Summer by Qinghai Lake is so beautiful it makes you want to elope!

If you ask me, "Where is the most beautiful highway in China?"
I would say without hesitation—the National Highway 315 along the turquoise waters of Qinghai Lake.

And Guide, known as the "Little Jiangnan of the Plateau," is a hidden gem on the road to Qinghai Lake.
It’s not as crowded as Chaka Salt Lake, nor as remote and desolate as Golmud.
Here you’ll find the clear waves of the Yellow River, Danxia landforms, Tibetan culture, and it’s the perfect starting point for the advanced Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop!

Today, I’ll show you how to explore the essence of Guide + Qinghai Lake on the lowest budget!

🌸 Best travel time: June - August
July is peak season! Tens of thousands of rapeseed flowers bloom by Qinghai Lake, the water is sapphire blue, and the temperature is comfortable (15-22℃ during the day);
Guide is cool in summer, a perfect summer resort, with the Yellow River’s water so clear you can see the bottom, known as “The Yellow River is clearest in Guide”;
❌ After September, temperatures drop sharply, some accommodations close; winter is too cold and not recommended;
✅ Tip: Avoid the summer holiday peak (late July to early August) for fewer crowds, beautiful scenery, and lower prices!

🕐 How many days are suitable? 3 days and 2 nights is just right.

✅ Recommended itinerary:
Day 1: Depart from Xining → Guide National Geopark → Stay in Guide County
Take a bus or carpool from Xining Bus Station to Guide (about 1.5 hours, ticket 30 RMB);
Visit [Guide National Geopark]—the spectacular red Danxia landforms, layered like Mars terrain;
In the evening, stroll on the [Qinghe Bridge], watch the sunset cast on the clear river, every photo looks like a masterpiece;
Stay in budget hotels or homestays, about 80-120 RMB/night, clean and heated;
Dinner must-try local specialties: hand-pulled lamb, niangpi (stuffed cold noodles), sweet fermented barley wine, about 40 RMB per person for a satisfying meal.
Day 2: Guide → Erlangjian Scenic Area at Qinghai Lake → Lake cycling → Stay in Heimahe
In the morning, head to [Qinghai Lake Erlangjian Scenic Area] (ticket about 90 RMB);
Walk or rent a bike to cycle along the lake (bike 30 RMB/hour, electric bike 50 RMB/hour), experience the ultimate romance of “flowers on one side, lake on the other”;
Arrive in [Heimahe Township] in the afternoon, one of the best spots to watch the sunrise;
Stay overnight at Heimahe tent camp or guesthouse (book in advance!), about 150-200 RMB/person (including breakfast);
In the evening, chat around the campfire, look up to the Milky Way starry sky, unbelievably beautiful.
Day 3: Heimahe sunrise → Return to Xining
Wake up at 5 a.m. to wait for the [Qinghai Lake sunrise]—the sun leaps from the lake, golden light everywhere, silence for this moment;
After shooting, return via Huangyuan Gorge, look back at the panoramic view of Qinghai Lake, ending the trip.

💰 Budget for ordinary travelers (per person):
Transportation: Xining round-trip carpool + scenic area transport ≈ 200 RMB
Accommodation: 1 night in Guide + 1 night in Heimahe ≈ 300 RMB
Tickets + bike rental ≈ 150 RMB
Meals: 3 main meals + 2 breakfasts + snacks ≈ 200 RMB
Total: about 800-900 RMB, easy for students to travel!

🍽️ Must-try food checklist:
Hand-pulled lamb: tender and odorless, dipped in garlic vinegar for a soul-stirring bite;
Yogurt: highland yak yogurt, thick like tofu, sprinkled with sugar tastes even better;
Niangpi: cold mixed gluten + rice noodles, sour and spicy, a summer heat-relief magic;
Sweet fermented barley wine: a mildly intoxicating local favorite made from fermented highland barley;
Kangguo lamb ribs: iron pot braised and roasted, crispy outside and tender inside, perfect with beer!

✅ Summary of highlights:
Guide Danxia landforms: red sandstone layers like waves, a paradise for photographers;
Clear Yellow River scenery: jade-green water contrasting sharply with the Loess Plateau;
Qinghai Lake sunrise: the most beautiful lake sunrise in China, a must-see in a lifetime;
Lake cycling path: one of the world’s top three cycling destinations, full of freedom;
Rapeseed flower sea + blue sky + lake: a July-only combo, stunning beyond words.

Conclusion:

Guide is not the destination but the gateway to poetry and the distant horizon.
Three days and two nights, under 1,000 RMB per person,
You can stand by China’s largest saltwater lake, hear the wind sweep across the grasslands, and watch clouds fall on the mountain peaks.

Riding a bike, chasing the wind by the lake all afternoon…