How many summers exist in this world, yet Gannan has intoxicated me so deeply

🔅I hadn't visited Gannan before 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 recklessly ventured in, and now I can't stop praising it to everyone. The landscapes of Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Tibet are all condensed into this approximately 1,000km self-drive route!

🔥Super simple itinerary: Land in Lanzhou, enjoy food/drinks and visit museums, then start the 6-day Gannan self-drive! Schedule as follows:
🔅D1 Fly to Lanzhou, stay at Hilton Lanzhou (altitude 1,700m). Perfect downtown location with numerous nearby food options - convenient access to Farmer's Lane food street, museums, and Zhongshan Bridge.

🔅D2 Drive 240km to Labrang Monastery (Xiahe), altitude 3,000m. Pass by Ink Danxia, Bingling Temple Grottoes, Yellow River-Tao River confluence, and Liujiaxia Reservoir. Gannan Secret Realm was closed until July, so we went straight to Labrang Monastery - flew drones outside + took photos at viewpoint, then rested at "Kangsang Homestay".

🔅D3 Drive 180km to Langmusi Town, altitude 3,300m. Spent 3.5 hours exploring Labrang Monastery in the morning, then visited Sangke Grassland and Guomang Wetland. Highlight: Gahai Lake! When weather's good, the scenery rivals Sayram Lake! Stayed at Langmusi Zhongyuan Holiday Hotel.
! Note: Many miss Gahai Lake! Langmusi Town is under heavy construction and very 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 mountain grasslands - so breathtaking you'll want to stop anytime! Stayed at Zhagana Nuoerzong Homestay, altitude 3,100m.

🔅D5 Spent entire day exploring Zhagana! Dari Viewpoint, Fairy Beach, Lhasang Temple, Rock Viewpoint... plus a hiking trail (we skipped). Stayed another night at Nuoerzong. Zhagana is truly beautiful - one day is far from enough!

🔅D6 Zhagana - Rock's Road - Hezuo City, altitude 3,000m. Rock's Road is the main attraction! Called the most beautiful 100km, but the essence is the first 40km (the rest is beautiful too, but after the first part, you won't even want to take photos anymore). The ending at Gongba Temple is super peaceful and beautiful, nicknamed "Little Labrang". Stayed at Hezuo Butter Lamp Hotel.

🔅D7 Milarepa Buddha Pavilion (Meiren Grassland) - Lanzhou, stayed at Hilton Lanzhou again. Key points:
Off-season consumption in Lanzhou and Gannan is low, especially Lanzhou - two people couldn't finish 120 yuan worth of barbecue! Hilton under 500 yuan with panoramic city views, excellent facilities and service. Beef noodles here contain almost no beef (need to order separately), but cost just a few yuan per bowl. Tibetan food along Gannan route is relatively expensive, Sichuan cuisine more economical. Langmusi Town has poorest conditions and highest altitude - must moisturize at night to prevent mild altitude sickness! Bring some glucose to prevent altitude sickness from fatigue.

Post by Sophia8 Garcia_ | Jun 18, 2025