Current situation in Gannan from July to August…

My advice to avoid trouble in Gannan is 😡
Traveling to Gannan with my boyfriend, the reality is quite different from what’s online!
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⚠️ Tearful summary of 13 life-saving tips after returning from Gannan! Highly recommend saving this!
❗Tip 1: Bring down jackets/3-in-1 jackets in August! Night temperatures on the grasslands drop close to 0℃, 🌧️ rain can come suddenly, jackets > umbrellas!
❗Tip 2: Navigation trap for Zha Ga Na! ❌ Don’t search directly for "Zha Ga Na." The correct route is to navigate to 📍 "Zha Ga Na Scenic Area Visitor Center" (in Diebu County direction).
❗Tip 3: When entering Labrang Monastery/Langmu Temple, wear long pants/skirts (must cover knees). No photos allowed inside the prayer hall 📵, and spin prayer wheels clockwise!
❗Tip 4: Best time for Ganjia secret spots! For shooting Baishi Cliff, go in the morning ⏰. For cave exploration, bring a flashlight with at least 300 lumens 🔦.
❗Tip 5: Don’t trust cheap horse riding on the grasslands! 20 yuan only covers leading the horse for 50 meters 🐎, galloping costs an extra 150 yuan/hour!
❗Tip 6: Drive carefully on Jiangdie Highway with two spare tires, wear 😷 dust masks in July and August!
❗Tip 7: Ask the price before photographing yaks (5-20 yuan varies). Do not step on or cross prayer flags; you can photograph them but not touch or pull!
❗Tip 8: Long queues over 2 hours for sightseeing buses in the peak season at Lianbaoyeze. Suggestions: ① Enter the park by 7:30 am and self-drive ② Bring oxygen bottles + glucose ③ Descend immediately if blood oxygen is below 88%
❗Tip 9: Be cautious choosing grassland homestays with dry toilets! Most have no heating and are freezing. Hotels in the county with floor heating over 200 yuan are much better 🔥!
❗Tip 10: Sun protection is critical! The UV index on the plateau often exceeds level 8 ☀️. Must-have: ① UV400 sunglasses ② face-covering sun shield ③ waterproof SPF50+ sunscreen (reapply every 2 hours)
❗Tip 11: Some areas in Gannan have weak signal. Download offline maps in advance (Aowei Interactive Map APP) and carry cash (200 yuan in small change) with you.
❗Tip 12: Don’t rush straight to altitudes above 3500m! Arrive in Lanzhou 2 days early to acclimate ⏳. Take Rhodiola pills 💊 at least a week in advance for effectiveness!
❗Tip 13: Tibetan etiquette taboos! ❌ Forbidden: touching heads (including children), stepping on scriptures, pointing at Buddha statues with one hand. When receiving a khata scarf, bow and accept with both hands 🙏
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💰 My actual expenses (6 days 5 nights):
Over 3,000 yuan, including tickets, transportation, and accommodation
D0: From all over the country -- Lanzhou hotel -- free time in Lanzhou
D1: Lanzhou -- Labrang Monastery -- horse riding on the grassland -- Luqu
D2: Luqu -- Langmu Temple -- Niangma Temple -- Aba
D3: Aba -- Lianbaoyeze -- First Bend of the Yellow River -- Tangke
D4: Ruoergai -- Flower Lake -- 550 County Road -- Zha Ga Na
D5: Zha Ga Na -- Jiangdie Highway -- Meiren Grassland -- Lanzhou
Tips: Ganjia secret spots are accessible! Flower Lake ticket is 105 yuan, some local herders on Xiaoduku Road charge 50 yuan randomly, depends on luck!