Day 1: Anywhere → or → Lanzhou ★Gathering day
All day
Lanzhou, the Golden City, is a city where the Yellow River runs through it;
As the "Manhattan of the Northwest" and the transportation hub of the Northwest, Lanzhou is the starting point of our journey!
Today, tourists from all over the country will gather in Lanzhou. You can choose your preferred method of transportation. Upon arrival, you can rest in your hotel to recharge your batteries for the upcoming journey. If you have more time, you may also explore the charm of this city.
You can choose to visit our mother river, the Yellow River, and go to Zhongshan Bridge, the first bridge over the Yellow River, to admire the ancient irrigation tool, the waterwheel, the representative sculpture of the Yellow River Mother, and the ancient river crossing tool, the sheepskin raft, or go to the Gansu Museum (closed on Mondays, you need to bring your ID card, please make an appointment online in advance), or go to the Xiguan Grand Mosque.
When visiting Lanzhou, tasting the local cuisine is essential. Muslim snacks like Lanzhou beef noodles, stuffed noodles, and sweet fermented rice wine are sure to leave you with a lasting impression. We recommend visiting Zhengning Road Snack Street or Dazhong Lane Food Street. Please be mindful of safety during your own activities.
If you arrive in Lanzhou earlier than the meeting date and need to book a hotel on the meeting date, please click the link below.
Transportation Recommendation: (Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport - Downtown)
The most convenient way to get from Zhongchuan Airport to the city center is to take the intercity railway (purchase tickets at 12306 from Zhongchuan Airport Station to Lanzhou West or Lanzhou Station), which runs approximately every 1 hour.
If the intercity railway is not in operation, you can take Airport Bus Line 1 (available whenever there are arriving flights).
Zhongchuan Airport Station and the airport bus stop are both directly in front of the baggage claim exit of the domestic arrivals hall at the airport!
Day 2 Lanzhou → Xining → Qinghai Lake (with free cycling tour)
·morning
After breakfast, we set off for Qinghai Lake by car, enjoying the magnificent scenery at the junction of Gansu and Qinghai along the way. We passed Xining, bid farewell to the Loess Plateau and entered the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and arrived at the plateau lake Qinghai Lake.
Qinghai Lake is the largest inland saltwater lake in China and a shining pearl on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
·afternoon
We will come to the edge of Qinghai Lake, where we will give you a special experience cycling on the best section of the Qinghai Lake South Line (now upgraded to electric-assisted bicycles). There is a special cycling greenway here, which is safe and comfortable. In summer, rape flowers are everywhere, and the blue sky, white clouds and blue lake are added. The lake and mountains complement each other. This is an unprecedented cycling experience.
At the same time, we will go to the Qinghai Lake Erlangjian Scenic Area, so that you can experience the magnificence of Qinghai Lake up close.
We will stay near Qinghai Lake that night. Tourists who want to watch the sunset can make their own arrangements.
Day 3 Qinghai Lake → Chaka Salt Lake → Delingha
·morning
Interested tourists can get up early to watch the sunrise over Qinghai Lake (those who prefer not to wake up early can continue to sleep in with sweet dreams). The scenery is even more beautiful in the morning when there are fewer people. We will then proceed to Chaka Salt Lake.
·afternoon
We'll have lunch in Chaka Town. Nearby lies the Chaka Salt Lake, known as the "China Sky Mirror," a dazzling white lake reflecting the blue of the sky and the white of the clouds. Here, you can admire the stunning patterns of salt crystals on the lake's surface, a scene that feels like being transported to a fairytale.
At Chaka Salt Lake, we will take the Chaka Salt Lake train to the depths of the salt lake, and then go down into the salt lake to pose wildly.
After the tour, we will continue on our journey and enjoy the scenery of Gahai Lake by car on the way. In the evening, we will arrive at Delingha, an oasis in the Qaidam Basin, and stay for a rest.
Day 4 Delingha → Emerald Lake → Qaidam Basin → Dunhuang
·morning
After breakfast, we will drive to Dunhuang. Today we will go on a big crossing, mainly to appreciate the vast desert Gobi scenery of the Qaidam Basin. The boundless desert makes people sigh with emotion.
On the way, we visited Emerald Lake, a newly popular check-in spot discovered by China-TravelNote. The emerald-like lake reflects the blue sky, white clouds and snow-capped peaks, making you feel like you are in a fairyland.
·afternoon
We'll then cross the Qaidam Basin, a crucial point on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and a crucial route along the route. The vast, sparsely populated terrain will allow you to experience the rare desolation of the Northwest. You can have lunch in Da Qaidam today, or bring some dry food. Since the route is sparsely populated and difficult to restock, it's recommended to bring your own dry food and fruit.
In the afternoon, we crossed the Dangjin Mountains and entered Gansu Province. In the evening, we arrived in Dunhuang, a dazzling city in the northwest, where we checked into our hotel and rested. In the evening, we could explore the city's popular snack street, the Shazhou Night Market, which boasts a dazzling array of goods and snacks.
Day 5 Dunhuang → Yangguan → Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Lake
·morning
After a few days of travel, we will spend today after breakfast in Dunhuang, an ancient city full of history and culture.
We will arrive at Yangguan Pass in the west of Dunhuang City. Following the poem "There are no old friends west of Yangguan Pass" in the textbook, let us fully appreciate the shocking historical scenery brought by the frontier.
We first visited the Yangguan Museum to learn about the historical background of Yangguan and the cultural exchanges along the Silk Road, and then strolled along the ancient road of Yangguan to feel the footprints of the caravans back then.
·afternoon
In the afternoon, we'll return to Dunhuang city and rest at the hotel. Once the weather cools down, we'll explore the unforgettable Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake scenic area. Here, visitors can enjoy camel riding, sandboarding, and the "one step forward, half step back" experience of climbing Mingsha Mountain. We'll also visit Crescent Lake, the world's premier desert spring, known for its "silver mountain surrounded by sand, a pool of clear water with green ripples." After a satisfying visit, we'll depart.
During the peak summer season, Mingsha Mountain hosts a "Ten Thousand People Concert" at night. Everyone sits cross-legged on the sand dune, waving flashlights and singing songs of nostalgia accompanied by the musicians. (The concert will be held daily from July 28 to August 22, 2025; it will be suspended on August 23 and 24 due to major events at the scenic spot; it will resume every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from August 25 to mid-October. The specific event schedule is subject to the scenic spot.)
You can also choose to attend the grand evening performance "See Dunhuang Again" (at your own expense) to represent Dunhuang. Please pay attention to the safety of your personal belongings during your own activities.
Day 6 Dunhuang → Mogao Grottoes → Jiayuguan
·morning
Today, we'll explore the eastern part of Dunhuang. After breakfast, we'll depart for the Mogao Grottoes, one of China's four great grottoes. This site boasts a rich tapestry of Buddhist art. Before reaching the core cave complex, we'll visit the Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center for a video presentation, giving us a general overview before finally experiencing the true wonders of the caves and exploring all eight of their physical caves.
[Warm Reminder] Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes Scenic Area implements a limited number of visitors
Mogao Grottoes reservations can be made 30 days in advance with real-name registration. For tourists who have successfully registered (and paid) more than 25 days in advance, we will reserve regular tickets for you. Tourists who registered within 25 days must make their own reservations through the "Mogao Grottoes Tour Reservation Network" mini-program or WeChat official account. Please reserve your Mogao Grottoes tickets for the 6th day, preferably around 9:00 AM. (If tickets are unavailable for 9:00 AM, please reserve before 12:00 PM (the earlier the better). After your reservation is successful, please inform our online customer service representative of your reservation time and session.) You can contact our online customer service for confirmation and ticket purchase instructions.
Regular Ticket: (6,000 tickets/day) Movie viewing at the Digital Exhibition Center + visit to the 8 physical caves of Mogao Grottoes
Emergency Ticket: (12,000 tickets/day) for visiting the four physical caves of Mogao Grottoes
·afternoon
After lunch, we will go to Jiayuguan. The scenery along the way gradually changes from desert Gobi to oasis farmland. In the evening, you can go to the Tang Dynasty Food Street with your friends, which is cheap and delicious.
Day 7 Jiayuguan Pass → Pass City → Zhangye Colorful Danxia
·morning
After breakfast, we went to visit the Jiayuguan Tower, located at the western end of the Great Wall at the foot of the Qilian Mountains. Due to its dangerous terrain, magnificent buildings and strategic location, it is known as the "World's Great Pass" and the "Key to the Border".
This ancient fortress is the western starting point of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall and an important transportation fortress on the Silk Road. Here, we can feel the vicissitudes of history and the grandeur of the frontier.
·afternoon
After lunch, we'll drive through Jiuquan to Zhangye. In the afternoon, we'll explore the Zhangye Colorful Danxia, nestled among poplar trees amidst the Gobi Desert. Formed six million years ago, the spectacular Zhangye Danxia landform, located in Linze and Sunan counties of Zhangye City, covers an area of approximately 510 square kilometers. This complex of Danxia landforms and colorful hilly landscapes has been recognized by China National Geographic as one of China's seven major Danxia landforms. The scenic area offers numerous viewing platforms for visitors to explore and photograph. After capturing the breathtaking sunset over the Danxia, tourists will return to Zhangye city and check into their hotel.
Day 8 Zhangye → Dafo Temple/Yuanshan Flower Viewing Platform → Qilian Grassland Secret Land → Xining
·morning
After breakfast, proceed to [Dafo Temple] or [Menyuan Yuanshan Flower Viewing Terrace] (From July 1st to July 31st, go to Yuanshan Flower Viewing Terrace; otherwise, go to Zhangye Dafo Temple)
The Zhangye Dafo Temple Scenic Area is a significant historical site complex along the Silk Road and a landmark of the historic and cultural city of Jin Zhangye. It houses the Dafo Hall, a Western Xia Buddhist temple, and serves as a Buddhist art museum integrating architecture, sculptures, murals, carvings, scriptures, and cultural relics.
The Menyuan rapeseed flower fields are in full bloom from July to early August each year (the viewing period may vary depending on the climate). During the rapeseed flower season, visitors can enjoy China's spectacular rapeseed flower fields from the Menyuan Yuanshan Flower Viewing Platform. Even if the clouds are not thick, they can still see the Gangshika Snow Mountain.
·afternoon
Along the way, you'll admire the endless expanse of the Qilian Mountain grasslands, where sheep, horses, and yaks graze peacefully. Every village at the foot of the mountain offers breathtaking scenery.
Continuing on, we will go deep into the secret realm of Qilian Mountain grassland, where everyone can play and take photos to their heart's content!!!
We will return to Xining at the appropriate time. We will first go to Xining Airport to see you off, and then the bus will take you back to Xining Railway Station for disbanding.
