Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop

Sharing my 10-day Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop itinerary～This route is absolutely breathtaking! The northwestern landscapes are all here, bookmark this for future reference📌

🚗【Itinerary】
Day1: Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport → Lanzhou West Station → Xining Station (Stay at Fairfield by Marriott Xining)
🔸First thing after landing in Lanzhou: eat authentic beef noodles🍜, then head to Xining. Flying to Lanzhou is cheaper

Day2: Xining → Menyuan Rapeseed Flower Fields → Qilian Mountain Grassland (Stay at Wangshan Yi Hotel), not highly recommended
🔸July is peak season for rapeseed blossoms🌼🌼

Day3: Zhangye Danxia Rainbow Mountains
🔸God's color palette🎨 Must-visit!
VIP tour recommended with private guide and vehicle for better views
Vehicle quality varies randomly

Day4: Jiayuguan Pass → Mogao Caves → "See You Again Dunhuang" performance (Stay at Zhongzhou International Hotel Dunhuang)
🔸Full-day cultural journey📿 Experience millennia of Buddhist art
Book Mogao Caves tickets 1 month in advance

Day5: Singing Sand Dunes & Crescent Moon Spring
🔸Camel riding🐫 and sand sliding are so fun! Must watch sunset🌅
Group singing event was cancelled due to weather

Day6: Dunhuang → Dachaidan Emerald Lake (Stay at Dachaidan Emerald Lake Hotel), basic but expensive, advantage is proximity to attraction
🔸Tiffany-blue lakes💎 breathtakingly beautiful

Day7: Haizi Poetry Museum → Delingha (Stay at HanTing Premium Hotel)
🔸Pay tribute to poet Haizi, feel the land's romance
Nothing much in Delingha, just a rest stop

Day8: Chaka Salt Lake → Qinghai Lake (Stay at Qinghai Lake Grand Metropark Hotel), excellent hotel
🔸China's "Mirror of the Sky" lives up to its name☁️

Day9: Qinghai Lake Erlangjian → Xining (Stay at Xining Wanda Vista Hotel), boat ride highly recommended

Day10: Ta'er Monastery
🔸Sacred Tibetan Buddhist site🏯 rich in ethnic characteristics

⭐【Must-Visit Spots】
1️⃣ Singing Sand Dunes & Crescent Moon Spring: Desert miracle🏜️
2️⃣ Zhangye Danxia Rainbow Mountains: Nature's masterpiece🌈
3️⃣ Chaka Salt Lake: Dreamy sky reflections🪞
4️⃣ Mogao Caves: Millennia-old artistic treasure🎨

💡【Travel Tips】
✓ July-August is peak season☀️
✓ Strong UV at high altitude, sun protection essential🧴
✓ Large temperature swings, bring a jacket🧥
✓ Mogao Caves tickets require advance booking🔖