I started planning in 2019. In May 21, I negotiated with my family and friends to confirm the itinerary. Then I started to book air tickets and hotels, and finally traveled smoothly. I posted on Moments while playing. Afterwards, I sorted out the travel notes as follows. This journey was very exciting. I really hope to repeat yesterday. now.
July 24
On the evening of the 23rd, I departed from Daxing Airport and went all the way west. I saw the Mu Us Sandy Land, the Yellow River and the Tengger Desert on the plane, and finally landed at Caojiabao Airport. The airport is very small, and when I came out, I saw a big silver moon hanging in the sky. After renting a car, I drove to Xining Building in half an hour. I had a good rest at night. The Qingan-Gansu Ring Road will start tomorrow.
The first stop is Longyangxia. The Qingan-Gansu Great Ring Road originally did not include this stop. This was decided after a temporary discussion with friends before the trip. "Run, the Yellow River" recorded an episode here. Starting from Xining, heading southwest, the road became more and more desolate, and recently entered the canyon. Who said the water of the Yellow River is yellow? The water of the Yellow River is so clear here, it is unbelievable. Sitting on the boat, you can see towering mountains on both sides of the strait, golden eagles soaring in the air, and you can see blue sheep when you are lucky. The world is so quiet and vast, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, I had lunch in a nearby town at noon, and then hurried to Qinghai Lake.
Driving along the national road, yellow rapeseed flowers and blue lake gradually appear on the right side of the road. The water and sky of Qinghai Lake are the same color, and there is no end in sight. Is it a lake or a sea? I tasted it, it was slightly salty. The influx of snow water from the Qilian Mountains in the north, coupled with long-term high-altitude evaporation, has formed the largest saltwater lake in China. The rape blossoms by the lake are in full bloom, entering the final blooming season... On the way from Qinghai Lake to Heimahe Town, the front end encountered a major traffic accident, and was stuck in a traffic jam on National Highway 109 for an hour, and finally had to travel at night to Chaka Salt Lake. On the way, I experienced thunderstorms and passed through the rubber mountain pass in the dark night, with an altitude of 3817. There are many large trucks at night, so you must be highly concentrated. When going out, safety first, don't drive in a hurry. Finally, in the heavy rain, I finally arrived at the hotel in the Chaka Salt Lake Scenic Area. After searching for a long time, I was in a mess.
July 25
In the morning, I braved the light rain and went to the Internet celebrity holy place: Chaka Salt Lake. Without the blue sky and white clouds, there would be no mirror of the sky, only the colorful little trains going far away. Chaka Salt Lake is 3 kilometers above sea level and has a radius of 100 square kilometers. It is rich in green salt. After a taste, the water is indeed very salty. After a quick tour, head to the next stop, Delingha.
Traveling westward from Chaka Salt Lake, I came to Delingha (Mongolian: Golden World) in the torrential rain. The first impression was a well-planned small industrial city with few people and cars. It was the poet Haizi who made Delingha famous. It was also a rainy day 33 years ago. Haizi once came here and wrote the famous "Tonight I am in Delingha", which left a deep impression on the city. blot. There is the Haizi Poetry Memorial Hall here, and the nearby bus station is also named after Haizi, and the Bayin River flows slowly by it. Today I am in Delingha, from tomorrow onwards, I will be a happy person!
From Chaka to Delingha, and then to Dachaidan, all the way along the edge of the Qaidam Basin to the northwest, the road is good and there are few cars, and I immediately feel the vastness and desolation of the Northwest. The landform is dominated by Gobi, accompanied by lakes and mountains. The weather is sunny and sometimes rainy, and the scenery is beautiful. Xu Wei's songs were played in the car, which was a great relaxation and healing for me who stayed in the city for a long time. I really wanted to just stay on the road. In the evening, I arrived at an oasis: Dachaidan Town, it was dark very late, and the sky was still bright at 9 o'clock in the evening. Originally, I wanted to go directly to Emerald Lake, but the road was cut off due to the rain yesterday. There has been a lot of rain in the north this summer. I hope I can have good luck tomorrow.
July 26
I went to Emerald Lake early in the morning, and the road was still closed. The staff patiently told me that it would be opened tomorrow. Well, time waits for no one, so I can only drive to Dunhuang. Going north along the Liuge Expressway, overlooking the Emerald Lake from the side, the road has become more and more arid and desolate, the surrounding mountains have become flaming mountains, the landform has changed from Gobi to sandy land, and the green vegetation is becoming less and less. After crossing the Qingshan pass, you can see the snow peaks of the Altun Mountains from a distance, and soon entered the border of Gansu, and crossed the Dangjin Pass (the pass between the Altun Mountains and the Qilian Mountains) along the 215 National Road, and went downhill all the way. The altitude dropped by more than 1,000 meters, and the temperature rose by more than ten degrees. The elevated railway bridge crossed the sand dunes, and the yellow sand was blown across the road by the cross wind, entering another world! The conditions of the gas stations along this road are very bad. There are no toilets, or there are paid toilets. Ladies should be mentally prepared.
On the way to Dunhuang, I will pass a famous scenic spot: Yangguan. In the endless sandy land, the wind blows the yellow sand from time to time. Occasionally, I saw a green village, which depended on the melting water from snow mountains to survive. After arriving at Yangguan, the scenic spot circled very large, in fact, it was a remnant beacon tower on a high place. After turning around, I was stricken by the scorching sun. I wanted to go to Yadan Devil City near Yumenguan, but forget it. It's better to save energy and go to Dunhuang earlier. Driving into the urban area, seeing the water of the Dang River, I immediately felt the vitality. A bowl of stuffed skin and a glass of apricot skin water can cool down and relieve the heat.
July 27
Get up in the morning and go to visit the long-awaited Mogao Grottoes. Those who are Dun are big; those who are brilliant are Sheng. As an important gateway of the Silk Road, Dunhuang rose because of the Silk Road and declined because of the decline of the Silk Road. The first cave of Mogao Grottoes was built in the former Qin Dynasty in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, 1655 years ago, and then it took thousands of years of construction until the Yuan Dynasty, before it formed a huge group of grottoes and collections. Before visiting the caves, I watched two digital movies, one about the history of Mogao Grottoes, and the other explained several classic grottoes, which was very exciting. Then take the bus to the grotto area, and visit 8 caves led by the tour guide. The grottoes here are all locked and cannot be visited by themselves. Only the tour guide can unlock them, and then everyone will visit them interspersed. Mogao Grottoes deserves to be the first of the four major grottoes, once again witnessing the power of faith.
After returning from Mogao Grottoes, take a good rest at the hotel and depart for Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring in the evening. Crescent Lake is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and sand and water co-exist, which is a rare spectacle. When we arrived at the entrance of the scenic spot, the flow of people was surging, and after entering it was a sea of joy. The planes roared in the sky, and the camels swarmed on the ground. I wanted to experience camel riding, so I didn’t want to join in the fun. Walk along the sand to the vicinity of Crescent Lake, the sun sets, sit on the sand and enjoy the gorgeous sunset quietly, the last program is to climb Mingsha Mountain, steep, needless to say, climb one step back half a step, climb stop Stopped, successfully climbed to the summit at 9:44 in the evening, sitting on the top of the mountain, the cool wind hits, the lights of Crescent Lake have been lit, and the lights of the city can be seen in the distance, looking up at the night sky, full of stars.
July 28
Leaving Dunhuang, go along the Liuge Expressway to Guazhou, then turn to the Lianhuo Expressway and drive southeast. On the right side of the road, you can see the rolling and snow-capped Qilian Mountains. After passing through Bulongji and Yumen, you will arrive at the destination Jiayuguan City. In the evening, depart for Jiayuguan attractions. Jiayuguan was built in the early Ming Dynasty and is the westernmost end of the Ming Great Wall (Dunhuang is already outside the territory of the Ming Dynasty). It is known as the most majestic pass in the world. The location is close to Heishan Mountain in the north and Qilian Mountain in the south. It is the narrowest place in the Hexi Corridor, only 15 kilometers away, which is the throat. There are three gates in Guancheng, and there is a city inside the city. In the cold weapon era, it can be said to be as strong as gold. Walking out of Jiayuguan, it is beyond the Great Wall, where the desire to ride a camel is satisfied. Tickets for Jiayuguan also include the first pier of the Great Wall and the cantilevered Great Wall attractions, which are valid within three days. Due to time constraints, we can only go to the first pier of the Great Wall tomorrow morning.
July 29
Come to the first pier of the Great Wall early in the morning, which is the westernmost end of the Ming Great Wall, echoing the distant old dragon head, connecting the majestic Great Wall of the city. The exhibition hall here is hidden underground, with rich content and novel design, it is worth visiting. Jiayuguan Guancheng was built by Feng Sheng, the founding general of the Ming Dynasty, and the surrounding Great Wall was majored by Li Han a hundred years later. The entire defense system of Jiayuguan starts from the Kulai River (the first pier of the Great Wall) in Qilian Mountains in the west, and reaches the cantilevered Great Wall in Heishan in the east. It relies on natural dangers, has width and depth, and can be said to be a miracle of military and architecture. The exhibition hall also displays two photos of the Great Wall taken by two Williams (an American and a British) separated by a hundred years. The comparison at the same place and the same angle is very interesting and meaningful. The exhibition hall extends out of the glass platform, overlooking the wild Kolai River flowing eastward. After the first pier tour, proceed to the next stop of the Hexi Corridor: Zhangye.
Go east along the Lianhuo Expressway, pass through Jiuquan and arrive at Zhangye. Zhangye is also a famous historical city. Beiliang once established its capital here, and it was called Ganzhou in ancient times. In the afternoon, we visited the Great Buddha Temple (built by Xixia) and Zhangye Museum, escaped the scorching sun, and then drove for an hour and went straight to Colorful Danxia. The scenic spot stopped selling tickets at 7 o'clock, but we rushed into the ticket office at the last minute (hotel front desk Informed at 7:30), there was no danger. There are 4 viewing platforms in the scenic area, and you need to take a bus to go there. Platform 4 has the most beautiful view. In order to watch the sunset, tourists are crowded with people, rubbing shoulders, and fled in a hurry after a few glances.
July 30
Departing from the colorful town in the morning, we will cross the Qilian Mountains today, and the destination is Qilian County. Along the newly repaired G213, we first arrived at Sunan County. After getting rid of the dryness and heat of the Hexi Corridor in the past few days, meadows, waterfalls and forests appeared in the mountains. Drive to the top of the mountain along the old earth-rock road, and reach the pass at an altitude of 4150 meters, which is the highest point of this trip. Looking around, there are mountains and mountains, clouds and clouds, cattle and sheep grazing leisurely on the hillside, goshawks soaring in the air, and even a clumsy groundhog. After passing the pass and going all the way down, we arrived at the vast Qilian prairie. Dark clouds floated in the distance, and gray-white rain columns fell on the top of the mountain. We continued to move forward and entered the Heihe Grand Canyon (Heihe is the second largest inland river in China. ), the heavy rain a few days ago caused landslides and road interruptions, which have been repaired now, and after driving for dozens of kilometers, they finally arrived at Qilian County. The mountain road is rugged, but the scenery is so beautiful that you can stop and go and feel the diverse landforms and climates of Qilian Mountains up close.
July 31
Qilian County is located in the hinterland of Qilian Mountain, and the hotel I stayed in is in the Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area. Wake up early in the morning, and when you go out, you will face the golden rapeseed field, and the cows on the hillside are already grazing comfortably. Climbing to the top of Zhuoer Mountain, there is a gorgeous oil painting in front of you, including the red of Danxia, the golden yellow of rapeseed, the light yellow of highland barley, the green of grass, and the dark green of pine trees. The wind is blowing, the fragrance of rape blossoms is refreshing, close your eyes, and you can hear the crisp sound of birds in your ears. Isn’t this a paradise!
After descending from Zhuoer Mountain, we reluctantly bid farewell to Qilian County and headed to the next stop, Menyuan County. Listening to Baidu navigation, I walked through several villages and farmland along an unnamed winding mountain road, and then entered S302, presenting a vast prairie scene: purple wildflowers are in full bloom, Babao River flows wantonly, black Herds of cattle and white sheep are scattered in the grassland, goshawks soar in the sky, and the road extends to the sky. This is the real grassland sky road! After driving for dozens of kilometers, we entered G227, and the number of cars suddenly increased. We passed Jingyangling pass (3767 above sea level), and passed the highest mountain in the eastern Qilian Mountains: Gangshika Snow Peak (5254 above sea level), and the terrain gradually became flat. , a large tract of farmland appeared, and finally arrived at Menyuan County. In the evening, I climbed up a hill near Zhaobi Mountain. You can have a panoramic view of 10,000 mu of fertile land. The Datong River is divided into two. At 20:15, you can enjoy the sunset on the West Mountain. Today is a perfect ending!
August 1
Depart from Menyuan in the morning along the G227 to Xining. Menyuan claims to have 10,000 mu of rapeseed, which is the largest rapeseed base in China. I saw aesthetic fatigue along the way. I stayed at the entrance of a village for a while and happened to meet a Hui man named Bai. We chatted a few words about family life, their village is full of Hui people, besides growing crops, the family raises 5 cows and 12 sheep. Continue to move forward, pass the Dabanshan viewing platform and tunnel, arrive at Datong County, and finally arrive at Kumbum Monastery in the southwestern suburb of Xining. Kumbum Monastery has a history of more than 600 years. It is the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Yellow School of Tibetan Buddhism, the transformation of Manjushri Bodhisattva, and the teacher of Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama. After visiting Kumbum Monastery, head straight to Caojiabao Airport, and return the car to end the tour of Qinggan Great Ring Road.
Postscript: The plan for the Qinggan Grand Ring Road began in 2019, and it finally took place this year. The domestic epidemic situation worsened in the second half of the itinerary. Fortunately, the trip was ahead of time, otherwise it is estimated that it will be ruined again. The whole round trip took 9 days and drove 2,600 kilometers alone, setting a new record. The Qingan-Gansu Grand Ring Road is indeed a classic domestic self-driving tour. The land is vast and sparsely populated. The natural scenery covers grasslands, forests, lakes, canyons, Gobi, sandy land, and deserts. You can feel the diverse natural landscapes and the vastness of the Northwest. . It is also a cultural journey, including religion, art, the Great Wall and customs of ethnic minorities. The journey also left some regrets, not being able to visit the Emerald Lake and the Yadan landform. In short, go happily, return safely, and look forward to the next poetry and distance.
