Day 1: Anywhere → or → Dunhuang★Gathering Day
All day
Today is the full-day gathering day in Dunhuang. You can choose your own transportation and time. Upon arrival, you can rest at the hotel and take care of your belongings during your free time. Our tour leader will contact you in advance to inform you of the itinerary and photography tips.
Tourists interested in Dunhuang can explore the city with photos and a stroll. "Dun" means "great"; "huang" means "prosperous." "Dunhuang" embodies grandeur and splendor. Since ancient times, Dunhuang has served as a key Silk Road route connecting China to the Western Regions, Central Asia, and Europe, consistently serving as a thriving commercial and economic center. Today, Dunhuang stands as a cultural and artistic center where Eastern and Western cultures blend, a true "Silk Pearl" nestled amidst the vast Gobi Desert.
Day 2 Dunhuang → Da Qaidam Emerald Lake → Nanbaxian Devil City → Water Yadan
·morning
After breakfast, we departed from Dunhuang and headed deep into the Qaidam Basin, beginning our aerial photography tour of the northwest. After crossing the Dangjin Pass, the boundless desert was truly breathtaking.
First, we visited Da Qaidam Emerald Lake, a prime spot for aerial photography. The varying concentrations of minerals create a vibrant display of color. On clear days, the mirror-like surface of the lake reflects the blue sky, white clouds, and snow-capped peaks, creating a fairyland-like experience.
Then we entered the Nanbaxian Yadan Landform Group Protection Area and took aerial photos of the magnificent Yadan landform.
·afternoon
Then we arrived at today's destination [Water Yadan]. This time we no longer have to regret not being able to see the sunset and the starry sky. We will stay here at night to take pictures of scenery that others have never taken.
Aerial photography teaching scenes: Da Qaidam Emerald Lake, Nanbaxian Devil City, and Water Yadan
Recommended number of batteries: 3 or more
Day 3 Water Yadan → Xitaijinaier Lake → Huanggualiang → Mangya Emerald Lake → Huatugou Town
·morning
In the early morning, take photos of the sunrise at the [Water Yadan] and watch the Yadan and the lake complement each other. The lake is dark blue and the Yadan is golden. Against the backdrop of the morning light, it is like a quiet mirage, which is simply beautiful.
·morning
Then we continued to Xitaijinaier Lake, where we could take aerial photos of off-road vehicles driving on the water highway.
Continue to cross the Qaidam Basin, pass through Huanggualiang, a wind-eroded Gobi landscape, and after crossing mountains and ridges, head to Huatugou Town, known as the "Little Hong Kong of Qinghai".
·afternoon
Before entering Huatugou Town, we stopped by to photograph Mangya Emerald Lake. After more than a decade of meticulous care by potash fertilizer workers, its color has become pure and translucent, like uncut jade embedded in the Gobi Desert, making it a new "Sky Mirror."
That night we stayed in Huatugou Town, the seat of Mangya Municipal Government.
Aerial photography teaching scenes: Water Yadan, Xitaijinaier Lake, Mangya Emerald Lake
Recommended number of batteries: 3
4th Tianhuatugou Town → Mangya Emerald Lake → Aiken Spring → Colorful Canyon → Huatugou Town
·morning
I got up early and went to Mangya Emerald Lake again to photograph the sunrise. The sun passed through the thinner clouds, reflecting various colors and making the lake colorful.
·morning
Deep in the Aral grassland, there is a geothermal fountain [Aiken Spring] that has been gushing for thousands of years. We will drive to the vicinity of the spring and look down from the air. It is shaped like a medical cross-section of an eye, with clear veins and lifelike appearance. There are many small green springs dotted around it. In the lens of photography enthusiasts, it looks like a phoenix spreading its wings and flying high.
After the shoot we returned to the hotel for lunch and rest.
·afternoon
In the afternoon, we continued to photograph the Colorful Canyon, taking aerial photos from above. We couldn't help but marvel at the wonder and beauty of the earth. After the tourists had finished their photography, we drove back to Huatugou Town to check in.
Aerial photography teaching scenes: Mangya Emerald Lake, Aiken Spring, Colorful Canyon
Recommended number of batteries: 3
Day 5: Tianhuatugou → Mars Camp → Eboliang Ghost City → Lenghu Town/Aksai County
·morning
After days of driving, we're inevitably tired. This morning, we'll take a good rest and prepare to photograph the sunset over Oboliang in the evening. We can also organize the photos and videos we've taken recently and share our photography experiences.
·afternoon
We will set off after lunch and take photos of the unique uninhabited landforms along the way. If we are lucky, we can also take pictures of wild animals.
Then drive deep into the heart of [Eboliang Devil City] and visit [Mars Camp], where you will stop to take a look at the space capsule with an alien feel located on the surface of Mars.
Then we came to this Qaidam Yadan. If we compare nature to a craftsman with supernatural powers, the fierce northwest wind is the flexible chisel in the hands of the craftsman, and the hills in front of us are semi-finished products after carving. From a distance, they look like the surface of an alien planet. From a close look, they have different shapes. If you look down at the panoramic view, the hills remain strictly parallel due to wind erosion, like a fleet sailing on the desert. The photo was taken at dusk.
Then drive to Lenghu Town or Aksai County for check-in.
Aerial photography teaching scenes: Mars Camp, Eboliang Ghost City
Recommended number of batteries: 3
Day 6 Lenghu Town/Aksai County → Lenghu Oil Base Ruins → Heidu Mountain → Yanzhi Mountain → Dunhuang ★ Dismissal Day
·morning
After a free breakfast, we set off and drove to the ruins of Lenghu Oil Base. The town, which was born because of oil, is now deserted due to the depletion of resources, revealing a unique beauty of coldness. Walking among the ruins, looking at the abandoned old objects and the sonorous yet mottled slogans on the walls, it seems as if we can see the bustling oil production scene in the past. This place is perfect for aerial photography.
We then visited Heidu Mountain for some photography. This is a secret photo spot that has only become popular in the past two years. The continuous Yadan surrounded by the Black Mountain Gobi, rendering the freehand scenery of ink painting in the vast sea of sand, which is very photogenic.
Deep within Heidu Mountain lies an even more unique site: Yanzhi Mountain. Located right next to Heidu Mountain, Yanzhi Mountain is tinged with red, resembling a touch of crimson in a natural ink painting. It's a great place to take photos, and we'll drive there to capture it.
·afternoon
We'll depart at the right time, arriving in Dunhuang, the Pearl of the Silk Road, around 6:00 PM. We'll be transferred to Dunhuang Airport and then to Dunhuang Railway Station, concluding our brief but fulfilling aerial photography tour of the Northwest's hidden gems.
The rest of the time is left to the tourists themselves. If you are not in a hurry to return, you can arrange your own trip to Dunhuang: Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake, Dunhuang Museum, Dunhuang Ancient City, Yangguan, etc.
Aerial photography tutorial scenes: Lenghu Oil Base, Heidu Mountain & Yanzhi Mountain
Recommended number of batteries: 3 or more
