inside are artificially built, and photography enthusiasts can arrange them and take pictures! If you take your parents to the northwest, this point is not recommended.
7. Zhangye Danxia Landform
It is still a scenic spot where you need to buy tickets. It is really not recommended to go if the weather is bad.
It wasn't as stunning as I'd imagined. The colors of the landscape weren't very distinct either. I personally thought it was pretty average, but if you're interested, you might want to plan a stop.
About the weather
June to August is the best time to visit Qinghai. June offers comfortable temperatures, so bring primarily summer clothing, including a light jacket. Of course, be sure to check the weather forecast before your trip; if rain is expected, pack an extra layer of warm clothing. July gradually cools down, with a significant temperature difference between morning and evening, so you'll need to bring spring or autumn clothing for most of your trip. Daytime temperatures are slightly higher, so spring clothing is also acceptable.
About Transportation
There are two ways to travel: self-driving and chartering a car. There are also motorcycle tours along the way. Personally, I think self-driving is a must when visiting Northwest China. It provides enough free time to arrange and will add more surprises to your trip!
About food and accommodation
The value for money for food and accommodation along the Grand Loop isn't great. I recommend buying some self-heating rice, instant foods, water, and snacks in Xining before departure. I had no place to eat for lunch several times along the way, so I resorted to self-heating rice. Dinner prices in town are also generally high. Accommodation along the Grand Loop isn't great either, with high prices and average conditions. Try choosing chain hotels, which are cleaner and more comfortable.
Conclusion
If you have enough time, I definitely recommend you to visit the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop and enjoy a movie-like western road trip. You will definitely fall in love with it!
