foreword

The Hexi Corridor in the northwest has always been my girlhood dream. The yellow sand here has blown through five thousand years and witnessed the rise and fall of countless civilizations. Only when you have really been here and walked into the deserted Gobi, can you experience the sadness that can never see the end.

Um. . . Let me translate the above words for you: Great Northwest! ! It was a place where the mounds on the roadside were hundreds of years old! ! It is an ancient poem that I have memorized since I was a child! ! It sounds very handsome, doesn't it! !

Write some information first, and those who want to guide can directly read this paragraph:

[Itinerary] I think we should have taken a very classic Northwest Ring Road this time.

Day1: Shanghai → Xining                                                                                

Day2: Xining → Kumbum Monastery → Atomic City → Chaka

Day3: Chaka Salt Lake → Keluke-Tuosu Lake → Delingha                                                                                

Day4: Delingha → South Eight Immortals → West Thousand Buddha Caves → Yumen Pass → Dunhuang                                                                                

Day5: Dunhuang → Mogao Grottoes → Mingsha Mountain → Yadan Devil City → Dunhuang                                                                                

Day6: Dunhuang → Jiayuguan → Zhangye Colorful Danxia → Zhangye                                                                                

Day7: Zhangye → Ancient Tombs of Jin Dynasty → Horseshoe Temple → Qilian → Menyuan                                                                                

Day8: Menyuan → Xining → Shanghai

[Traffic] It is recommended to start from Xining, and the total toll and fuel costs for the whole journey are less than 2K. I don’t remember the details. Since none of us are early risers, we drove some mountain roads at night. It was already 7 o'clock when we came out of Zhangye, the magnificent Biandukou. . . We only saw a night scene (just didn't see anything). I hope you guys don’t learn from us, it’s still quite tiring to drive on the mountain road at night. After all, in the mountains where you can't see your fingers, the air conditioner didn't work well when the windows were foggy, and you didn't dare to park casually. . . . Really scary. . .

[Accommodation] The accommodation conditions along the way are okay. If you must go out with 5 stars, I advise you to give up this itinerary. At least as far as Heimahe is concerned, the accommodation conditions are not up to your standards. Most of the time we stay in chain hotels. Since it is not the peak season, the average price is around 200 per night.

[Clothing] The temperature difference between day and night is large, so it is better to bring thick clothes. The sun is very hot at noon, so I have to wear sun protection clothing and hats, otherwise I will come back with 2 dark shades like me. Also, be sure to wear a mask or face towel to prevent sand. The wind blows up a mouthful of sand. Girls with long hair remember to wear a headband, the wind is really strong.

【Eat】Do you like meat? Do you like spicy food? Do you like noodles? Welcome to the Great Northwest~~~ Healthy eating? Haha, it doesn't exist! How about meat, please!

The caveat may be that. . . Drink plenty of water, but be sure to plan for moderate drinking. . . Let me explain this. Compared with the students in the south, the climate in the northwest is still a bit drier. Staying hydrated is important to prevent constipation. On high-speed and mountain roads, please calculate the distance to the next rest point and drink water appropriately. . . If you drink too much, it is really troublesome to find the toilet. . . Don't ask me how I know. . .                                                                                                                                                                                          

【cost】

5000 per capita (including air tickets, hotels, tickets, car rental)

【Some other tips】

1. The camera must have a dust cover

2. Mogao Grottoes need to be booked in advance, and the number of caves that can be visited in off-season and peak season is also different.

   Mogao Grottoes visit booking website: www.mgk.org.cn                                                                                

 You need to arrive in line 30 minutes in advance, and then watch two digital videos before taking the bus to enter. See the above website for specific fares.

D1: Shanghai - Xining

We took an evening flight to Xining. When we arrived in Xining, it was already midnight and we went to pick up the car after getting off the plane. It is a pity this time that in the itinerary, I did not leave half a day to go shopping in Xining. If you have enough time, you can consider flying to Xining during the day, take a stroll in the city, and visit the Dongguan Great Mosque and Beichan Temple. Beichan Temple should be a Buddhist temple, but now it is a Taoist temple. When I was doing the strategy before, I saw that it was being repaired all the time. I don’t know if it has been repaired now.

D2: Xining - Kumbum Monastery - Atomic City - Chaka

The next day is the official start of the journey~ It can be said that I am very excited. I went to bed at 12 o'clock the day before, and woke up at 5 o'clock on the first day. After eating a bowl of hot beef noodles downstairs in the hotel, we set off~~

The first stop is Kumbum Monastery, the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

Kumbum Monastery is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in China. It was founded in the tenth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty. The butter flowers, murals and pile embroidery here are very famous, so it is best not to miss them.

Tour guides are available at the entrance. We came here after doing enough homework, and we prefer to experience the fun of exploration, so we chose to play by ourselves.

In addition, it is forbidden to take pictures in the temple. For some believers who come to worship, I think it is better not to take pictures of others.

If you come to Kumbum Monastery, please be early. When we left the temple at 10 o'clock, there were already a lot of people, and the parking lot was blocked for a while. It is recommended that you park your car a little farther away and enter the scenic spot on foot.

On the side of the road molesting a small boob who was baptized by Buddhism.

After leaving Kumbum Monastery, we drove to the Atomic City on the Jinyintan Grassland. This is our country's first nuclear weapon development base, where our country's first atomic bomb and first hydrogen bomb were born.

It now looks no different from small towns elsewhere.

However, in the 1960s, on this vast grassland, the builders of the state-owned 221 Factory established China's first nuclear weapons development base. Most of the above-ground buildings are still intact today. The memorial hall is open to the public free of charge.

In addition, if you walk into a small post office in the town, you can reach the underground command center of the year, and you can also visit it.

In addition, Qinghai Lake is very close to Qinghai Lake, so many people will stay in the town for one night when traveling around Qinghai Lake.

After the tour, drive to Chaka for accommodation. Pass the Heima River to taste the big plate chicken in the Northwest! Really delicious!

D3: Chaka - Keluke Lake - Tosu Lake - Delingha

Chaka was still in the dry season in early May. Except for the water forcibly irrigated by the pump outside, you can hardly see any water surface when you go inside.

The realm of the sky... Of course it can't be photographed... I cried. Friends who like to take pictures go cautiously.

There is a small train in the tea card, but it is recommended that you can walk in along the rails, and go deep along the rails. There is a section of abandoned railway. There are fewer people here.

Although I didn't see the expected good scenery in Chaka, the scenery of Keluke Lake-Tuosu Lake is eye-catching.

The two lakes are very close to each other. Keluke Lake is an outflow lake, and the water of Bayin River flows into Tuosu Lake after staying in the lake.

The amazing thing is that although the two lakes are similar, they have completely different styles.

Keluke Lake is a freshwater lake with calm and clear water. Bayin River water makes the soil at the bottom of the lake fertile, and many fish live there. You can see that there are many locals fishing here.

Tosu Lake is a typical inland saltwater lake. The lakeside is covered with salt scabs, and even the roadbed has been eroded. Surrounded by the vast Gobi Desert. The lake is vast and the waves splash.

There is also a trail leading to the alien ruins near Tosu Lake. The road is blocked and the car cannot drive in. You can walk about 5 kilometers to reach the scenic spot.

But we didn't go in... Another scenic spot that we didn't go to.

D4 South Eight Immortals - West Thousand Buddha Caves - Yumen Pass - Dunhuang

After staying in Delingha for one night, we got up early in the morning. Our schedule today is very tense.

I have been driving almost all day today, on the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin, there will be two scenic spots along the way.

One is the famous Yadan on the water. When we drove there, there was a traffic jam on the road. At this time, it was the only traffic jam on the Qinghai Expressway.

After understanding it, I found that it started from the Shuishang Yadan Scenic Area, and only one car can pass, and the cars entering the scenic area began to line up.

Considering that it is the dry season and we are really tight today, we had to give up. We turned around and drove directly to another scenic spot - Nanbaxian.

Nanbaxian is not so much a scenic spot as a place.

Driving on the highway, you will see a small sign indicating that Nanbaxian is ahead.

The Yardan forest here is the largest wind-eroded soil forest group found in China so far. In 1955, eight female geologists entered here to search for oil resources. On the way back, they lost their way in this ghost city and slept forever in this ancient wasteland. To commemorate them, here is called "Southern Eight Immortals".

Thankfully, their sacrifice was not in vain. I still see the rig on the side of the road.

In order to prevent the tragedy from happening again, there are barbed wire fences along the way here to prevent entry. We can only stand on the small hills on both sides of the mountain and look at this land from a distance.

           

This section of the road is actually very long. We set off almost at 6 o'clock in the morning and drove for nearly 6 hours before finally arriving at the West Thousand Buddha Caves.

Of course, we got out of the car halfway to take a lot of pictures, haha.

There are very limited places to replenish on the road. It is recommended that you prepare food and water before departure, and fill up the gas.

The road conditions are very good, so don't worry about that.

The West Thousand Buddha Caves got their name because they are located to the west of the Mogao Grottoes. According to Dunhuang posthumous records, the excavation time of the West Thousand Buddha Caves should be earlier than the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. The murals and Buddha statues in it should be similar to the Mogao Grottoes system. The West Thousand Buddha Caves got their name because they are located to the west of the Mogao Grottoes. According to Dunhuang posthumous records, the excavation time of the West Thousand Buddha Caves should be earlier than the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. The murals and Buddha statues in it should be similar to the Mogao Grottoes system.

There are not as many tourists here as Mogao Grottoes, so I suggest you come here to watch first.

The free guide here is also a researcher of the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes Research Institute. The young lady who gave us the team leader even explained in Mogao Grottoes two days ago.

So their explanations are also very professional. Compared with the commentators of Mogao Grottoes, their explanations are more detailed and sufficient. And it also added a lot of knowledge to us about Mogao Grottoes.

Before leaving, take a walk along the Dang River to feel the warmth of the party, haha.

Next we went to the famous Yumen Pass.

"Why should the Qiang flute complain about the willows? The spring breeze does not cross the Yumen Pass." How many people yearn for the majestic but desolate and lonely scene in the Northwest because of Wang Zhihuan's poem?

But what I love more is Ban Chao's "I don't want to go to Jiuquan County, but I hope to be born in Yumenguan".

Yumen Pass was first established when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty opened the road to the Western Regions, and it got its name because it was the way to import jade from the Western Regions.

According to "Hanshu Geographical Records", Yumen Pass and Yang Pass, another important pass, are both located in Longle County, Dunhuang County. At that time, the traffic between the Central Plains and the Western Regions all took two passes, which were important military passes and Silk Road traffic arteries in the Han Dynasty.

The scope of the Yumenguan ruins is very large, and the scenic spots are open to the small Fangpan City, Dafangpan City and the Han Great Wall ruins around Danggusui.

After buying tickets for the scenic spot, you can see Xiaofangpan City along the passage.

Most people just stop here. but! ! Be sure not to miss the other two attractions. Because, the scope of Dafangpan City is much larger than the small Fangpan City at the entrance! ! Here is a comparison photo to give you a feel. This is Dafangpan City.

In addition, the Great Wall of Han Dynasty is also very worth seeing, you can almost directly feel the traces of time flowing on it. At that time, beyond the Great Wall, it was not our territory. In order to protect our people, this mound still stands after thousands of years of wind and rain erosion, and it still tells people the magnificence and prosperity of the Great Desert.

To reach the other two scenic spots, you can take the shuttle bus of the scenic spot, or ask the staff to guide you after buying the ticket.

After a day of intense travel, we finally arrived at the legendary and desirable Dunhuang.

The night market in Dunhuang is quite famous. After a tiring day, we finally had a good meal.

D5 Dunhuang - Mogao Grottoes - Mingsha Mountain - Yadan Devil City - Dunhuang

        

Today is pretty much the highlight of our trip.

Before entering the scenic spot, every tourist will be required to watch two short films to learn about the history of Mogao Grottoes.

Including the historical exhibition of Mogao Grottoes in the scenic area, you can learn about the past and present of Mogao Grottoes.

The Mogao Grottoes were first built during the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms. After the Yuan Dynasty, Dunhuang stopped opening caves and gradually became neglected and abandoned. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the Buddhist scripture cave that shocked the world was discovered. Unfortunately, shortly after the discovery of the cultural relics in the Buddhist scripture cave, Western explorers came one after another and used unfair means to plunder a large number of cultural relics in the Buddhist scripture cave, causing unprecedented catastrophe in the history of Chinese culture.

Hesitant to take pictures in the Mogao Grottoes, so I did not bring a camera.

There are no pictures for you to see here.

After leaving Mogao Grottoes, we came to Mingsha Mountain, an Internet celebrity attraction.

It is recommended that the friends who come here do a good job of sun protection... because the sun is really big... very dry.

It was noon at that time, without an umbrella, I almost walked to Crescent Lake, and then I felt that I was about to suffer from heat stroke.

So my trip to Mingsha Mountain can only stop at this beautiful Crescent Pavilion.

At the end of today, we still have time to go to Yadan Devil City to play around.

D6 Dunhuang-Jiayuguan-Zhangye Colorful Danxia-Zhangye

The itinerary on the sixth day was a little disappointing to be honest.

Because Jiayuguan is not fun at all. Although it is known as the "No. 1 Grand Pass in the World", the entire tower is newly built. For those of us who are used to seeing historical sites along the way, it was a bit disappointing.

But the colorful Danxia in the afternoon is very beautiful.

D7 Zhangye - Ancient Tombs of Jin Dynasty - Horseshoe Temple - Qilian - Menyuan

There are many lost ancient cities and ancient tombs along this Silk Road.

We often drive on the road and find that there is an ancient city wall on the side of the road, and then we go to find that it is a relic.

This ancient tomb of the Wei and Jin Dynasties was actually something we found on the map while driving, and then took a detour to see it. This ancient tomb complex has a tomb passage that can be entered. After entering, the staff will give you an explanation. It can be said that it is very considerate.

After leaving the ancient tomb, we went to the last attraction of this trip, the Horseshoe Temple.

Horseshoe Temple, also known as Puguang Temple, was built in Beiliang during the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the Sixteen Kingdoms period. It has been more than 1,600 years ago. Together with Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang and Yulin Grottoes in Anxi, they are called the three major art treasure caves in the Buddhist pagoda resort in Hexi.

We crossed the Qilian Mountains and arrived at Menyuan at night. In the Qilian Mountains at night, the night view is really beautiful. You can calm down and take pictures of the starry sky or something. But I didn't bring a tripod, and... down jacket... The outdoor temperature is about 0°C, so students who take pictures, please prepare for the cold.

The rapeseed flowers in Menyuan are not in bloom this season, so there are not many tourists.

D8 Door Source-Xining-Shanghai

The last day's journey was almost a rush. Although it was an 8-day trip this time, the actual playing time was only 6 days.

It is quite nervous to walk a loop in 6 days. Therefore, it is recommended that two people who can drive take turns to drive. Otherwise it will be too tiring.

To sum up a few regrets:

1. Chaka is a dry season, and there is no sky.

2. Due to time constraints, Yulin Grottoes, the three major grottoes in Hexi, did not go.

3. There was a traffic jam in Yadan on the water, so I didn't go.

4. Did not climb Mingsha Mountain.

All in all, it's a pretty satisfying trip.

Finally, I will present my favorite sunset in the Northwest as the end of this travel note.