How many summers exist in this world, yet I adore Gannan so deeply

Countless summers pass, but Gannan alone intoxicates my soul.

Main Text:
I had never visited Gannan before, simply because I thought there weren't enough snow-capped mountains here. Little did I know how many magnificent summers I'd missed! Finally, in this early summer, I ventured in recklessly—and now I can't stop raving about it to everyone. The landscapes of Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Tibet are all condensed into this roughly 1,000km self-drive route!

The itinerary is super simple: Land in Lanzhou, indulge in food and leisure while exploring museums, then embark on a six-day Gannan road trip! Here's the plan:

D1: Fly into Lanzhou, stay at Hilton Lanzhou. The downtown location is perfect, surrounded by amazing food spots, with easy access to Farmer's Lane Food Street, museums, and Zhongshan Bridge.

D2: Drive 240km to Labrang Monastery (Xiahe), elevation 3,000m. Pass by Shuidanxia Danxia Landform, Bingling Temple Grottoes, Huang-Tao River Confluence, and Liujiaxia Reservoir. Since the "Secret Realm of Gannan" is closed until July, we headed straight to Labrang Monastery—flew a drone outside the temple + took photos at the viewpoint, then rested at "Kangsang Homestay."

D3: Drive 180km to Langmusi Town, elevation 3,300m. Spent 3.5 hours exploring Labrang Monastery in the morning, then visited Sangke Grassland and Guomang Wetland. The highlight: Gahai Lake! On a clear day, its beauty rivals that of Sayram Lake! Stayed at Langmusi Zhongyuan Holiday Hotel. ⚠️ Note: Many miss Gahai Lake! Langmusi Town is currently under heavy construction and chaotic.

D4: Drive 130km to Zhagana. Passed by Ruoergai Flower Lake and Ruoergai County Road 550 (Mini Duku Highway). On the way to Flower Lake, you'll encounter vast unnamed snow-capped mountains and grasslands—so breathtaking you'll want to stop anytime! Stayed at Zhagana Nuoerzong Homestay, elevation 3,100m.

D5: Explored Zhagana Scenic Area all day! Dari Viewpoint, Fairy Beach, Lhasang Temple, Rock Viewpoint... plus a hiking trail (we skipped it). Stayed another night at Nuoerzong. Zhagana is truly stunning—one day is far from enough to take it all in!

D6: Zhagana - Rock's Road - Hezuo City, elevation 3,000m. Rock's Road is the crown jewel! Touted as the most beautiful 100km, but the first 40km are the absolute best (the rest is gorgeous too, but after the first part, you might not even bother taking photos). The serene and stunning Gongba Monastery at the end is called "Little Labrang." Stayed at Hezuo Butter Lamp Hotel.

D7: Milarepa Buddhist Pavilion (on Meiren Grassland) - back to Lanzhou, stayed at Hilton Lanzhou again.

Key Points:
Off-peak travel in Lanzhou + Gannan is budget-friendly, especially Lanzhou—shockingly affordable! Two people feasted on BBQ (called "kaorou" here) for just ¥120 and couldn't finish it. Hilton rooms under ¥500 offer panoramic city views with excellent amenities and service. Beef noodles here come with minimal beef (you might need to order extra), but a bowl costs just a few yuan. Tibetan cuisine along the Gannan route is pricier, while Sichuan dishes are cheaper. Langmusi Town has the worst conditions and highest elevation! Moisturize well at night to avoid mild altitude sickness. Bring glucose supplements to prevent fatigue-induced altitude issues.