There is such a beautiful line, which combines vastness, wildness, depth, gentleness and tenderness.
It is lonely, vast, savage, desolate, silent but full of vitality. Many people have a soft spot for it and want to explore the ultimate beauty.
She is the Great Northwest. I heard that going to the Great Northwest Ring Road once is equivalent to having 10 trips!
The Great Northwest was called the Western Regions in ancient times. In the beautiful and magnificent frontier, how many heroes have defended the frontier and bathed in blood on the battlefield;
The Great Northwest, on the rooster-shaped territory of our country, is a tall and huge tail, accounting for about one-third of the motherland's area.
Great Northwest, it is a land favored by the heavens, carrying all-encompassing beauty: snowy land, desert sea, barren beach, Gobi, grassland, grottoes, Yadan, Danxia, mountains, lakes, flowers, holy temples... ···
In the Northwest, the loess-like desolation is just its background color, which is actually breathtakingly colorful: mountain green, lake blue, grass green, snow mountain white, Yadan red, rape flower yellow, desert gold...
Great Northwest, it will let you fall into a gorgeous dream: mirror lake, flower sea, ghost city, no man's land, lonely city on water, oil painting landscape, colorful paradise, prehistoric wilderness...
Turn the book through the millennium and witness its long-lasting elegance with the sun and the moon.
Recommended itinerary
Day1: Xining→Tar Monastery→Riyue Mountain→Qinghai Lake→Heimahe Township
1: Kumbum Monastery
In Huangzhong County, 25 kilometers away from Xining, there is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in my country. Because the pagoda was first followed by the temple, it is called "Ta'er Temple".
It is built on the mountain, with nearly a thousand Buddhist buildings, large and small, revealing a kind of peace and stability in its majesty and magnificence. Thousands of years have passed, and the incense is still strong. The devout believers in the temple, chanting scriptures and worshiping in front of the Buddha statue, are silent and firm.
Riyue Mountain
Xining to Qinghai Lake will pass by a prestigious mountain, which has a beautiful name - Riyue Mountain.
Above the high mountains, the vast mountains, rolling dark clouds, the wind blowing wildly, the colorful prayer flags danced wantonly, and some colored debris kept falling off, like the aura scattered from the sleeves of the fairy dancing.
There are rolled up sand and stones in the air, flying to the skin, but there is no fear.
Qinghai Lake
The "blue sea" above the plateau presents different degrees of blue and blue, as if dyed by the blue sky, and the eyes are cool.
Sunshine, white clouds, flowers, breeze, lake water, flying birds, and tourists in various clothes all together constitute this beautiful dynamic picture scroll.
There isn't a lens wide enough to accommodate it except for the eyes.
black horse river
What kind of sunrise have you seen? Whether it's on top of a mountain or by the sea. In Heimahe Township near Qinghai Lake, there is an unmissable sunrise spectacle.
At the dawn of dawn, standing quietly by the Qinghai Lake, the blue-purple dreamy sky with gray-blue clouds floating, the yellow and white waning moon can be seen faintly in the sky, and the white noise from the entanglement of wind and lake water is full of ears, which is light and pleasant.
The moment the sun breaks out of the horizon, everything is silent and everything shines.
Day2 Heimahe Township → Rubber Mountain → Chaka Salt Lake → Keluke Lake, Tuosu Lake → Dachaidan Lake
rubber mountain
On the way to Chaka Town, you will pass an alpine meadow, which is Rubber Mountain.
Under the warm sunshine, cattle and sheep are walking and grazing leisurely, and seeing passers-by flick their tails expressionlessly, as if to say that they are the masters of this mountain.
The emerald green straw mats on the side of the road are dotted with wild flowers of various colors, and in the distance is a vast grassland scenery, which belongs to the romance and style of the Northwest.
Chaka Salt Lake
Have you ever imagined the scene of soaring above the nine heavens? Maybe the dream will lead you to Chaka Salt Lake.
Opening his hazy eyes, the uneven blue sky was under his feet, and large swaths of clouds passed by, and he saw his astonished face when he looked around.
There are also blue sky and clouds above the head, as if standing between two days of chaotic world, everything becomes within reach.
3. Keluke Lake, Tosu Lake
Keluke Lake and Tuosu Lake, some people say they are lovers, some say they are sisters.
Keluke Lake is small, delicate and clear. Birds hover over it for a while, stirring up the lake water, and then fly to the reed branches to play with it.
Tosu Lake is a kind of cool beauty. Because it is a saltwater lake, there are fewer aquatic animals, plants and plankton. The lake is wide and open, the mist is vast, and the water and sky are the same color, which is quite spectacular.
Dachaidan Lake
If Chaka Salt Lake is a mirror, then Dachaidan Lake is a piece of emerald, deep green, emerald green, light blue, with a sense of layers, pure and thorough. From a distance, it looks like a piece of uncarved jade.
White clouds, blue sky, mountains, Gobi... When viewed from the shore, everything looks like a layer of filter, no matter how rough and lofty the scenery is, it becomes fresh and beautiful.
Day3: Dachaidan Lake→Qinghai Yadan→Qaidam Basin→South Eight Immortals
Qinghai Yadan
The strange Yardang landform is located on the lake, and there are isolated islands surrounded by mountains, stretching their bodies arrogantly on the lake, fearless of wind erosion.
They are isolated from each other, have their own place, and enjoy themselves leisurely. The color of the surrounding lake is changing, delicate and gorgeous.
2: Southern Eight Immortals
On the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin, there is one of the largest Yardang landforms in the world, the Southern Eight Immortals.
Standing in it, there is a strong wind, sand and stones everywhere, the wind shuttles between the hills, and the piercing whimpering sound resounds in the ear, as if falling into a foreign world where monsters are running rampant, and there is a kind of excitement at the same time of fear.
Day4 Southern Eight Immortals → Yangguan → Yumenguan → Yadan Devil City → Shazhou Night Market (Dunhuang)
1: Yangguan
Yangguan, known as "one man guards the gate, no one can open it", eventually lost to the baptism of time, its glory was washed away and faded into the long river of history.
Standing in front of the dilapidated city, it seems like thousands of years ago, the mighty general stood on the city, overlooking thousands of soldiers and horses, and made bold words before going out to the battle.
yumen pass
The famous sentence of the ages "Why should the Qiang flute complain about the willows, the spring breeze never crosses Yumen Pass", which made Yumen Pass famous.
The preservation of such a building full of traces of time is itself a gift of history.
On the flat and open plateau, the sky is its background, vicissitudes and isolation. You have to think hard about the hustle and bustle you once had.
Yardang Devil City
Yadan Devil City is located in the no man's land of Haixi Prefecture. Here, apart from the Gobi, there are weathered rock mounds.
The earth mountain peaks have been eroded into different shapes, and there are thick blue-gray gravels on the surface, which are mottled and weird one by one.
They are of different sizes and postures, including city walls, streets, buildings, squares, churches, sculptures... It's hard not to guess that this was once a city where people thrived and lived well for generations.
4: Shazhou Night Market
Many natural landscapes in the Northwest are viewed during the day, so come here at night.
In the famous Dunhuang Night Market, all kinds of snack shops and shops are open until the early morning, one by one.
Come here, let you eat all the authentic traditional delicacies of the Northwest: yellow noodles with donkey meat, roasted naan, simmered noodles, lamb skewers... maybe your taste buds will take you to experience a different Northwest style.
Day5: Mogao Grottoes → Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring → Guazhou → Jiayuguan City → Zhangye Danxia (Colorful Danxia, Binggou Danxia)
1: Mogao Grottoes
The Mogao Grottoes, known as the "Thousand Buddha Caves", stand silently on the cliff at the east foot of Mingsha Mountain, majestic, majestic, majestic and sacred.
There are countless flying apsaras, murals, and Buddha statues inside, and the Zen nature exuded makes people believe that it is the world of Buddhism.
Under the gaze of the truth, people will involuntarily restrain their worldly edge, regardless of age, gender, or skin color, as if their minds have returned to their childhood, full of awe and innocence, and listen to the silent guidance of the Buddha.
2: Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring
Mingsha Mountain is a group of hills formed by the accumulation of quicksand. The slope is gentle and gentle. When the sun is not shining, it is vast and far away, with a constant alienation and majesty.
When the sunshine comes on the scene slowly, it becomes sacred and precious, the wind passes by silently, and there is a thin gauze mist suspended.
Surrounded by Mingsha Mountain, Crescent Moon Spring looks like a crescent moon. The spring water is not affected by wind and sand, and the blue waves are clear.
It is like an existence outside the rules, the "Moon Goddess" in the desert, exquisite and beautiful.
3. Jiayuguan Guancheng
Climb to Jiayuguan and look around, the scenery in each direction is different.
Inside the pass, there are exquisite layouts of government offices, theaters, and temples; outside the pass, the wind is blowing, the sky is clear and clear, and the eyes follow the thousand-year-old road to the unknown; .
To the south is Qilian Mountain, which stretches for thousands of miles, and the snow on the top of the mountain never disappears; to the west is the boundless Gobi Desert, vicissitudes of life;
4: Colorful Danxia
When nature created this place, maybe it was a child, holding several paintbrushes and graffiti cheerfully.
Unsparingly, like splashing ink, swaying various colors of paint, the lightness and darkness of the color changes quietly, and instantly presents an amusement park that only exists in the world of fairy tales.
Most of the people who come here have innocent childhood dreams and want to return to their youthful days.
5. Binggou Danxia
Binggou Danxia, one of the "Top 10 Amazing Geographical Wonders of the World", has been derived from the Jurassic period to the present. The isolated and strange rock groups are steep and straight, continuous and magnificent.
Let the eyes attach to the window lattice-like palace-style lines, trace and touch over and over again, indulge in this great work, whether you can read a trace of prehistoric magnificence.
Day6: Zhangye - China's Most Beautiful National Highway 227 - Minle - Biandukou - Ebao Ancient Road - Qilian Mountain Grassland - Qilian Zhuoer Mountain - Qilian County
Biandukou
On the way from Zhangye Minle County to Qilian Mountain, you will pass through Biandukou, which was once called "Dadouba Valley" by the ancients. Through here, the warmth of the Hexi Corridor meets the coldness of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, creating the most beautiful scenery in the vast west.
When the rape blossoms are in full bloom, standing here among the flowers and looking at the other place, the cattle and sheep are leisurely, as if there are shepherds singing loudly in the distance.
The snow on the high mountain and the clouds are layered and docked, and different forms of matter are magically blended together. For a while, it is a little unclear whether it is the snow rolling in the sky or the clouds deposited on the top of the mountain.
2: Qilian Mountain Grassland
"Xue Haohao, the mountains are green, and there are good pastures under Qilian Mountain. There are herds of horses, tens of thousands of cattle and sheep here. The horses are fat and the cattle are strong, and the wool of the sheep is as bright as snowflakes."
Qilian Mountain grasslands have never been very distinct in four seasons. In summer, there are many nights of rain. In the early morning, you can smell the fresh fragrance of grass after the rain. Looking up, you can see the water mist hanging on the mountainside, like snow-white gauze, gentle and beautiful.
The sky is light blue mixed with white, the clouds are soft cotton white, the snow is silvery white on the top of the mountain, and the grass and trees are green with distinct layers... It satisfies the yearning for freedom and the mood is colorful sugar.
3. Drow Mountain
Known as the "Oriental Little Switzerland", Mount Zhuoer is located in the northeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Danxia landform makes it appear faint red, charming and noble. At the foot of the mountain, rapeseed flowers and green grass are in full bloom, yellow and green spread out along the way, and the vitality is infinite.
Standing at its highest point, you can look at the Niuxin Mountain on the opposite bank. There is old snow on the top of the mountain and a sea of green forest at the foot of the mountain. In the middle of the mountain is a transition zone of natural colors.
Day7: Qilian County → Gangshika Snow Mountain → Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers → Osaka Mountain Observation Deck → Black Spring Reservoir → Xining
1. Gangshika Snow Mountain
On the way to Menyuan, you will pass Gangshika Snow Mountain, which is said to be the Crystal Palace of the Queen Mother of the West, the first mountain god among the thirteen mountain gods worshiped by the Huare Tibetans. It stands proudly here, attracting countless walkers and believers.
The dark night is approaching, and the afterglow of the west is coming as promised. The fairy Caixia stops on the top of the mountain, graceful and graceful, looking forward to the brilliance.
Inadvertently leaking the light of the sky, the color of snow changes in an instant, light purple and deep red, crystal blue and dark green, like colorful auspicious clouds above the sky.
2. Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers
Rapeseed flowers can be seen everywhere, but Menyuan is the only rapeseed flower that covers an area of hundreds of thousands of mu.
The average altitude is above 3,000 meters, and the summer is still cool. No matter it is sunny or rainy, the fragrance of flowers always lingers in the nostrils, which is fresh and pleasant.
The village people are located in it, echoing the endless yellow sky, the clouds in the sky are extremely white, and the colors are fresh and vivid like oil paintings, just like a fairyland left in the world.
3. Desert
The Sahara Desert in Sanmao, the Taklamakan Desert in the ancient city, and the Tengger Desert in Wang Wei's "Desert Dust"... In the northwest, this is a covenant in the desert that you can't miss.
Do you have the feeling that the sand in the desert is no longer dirty dust, but a spar that symbolizes freedom, adventure, and detachment from the world, entrusting a certain idea.
The continuous golden sand sea, the sunlight reflects the light, and the wind passes by will cause layers of sand waves. It allows the natural force to control the shape, regardless of the details, decadent and unpredictable.
The night in the desert is so beautiful that people want to possess it forever. But quicksand is doomed to drift with the wind and cannot stay for people.
Hands behind the back of the head, looking up at the sky, the sand and soil lingering with the residual heat of the day, and the whispering wind in my ears, I can clearly see every star belt and every star cluster in the Milky Way.
Those crystal-clear planets looked at each other across light years. Although they didn't know much about them, the spiritual rendezvous at that moment was like a call from another world.
Go to the northwest, maybe it is not the flowery road with green mountains and green waters in the south of the Yangtze River, nor the romantic snowy road in the north, but it is a long road close to the soul.
