Day 1: Anywhere → or → Lanzhou ★ 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, Zhongchuan Airport East Station to Lanzhou West Station or Lanzhou Station), which runs approximately every 1 hour.
Day 2 Lanzhou → Xining → Qinghai Lake → Cycling by the Lake
·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 specially present you with an experiential cycling tour on the best section of the southern line of Qinghai Lake. There is a special cycling greenway here, which is safe and comfortable. In the autumn, barley is everywhere, and the blue sky, white clouds and blue lake are added. The scenery of lakes 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
All day
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.
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 stopped in Aksai for a short break. 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 Shazhou Night Market, a popular snack street with a wide variety 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.
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 Tower → Jiayuguan
All day
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 the world's largest and most diverse collection of Buddhist art. We'll first watch two films at the Digital Center to gain a basic understanding of the Mogao Grottoes before entering to truly experience the wonders of the caves.
After lunch, we'll head to Jiayuguan Pass to admire and photograph the majestic Jiayuguan Tower. Known as the "Most Magnificent Pass in the World" due to its strategic location, magnificent architecture, and strategic location, we'll be taken in. After the guided tour, we'll step outside and take in the entire pass. The Qilian Snow Mountains loom in the distance, embodying the grandeur of the Northwest.
Stay in Jiayuguan city that night.
[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 for 12:00 PM. After your reservation is successful, please inform our online customer service representative and note 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
Day 7 Jiayuguan → Jinta Populus euphratica Forest → Heicheng Ruoshui Populus euphratica Scenic Area (Heishui Ancient City, Strange Forest) → Ejina Banner
All day
After breakfast, we drove to Jinta Populus euphratica Forest. Although the scale of Jinta Populus euphratica Forest is far smaller than that of Ejina Banner, it has the advantage of less crowds and tourists can enjoy a free and unrestrained space. Today is the warm-up for the golden autumn poplars, so let's take a look first. The poplars here are very different from those in Ejina. The towering poplars with the reflection of the lake are particularly stunning.
After lunch, we'll depart for Ejina. In the afternoon, we'll enter the Heicheng Ruoshui Poplar Scenic Area. We'll explore the ancient city of Heishui and admire the magnificent natural scenery along the Ruoshui River, including the Ruoshui River itself. Next, we'll journey to the Strange Forest to watch the sunset and explore fascinating sights such as the Eagle Spreads its Wings and the Strange Shadow Forest. Within the Strange Forest, a collection of dead yet immortal poplar trees, their fangs and claws bared in the sunset, create a bizarre and heartbreaking scene. After our enjoyable visit, we'll transfer to Dalaihub Town, the capital of Ejina Banner, for overnight stay.
Day 8 Ejin Banner → Juyan Lake → Ejina Populus euphratica Forest
All day
Get up early and head to Juyan Lake to capture the sunrise and the endless reed marshes surrounding it. The post-sunrise light casts a golden hue on the reeds, making it an ideal backdrop for backlit portraits. A must-see for beauty-conscious tourists.
Afterwards, we'll enter the Ejina Populus euphratica Forest, journeying from Erdao Bridge to Badao Bridge. Along the way, we'll admire the magnificent golden poplars and capture their myriad forms. The poplars, known for their ability to "live for a thousand years, endure for a thousand years, and remain undying for a thousand years after falling," will spend the entire day wandering through the Ejina Populus euphratica forest, marveling at the miracle of life. At Badao Bridge, we'll have a chance to experience the Badain Jaran Desert up close. After enjoying the Ejina Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Area, we'll return to our hotel for the day.
Day 9 Ejina → Zhangye Colorful Danxia → Zhangye
All day
After breakfast, we'll depart for Zhangye and arrive at Zhangye Colorful Danxia in the afternoon. Formed six million years ago, the spectacular Zhangye Danxia landform, located in Linze and Sunan counties of Zhangye City, covers an area of over 510 square kilometers. This rare 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 multiple viewing platforms for viewing and photography. After capturing the breathtaking sunset views of the Danxia, we'll return to Zhangye city and check into our hotel.
Day 10 Zhangye → Lanzhou ★ Disbanding day in Lanzhou
All day
We got up early this morning and took a bus back to Lanzhou. According to our flight or train ticket time, we left the northwest and ended our pleasant trip.
1. The tour ends in Zhangye and tourists can return directly from Zhangye Airport
2. Zhangye is dismissed for the day. Tourists can take the train back to Lanzhou, which takes about 2-3 hours to arrive (please refer to Zhangye West - Lanzhou West for ticket purchase).
3. Free return bus to Lanzhou, first to Lanzhou Airport (Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport) and then to the vicinity of Lanzhou Railway Station (not the high-speed railway station). Tourists can leave Lanzhou on their own (it is recommended to purchase flights after 17:00 or trains after 18:00).
