【Nine Colors of Gannan · In-Depth Guide to the Tibetan Secret Land】

🌟 Quick Overview of Key Attractions

1. Labrang Monastery (Xiahe County)
One of the six major monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, home to the world's longest prayer wheel corridor (3.5 km). Follow the locals clockwise around the prayer wheels at dawn to feel the power of faith; in the evening, climb the Gongtang Pagoda for a panoramic view, where the golden roof and prayer flags weave a picture under the sunset. The newly added night light show in 2025 (every Friday and Saturday at 8 PM) tells Buddhist scripture stories through light and shadow—an unmissable experience.

2. Zhagana (Diebu County)
Rated by China National Geography as one of "China’s Top Ten Lesser-Known Mountains," its stone city landform resembles a natural fortress. Recommended easy hiking route: Dari Viewing Platform → Yeri Village → Fairy Beach, with gentle wooden plank paths surrounded by misty peak forests and Tibetan villages forming a fairyland painting. Advance booking is required via the "Smart Travel Gannan" mini-program (limited to 3,000 people daily). It’s recommended to stay in Yeri Village homestays to experience butter tea making and listen to mountain god legends.

3. The First Bend of the Yellow River (Maqu County)
Here the Yellow River forms a 433-kilometer great bend, where wetlands and grasslands intertwine. Recommended to drive to Awancang Wetland to see the river winding like a ribbon, with black-necked cranes and swans resting there; or climb the First Bridge of the Yellow River Bend to feel the grandeur and tranquility of the "Kidney of the Yellow River."

4. Langmu Temple Town (Luqu County)
A town spanning two provinces, with Gansu’s Saichi Monastery and Sichuan’s Gerd Monastery facing each other across the river. After a morning hike to the back mountain, overlook the golden roof and monks’ quarters bathed in morning light; in the afternoon, relax at a café by the Bailong River, watching Tibetan children play as time slows down here.

🍜 Taste of Gannan

- Tibetan Breakfast: Butter tea with tsampa, warming and dispelling cold; fresh yak milk cooked at herders’ homes (20 RMB/bowl), rich in dairy aroma.
- Intangible Cultural Heritage Foods: Luqu Tibetan buns (thin skin, juicy), Xiahe fern rice (ginseng fruit cooked with rice), Zhuoni fire-roasted fern pork (Tibetan fragrant pork grilled on stone slabs), experiencing the millennia-old culinary wisdom of the Amdo Tibetan region.
- Specialty Desserts: Diebu yak yogurt, with a golden milk skin on top as its soul, paired with honey for a sweet and tangy taste; in Hezuo City, "Lisa Restaurant" offers apple pie and yak meat burgers, a delightful East-West fusion surprise.

📍 Suggested Itinerary

- 5-day classic loop: Lanzhou → Labrang Monastery → Sangke Grassland → Langmu Temple → Zhagana → Hezuo City (Milarepa Buddhist Pavilion) → Lanzhou, covering core attractions.
- In-depth exploration: add Ganjia Secret Land (Bajiao Ancient City, Baishi Cliff), Awancang Wetland, or winter self-driving on the Rock Road to experience the ultimate purity of snow mountains and glaciers.

⚠️ Practical Tips

1. Altitude Adaptation: Gannan averages 3,000 meters above sea level; avoid bathing on the first day and slow down activities; bring glucose and ibuprofen to relieve altitude sickness.
2. Cultural Respect: No photography or hats inside monastery halls; women should not touch monks’ ritual objects; maintain silence during sky burial ceremonies and strictly no photography.
3. Best Season: June to September is ideal, with grassland flower seas and cool weather; winter snow scenes are stunning but some mountain roads require snow chains, car hire recommended.
4. Clothing Advice: Bring windproof jackets in summer (large temperature difference between day and night), down jackets and thermal patches in winter; waterproof shoes for hiking and sun protection gear are essential.

🌙 Hidden Experiences

- Join the weekly Saturday Guozhuang dance gathering on the grasslands in Hezuo City and dance with locals;
- At Labrang Monastery’s "Nepal Handicraft Shop," learn to weave Tibetan Vajra knots for free;
- Night visits to Tibetan homes in Zhagana, sitting around the fire listening to elders tell legends of mountain gods and villages.

The beauty of Gannan lies in the creaking sound of prayer wheels, the swaying wildflowers on the grasslands, and the simple smiles of Tibetans. This land closer to the sky deserves to be measured by your footsteps and felt with your heart🌿✨.