Gannan Rock Road, Gansu｜Hell for tires, heaven for eyes.

Adventure Tour of Locke Road 🚗🌄

🌟 Route overview
Lock Road is a self-driving route connecting Zhagulu Town in Zhuoni County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Zhagana, Diebu County, with a total length of approximately 106 kilometers. The road is named after American botanist Joseph Locke, who conducted scientific expeditions to the area in the early 20th century. The Lock Road passes through a variety of natural landscapes such as grasslands, canyons, waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, caves, etc. It also passes through Tibetan settlements, where tourists can appreciate the rich religious and cultural customs.

🚙 Recommended itinerary
- **Best time to travel**: June to September or September to November.
- **3-day tour route**:
- Day1: Lanzhou--Ganjia Secret Scenic Area--Labrang Temple Scenic Area/Gongtang Pagoda--Xiahe County (stay)🏨
- Day2: Xiahe County--Sangke Grassland--Gahai Lake--Zhagana (stay)🏕
- Day3: Zhagana (Fairy Beach/Yixiantian/Dari Observation Deck)--Loke Road--Milareba Pavilion--Lanzhou🚘

🏞 Highlights
- **Zhagana**: A complete natural "stone city", known as the "Palace of the King of Hell", a true paradise, known as the Shambhala of dreams. 🏞
- **Guanggai Mountain**: It has a rare fourth-century glacier ruins, more than 3,000 meters above sea level, close to the source of Chebagou. 🏔️
- **Niba Village**: A century-old Tibetan village, built on the mountain, it can be called "the first village in the Tibetan area of Amdo" and the "longevity village". 🏡

🍲 Food recommendations
- Tibetan hot pot: a delicacy with strong Tibetan characteristics, using beef, mutton, vegetables, etc. as the main ingredients. 🍲
- Zanba: one of the traditional staple foods of the Tibetan people, made from highland barley noodles. 🍚
- Hand-grilled mutton: tender meat and authentic mutton delicacy. 🍖

📝 Precautions
- **Road conditions**: The road conditions on Locke Road are poor, with deep pits and stagnant water, which impose certain requirements on vehicle performance and driving skills. 🚧
- **Altitude sickness**: Some sections of the road are at a high altitude and may cause altitude sickness. Tourists need to take countermeasures in advance. 🏞️⚠️
- **Weather**: The weather in Gannan is changeable, and sudden rainfall, snowfall, etc. may occur. ☁️🌧️
- **Vehicle**: Before driving, the vehicle must be comprehensively inspected and maintained to ensure that the vehicle is in good performance. 🔧
- **Food**: The diet in Gannan area is mainly beef, mutton and pasta, and the taste is heavy. 🍖🍜
- **Signal**: Some sections of the Rock Road may not have mobile phone signal, so inform family or friends of your itinerary and route before traveling, and keep in touch. 📵

🌈 Travel Tips
- The picturesque scenery of Rock Road is a beauty that no matter how good the shooting equipment is, it cannot be expressed truthfully. The stunning scenery after every turn is a thrilling journey that no one is waiting for. 🤗🌄
- Although this road is hell for tires, it is heaven for eyes. For adventurous self-driving enthusiasts, prepare food and water to make your trip worthwhile. 🏞️🚀

🚘 Get your camera ready, fill your gas tank, and let’s embark on the Locke Road together to explore the secrets of Gannan! 🌄🏞📸