foreword

Many people ask me, where is it better to go abroad for photo shoots and wedding dresses?
I thought for a long time, then Qinghai or Yunnan.
If you want to take that kind of atmospheric, natural photos, where do you go?
I thought about it, maybe Qinghai...
I will sort out the places suitable for travel photography in Qinghai that I have been to over the years, for the convenience of everyone
I believe you will be familiar with the slogan "Beautiful Qinghai".
As a popular travel destination for summer vacation every year, Qinghai has undoubtedly attracted enough attention.
Qinghai, Qinghai, Qinghai... This haunted place attracts me every year.
For most people, coming to Qinghai to play is nothing more than a week around Qinghai Lake, which is as fast as two days or as slow as three or four days.
Rapeseed flowers all over the mountains, the sapphire-like Qinghai Lake, and Qilian, known as Little Switzerland, are all the conventional routes of the majority.

Perhaps for the Northwest, the photos taken are always not as good as standing there to feel, especially when facing the endless Gobi, desert, and grassland. This feeling is like seeing beautiful scenery. To describe it as "the sunset and the solitary bird fly together, the autumn water is the same color as the sky", but I can only say "fuck, it's so beautiful". No matter how good the words are, I can't describe it, so this may also be the worst A photography guide.

Attached is the GPS record of this trip:
Route and itinerary
【route】

D1 Xining - Kumbum Monastery - Laji Mountain - Qinghai Lake - Black Horse River [Su Black Horse River]

D2 Heima River to watch the sunrise - Chaka Salt Lake - Delingha - Dachaidan 【Suite Dachaidan】

D3 Dachaidan - Qinghai Southern Eight Immortals Yardang landform - the most beautiful road - Aksay - Dunhuang [stay in Dunhuang]

D4 Mogao Grottoes-Singing Sand Mountain-Shazhou Night Market [Dunhuang]

D5 Departure from Dunhuang - Guazhou - Jiayuguan - Zhangye Colorful Danxia - Zhangye 【Suite in Zhangye】

D6 Zhangye - Biandukou - Qilian Prairie - Menyuan - Crossing Daban Mountain - Xining End trip

Regarding the large transportation, because the direct flight to Xining is a bit expensive, and the time may not be particularly abundant, it is recommended to fly to Lanzhou or Xi’an, and then take the train to Xining. It takes 1 hour from Lanzhou to Xining by train, and 4 and a half hours from Xi’an to Xining by train. Hour.

【Packing Items】

As an inland area, crossing the plateau (3000m above sea level) and the basin at the same time, you must consider the alternation of cold and heat, so although this trip is summer in July, you still need to bring a thin down jacket. For a rough guy, you don’t need it Like girls wearing beautiful skirts, everything is simple, convenient and comfortable, so I post a simple clothes I brought this time:

Some underwear and socks, one pair of long and short pants, three T-shirts, one thin jacket, and one thin down jacket

This time I did not bring electric toothbrush, toiletries and slippers, but after this trip, it is recommended to bring it with you if you have any, because the toiletries provided by the hotel where you live are not foaming, which is for me , No foaming, it feels like it hasn't been washed. . slightly embarrassing. . Slippers are for going to Chaka Salt Lake, it is best to have a pair of slippers
In addition to clothing, the rest is photography equipment:

Sony A7M3, Sigma adapter MC-11, Canon 17-40, 50 1.8, 70-200, Benro square filter (GND and ND), tripod, Godox flash and trigger

This time I carried a Manfrotto camera bag and dragged a 20-inch box, which was just enough to hold these. In fact, after thinking about it later, it was just right to bring so much, and it was not cumbersome. After all, when going out to play, I had to think about dragging With such a big suitcase or something, my mood may be a little bit discounted. Sometimes when I go on a trip, I don’t necessarily bring a suitcase. A backpack is simple and convenient.
[Traffic] For friends who may be concerned about this Qingan-Gansu Ring Road, they will inevitably find information about chartered cars (carpooling). In fact, as long as you are traveling in the northwest and southwest, you will basically find chartered cars. You will see chartered cars on various travel platforms such as the Qingan-Gansu Ring Road, the Gannan Line, the Northern and Southern Xinjiang, and Tibet. In fact, my personal suggestion for chartered cars and car rentals I still prefer chartered cars for the 7-day loop line. The chartered cars have 5, 7, and 9 seats (both include the position of the chartered driver), including fuel costs, tolls, personal seat insurance, driver's board and lodging, etc. In order to avoid advertisements, if you need information about Xiao Ma, please private message me or leave a comment. I will reply when I see it. Xiao Ma is a very nice person, has good driving skills, and has a good chat. He also prepared cold medicine and high anti-drug. Yes, very sweet.
Leave a contact with Brother Xiao Ma here, you can find him if you need it!

Little Ma "186-9710-0650"


[Fee and Tickets] The total cost this time is about 5K or less. Sorry, as a lazy person, I really don’t want to calculate it accurately. . . I just want Ge You to lie down. .
In fact, when traveling, the largest proportion of the cost is the cost of transportation and accommodation. This time, a chartered car is added, so it is estimated that it will be within 5K.
About tickets
In the Kumbum Monastery in D1, there are a group of people who will let you scan their codes and buy tickets at a discount at the place where you buy tickets on your mobile phone. It seems that buying one ticket is not a discount. It is cheaper to buy two tickets. 142, that is, 71 per person. So you can compete with your peers to buy, and there will be a little discount.
Qinghai Lake in D1 has an official area and a private area. Because the lake is very large, it is impossible for the official to enclose the entire lake as a scenic spot, and there are original residents by the lake, so these original residents enclose their own land. Then charge, the official price is not clear, this time it is a private area to play, the fee includes the Qinghai Lake and their own rapeseed field, if you charter a car to go in, Xiaoma can help you negotiate the price, normally, by yourself Bargaining is also possible, but the range may not be very large.
Chaka Salt Lake in D2, you can buy tickets on WeChat, scan the QR code to enter the park, 69 per person, and the small train is 50 per person, I personally recommend taking the small train to enter and get out.
Dunhuang in D3, if you go to see "Encounter Dunhuang", the ticket price is 298 per person, if it is a chartered car, and a few friends, some are cheaper
For the Mogao Grottoes in D4, you must buy tickets in advance during the peak season, about half a month to a month in advance, remember to remember, but if you can’t buy a ticket, you can also consider buying an emergency ticket on the spot, as if there is a single day in the peak season , 1.2W tickets are issued every day, and the normal ticket is 200 per person. Search the Mogao Grottoes official account on WeChat.
Mingsha Mountain in D4, you can buy tickets on WeChat, scan the QR code to enter the park, 120 per person.
Jiayuguan in D5 requires tickets, but we didn't go in, so I forgot how much it cost per person.
Zhangye Danxia landform in D5, ticket + sightseeing car 74 per person, the inside is very big, sightseeing car is necessary, but it seems to be included in the ticket. .
You can basically pay with your mobile phone for the entire loop, but I personally recommend that you prepare some change, because some places are not very good for mobile payment, such as renting sand-proof shoe covers at Mingsha Mountain.
-Day1, 2: Xining Well, I arrived in Xining two days earlier this trip, so it is -Day1, 2
Originally planned to go to Xining on July 1, and start the loop line on July 2. According to the plan, I went to Chaka Salt Lake on the 3rd, but on June 30, I saw a notice that the opening time of Chaka Salt Lake was changed to 3 pm that day. , That is to say, if you enter the park at 3 pm, it will completely delay the subsequent itinerary, so I discussed with Brother Ma that the loop line will start on the 3rd, which also contributed to my companionship with 6 other friends, so I changed the booking Return air tickets and train tickets, so I spent two days shopping in Xining.
When I first arrived in Xining, the weather was bad and it was raining. I stayed in the hotel for a long time and finally waited until the rain stopped. Taking advantage of the rain, I went to the famous Dongguan Mosque and Nanguan Mosque, just in time for worship. , to feel the power of faith.

Because of the showers, the time is very limited. Taking advantage of the rain, I took some photos in a hurry. After a while, the rain started again. I had no choice but to go back to the hotel. It rained all day the next day, and also It’s not small, I didn’t bring a camera rain cover this time, so I just went back to the hotel after shopping
I went to Mojia Street in the middle. To be honest, the snack streets in China are all similar but slightly different. This may not even count as a snack street, so I don’t recommend it.
If you want to eat, you can try the beef noodles. To be honest, it is really delicious. A bowl of beef noodles costs 7 yuan, plus a piece of beef (adding a piece of meat costs about 7 yuan), I feel that I can eat two bowls. .
Day1: The first day of the official itinerary of Xining-Tar Monastery-Laji Mountain-Qinghai Lake, because I live in the urban area, and the other 6 companions live near Caojiabao Airport, so Brother Ma picked me up first , and then go to where they live to pick them up. In fact, I was lucky this time. Originally, there were 7 of them, 5 girls and 2 boys, but because one of the boys with them couldn’t come because of something, I happened to come over and share a room with another boy to pick them up. We went straight to Kumbum Monastery.
I once suspected that this time it might be a photography group. In addition to the equipment I brought, they also brought 2 SLRs, 1 mirrorless camera, 3 lenses and a drone, so there are all kinds of photos in the back, and The girls in the company all have a sense of camera, so I am very glad to be with them.

【Tar Monastery】
The weather was not beautiful. When we arrived at the Kumbum Monastery, it rained heavily. We decided to put the camera in the car and just visit it. So this time, we didn’t take many photos of the Kumbum Monastery. It’s a pity.

【Laji Mountain】
This is a mid-way scenic spot. The altitude of this mountain is still a bit high. Brother Xiao Ma said that the altitude is 3800m, so if you guys come here, remember not to run, it is easy to short of breath. In particular, it is very cold on the mountain, especially It was still raining lightly when we came, so it was very cold. Remember to wear a down jacket, otherwise you will be frozen like a dog like us. . .

【 Qinghai Lake 】
Originally holding the regret that Qinghai Lake might not be able to take pictures due to rain, I drove to Qinghai Lake, but when I was about to arrive, I found a blue sky above Qinghai Lake, and suddenly felt hopeful. As expected, the weather was clear when we arrived at Qinghai Lake A lot, although there are still large cumulus clouds, but as long as it does not rain, it is a good thing.
As mentioned earlier, Qinghai Lake is divided into official areas and private areas. Brother Xiaoma took us directly to the private scenic spots. We also excitedly rushed to the Qinghai Lake with our cameras and equipment, and started the moment of patting At the same time, the blooming rapeseed field next to Qinghai Lake is also a good location for filming.
Tips:
1. Divided into official and private areas.
2. The private area includes the lakeside and the rapeseed field, and you can shoot on both sides after paying the money.
3. If you choose a private area, remember to bargain.

Basically, due to the time constraints on the first day and the bad weather, I didn’t take too many photos. I rushed to the Heima River and stayed there. The Heima River is also at a relatively high altitude, so I can lift the pillow a little when I sleep at night. Sleeping at a high point is convenient for the smart IQ to regain the high ground. .
Day2: Chaka Salt Lake was raining that day, so the sunrise of the Heima River could not be seen. Since there was no need to get up early, everyone slept late to recover from the tired day yesterday and the slight high reaction state, and then drove directly. The key scenic spot, Chaka Salt Lake.
It may be due to good luck, so the weather in Chaka Salt Lake is very good. I planned to play in Chaka Salt Lake for 2 hours, but I played for almost 4 hours without knowing it. Sure enough, places with good scenery always make people linger. As an Internet celebrity Of course, various shots are indispensable in the punching place. The girls put on various bright skirts and pose in various poses in the Chaka Salt Lake.
It should be noted that it is best to wear slippers when going to Chaka Salt Lake, but there are also shoe covers that can be rented inside. The shoe covers are not completely waterproof, so you cannot wear shoes inside. Still pretty good on rocks.
Tips:
1. You can take a small train to enter and exit, or take a battery car to exit after reaching the realm of the sky.
2. If you can, it is best to bring slippers, the rented shoe covers are not waterproof, and they still hurt your feet.

Shamelessly take a selfie

Due to time constraints, I originally agreed with Master Ma for 2 hours, but I insisted on playing for almost 4 hours. In fact, most of the time was wasted in the part entering the center of the lake, because there are many people in the peak season, and the near shore is overcrowded. In order to take some pictures Where there are relatively few people, we will walk into the lake with water flowing. Here we also remind friends who want to enter the center of the lake. When walking, do not go to the dark place. There are salt pits there. If you step on it will sink. And this time because it was after the rain, the water level rose, which also slowed down our progress, resulting in wasting most of the time on the road. In fact, there are several salt lakes in the scenic area. After playing this time, I don’t recommend the innermost salt lake, but the bottom station of the small train, because there are a lot of air foam floating on the lake, which can’t reflect the sky very well, but there is an abandoned area. The railroad tracks are also very nice. There is a salt lake called the Realm of the Sky, and the small train seems to be the second stop. Although there are more people, the lake is indeed much cleaner, and it is worth taking pictures.
Tips:
1. Do not approach the black part of the lake.
2. The water surface of Sky Realm is much cleaner.

After Chaka Salt Lake came out, I dragged my tired pace and drove to the place where I stayed the next day, Dachaidan. I took some pictures of no-man’s land on the road, which is still very vast. Dachaidan is the most expensive accommodation in this itinerary. In some places, a standard room is about 500+, which is slightly more expensive. .

After breakfast on the third day, I went directly to the Yadan landform. This is not a scenic spot, but a large landform landscape. I really feel the sense of loneliness in the northwest. Not much to say, just put the picture directly

【Yardang Landform】

Day3: Yardang landform - the most beautiful road - Dunhuang

【The most beautiful road】
After the Yadan landform came out, it took less than a short drive to arrive at the most beautiful road. It was a little rainy and very cold at that time. Everyone got out of the car without wearing thick clothes, and went directly to the road to take pictures. There are two roads, one side There are not many cars, but you must pay attention to safety when taking pictures, and keep an eye on the passing vehicles.

【 Dunhuang 】
Along the way, there were all kinds of high, all kinds of dryness, all kinds of poses, and all kinds of shooting. Although the weather was always gloomy and it rained a little from time to time, it didn't affect Lang's mood at all. After shooting the most beautiful road, I went directly Dunhuang.
The hotel has opened a room and rested for a while. This time, the place to live is next to the Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area. It is less than 200m to walk to the entrance of the scenic spot. You can see Mingsha Mountain from the balcony. Put your things away. After resting, go straight to the hotel Go to see "See Dunhuang Again" at 8:00 p.m. Here, I strongly recommend that everyone must go and see it. It is very spectacular and shocking. The ticket price is 298. If there are many friends in the same group, there will be a discount. This time The team tickets bought by Master Ma are about 20 cheaper per person. Although the ticket price for a relatively ordinary performance may be a little more expensive, it is really worth the money. Out of respect for the performance, I used my mobile phone to take pictures this time. There are a few pictures, but I really don’t have time to take pictures, because the performance is really great, I don’t want to be distracted to take pictures at all, the five-star praise is well received.

After watching the performance, I went back to sleep directly, to replenish my energy, and continue to spend time tomorrow.
Day4: Dunhuang-Mogao Grottoes-Mingsha Mountain-Shazhou Night Market Here I would like to remind friends who are going to Mogao Grottoes that tickets must be bought in advance, especially in peak seasons. You can make an appointment to buy tickets on the WeChat official account.
Mogao Grottoes have timed sessions. This time I went to Mogao Grottoes, because I didn’t discuss with my friends before, so the time was staggered. The 6 of them had a session at 11 o’clock, and I had a session at 12:30. After entering, you have to watch two movies first. To be honest, since I watched "Encounter Dunhuang" the day before, these two movies seem really boring, especially the second dome movie. I feel sleepy watching it. The people around me basically They are all asleep. The first session is about a general Mogao Grottoes, and the second session is a digital exhibition of several special caves in Mogao Grottoes. For some reasons, many special caves in Mogao Grottoes are closed. But you can also find out on the Internet that the soundtrack of the movie is also a lullaby. If you don’t care about it, I personally think that these two movies can be skipped. If you watch it, it will take an hour.
After watching the movie, take the shuttle bus in the scenic spot to go inside. It takes about 20 minutes on the road. After arriving, you can see the panorama of Mogao Grottoes and go to the gate to line up. The way to visit here is to provide guides. Each person is equipped with an earpiece. The tour guide speaks through the microphone and directly enters the earpiece of each tourist. Therefore, you must walk closer to the tour guide. Otherwise, if you fall behind and cannot hear the explanation, you will come in for nothing. To be honest My tour guide was very good and detailed. The other one is that each group of tourists brought by each tour guide basically takes a different route, but each group will see 8 caves. The advantage is that it greatly avoids the crowding of tourists in each group, but the disadvantage is that, because You can't choose the cave you want to visit. Maybe you come in the same route, maybe it's not the same, but basically, you can get a basic understanding of the culture and content of Mogao Grottoes.
Tips:
1. Buy tickets in advance.
2. You can skip watching movies.
3. Tour guides are randomly assigned, follow the tour guide closely.

Because photography is not allowed in the cave, I simply took a picture of the scene outside with my mobile phone

It took about 1 hour to visit the Mogao Grottoes. After the end, return the earphones to the tour guide, but if you want to buy some souvenirs, you can continue to follow the tour guide. The tour guide will lead you. I didn’t go this time, but the companion My partner went and bought some scarves, which are still pretty.
After visiting the entire Mogao Grottoes, go to the gate by car. The gate of the Mogao Grottoes is basically the same as the previous day's "See Dunhuang Again", not far away.
【Singing Sand Mountain】
After returning from the Mogao Grottoes, I went to the hotel to rest for a while. At that time, it was about 4 o’clock. Because the summer in the northwest is long, it will not be dark until about 9 o’clock in the evening. Therefore, the sun is still very hot at 4 o’clock, so I choose Take a break and go to Mingsha Mountain at 6:30. It should be noted that although the sun is still very hot at 6:30, it seems that the ticket sales will stop at 7:00. As for whether there is time to enter the park The restrictions are not clear, so it is best for everyone to buy tickets to enter the park between 6:00 and 6:30.
I entered Mingsha Mountain at 6:30 and was still in the sun, so sun protection is essential, so I went in directly wearing a jacket. The sand in Mingsha Mountain is very fine. Be careful not to drop your mobile phone, camera, etc. on the sand. It is easy to get into the sand. If possible, put a plastic bag on it. A waterproof and sandproof camera case is even better. The lens is the best If so, just bring one, because it is very inconvenient to change the lens if you bring too much, and the loss outweighs the gain if it gets into the sand. There are sand-proof shoe covers for rent, 15 yuan, no deposit required, this shoe cover is better than Chaka Salt Lake, you can wear shoes, and the protection effect is not bad, at least I basically didn’t get sand in the shoes I ran and jumped inside , but you can also wear slippers directly, but it should be noted that if you wear slippers, if you want to drag slippers, you must keep the slippers well, because if they are buried in the sand, it will be difficult to find them. Because I went to play on the sand with bare feet, the slippers were buried in the sand, and it took me a long time to find them.
Tips:
1. In summer, the days are longer, and it is suitable to enter the park around 6:30 in the evening. If it is later, you may miss the time limit for buying tickets and entering the park.
2. Take good care of your mobile phone and camera, and wear a waterproof and sandproof cover if possible.
3. There are sand-proof shoe covers for rent, and you can wear slippers, but you must keep the slippers and other small items in case they are buried in the sand and cannot be found.
4. Because there are helicopters and paragliders, the use of drones is prohibited in the scenic area.

【Shazhou Night Market】
It was almost 9 o'clock when Mingsha Mountain came out, and I was hungry, so I went directly to the Shazhou Night Market.
Shazhou Night Market is a variety of food stalls. As a Northwest specialty, barbecue is essential. I chose a barbecue stall near the intersection and ate it directly, but the price is really expensive. The 7 people didn’t drink, and they didn’t eat too much. , I spent a small 700 yuan, the taste is okay, not particularly good, but not bad, if you don’t particularly care about this place, you don’t have to eat here, but you can also feel it, and in While eating, from time to time, you will come across a flash mob event promoting "Encounter Dunhuang", where a group of people dance next to you, which is quite interesting.

After eating, I went back directly. I originally planned to think that the northwest sky is relatively pure and less polluted, so I brought a tripod to prepare for shooting the starry sky. However, it was cloudy a few nights ago, and today it suddenly cleared up. I took this opportunity to try I took a picture of the starry sky. To be honest, I’m really not good at taking pictures of the starry sky.

Day5: Zhangye Danxia landform

More than half of the itinerary has passed, and I feel a little sad when I think that it is about to end. .
On the fifth day, this time the focus was on the Danxia landform. I passed by Jiayuguan, but according to the online reviews and Mr. Ma’s opinion, I didn’t think I was particularly looking forward to it, so I didn’t go to Jiayuguan in the end. I just walked around the gate. The Bell Tower, the number one pass in the world, is inside the scenic area and cannot be seen from the outside, so I didn’t take pictures, and went directly to Zhangye Danxia Landform.

【Zhangye Danxia Landform】
This scenic spot is not like the Yadan landform. The Danxia landform is enclosed, but the place where we live is next to the edge. In fact, we can stand on it to have a look, but it is not high, it is all small slopes, and we cannot see the whole picture. , so we opened the room, had something to eat, and went in directly. There is also a time limit here, so don’t be too late, but if you haven’t finished the visit that day, you can take fingerprints at the exit, and the next morning (specifically a few days) I forgot) you can enter the park again, but you have to pay the fare. There is nothing else to pay attention to, because there are helicopters, so drones are still not allowed. After entering, you need to take a shuttle bus. It seems that there are 3 or 4 lines, but the stops are the same, but the entrances and exits are different. I remember that there are 4 stations. I entered from the north gate, so according to the staff As I said, the view at the third station is the biggest, and the view at the fourth station is the most beautiful, but I'm not sure, you can ask the staff if you go in.
Tips:
1. The ticket seems to include the shuttle bus fee.
2. The lines are different. Among the stops, one of the stations has the largest view, and one station has the most beautiful view. You can ask the staff.
3. There is a time limit. There will be staff clearing the venue at night. It is estimated that 1-2 hours will be enough to play. It is a good time, but you can take your fingerprints and enter the park again the next morning.
4. Because there are helicopters and paragliders, the use of drones is prohibited in the scenic area.

Put a long panorama that can treat cervical spondylosis, and it is better to watch on mobile phones

Hmm, the filming is over, let's go out to eat and watch the World Cup. . Although it was over when I wrote this travel note. .
Day6: Qilian Grassland-Xining is the last day of the itinerary, mainly on the return trip, and then passed through the Qilian Grassland on the road. In fact, besides the grassland, I saw a lot of rapeseed fields nearby, so it was mainly for the ending. , The friends even struggled with the look for several days, but they didn't have the strength to come out to shoot again, and they basically caught up in the car.

Additional itinerary - Lanzhou

At this point, the 6-day and 5-night itinerary of the Qingan-Gansu Ring Road is over. Because it is a rebooking, I directly rebooked three days after the end, thinking that after all, I have come to the Northwest, so I will go to Lanzhou after the end. Anyway, the train It was only an hour, and I came to Lanzhou to experience the authentic Lanzhou beef noodles.
Lanzhou Raiders will not go into details. I went to Zhongshan Bridge and Baitashan Park. In Baitashan Park, you can overlook the entire Lanzhou city. It is still very spectacular. The night view of Zhongshan Bridge is very good at night, but Baitashan Park is closed at night. It is a pity that the city night scene cannot be photographed.

Color an egg
This Lanzhou ramen is not authentic at all. How can authentic Lanzhou ramen have such thick meat? .

epilogue

A trip to the Northwest Ring Road has a lot of feelings. If you don’t come to the Northwest, you really don’t know the beauty of China. There are a lot of urban disturbances and hustle and bustle, and there is more space and atmosphere. More importantly, it is far away from smog and dust. , more return to the beauty of nature, there are grasslands, Gobi, deserts, and starry sky. This is not like the place where I lived and grew up since I was a child. Only here can I know smallness and humility. Finally, I am very grateful to Master Ma for the carefully arranged journey to take us around Qinghai. A very caring chartered driver next time I go to Qinghai, I will ask Master Ma to give him a thumbs up.

Although it is the conclusion, it is actually the beginning of another journey.