1. Falling in love with the Great Northwest
A song "Qinghai-Tibet Plateau" has been sung all over the country, singing the blue sky, white clouds and beautiful mountains and rivers in the northwest, and it also arouses my longing for the northwest!
"The sand in the desert is like snow, and the moon in Yanshan Mountain is like a hook." "The solitary smoke in the desert is straight, and the sun is falling in the long river"... A series of well-known poems describe the vast land of the Northwest in such a poetic and picturesque way, how can we not It makes people think about it day and night.
I have long had the idea of driving in the Northwest by myself, but because Dou Gongju was young and worried about Gao Fan, he never made the trip. During the summer vacation this year, it happened that many places were affected by the epidemic and could not travel forward, so there was a trip to the Northwest.
If you don't come to the Great Northwest, you really don't know how beautiful the Chinese mountains and rivers are! If the beauty of Jiangnan is beautiful, then the beauty of Northwest China must be magnificent! Cloudless blue sky, grasslands with herds of cattle and sheep; lakes with blue waves, boundless yellow sand; uninhabited Gobi, unearthly Danxia; towering snow-capped mountains, colorful flowers. It is no exaggeration to say that in the Northwest, there are landscapes everywhere, and there are large movies at your fingertips.
A self-driving trip in the Northwest, all the way to the scenery, all the way to laughter, a lifetime memory!
2. Food, lodging and transportation in the Northwest...
Since having Dou Niu, every trip has to be carefully prepared to ensure a comfortable and smooth journey. This time is no exception. Before departure, many things such as hotels, travel methods, and scenic spot arrangements have been planned in advance.
Regarding food, beef and mutton are the main food in Northwest China, and pasta and rice are the staple food. In fact, as long as you are not too picky about food, you should be able to get used to it.
Regarding housing, before departure, I was always worried that the housing would not be good, but later I found that the worry was unnecessary. As long as you don't ask for five or six stars.
Regarding travel, the overall condition of the Northwest Great Ring Road is very good. As long as you have a certain driving experience, you can drive by yourself. As long as you are not off-road, there are no restrictions on the type of vehicle.
There is more or less a little bit about high anti-reverse, as long as you don't run in a hurry or get tired on the road, there will be no problem.
Regarding the weather, the weather in the northwest has a large temperature difference. It is summer when there is sun, autumn when there is no sun, and winter when it rains, so it is necessary to bring one or two thick clothes to keep out the cold.
Regarding the itinerary schedule of the Grand Ring Road, after this self-driving trip, if you have children or the elderly, it is recommended to arrange the best time for 11-12 days.
3. Walking into the Northwest, starting from Sumutar Monastery
On the morning of August 7th in Xining, the weather was gloomy and the sky was lightly raining! We comfortably finished breakfast at the hotel, then drove to Xining Caojiabao Airport to meet Tongtong's family. In the car, Dou Niu was very happy, because she was going to see her good friend soon.
As soon as the two children met at the airport, they forgot about their parents and talked about their own happy things. At noon, we came to the first scenic spot of the day——Kumbum Monastery.
Founded in the 12th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1379), Kumbum Monastery has a history of more than 600 years. It is the center of Buddhism in Northwest China and the holy place of Yellow Sect. The whole temple is built on top of mountains, winding and undulating, patchwork, and magnificent. The ancient trees in the temple are towering, there are many pagodas, and the scenery is magnificent.
Standing at the foot of the mountain, the mountain is shrouded in mist, and the Kumbum Monastery in the rain is even more mysterious and solemn. Entering Kumbum Temple, the atmosphere in the temple is solemn and the believers are pious. We visit each hall one by one to learn as much as possible about the history of the temple. After passing the prayer wheel outside the main hall, we followed Tibetan etiquette, turning the prayer wheel with our hands, chanting mantras, and praying for ourselves and our family!
Not long after we came out of Kumbum Monastery, the rain stopped and the sun showed a smiling face. The two beautiful mothers shouted happily: "We are so lucky." At this time, the scenery on both sides of the road is very beautiful. The mountains in the distance are shrouded in mist, and the sun shines through them with colorful rays of light, while the pastures are green and the highland barley is golden yellow at the foot of the mountain. On the grassland, cattle and sheep are grazing leisurely, five-color prayer flags flutter in the sky, and the ground seems to be inlaid with exquisite oil paintings. If you are not in the northwest, you will definitely mistakenly think that you are in the south of the Yangtze River. After more than an hour of winding mountain roads and over Laji Mountain, we arrived at Riyue Mountain.
Riyue Mountain is named after witnessing the love story of Princess Wencheng's marriage to the Western Regions. Although the history is long, Riyue Mountain is still celebrating this past event. At this time, although it is August summer in the northwest, the wind in Riyue Mountain is still cool.
After changing our clothes, we set off to the top of the mountain and climbed up the steps from the plank road. The first thing that caught our eyes was the prayer flags swaying in the wind and the circulating prayer tubes. Under the prayer flags are colorful scripture stones. Standing on this holy land and looking up, the immaculate Princess Wencheng seems to be walking along the Tang and Tibetan ancient roads, introducing the scenery of the Western Regions to tourists. Standing on the top of Riyue Mountain, the mountains are high and the sky is wide, the wind is light and the clouds are calm, and the surrounding beauty is endless.
After coming down from Riyue Mountain, we continue to move towards Qinghai Lake. On the way, we passed Daotang River and Heima River, and did not stop due to time constraints. Soon, a huge sapphire mirror appeared on the right side of the car dealership, which was the beautiful Qinghai Lake. On both sides of the road, the blooming rape blossoms are golden. In the flower fields, red men and green women compete for beauty. At this time, there was drizzle in the sky, so we had to withdraw our troops and go to the hotel.
4. Blue all the way, from Qinghai Lake to Chaka Lake
The next morning, the sun jumped out of the clouds for a while, and then penetrated into the clouds for a while, as if playing hide and seek with us, but fortunately the rain stopped. According to the plan, we set off to Qinghai Lake Erlangjian Scenic Area.
Maybe it was luck, or maybe it was because Father Sun was tired from playing. When we arrived at the scenic spot, the sky was cloudless and the sun was shining brightly, and our mood improved accordingly. Hurry to buy a ticket and rush in, towards the picturesque Qinghai Lake.
Qinghai Lake was called "West Sea" in ancient times. Legend has it that it was a gift from the Dragon King to his fourth son. It is the largest inland lake in China and the largest saltwater lake in China. Some people say that if the beauty of Qinghai is 10 points, then Qinghai Lake has 7 points exclusively. Every July and August is the most beautiful time of Qinghai Lake, and we are fortunate to catch up with her most beautiful season.
Standing by the lake, the vast expanse of blue is surrounded by bright golden yellow. At this time, Qinghai Lake is like a well-dressed bride, waiting for the cheers and screams of the guests. We decided to take a luxury cruise ship to have a close contact with Qinghai Lake in the distance. Swimming in the lake, the mist is vast, the blue sea reaches the sky, and the wild flowers on the mountains in the distance are dotted in the Yinyin grassland. There are flocks of cattle and sheep on the grassland, fat and strong, what a pastoral song! Qinghai Lake is really big. When you are in it, your mood will be opened along with the lake surface, and the distracting thoughts in your heart will be washed away by the lake water, and you will suddenly feel so relaxed.
At noon, with reluctance, we left Qinghai Lake and continued to Chaka Lake. Although I left Qinghai Lake, the blue color of Qinghai Lake will always be engraved in my memory. After two and a half hours of driving, we arrived at Chaka Lake at four o'clock in the afternoon. Chaka Salt Lake is known as the "mirror of the sky" in China, and was rated as one of the "55 places that people must visit in their lifetime" by the National Tourism Geographic Magazine. If you like photography, if you like taking pictures, you must come to Chaka Salt Lake.
Get on the small retro train, accompanied by the sound of "Kang Dang, Bang Dang" train, we started the trip to Chaka Lake. The first thing that catches the eye is a group of exquisite salt sculptures. It is said that this is the largest group of salt sculptures in the world, and it will continue to expand. Going forward, it is the realm of the sky. I saw the snow-white everywhere, and I thought it was the snowy land of the Northland. The water surface here is shallow and calm, which is the best choice for taking reflections. When the beautiful mothers arrived here, their feet seemed to be filled with lead, they were motionless, and they shot wildly, taking pictures of the sunset and the scenic spot to call it a day.
After coming out of Chaka Lake, it was more than nine o’clock in the evening. After completing the hotel formalities, I filled my stomach in Chaka Town. A beautiful day’s journey ended in happiness.
5. Walk into the colorful Emerald Lake
The time has come to the third day, and today's itinerary is the most relaxed, with only one scenic spot, Emerald Lake. After a good sleep in the morning, after breakfast at the hotel, we drove to Dachaidan. As soon as we entered the expressway, we were stopped by the traffic police uncle. Just as we took out our driver's license with a face covered, the traffic police uncle had already issued a highway safety driving notice for us, telling us that driving safety comes first. , that is grateful!
From Chaka to Dachaidan, passing through the Qaidam Basin along the way, there are rolling mountains painted in ink and wash for a while, desolate and barren land for a while, speeding trains roaring past for a while, and flocks of cattle and sheep chasing and playing for a while. Five hours' drive, five hours of scenery, we arrived at Dachaidan at three o'clock in the afternoon.
The Dachaidan Administrative Committee is like an oasis in the Gobi, exquisite and quiet, where the living materials basically rely on external supplies. Go through the hotel formalities, and settle the Chinese food on the spot in the restaurant below the hotel. The hotel staff told us that it only takes a few minutes from the hotel to the Emerald Lake, so we rested first to avoid the scorching sun in the afternoon.
At five o'clock in the afternoon, we set off on time and arrived at Emerald Lake in a while. At this time of Emerald Lake, there are many cars and people, and it is not easy to take a pure photo.
Emerald Lake is actually a mining pit formed by Dachaidan Chemical Plant after years of salt lake mining. Due to the different concentrations of minerals, the water in the salt lake will appear in different colors such as light green, deep emerald green, azure blue, and pure white. Under the sunlight, it changes unpredictablely, just like emeralds scattered in the world.
6. All the way to the vast Gobi, all the way to shock the soul, from National Highway 315 to Eight Immortals Yadan
The time came to August 10th. Today is the longest day of driving time in the itinerary. According to the plan, the driving time is more than 8 hours. If there is enough time, it should be arranged as a two-day itinerary. In the spirit of preferring to reduce scenic spots rather than fatigue tourism, we didn't hurry up because of the long time, and our nephew lit the lanterns-everything remained the same.
At 9:30, we came out of the Dachaidan Administrative Committee and soon drove onto National Highway 315. The Dachaidan Lake next to it was shrouded in morning mist, and the lake surface was sparkling. The tourists who got up early on the shore, some played in the water, and some took pictures. We could only pass by in a flash and continue on our way.
The car is speeding on National Highway 315. On both sides of the road, there is a lot of loess, no grass and no people. Only here can I truly appreciate the tragic and desolate beauty of the Northwest. In fact, the Qaidam Basin is a huge treasure house, which contains rich mineral resources.
National Highway 315 is known as the Chinese version of Highway 66. It has become a well-known check-in point for Internet celebrities in shooting road blockbusters on the Grand Ring Road. Due to the large number of vehicles, there is an endless stream of tourists taking pictures, and police uncles appear from time to time to maintain traffic and ensure safety. Let me tell you a secret, the best photo spot for the U-shaped section of National Highway 315 is at the 787 km mark, where the up and down slopes are long and steep.
After being addicted to blockbuster movies on the road, we came to the second attraction today - Dongtai Jinel Lake. Dongtai Jinel Lake is praised as "China's Maldives". It is just beside the G315 National Highway and is currently in an undeveloped state.
At noon, the sunlight on Jinel Lake in Dongtai was very strong, and the salt crystals by the lake were dazzling white under the strong light. Standing by the lake, looking as far as the eye can see, the transparent sky and Tiffany's blue reflect each other, and the lake and sky are of the same color. At this moment, your heart is already flying above the blue sky and melting into the lake water. You will not think about it any more, you will only feel sincerely about the beauty of this world, and let the camera make endless clicks.
It was already three o'clock in the afternoon when we came out of Jinel Lake in Dongtai, and we arrived at Shuishang Yadan a little later. Due to time constraints, we hurriedly "inspected" the "South Sea Fleet" of Yadan on the water on National Highway 315, and then turned around and went straight to Yadan of Nanbaxian.
After driving on National Highway 215 for about two minutes, we entered the hinterland of Nanbaxian Yadan. When you approach this magical land, you will feel a sense of awe. The vast desert, the sound of the wind, the eyes are full of yellow sand, and there is no life. Although the beautiful scenery and curiosity drive you to enter this land, you dare not Half a step across the thunder pond.
Yadan refers to a strange and grotesque wind-eroded landform, which is a masterpiece of natural wind. Because it looks like an ancient castle, it is commonly known as the Devil City. The Southern Eight Immortals are named in memory of the eight beautiful oil girls. In fact, Nanbaxian Yadan is not a very specific scenic spot, and there is no clear sign on the way.
In order to better appreciate the Yadan landform, we rented
Go-kart, a few kilometers deep into the roadside. The view here is wider and the scenery is more shocking. We visited it for more than an hour, although we still had more to say, but the sun went down, so we had to give up.
Drive back from Yadan, pass the Yuka service area, and arrive at Dachaidan after 9 o'clock in the evening. Although all the vegetables and fruits in Dachaidan are shipped from other places, the prices are not more expensive than other places. We ordered a large plate of chicken and a few side dishes, ordered a few skewers of mutton, and drank frozen Coke, enjoying ourselves and forgetting the exhaustion along the way.
7. Walk into Dunhuang and experience thousands of miles of yellow sand and millennium art
On the morning of August 11, the sky was drizzling. We set off in the rain and entered the Liuge Expressway from Dachaidan through the Yuka service area. The straight road leads directly to the sky, with no end in sight at a glance, with barren sand dunes and vast Gobi on both sides. Get off the highway, continue walking on the G215 National Highway, turn over Dangjin Mountain, and you will arrive in Gansu. After dozens of kilometers of continuous downhill, we came to the first scenic spot today - the oil town.
The oil town is the old county town of Aksai. With the depletion of oil resources and urban development, it has been abandoned, and only some buildings and facilities of the year remain. The small town that had been unknown and abandoned for many years, with the popularity of the movie "Nine-story Demon Tower", the filming location in this movie began to re-enter the public eye. In general, there are no special attractions in the town, and the leftover movie props are the main content of this attraction.
The oil town simply checks in, and we move on. At this time, the painting style on both sides of the road changed suddenly, and the stretching mountains were replaced by thousands of miles of yellow sand. From Petroleum Town to Dunhuang, the road is actually very short. I thought I would spend a lot of time for the children to ride camels and play with sand in Mingsha Mountain. Unfortunately, there are various speed limits in Gansu. We can only move forward at a slow speed. At 5:00 p.m., we finally arrived at Crescent Moon Spring in Mingsha Mountain.
Crescent Moon Spring in Mingsha Mountain is known as "one of the most beautiful scenery outside the Great Wall". The mountains and springs coexist, and the sand and water co-exist, like a thousand-year-old couple who love each other and never leave. Mingsha Mountain is the favorite of children, riding camels, sand boarding, off-road vehicles...
We hurriedly bought tickets to enter the park, ready to enjoy this unique time. After entering the park, the first thing is to ride a camel, which is the first time in our life. The camel doesn't look so cute, with a big and flat mouth, panting heavily, and tears hanging from its big eyes, as if complaining about the hard work. Dou Niu and her mother rode the smallest camel. Even though she was small, she was quite tall when she stood up, and Dou Niu let out an "oops" in fright. Walking in the desert, although there is no crisp sound of camel bells, it is full of laughter along the way. When the camel started to walk, it felt like it was shaking. Dou Niu said it was like the cradle of childhood. The huge camel team, walking in the afterglow of the setting sun, has become a unique scenery of Mingsha Mountain.
After riding the camel, we came to the center of the park, and the two friends rushed to the desert impatiently. Sliding for a while, climbing for a while, I really don't know they have so much fun in the hot desert. They played from the bottom of the mountain to the top of the mountain, from dawn to dusk, until they were covered in yellow sand, and they were still grinning. Perhaps the world of childhood was not only happy but also happy.
The next day, in order to arrive at Jiayuguan in the afternoon, we booked a class A ticket for Mogao Grottoes at 8:45 in the morning, so we made an exception and got up early. First, I came to the Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center and watched two short videos introducing Mogao Grottoes. Although the filming time is not long, it is very shocking. From the short film, we understand the origin of Mogao Grottoes and appreciate several representative cave murals. The Mogao Grottoes are commonly known as Thousand-Buddha Grottoes. The founder, Monk Le Zun, wandered to Mingsha Mountain, and suddenly saw the Buddha's light on the top of the mountain, so he stopped, dug a cave here to practice Buddhism, and practice Buddhism and sit in meditation. Since then, the emperors, generals, and common people have started the art movement of digging caves and standing Buddha here for thousands of years. To visit the Mogao Grottoes is to watch a feast of art that has lasted for thousands of years!
Under the leadership of the tour guide in the park, the A-type ticket visited 8 caves independently. The tour guide gave us a detailed explanation of the differences in the art of Buddha statues and murals in different periods. He also explained the stories of the Nine-Colored Deer King, the Mahasa Hammer Prince who sacrificed his life to feed the tiger, and rebounded the pipa. He also understood the scarves used by women and the " The word "Flying Apsaras" comes from the murals of Mogao Grottoes. A short visit is a vivid art lesson.
After visiting the Mogao Grottoes, I should have watched the large-scale sitcom performance of "Goodbye Dunhuang". Due to time constraints, we left Dunhuang with regret and went to Jiayuguan. After driving for about an hour, we turned into the Guazhou service area. We have long heard the reputation of Guazhou Guatian, so we parked the car in front of a stall where a pair of sisters bloomed. As soon as we entered the stall, the beautiful boss cut up a big watermelon to entertain us for free, and saw that we ate deliciously, cut up another white melon. The enthusiasm and generosity of the boss, in exchange for two beautiful mothers to buy one bag on the left and the other on the right. We left Guazhou contentedly, and we arrived at Jiayuguan in the evening.
8. Climb to the No. 1 Xiongguan Pass and be intoxicated with colorful Danxia
The time came to August 13th. After breakfast in the hotel in the morning, we came to Jiayuguan. Jiayuguan is the westernmost pass of the Ming Great Wall. Because of its dangerous terrain and majestic buildings, it is known as the most majestic pass in the world.
"The Great Wall is as high as the white clouds, and the dangerous buildings are as low as the ten thousand battlements. The nine sides of the lock and key are connected to Mobei, and the four counties of Wanni are connected to Anxi." Approaching the tower. You will be shocked by the tall and majestic city walls, and you can also experience the momentum of "one man guards the gate and ten thousand men cannot open it". Climbing up to the tower, looking far away, the Great Wall stretches across the Gobi, as if seeing an ancient battlefield where thousands of horses neigh. It is said that after the Jiayuguan section of the Great Wall is built, there will be no more wars here, which shows the great deterrent power of Xiongguan and the Great Wall!
Despite the scorching heat, the two children watched very seriously. They each took an audio guide, watched and listened to each other, and acted as a little tour guide for us every time they arrived at a scenic spot.
After visiting Jiayuguan, the Cantilever Great Wall and the first pier of the Great Wall can only wait for the next time, so we hurried to Zhangye Danxia. After a three-hour drive, we arrived at the North Gate of Colorful Danxia at 4:00 pm.
Colorful Danxia is famous for its steep rock wall, majestic momentum, peculiar shape and colorful colors. Some people say that God overturned the palette, while others said that the earth was covered with colorful neon clothes. Colorful Danxia is not only famous in China, but also famous overseas! In 2011, it was selected as one of the "Top Ten Magical Geographical Wonders of the World" by the "National Geographic" magazine; in 2013, it was selected as "one of the twenty-two most unforgettable landscapes in the world" and "China's most unforgettable scenery" by the "Huffington Post" of the United States in 2013. Rainbow Mountain"; in 2015, it was selected as "one of the twenty-five dream travel destinations in the world"; in 2017, it was selected as "the most beautiful location" at the 74th Venice Film Festival.
We bought an in-depth tour package, took a special tour bus, equipped with a full-time tour guide, and opened up the deep hinterland of Danxia. Although you have already enjoyed various beautiful pictures of colorful Danxia on the Internet, when you walk into the scenic spot and witness this miracle of nature with your own eyes, you will feel that the beauty of colorful Danxia cannot be described in words.
We took various photos and views in the scenic area, wishing to put all the beautiful scenery in our minds and cameras. It was almost time for the park to close, and we left Danxia Scenic Area in the twilight.
10. Qilian Prairie
Time flies so fast, today is August 14th. We first came to the Biandukou Ecological Leisure Tourism Scenic Spot, but the rapeseed flowers in Biandukou have basically withered in August, but the plateau scenery is still very beautiful! We simply rode a horse, took a photo at the viewing platform, and then set off for the Qilian Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area.
From Biandukou to Zhuoer Mountain, after passing through Biandukou Canyon, enter the Qilian Prairie. I saw green grass on both sides of the road, flowers all over the ground, white clouds dancing in the sky, and cattle and sheep grazing in the pasture. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, we arrived at the Drow Mountain Scenic Area. Standing on the viewing platform of Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area, you seem to be in exquisite landscape oil paintings. The Qilian Mountains in the distance are covered with snow and colorful under the sun. Under the Qilian Mountains, the vast grassland seems to be covered with a layer of green carpet. The green of the grassland and the red of Danxia are so beautiful. At the foot of the mountain, Babao Town is leisurely like a paradise, lying quietly beside the Babao River, and the S-shaped road is like a ribbon running across the grassland. Opposite Zhuoer Mountain is Niuxin Mountain. Legend has it that Zhuoer Mountain and Niuxin Mountain are a pair of affectionate couples, silently waiting on both sides of the Babao River, and jointly protecting the mountains and rivers of Qilian. When you stand on the beacon tower on the top of Zhuoer Mountain, you can have a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery of Qilian.
After visiting the Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area for nearly three hours, we reluctantly drove to Qilian County. After checking in and packing our luggage, we found a Chongqing restaurant. The kind Trump, the familiar Sichuan flavor, we raised our glasses, because tomorrow, we will end the Grand Ring Road and return to Xining.
On August 15th, today's main program is to let the children ride horses and fly in the Qilian prairie. In the morning, we dine at the hotel. The hotel’s breakfast is really hearty. It’s just that we are not big eaters, otherwise we must have enough delicious beef and mutton. After eating and checking out of the room, we walked along the Qilian prairie. Prairie horse riding is a program that children talk about all the time. Although they rode once in Biandukou, they did not seem to be satisfied. Today we will let them have fun in the grassland and ride horses to their heart's content. Along the way, we walked into the pastures of two herdsmen, and the children rode round and round. They wore bright Tibetan clothes, rode steeds, and galloped in the green sea, as if they had become little heroes of the grassland.
After riding the horse, we came to Menyuan Garden Mountain Observation Deck. The scenery here is very similar to Biandukou, with rapeseed flowers and large areas of highland barley. Rapeseed flowers can hardly be seen in Menyuan in August, but the picturesque fields are idyllic. The scenery still makes us stop and stop. Standing on the viewing platform of Yuanshan, you can see the golden barley, the green hills in the distance, and the beautiful villages... In this situation, even though you don't see the magnificent golden ocean, you still feel like feasting your eyes.
11. Farewell to the Northwest
After a brief visit to Menyuan, we returned to Xining from Menyuan on the evening of August 15th. In order to celebrate the successful conclusion of this self-driving, we had another meal of Chongqing hot pot in the most prosperous Wanda Commercial Plaza in Xining. On August 16, we walked into the Xining Plateau Wildlife Park together to let the children learn more about plateau biology. At eleven o'clock in the evening, we waved to Xining and we returned to our warm home.
During this tour of the Great Ring Road, I have experienced the vastness of the Northwest, and I have a little more awe and worship of nature in my heart. During the short ten-day Grand Ring Road, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and walked into the embrace of nature, I was tired and happy. Along the way, the scenery is too beautiful and there are too many scenic spots. Although we have ample time, we can only take a quick look at the flowers and look forward to setting foot on this magical land again.
