Day 1: All over the country → Golmud ★ All day gathering day
All day
Today is an all-day gathering day. Everyone can go according to their own time and transportation. After arriving, you can rest in the hotel. During free time, please pay attention to the safety of your personal belongings.
Golmud, nestled in the heart of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is the plateau's third-largest city. Unlike the Gobi Desert in more remote areas, Golmud's urban area is a verdant oasis nestled in the desert sands. The city is shaded by trees and blooming with flowers, while the suburbs boast lush farmland and rows of trees.
Transportation Tips:
1. Arrival by plane: Flights from eastern cities to Golmud usually require a transfer in Xi'an or Xining.
2. Train arrival: Tourists can choose the "Xining-Golmud" train ticket to reach the meeting destination.
Day 2 Golmud → Yuzhu Peak → Yuxu Peak → Kunlun Pass → Hoh Xil → Qumalai
All day
After breakfast, we'll drive over the Kunlun Pass (4776 meters) and continue along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. We'll visit the Kunlun Divine Spring, the Wuji Dragon and Phoenix Palace, the Budongquan Conservation Station, and, at Xidatan, take direct photos of Yuzhu Peak (6178 meters). Along the way, we'll spot a variety of wildlife, including Tibetan sheep, wild donkeys, foxes, and, with luck, even the rarely seen Tibetan antelope! At the Kunlun Pass, we'll see the Hoh Xil Tibetan antelope sculptures. The beautiful yet desolate dark blue plateau, the rolling hills, the herds of Tibetan antelope and wild donkeys, and the pilgrims prostrating themselves along the Heavenly Road will immerse you in the Tibetan landscape. As Lu Chuan said in his film, "Here, every footprint you leave could be the first human footprint."
Afterwards, we drove on and arrived at Qumalai, the first county along the Yangtze River, in the evening and checked into the hotel to rest.
Note: National Highway 109 is under construction and the road conditions are poor.
Day 3 Qumalai → Gaduojuewo → Maduo
All day
After a free breakfast, we'll depart today for Gaduo Jowo, a hidden gem in Tibet. Along with Mount Kailash in Tibet, Mount Meili in Yunnan, and Mount Amnye Machen in Qinghai, Gaduo Jowo is known as one of the "Four Sacred Mountains of Tibet." It's the least visited and least visited of the four. Gaduo Jowo, meaning "Lord of Upper Kham" in Tibetan, is one of the sacred mountains of Tibet, revered by the Tubo King Trisong Detsen. It's the most sacred of the many mountains in the Yangtze River Basin, and the people of Yushu consider it their patron saint. A diverse array of peaks make up its mass. The main peak is majestic and precipitous, while the others are more pictographic, each with its own unique shape, seemingly a work of art. We'll drive to the foot of the sacred mountain and gaze upon its wondrous majesty.
In the afternoon, drive to Maduo for check-in.
Day 4 Maduo → Animachen Snow Mountain → Donggecuo Lake → Maduo
All day
In the morning, we'll set out for a distant view of the sacred Amnye Machen Mountain. Regarded by local Tibetans as the dojo of Avalokitesvara, Amnye Machen is considered one of the four sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism, along with Mount Kailash in Tibet, Mount Meili in Yunnan, and Gaduo Jowo in Yushu, Qinghai. Composed of 13 connected peaks rising 5,000 to 6,000 meters above sea level, the main peak, Machen Kangri (6,282 meters), is home to the Zagda and Harong glaciers, which remain frozen year-round. This area rarely sees visitors.
After paying homage to the sacred mountain, we headed to Donggecuo Lake, a newly discovered secret place by China-TravelNoteZ. This is another secret place in the northwest that only the China-TravelNote team has visited. Snow-capped mountains, wetlands, grasslands, blue lakes, and wild animals are all combined here. There are almost no tourists by the lake. If there really is a paradise, then this should be it.
Return to Maduo County to check in at night.
Day 5: Maduo County → Huanghe Township → Yema Beach → Dari (Yellow River Braided System) → Maqin County
All day
After breakfast, we'll depart from Maduo County and head south to Huanghe Township. Here, the Yellow River flows along the rolling foothills, across emerald grasslands, and toward the world-renowned Yematan. Following the Yellow River's footsteps, we'll drive all the way to Yematan. Yematan, covering over 300 square kilometers, is renowned for its abundance of wild horses, providing excellent pastures for a variety of wildlife. Among the most prized species are white-lipped deer, snow leopards, marmots, lynxes, red foxes, corsac foxes, gazelles, stone sheep, eagles, and eagles. Wild horses are particularly common, often spotted by dozens or even hundreds, not just three or four.
Arriving in Dari County around noon, you'll witness the spectacular braided Yellow River system, a tangle of water and sand. Free from the obstruction of mountains and the constraints of banks, the Yellow River meanders freely, flowing out like a dense web of diverging, converging, and overlapping streams, creating a magnificent landscape. This crisscrossing network of river channels is aptly known in geomorphology as a "braided system."
Arrive at today's destination, Maqin County, in the evening and check in. Maqin County is the capital of Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and is part of the core ecological protection area of the "Three River Sources" in China.
Day 6 Maqin → Guide → Guide Danxia → Xining ★ Disbandment Day
All day
After breakfast, we'll depart Maqin and head to Guide. As the saying goes, "The Yellow River is the clearest in Guide." Here, the terrain on both sides of the Yellow River is wide and flat. The crystal-clear Yellow River and the pristine wetlands on both sides create a beautiful landscape painting.
Then we drove to Guide Danxia-Ashigong, where there are colorful peaks, diverse landforms, beautiful and magnificent scenery. We can't help but sigh at the wonders of nature.
After the tour, we will return to Xining and say goodbye to the beautiful Northwest reluctantly according to our flight or train schedule.
Kind tips:
It is expected to arrive in Xining around 8:00 PM that day. If you need to return on the same day, it is recommended to book a train ticket after 9:00 PM or a flight after 10:00 PM.
