Day 1: All over the country → → Lanzhou (★Activity gathering day)
All day
Today is the gathering day for the event. All tourists will travel to Lanzhou, Gansu Province on their own and check in at the hotel with "China-Travel Note + Name" (usually after 2:00 PM).
Recommended tours:
If you have more time, you can arrange your own activities in Lanzhou city.
Zhongshan Bridge: A landmark of Lanzhou, this century-old iron bridge spans the Yellow River. It's recommended to visit at night to enjoy the night lights. North of the bridge is Baitashan Park, offering a panoramic view of the Yellow River.
Gansu Provincial Museum: Must-see treasures: Horse Stepping on Flying Swallow (a bronze galloping horse), Yellow River elephant fossils, and Silk Road artifacts.
Free admission (reservations required). Please note: Closed on Mondays.
Food recommendations:
[Zhengning Road Snack Night Market] Milk and egg fermented glutinous rice, grilled lamb skewers, stuffed skin, gray beans
Dazhong Lane: A gathering place for established restaurants, including Ma Zilu Beef Noodles and Du Ji Desserts.
Nanguan Ethnic Flavor Street: A local favorite, don't miss the hand-pulled lamb, braised lamb, and fried noodles.
Day 2 Lanzhou → Danxia Secret Realm → Wushaoling → Binggouhe Scenic Area
All day
After breakfast, the driver arrived at the hotel on time to pick up the tourists
The first stop is the Secret Danxia Land. Near Lanzhou, the Yellow River and Danxia collide to create a rare spectacle: "Green water reflects red peaks." The red sandstone here dates back to the Cretaceous period, and erosion over millions of years has shaped the steep cliffs, jagged stone pillars, and cascading canyons. Unlike the magnificent Zhangye Danxia, Shuiju Danxia, due to its proximity to a reservoir, has a turquoise river surrounding the red mountain, creating a unique "Danxia on Water" landscape.
Next, we'll visit Wushaoling, the eastern gateway to the Hexi Corridor, a battleground since ancient times. Countless historical figures have left their footprints here, including Huo Qubing's conquest of the Xiongnu, Tang Xuanzang's journey west to seek Buddhist scriptures, and Zuo Zongtang's recovery of Xinjiang. On a clear day, you can even see the distant Maya Snow Mountain, shimmering silver, creating a sense of time and space intertwined.
After completing the check-in, we entered Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, where the snow-capped peaks of the Qilian Mountains gradually appeared. We arrived at the Binggou River Scenic Area and checked into the hotel. You can walk around the area in the evening and do some acclimatization hiking.
Day 3 Binggou River → Chaillonghai → Yongchang
All day
After breakfast at the hotel, we will start today’s hiking trip.
Chaerlonghai (meaning "Tears of the Sacred Mountain" in Tibetan) is the highest glacial lake in the eastern Qilian Mountains (4,000 meters above sea level), hidden deep within the Tianzhu Binggou River Scenic Area. Formed by Quaternary glacial erosion, this alpine lake is surrounded on three sides by snow-capped peaks exceeding 4,800 meters. Its waters, a vibrant Tiffany blue, earn it the nickname "the last glacial eye of the Qilian Mountains."
After reaching the top and checking in for the view, we will go down the mountain to retrieve our luggage and go to Yongchang County to check in and rest.
Day 4 Yongchang → Shandan Hanming Great Wall Hike → Shandan Military Horse Farm (Luanniao Lake) → Qilian
All day
At the throat of the Hexi Corridor, on the vast land at the northern foot of Lenglongling in the Qilian Mountains, the [Han Ming Great Wall] carries the rich memory of Chinese civilization. Withstanding more than 2,000 years of wind and rain, the Shandan Han Ming Great Wall has lasted for more than 2,100 years. It is currently the most well-preserved section of loess plate-built Great Wall in China. Stroll along the Great Wall and feel the passage of time over thousands of years.
In the afternoon, we'll visit the Shandan Military Horse Farm, a traditional military horse breeding ground. Millions of acres of grassland, nurtured by the snow-capped Qilian Mountains, stretch to the horizon. In 121 BC, Huo Qubing established an official horse farm here after expelling the Xiongnu, pioneering the "horse administration" system. Today, this royal horse breeding base still maintains its original horse breeding methods.
Day 5 Qilian → Qilian Grassland Crossing (Niuxin Mountain) → Menyuan
All day
Located at the transition zone between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Hexi Corridor, the Qilian Mountains, like the backbone of the earth, weave snow-capped peaks, glaciers, grasslands, and canyons into a three-dimensional ecological canvas. Niuxin Mountain (called "Ami Dongso" in Tibetan, meaning "God of Mountains"), located in Qilian County, Qinghai Province, is the epitome of legend within this secret landscape. Standing at an elevation of 4,667 meters, the basalt massif rises majestically, its perpetually snow-capped summit resembling a giant heart. At its foot, the Qilian Grassland, one of China's six largest grasslands, stretches. This area is not only a spiritual totem of nomadic civilization but also a natural scenic corridor that spans all seasons.
Day 6: Tianmenyuan → Datong Forest Hike → Disband in Lanzhou
All day
In the northwest, there are too many vast grasslands and magnificent mountains and rivers, which show the vastness and magnificence of the northwest to the fullest. But in the valley near Datong County, we found a different side of the northwest, a gentle corner hidden by her.
Today we hiked about 5 kilometers. As the morning forest began to awaken, we walked through a spruce forest at an altitude of 2,800 meters. Pine needles and soft paths lay beneath our feet, and dew clung to the moss. The air was filled with the scent of trees and earth. As we reached open areas, we occasionally encountered cattle grazing. As sunlight gradually filtered through the branches into the forest, illuminating the soft moss, we entered this dense coniferous forest and embarked on a deep hiking journey. Every step explored the natural fabric, and every pause revealed the unique vitality of the forest. Here, we allowed our body and mind to fully relax in the pure nature of the hike.
After the hike, we took a short break and returned to Lanzhou by bus.
