Qilian Mountains Autumn Scenery Check-in Guide

At the start, the Qilian Mountains instantly transform into a palette of colors 🎨 Golden meadows emit a intoxicating fragrance, and the moment sunlight falls feels like a fairy tale world has arrived ✨ Coming here with your partner is truly romantic 💑

Here’s my in-depth autumn experience guide for the Qilian Mountains, save it ⭐ and get ready to go!

⏳ Best time to visit: Mid-October to early November
(We personally tested in mid-October 2023, absolutely stunning)

🚗 Perfect one-day itinerary:
07:30 Depart from Xining
10:30 📍 Menyuan Rapeseed Flower Sea (more beautiful in spring, but autumn has its own charm)
11:30 Lunch in Qilian County 🍲 (recommend the local halal small restaurants)
13:00 📍 Zhuo’er Mountain Scenic Area (Ladongtai Village, Babao Town, Qilian County, Haibei Prefecture, Qinghai Province)
16:00 📍 Amindongso Viewing Platform (Provincial Road 302, Qilian County, Haibei Prefecture, Qinghai Province)
18:00 Watch the sunset from the mountaintop 🌄 (maximum romance!)

💰 Money-saving tips:
- Zhuo’er Mountain ticket: 74 RMB (buy online in advance during peak season)
- Amindongso is free! What a steal!

🏡 Accommodation recommendation:
Qilian County guesthouses offer great value (200-400 RMB/night), close to the scenic spots and very unique!

📸 Photography tips:
✔️ Best lighting: 9-11 AM & 4-6 PM
✔️ Must-have gear: wide-angle lens, stabilizer, tripod
✔️ Couple poses: back to the snow-capped mountains, walking on the grassland, sunset silhouette (check out photo 5 for our super sweet shots!)

⚠️ Must-know before the trip:
1️⃣ Plateau sun protection essentials: sunglasses 🕶️ + sunscreen + hat
2️⃣ Big temperature difference! Short sleeves during the day, down jacket 🧥 at night
3️⃣ Acclimate to altitude in advance! Drink Rhodiola
4️⃣ Must-try Tibetan food: butter tea 🧈 + hand-pulled lamb 🍖
5️⃣ Self-driving caution: cows and sheep may block the road anytime 🚗 be patient

🌟 Hidden little surprises:
- Zhuo’er Mountain sunset is so beautiful it brings tears! Your social media will be legendary
- At night, look up to see the Milky Way ✨ you can even capture stars with your phone
- Early morning mist swirling like a fairyland ☁️

Feeling tempted? Quickly your special someone and come check in romantically! Tell me in the comments which spot you want to see more photos of 💕