Golmud｜All the way to the west, three days and two nights to explore the scenery between the Kunlun Mountains and the Gobi Salt Flats

written before departure

Some people say: the distant Qinghai is synonymous with "poetry and distance".
Some people also say: The most beautiful scenery in Qinghai is on the road.
Qinghai is rich in natural resources, complex terrain, and diverse landforms. It has almost all landforms that can represent western China.
There are many mountains and lakes here, whether it is a plateau basin or a desert valley, you can see it everywhere.

It is precisely because of this inclusiveness and compatibility that more and more people choose to travel to Qinghai.
The writer Shan Zhiqiang once wrote: "Coming to Qinghai is equivalent to going to Tibet, to Gansu, and to Xinjiang."
Faced with such an attractive tourist check-in place, of course I couldn't help but want to take a look.
So I came to the largest county-level city in my country - Golmud, Qinghai
All the way to the west, explore the scenery between the Kunlun Mountains and the Gobi salt flats.

Impression of Golmud

When we mention Qinghai, we can’t help but think of many pictures in our minds, such as Sanjiangyuan, Cambula, Dream Salt Sea, Tianjing Qilian, the famous Hoh Xil at home and abroad, the beautiful Menyuan cauliflower... Like many people who love to travel, For me who has been wandering in the eastern cities for a long time, I actually have a turbulent Northwest dream, and I also want to be like many travel friends, all the way to the scenery and songs, all the way to freedom, and all the way to harvest.

Although Golmud is only a county-level city, it has an extremely vast jurisdiction, even larger than Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. It is the second largest city in Qinghai Province after Xining, the provincial capital. Although Golmud is sparsely populated and even has many inaccessible areas, it has extremely rich tourism resources. There are not only the source of the Yangtze River, the Wanzhang Salt Bridge, the General Building, Populus euphratica Forest and other landscapes, but also the "Sky Realm", The most beautiful highway, Yadan on the water, and other popular attractions on the Internet, this point must be deeply understood by many friends who love to watch small videos.

schedule

2022/07/01 Day 1 Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Area—Jiangjun Building

2022/07/02 Day 2 Kunlun Holy Spring—— Promise Dragon and Phoenix Palace

2022/07/03 Day 3 Kunlun Mountains Grand Canyon - Return

transportation

1. Golmud Airport

Since there are relatively few direct flights, you can choose to transfer in Xi'an, Zhengzhou, and Xining. There are more flights and more options, so you can arrange your itinerary better.

2. It is recommended to drive by yourself

The area of Golmud is quite large, and it is the largest county-level city in my country. The scenic spots in its territory are relatively scattered, and the distances are quite far. If you take public transportation, it will waste a lot of time, so it is recommended that conditions permit. Rent a car and drive by yourself or charter a car, which can greatly save travel time.

Precautions

1. About altitude sickness

Because Golmud is located on a plateau, especially in the winding territory of the majestic Kunlun Mountains, there is a high possibility of altitude sickness here. In order to travel better and avoid high reactions, drink Rhodiola as much as possible half a month before departure, prepare oxygen during the trip, do not take a bath or wash your hair on the first night, try not to exercise strenuously, the most important thing The most important thing is that you must not catch a cold. Don’t worry if you accidentally get high and reversed, Golmud’s medical care is quite sound, just seek medical treatment in time.

2. About Faith

Golmud is a multi-ethnic place, mostly Hui, Tibetan, and Mongolian. In terms of food and communication, we must respect the beliefs of the local people.

Luggage and photographic equipment

1. Pack your luggage

1. A change of clothes and personal toiletries.

2. The temperature in Golmud in July is not as hot as imagined. Basically, the temperature is around 30 degrees, but the ultraviolet rays are strong here, so you must pay attention to sun protection.

3. Since mountain climbing is required during the itinerary, prepare hiking shoes, climbing clothes and other equipment.

4. Try to bring your own toiletries when you go out. Environmental protection starts from yourself.

2. Photographic equipment

1. Sony A7M2 lens 24-70 lens 16-35

2. Gopro hero 4

3. Tripod

4. Spare battery

5. iPhone 11

6. DJI UAV Royale

Third, the purse is full

Times are advancing, and payment methods have also undergone earth-shaking changes. Alipay and WeChat payment have also brought great convenience to our travel. Basically, you don't need to bring too much cash when you go out, a mobile phone is enough.

about the author

——Travel Notes——

Day 1 Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Spot - General Building

The Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Area is more than 50 kilometers away from the city of Golmud. It takes about an hour and a half to drive, and it takes nearly three hours to go back and forth. In addition to the sightseeing time of the scenic spot, when arranging the itinerary, arrange it on the morning of the first day of the itinerary. Back to the urban area around 3:00 pm, the time is just right to check in at the General Building in the city center.

Populus euphratica forest with the highest altitude in the world

"Climbing up to the spectacular world, the vast river will never return. Yellow clouds move thousands of miles, white waves and nine flowing snow mountains." It has a vast land, rich resources, magnificent rivers, and its original mystery and unique charm. There are the most beautiful mountains in China and the most beautiful lakes in China. There are not only the vastness and magnificence of plateaus and deserts, but also the richness and beauty of river valleys and water towns. Some people say that it is the last piece of pure land on the earth, and some people say that it is the place with the most "net celebrity attractions" in China... It is an excellent outdoor place that makes countless tourists fascinated - Qinghai.

Finally my dream came true! This time I am fortunate to come to the long-awaited Qinghai. In addition to admiring the beautiful and magnificent lakes and flowers, the Populus euphratica forest, the "guardian of the desert" that symbolizes tenacious struggle, has also been included in one of my key itineraries. Next, let us walk into the Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Area in Golmud, Qinghai, and feel the spirit of Populus euphratica that "is born for a thousand years and never dies, dies for a thousand years and does not fall, and falls for a thousand years to be immortal".

Golmud Populus euphratica Forest is about 50 kilometers away from the urban area. It is located in the northwest of the Alton Quke Grassland. The same as above, especially in late autumn, the golden Populus euphratica forest is also known as a palace floating on the clouds.

We know that Populus euphratica is one of the rare ancient tree species in nature. It often grows in deserts and is known for its drought and waterlogging resistance and tenacious life. As the only tree species that can naturally form forests in deserts and sandy land, Populus euphratica forest is a unique and precious forest resource in desert areas. It is mainly used for windbreak and sand fixation, creating a suitable oasis climate and forming fertile soil, so it is known as the "desert guardian".

my country has gathered about 60% of the Populus euphratica forests in the world, and almost all of them are distributed in the northwest region. Although the Golmud Populus euphratica forest is far smaller than the area distributed in the Tarim River Basin in Xinjiang, it is the only Populus euphratica forest in Qinghai and the highest in the world.

Going westward along the Gemang Highway, you will reach the Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Area in about an hour. The vast Gobi along the way is a bit dry under the embellishment of blue sky and white clouds and desert vegetation, but it complements each other. The seasonal river Tuole Sea in the scenic area winds and stretches in the sandy land, and the tall and dense Populus euphratica forest along the coast is full of shadows and changing postures. Show, revealing stubbornness and vitality.

Shuttle between scenic spots, in addition to seeing the admirable spirit of Populus euphratica forest, you can also watch the ups and downs of yellow sand and take pictures of the beautiful sand river scenery. In addition, there are aerial plank roads, rainbow slides, live CS field bases, Modern entertainment facilities such as desert extreme sports can provide tourists with different travel experiences.

Of course, the best viewing season for Populus euphratica forest is in late autumn. Every October, Populus euphratica turns from green to yellow. At that time, the golden color is as far as the eye can see, like a burning flame in the vastness, gorgeous and beautiful, without the bleakness of autumn, and no desert The sadness of life, but the beauty of nature and the tenacity of life.

The first modern building in the area｜Jiangjun Building

Almost every city has its own parks. They are the background of countless stories and gathering places of people’s joys, sorrows and joys. They are famous for their cultural heritage or ecological beauty. In short, they all seem to have special meanings. During this trip to Golmud, I will naturally not miss the most special park in the area - General Building Park.

We know that Golmud is the largest county-level city in my country and the second largest city in Qinghai Province after Xining, the provincial capital. Although the history of human habitation here can be traced back tens of thousands of years, when it really developed from a regional concept As a city in the actual sense, it has only a history of more than 60 years. The origin of the true establishment and creation of Golmud, a city born and prospered by roads, is closely related to this General Building Park.

The General Building Park is located on the site of the Hexi General Building in the northwest corner of the suburb of Golmud, Qinghai. It was built to commemorate the great father of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, General Mu Shengzhong. The park takes the former site of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway Construction Headquarters as the core, and through art forms such as gardens and sculptures, it presents the moving scenes of the pioneers who used blood and sweat to open up the inland "Heavenly Road" leading to Tibet, as well as Golmud's urban development history and other themes. are clearly shown to the world.

Before and after the founding of New China, the transportation between Qinghai and Tibet has always been a problem. The complex terrain and harsh climate made the original transportation method helpless, and even paid a heavy price. In order to solve the crisis of entering Tibet, Mu Shengzhong had the idea of building the Qinghai-Tibet Highway at that time, so he took the initiative to ask his superiors to lead the road construction team on May 11, 1954, and started the construction of the Golmud-Lhasa section of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway in Golmud. . After more than seven months of hard work, the entire line of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway was successfully opened to traffic, which facilitated the communication between Tibet and the mainland, and also maintained the stable development of the motherland's frontiers.

The park consists of three parts: the gate, the main building and the auxiliary building. The blue brick gray surface, simple and elegant, simple and solemn, is full of Golmud regional characteristics and local ethnic cultural characteristics. Before entering the park, we will involuntarily be attracted by the towering and unique herringbone sculpture in the park, which is the landmark building of the park, the Tianlu Memorial Tower commemorating the Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Qinghai-Tibet Railway. The body of the pagoda is based on the reliefs of Qinghai and Tibet provinces and regions, with a total height of 39.16 meters, implying the sum of the mileage of the two heavenly roads (3916 kilometers).

The core building in the park, "General Building", was the first two-storey cave-style building built by the old general Mu Shengzhong, who personally led his subordinates to make adobe and burn green bricks. , is the place where he used to work and live, and also the former site of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway Construction Headquarters, and the first modern building in the history of Golmud.

The old utensils and objects are well preserved in the room, such as kerosene lamps, canopy beds, old telephones, and porcelain teapots... While reflecting the hard work and simplicity of the builders at that time, it also shows the pioneers' indomitable spirit in the face of harsh natural environments. fighting spirit. In addition to the profound Tianlu Memorial Tower and the General Building expressing respect for the general, there are many solemn and solemn sculpture groups in the park. These sculptures are majestic, majestic, and rich in expression. Surrounded by flowers and green plants, people can't help but feel awe. There are "road-building loyal souls" reflecting the hard work of the road-building army, "casting swords into plows" reflecting the army's pioneering, "harmony" reflecting national unity, and "tall Kunlun" reflecting Kunlun culture, etc. In addition, in the General Mu Shengzhong Memorial Hall, you can also trace the history and stories of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway.

Day 2 Kunlun Holy Spring - Promise Dragon and Phoenix Palace

The Kunlun Holy Spring and the Inorganic Dragon and Phoenix Palace are on the same route. When arranging the itinerary, give priority to connecting these two scenic spots in one day, which can not only save time, but also relatively save money. However, since the altitude is constantly rising, going from the urban area of Golmud at 2800 meters to the Kunlun Mountain Pass at nearly 4000 meters is really a test of physical strength and lung capacity, so in today's itinerary, try to reduce a series of strenuous exercises such as running and jumping as much as possible .

The mountain spring bred by the "ancestor of ten thousand mountains"｜Kunlun Holy Spring

I believe that many people have been amazed by "Menghualu" starring Liu Yifei some time ago. Whether it is the actor's appearance, the good plot, or the beautiful fairyland filming location in the play, they are all impressive, especially In the play, the heroine Zhao Paner, played by Liu Yifei, encountered a "kicking" in a teahouse. The tea show that she showed not only attracted the praise of everyone in the play, but also a lot of netizens outside the screen. Popular science arrives.

As we all know, good tea needs good water, just as Zhang Youxin expressed in "Jian Cha Shui Ji" in the Tang Dynasty, only when tea and water are properly matched can the best tea be obtained. However, Lu Yu, the "tea sage", believed that "running water" should be the first choice when fetching water, and mountain spring water should be the best. During this trip to Golmud, Qinghai, I saw a local magical mountain spring. It is not only regarded as a "holy spring" by the local people, but also praised by many travelers, saying that it is more expensive than the Evian in the supermarket. Mineral water is good to drink. It is the Kunlun Spring.

Kunlun Spring, also known as Kunlun Holy Spring, is located on the north bank of Kunlun River in the depths of Kunlun Mountain, the "ancestor of thousands of mountains". Nachitai Clear Spring. The spring is formed by the melting of ice and snow on the Kunlun Mountains above 4,000 meters above sea level. After more than 20 years of underground circulation, it flows through the north bank of the Kunlun River and is blocked by an east-west compressive torsional fault. The water is clear and sweet. It is crystal clear and pure, and the water temperature is constant, so it does not freeze in all seasons. The reason why it is called "Shen" Spring is not only because it is located in a cold area at an altitude of 3,540 meters, but it is not frozen in all seasons, but also related to ancient myths and legends.

Nachitai means "platform in the swamp" in Tibetan, and it means "Buddha platform", and Kunlun Mountain has been the cradle of Chinese myths and legends since ancient times, known as "China's first sacred mountain". According to legend, the divine spring was created by the heavenly palace jade brewed wine that was accidentally spilled on the earth when the Queen Mother of the West entertained the gods by the side of the Yaochi Lake in Kunlun Mountains. There are also rumors that when Princess Wencheng came here when she entered Tibet, she was blocked by the wind and sand and had no water to drink, so she placed the Juewo Buddha statue invited from Chang'an on the high ground platform to worship devoutly, which was moved by the sacred mountain. Take Shenquan. Therefore, the spring enjoys the reputation of "holy water on earth".

Legends are legends after all, and we don't know exactly what they are. In fact, Kunlun Shenquan is tectonic karst water, which is formed by the melting water of ice and snow in the alpine region overflowing the surface along structural fissures and channels under the action of gravity, and is a low-salinity bicarbonate chloride, calcium-magnesium mineral water. Due to the long-term underground runoff, a large number of chemical elements beneficial to human health are dissolved in the surrounding environment, such as calcium, magnesium, molybdenum, nickel, metasilicate, etc., especially the content of strontium, which is closely related to bone formation. It is as high as 0.7 mg/L, which is more than three times higher than the strontium content in strontium-type natural mineral water recognized by the medical profession as "healthy water". It is a rare high-quality strontium-containing drinking mineral water in the world, so it is also recognized Known as "iceberg nectar".

Approaching the Kunlun holy spring, I saw a clear spring spewing silently in the center of the spring pool, and there were blossoming crystal mushroom flowers, endlessly overflowing, throwing pearls and jade. The spring pool is surrounded by flower stone slabs to form a polygonal pattern. In addition, there are reliefs, waterfalls, pavilions, inscriptions, etc. for tourists to understand and visit. If you come to the Shenquan Scenic Spot to travel, you may meet a lot of people by chance, and you may see the spectacular scene of a large group of people queuing up with empty bottles. In addition to the locals, tourists account for the majority. Since this is the only place where the car adventure line on the roof of the world must pass, many self-driving tourists will come here for water replenishment.

The highest Taoist temple in the world｜Wuji Dragon and Phoenix Palace

As the saying goes: Worship temples in mountains and visit Buddhas in temples. For pious people, even if there are differences in religious beliefs, the awe is always maintained. Just like when I visit Jiuhua, Anhui, I must visit the Dizang Temple, and I must go to the Tianshi Cave when I climb Qingcheng, Sichuan. This trip to Golmud, Qinghai, faced the majestic Kunlun, the "ancestor of thousands of mountains", which stands at an altitude of 3,800 meters. The world's highest Taoist temple on the Internet - Wuji Dragon and Phoenix Palace, of course I can't miss it.

"If you don't meet at the top of Qunyu Mountain, you will meet at Yaotai under the moon." The ancient and mysterious Kunlun Mountain is the cradle of myths and legends of the Chinese nation. It is recorded in many ancient books such as "Jing", "Hetu", "Huainanzi", and it is also the site of the Hunyuan School of Taoism in the late Ming Dynasty. It is known as "the first sacred mountain in China". The Wuji Dragon and Phoenix Palace on our trip is the only place to go from Golmud to Hoh Xil or to Tibet. Although it is located in a desolate place, it has beautiful scenery. Known as the land of ascension.

Wuji Dragon and Phoenix Palace is located next to the Qinghai-Tibet Highway about 120 kilometers southwest of Golmud, Qinghai. It can be reached directly by driving along National Highway 109. It is 3,800 meters above sea level. Different from the Taoist temples that we usually see hidden in the deep mountains and dense forests, the Promise Dragon and Phoenix Palace is located under a cliff. Although it is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, it has an excellent view. Due to the lack of eye-catching green trees, Coupled with the overall gray and white tone of the surrounding environment, it seems vast and desolate, but against the backdrop of the blue sky, white clouds, and scorching sun, it looks more resplendent and independent.

The towering and majestic mountain gate, the resplendent and magnificent hall, the red molding wall and gray stone pillars engraved with "Tao Te Ching", and the solemn statue of Jiang Ziya and his mount are completely different, just looking at it makes people feel mysterious and solemn, " Road" is full of meaning. If you use a drone to shoot, from the perspective of God, you will find that the entire Taoist temple presents a shape of Tai Chi and Eight Diagrams, coupled with the vast and far-reaching surrounding environment, people can't help feeling the magic of the world and the Tao. The main hall is divided into upper and lower floors, decorated with golden tile roof, angled eaves, carved beams and painted buildings, magnificent and bright in the sunlight.

The first floor of the hall enshrines the statues of the Queen Mother of the West, the Nine Heavens Xuannv, and the Golden Holy Old Mother, while the second floor enshrines the statues of the Taoist Sanqing and the Jade Emperor. In addition, there are a number of statues of various figures and animals, all of which are lifelike and graceful in shape. Outside the hall, apart from a few stone tablets on both sides of the steps, there is also a large golden incense burner in the middle for everyone to burn incense and pray. Almost every tourist passing by will come here to stop for sightseeing, so don't look at the remote location of the Promise Dragon and Phoenix Palace, but there are not many incense tourists at all.

Day 3 Kunlun Mountains Grand Canyon

Since the third day is the last day of the itinerary, coupled with the time limit of the flight, the Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon is arranged on this day. The first thing to consider is the traffic problem. If it is scheduled on the next day, it is very likely that due to traffic jams and other problems, it will be quite hasty to catch the return flight. So the best arrangement is to go directly to the airport after the end of the Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon, which is a good way to avoid the risk of traffic jams, and the time is relatively sufficient.

Unintentionally discovered "Chinese version of Antelope Valley"｜Kunlun Grand Canyon

Speaking of the Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon, many people must first think of the national 4A-level tourist attraction located in a pasture in Kunyu City, the 14th Division of the Xinjiang Corps. After all, the majestic Kunlun is thousands of kilometers away, and it is inevitable that the canyon will be vertical and horizontal. The Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon Tourist Scenic Spot in Xinjiang, as the urban back garden and leisure summer resort in the Hotan area of Xinjiang, is not only the only high-altitude scenic spot in the entire Kunlun Mountains, but also a collection of natural beauty, mythology, history, military culture, and ethnic customs.

In contrast, the Golmud Kunlun Grand Canyon, although located in the secret place of the Qaidam Basin, is little known and inaccessible, but it maintains the original ecology, ancient and mysterious, and changes scenery step by step. Especially in summer, it is extremely cool, and it can be called an excellent place to escape the summer heat.

The Kunlun Mountains Grand Canyon is located about 70 kilometers south of Golmud, and the entrance is about 15 kilometers from the main road of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. It is part of the Kunlun Mountains World Geopark. The canyon has a total length of about 12 kilometers and is composed of "one area and three valleys" such as the Grand Canyon, Antelope Valley, and Snow Mountain Canyon. It is said that it was accidentally discovered by geological prospecting personnel, so it is relatively small, not to mention the corresponding road signs, and even the markings about it cannot be found on the map. We also passed the local old driver in Golmud. guidance was successfully reached. The scale of the canyon is not very large, hidden in the vast Gobi, with towering snow peaks in the distance, white clouds and blue sky, just looking at it gives people a sense of desolation and majesty standing between heaven and earth.

The canyon has different styles and peculiar scenery. Whether it is the winding and rugged trails at the bottom of the valley or the craggy cliffs, there is no trace of artificial modification, and they are all masterpieces of nature. Between the light and shadow changes, it can be said that the scenery is different and beautiful, and it is beautiful even if you take a photo casually. It is very similar to the world-famous photography attraction Antelope Canyon in the United States. Therefore, it is called "China" by many tourists. Antelope Canyon".

In addition, a small river will form at the bottom of the valley from April to August every year. It is said that it is the melting water of glaciers and snow on the Kunlun Mountains. All gone. Of course, since there is no sightseeing trail at the bottom of the valley, you can only drive an off-road vehicle with a higher chassis to wade through the water, but remind everyone to consider safety issues, it is best not to go to the canyon when the weather is bad.

End writes at the end

Every trip is a sublimation of self. This time all the way to the west, the same is true for reaching Golmud. Before arriving, Golmud was already on the list of must-see cards in my life, and I have been looking forward to it, and finally I have this opportunity. However, due to time constraints, there is no way to support the whole idea during the holidays, so we can only choose the most desired scenic spots in our hearts, to feel the most desired Golmud in our hearts, and to experience the dreamed Golmud! It is precisely because of this regret that I planted an ideal seed in my heart. In the watering of the days to come, I believe that I will have the opportunity to set foot here again. At that time, I will see a different Golmud. She said, "Goodbye!"