Old man, aiming for a thousand miles, thirteen days, nine thousand six hundred miles, travel notes around Ninggan and Qinghai

foreword

 1. Preparation before travel    

       In recent years, I have driven the West Sichuan Great Ring Road + Qinghai Guoluo, went to Tibet twice, walked through the most difficult Ali Dabei Line No Man’s Land Wasteland Road, and also drove Xinjiang twice by myself, on the Duku Highway, Karakorum The road and the Tarim Desert Highway are impressive. I think I have tasted the most beautiful scenery in western China, and I can’t find any more beautiful places in western China than Tibet and Xinjiang. For some reason, in recent years, there have been more and more friends traveling to Qinghai and Gansu in the WeChat circle of friends, especially the Qinghai-Gansu loop tour has become a popular tourist route. In this atmosphere, such an online celebrity slogan appeared: Tibet It is a charming drug, Xinjiang is an addiction that cannot be quit, and Qinghai is just a magical medicine. She can not only cure the "Tibet poison" but also quit the "Xinjiang addiction". Of course she knows this It’s just a kind of exaggerated noise, but it also makes people like us who think we have traveled all over the country’s great rivers and mountains have a little more curiosity and longing for Qinggan. We have already walked an important section of the Silk Road, the Hexi Corridor. The idea, coupled with the benefit of more than ten days of high-temperature vacation every summer, in terms of time and climate conditions, it is a suitable travel destination to take the Qingan-Gansu Ring Road. After having this idea, I quickly discussed it with my companions and hit it off. This year’s high-temperature vacation, let’s go to the Gansu-Qingqing Ring Road to pull weeds. Combined with the length of our vacation, we decided to take Gannan, which has also been very popular in recent years, along with the Gannan-Qinghuan Road, and decided on the approximate route and time. Finally, we started to prepare for the most critical way of travel, because we have had many self-driving experiences, and according to the collected information, we must have chosen self-driving, but in order to save time, we chose to fly first and then rent a car locally as usual. The way, every July and August is the peak tourist season in Qinghai, Gansu, and there is basically no discount for direct flights to Xining, Qinghai, but there are more flights to Lanzhou, Gansu, with relatively more discounts, and the distance from Lanzhou to Xining is more than 200 It takes more than two hours to drive at high speed, and the starting point to Gannan also starts from Lanzhou, so we chose to fly to Lanzhou first, rent a car in Lanzhou, go to Gannan first, and then go to Gannan The Gansu-Qingqing Grand Ring Road, but often the plan will never catch up with the changes in reality. I plan to book a flight ticket to Lanzhou in mid-June. For various reasons, I hesitated for two or three days. The round-trip ticket from Shanghai to Lanzhou suddenly increased from 1700 to 800. The increase was more than 500 yuan, and it would cost more than 2,000 yuan for four innocent people in two or three days. Feeling unwilling, I decided to change my way of thinking. A little lower, the price of the flight from Shanghai to Ningxia Yinchuan is currently around 1600 to 700 yuan, and Yinchuan is more than 400 kilometers away from Lanzhou, and the driving time on the expressway is about five hours. There is an episode of the Shapotou Tourist Area in Zhongwei, where the Yellow River and the desert coexist. I have been here more than ten years ago, and I have a deep impression on it. Except for the three people in my company, I have never been here, so I came here by the way. It is a good way to get the best of both worlds by exchanging the time and distance for money with a card. In this way, on June 20, I hurriedly placed an order and booked a flight departing on July 31 and returning on August 12. After the air ticket is confirmed, press down another important tool to quickly prepare for travel. Self-driving vehicles, because July and August are the peak tourist season in the Northwest, and the rent of vehicles from car rental companies is not to mention expensive, and there are not many models to choose from, so you must go early Let’s start, according to the road conditions of our trip, although most of them are expressways, the road conditions are good, but Qinghai, which is located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is the second highest place in China except Tibet, and Gannan has introduced from the strategy. The road conditions in many places are poor, there are many gravel roads and muddy roads. I have experienced the road conditions when driving in western Sichuan. Therefore, driving on high-altitude areas and poor roads in Gannan still requires a power. A better SUV is more suitable. Finally, according to various factors, I rented a most modern IX35 (2019 model) 2.0T white Tucson SUV. I would also like to remind everyone here that the car rental must be done early. We booked a car at Yix about a month before the trip. Later, we paid attention to Yix and other car rental companies. As time goes by, the models There are fewer and fewer choices, and the prices are getting higher.

Second, our itinerary

        After getting the big traffic and car rental vehicles, we finally adjusted and determined the detailed itinerary after several discussions, because the date of our trip is July 31. From the information collected from various aspects, the Ganqing Great Ring Road The last important point to watch is that the best flowering period of Menyuan Baili Rapeseed Flower Sea is around July 20, and the best flowering period is about two weeks before and after, and the end of July has come to the end of the flowering period, plus July and August It is the peak tourist season of the Gansu-Qingdao Ring Road, and most tourists visit in a clockwise direction. Therefore, based on the above situation, in order to catch up with the last tail of the Menyuan rape flowering period and to avoid the large passenger flow, we decided to put the visit to Gannan at the end. , choose to visit the Gansu-Qingsu Ring Road in a counterclockwise direction first, because we have made this tour itinerary, we have carefully considered the route and found an important piece of information, because we are traveling around the Qingan-Gansu Ring Road in a counterclockwise direction, click here The plan is to go back to Lanzhou at the end and then go to Gannan, but we found on the map that there is a road that goes directly to Xiahe in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture without going back to Lanzhou after taking the ring road to Xining, Qinghai. This road is much closer than going back to Lanzhou There are few roads, and then carefully read the guides written by tourists who have traveled this route. It is completely feasible to take this road, and this road finally brought us an unexpected harvest. We have seen the largest Danxia landform in China: located at the tip of Qinghai The strange mountains and rocks in Zakambra National Geological Park also saw the tumbling of mud and sand, and the raging Yellow River water here changed from yellow to blue, and finally turned into a wonderful scene of green ribbon. In addition, because of traveling counterclockwise, avoiding the long queues of traffic on the opposite road, and because of the adjustment of the time, although I did not see the most blooming rapeseed flower sea in Menyuan, I still caught the tail of the sea of ​​flowers. ...In addition, we are still in the process of actual driving, according to the time and road conditions, we have added the Golmuchal Khan Salt Lake that was not originally included in the circular plan.

Our specific itinerary:

D1 (July 31): Shanghai - Yinchuan, Ningxia, stay at Yinchuan Jinfeng Wanda Plaza Sunshine Apartment Hotel

D2 (August 1st): Yinchuan - Zhongwei Shapotou (225km) - Lanzhou (340km), visit Shapotou, Lanzhou Zhengning Road Night Market, stay at Lanzhou Feitian Mercure Hotel Baiyin Road Branch.

D3 (August 2nd): Lanzhou-Qinghai Menyuan (350km)-Qilian Zhuoer Mountain (151km), passing by Menyuan Daban Mountain Observation Deck, visiting Menyuan Yuanshan Flower Viewing Platform, traveling along the Qilian Mountain Grassland, staying in Qilian County Zhuo Shang B&B.

D4 (August 3): Qilian - Sunan (180km) - Zhangye Colorful Danxia Town (88km). Visit the Qilian Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area, Sunan Horseshoe Temple, and stay at Suoxing Hotel in Colorful Danya Town

D5 (August 4th): Zhangye Colorful Danxia Town - Jiayuguan (215km) - Dunhuang (372km). Visit the colorful Danxia Scenic Spot in Zhangdi, Jiayuguan Pass City, Cantilever Great Wall, Crescent Moon Spring Scenic Spot in Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain, and stay in Dunhuang Linsha Xiaoyuan Homestay.

D6 (August 5): Dunhuang - Mogao Grottoes. Visit Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring in the morning, visit Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in the afternoon, visit Shazhou Night Market in the evening, and stay at Holiday Hotel in Dunhuang.

D7 (August 6th: Dunhuang - Qinghai Dafangdan Emerald Lake (about 348km) - Chaerhan Salt Lake (154km) - Golmud City (65km). Visit Dajiandan Emerald Lake, Golmud Chaerhan Salt Lake, stay at Golmud Goldfish lake hotel.

D8 (August 7): Golmud City - Chaka Salt Lake (447km) - Qinghai Lake (149km) - Xining (162km). Tour (view Chaka Salt Lake from a distance), visit Qinghai Lake, and stay at September Holiday Hotel, Wanda Plaza, Xining Haihu New District.

D9 (August 8): Xining-Jianhou Kanbula National Geological Forest Park (118km)-Gannan Xiahe ((161km). Tour the Kanbula National Geological Forest Park, travel along the Ganga Grassland, and stay at Xiahe Oudan Hotel .

D10 (August 9): Xiahe - Langmusi (182km) - Zhayana (93km). Visit Labrang Monastery, Sangke Grassland, Guomang Wetland, Langmusi Town. Stay at Zhagana Ecotourism Hotel.

D11 (August 10): Zhayana - Min County (189km) - Lanzhou (251km). Visit Zhayana Scenic Area and Lazikou Scenic Area. Stay at Super 8 Hotel Lanzhou (Yantan Branch)

D12 (August 11): Lanzhou - Yinchuan (428km). Visit the Iron Bridge of the Yellow River in Lanzhou, Baitashan Park, and the Reader Magazine Office. Check in Yinchuan Jinfeng Wanda Plaza Famiiy Apartment Hotel

D13 (August 12): Yinchuan-Shanghai. Visit Xixia Royal Tombs and South Gate Square. go home.

3. Points to note about the hotels and scenic spots we stayed in

      Let me talk about our stay in hotels for 12 days in this itinerary: After confirming the round-trip air tickets and the general itinerary, we began to pay attention to the hotels along the route from various travel platforms. We knew that July and August are the peak tourist season here, but we did not expect The hotels along the way will be so tense and so ridiculously expensive. Except for Yinchuan, economic chain hotels like Home Inns and Super 8 in Xining and Lanzhou cost 300 to 400 yuan. There are a few places along the way: Qinghai Dachaidan, Cha Along the Kayan Lake and Qinghai Lake, the general inns are very expensive. The conditions are very poor, but the price has caught up with the price of a five-star hotel, and it may not be possible to book. Based on the above situation, we decided on the hotel for this trip based on actual needs. Generally choose economical hotels, the price is between 200-400. Because it is already 9-10 p.m. when we arrive at the hotel after dinner every day, and we will leave around 8-9 p.m. the next day, so we just sleep at night. There is no need to choose a hotel that is too luxurious. In Xining, Lanzhou, Yinchuan tried to book a hotel located in the commercial center of the new urban area. The environment is better, travel, and food are convenient. Later, we booked hotel-style apartments in Wanda Plaza in Yinchuan and Xining. Because the journey is long and there are uncertain factors, so don’t rush to book, and try to avoid the three hotspots along Qinghai Dachaidan, Chaka Salt Lake, and Qinghai Lake. We booked Yinchuan, Lanzhou, and Qinghai one week before departure. Qilian hotel.

       On the first day, we stayed at Jinfeng Wanda Plaza Sunshine Apartment Hotel in Yinchuan. Although it is located in the new urban area of ​​Yinchuan City, the surrounding environment is very good. It is convenient to travel and there is no traffic jam. There is a big mart supermarket in Wanda Plaza downstairs from the hotel. Prepare supplies for us before going out It brings a lot of convenience, and the food street in Wanda Plaza is rich in variety and has a large selection, while the apartment has large rooms and a fashionable design style. The price is around 170, which is super cost-effective.

       Lanzhou booked Feitian Mercure Hotel which is located less than three or four hundred meters away from the famous Zhengning Road Night Market for one night. This is a local economic chain hotel with good facilities. According to your parking location, the service is very good, the breakfast is good, but this hotel is very popular and in short supply, and we didn't book it when we returned to Lanzhou.

       On the third day, we booked Zhuo Shang Bieyuan in Qilian Zhuoer Mountain, which is a homestay category. It is next to the Zhuoer Mountain Visitor Center. We booked two best-located view rooms on the second floor, facing the Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area. The room is large and the view is first-class. Watching the sunset from the room is the best choice. The restaurant in this homestay is also good, but because it is a Muslim restaurant, you can’t drink alcohol, but you can still work around it. After discussing with the boss, the wine will not be poured in the restaurant. In cups and bowls, they can also accept it.

       There are many accommodation options in Zhangye. I booked this hotel named Suoxing in the colorful Danxia town two days in advance. There are many single-family villa-style buildings in the whole town, which are clean and beautiful, completely subverting the view of the northwest town. In my view, the key is that it is very close to the North Gate, the main entrance of the Colorful Danxia Scenic Area, and the hotel also provides free shuttle service from the hotel to the gate of the scenic spot. It is also very close from the hotel to the food street, only two or three hundred meters away.

       Dunhuang, an oasis in the desert, is one of the hotspots of this trip, but the construction of tourist facilities here is relatively complete, and the accommodation options are relatively convenient. On the first night in Dunhuang, we stayed at the Farm Inn in Linsha Xiaoyuan, Crescent Town. This inn It is located next to the Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area, and it takes only five minutes to walk to the Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area. The decoration of this inn is relatively simple, and the surrounding people are all raising camels for camel caravan business. The hotel is surrounded by camel pens, which has a strong taste , The camel caravan started to do business early in the morning, and camel bells sounded around, the experience is not good, and the price/performance ratio is poor. On the second day, I stayed at the Holiday Inn in downtown Dunhuang. The facilities are similar to budget hotels, but the location is good, not far from the famous Shazhou Night Market.

        After leaving Dunhuang, in order to avoid the outrageous Dachaidan and Chaka Salt Lake in Qinghai, where the hotels are tense and expensive, and according to the actual situation such as scenic spots, road conditions, and driving time, we changed a short itinerary and did not stay in Dachaidan. After going to Chaerhan Salt Lake from Dachaidan, I stayed in Golmud City. Golmud is located in the central and western part of Qinghai Province and the hinterland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. As an important town on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it is connected to Tibet in the south, Xinjiang in the west, and Gansu in the north. There are not many tourists here, and the accommodation conditions here are relatively good. . The Golmud Goldfish Lake Hotel we stayed in is located on the main road of Golmud. It is convenient to travel. There is a barbecue restaurant with a good reputation among locals next to the hotel. It is one of the best barbecues I have eaten during the whole trip.

        Also in order to avoid the expensive and tense accommodation by the Qinghai Lake, we gave up visiting the Chaka Salt Lake and wandering around the Qinghai Lake (of course, the bad weather is also a very important reason), but rushed back to Xining, I stayed at Wanda Plaza September Holiday Hotel in Haihu New District. The hotels there are basically newly built. The Xining Food Festival is being held nearby. There are too many delicious things. The hotel we stayed in is very nice and the room is big , facilities are also readily available, cost-effective.

        After leaving Qinghai and returning to Gansu, the first night of staying in Gannan was the Odan Hotel next to the Labrang Monastery in Xiahe. It is a Tibetan-style hotel. The hotel is clean and tidy. It is close to the Labrang Monastery and the surrounding commercial facilities are all available. , It is convenient to eat, but the hotel room is on the third floor, the stairs are narrow, and there is no elevator. On a plateau with an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, it is really difficult to climb the third floor with a heavy suitcase.

        In Zhagana, we booked in advance and paid for an inn that cannot be refunded or changed. The main reason is that he took a fancy to his view room, but because we arrived late in Zhagana, we didn’t keep it for us, and finally transferred us. Go to another inn, here to remind everyone to confirm with the inn in advance.

        Due to the uncertainty of the road conditions back to Lanzhou, the Lanzhou Hotel did not make a reservation in advance. As a result, I searched a lot on various reservation platforms before I booked the Super 8 Hotel Yantan Branch, which is located in the center of Lanzhou. The price is not cheap, more than 300 In some places, you can live in three or four-star hotels, but the rooms are not bad, and the service attitude is also good. The key is that the free breakfast is arranged downstairs in the hotel. Sierra is a relatively good chain beef noodle restaurant in Lanzhou. palace.

       On the last night back in Yinchuan, I stayed in Jinfeng Wanda Plaza. I wanted to go to the Sunshine Apartment Hotel where I stayed, but there was no room. Fortunately, there are many similar hotel apartments in Wanda Plaza, and I finally stayed in Famiiy located in the same building. Apartment hotel, the price is similar, but it is slightly worse than the Sunshine Apartment I stayed in earlier, and overall it is not bad.

       One of the important attractions in this northwest tour is the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. I know that the tickets for this attraction are very tight and the price is not cheap. The tickets for the Mogao Grottoes are divided into two categories: A and B. Tickets for category A must be booked one month in advance. , only 6,000 tickets are sold per day (you can visit 8 caves), and type B tickets can be bought on the spot (if you are lucky) 12,000 tickets per day (only 4 caves can be visited). Mogao Grottoes adopts online booking, just pay attention to Mogao Grottoes on WeChat. After we book the air ticket and plan the general itinerary, we quickly pay attention to the official account of Mogao Grottoes. In this way, we booked a class A ticket on WeChat. Each ticket needs Identity verification and name system, ticket price 238 (180 yuan for Mogao Grottoes + 48 yuan for Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center + 10 yuan for transportation to and from Mogao Grottoes), and you can pick up the ticket at the Dunhuang site with your ID card when you make the reservation. I wanted to make a reservation in the morning to avoid the high temperature at noon, but we only booked until 12 noon one month in advance. Therefore, if you come to Dunhuang in July or August and want to see the Mogao Grottoes, you must book online one month in advance.

     Tickets for many scenic spots in this itinerary are relatively humane. For the convenience of tourists to watch the sunrise and sunset in the scenic spots of Zhang Wei Colorful Danxia and Qilian Zhuoer Mountain, the tickets can be entered and exited twice, and Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Spot You can enter and exit multiple times within three days, so if you plan to re-enter when leaving the venue, you must not be afraid of trouble, line up at the exit to brush your face, so that you can quickly enter the scenic spot by swiping your face the next day.

       What impressed me most during this itinerary was Qilian Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area and Jianzha Kambula National Geological Park. These two scenic spots are not well-known outside, but they are actually worth visiting. Qilian Zhuoer Mountain is a paradise for photographers. After passing the strange land of Cambra, everything is just a cloud when I go to see other Danxia Mountains. So if you have time, leave a day here. It’s not far from Xining to Jianzha Kanbula, and it takes more than an hour to drive here. Because the Kanbula scenic spot can drive into the scenic spot after 2 p.m., you can go by boat first. Look at the Danxia landform on the water, and then drive into the scenic spot by yourself and take a slow tour. In this way, you can save the shuttle bus fee of the scenic spot, and you don’t have to go on a horse to watch the flowers.

       It is said on the Internet that the scenery of Chaerhan Salt Lake is very beautiful. In fact, except that there are fewer people, the lake is larger than Emerald Lake and Chaka Salt Lake, and the color is not as good as Emerald Lake. You can’t take pictures of the sky mirror similar to Chaka Salt Lake. If you have been there Emerald Lake is also planning to go to Chaka Salt Lake, so there is no need to go to Chaerhan Salt Lake. Besides, this is still a factory area, and you will be disappointed if you come to Chaerhan Salt Lake.

      Also, according to personal experience, the colorful Danxia Scenic Spot and Zhayana Scenic Spot do not need to get up early to take pictures of the sunrise, but should watch the sunset. The scenery of these two scenic spots at sunset is far more beautiful than that at sunrise.

      Ningxia Shapotou Tourist Area, like many tourist attractions in China, has blocked the gate to a place nearly ten kilometers away from the original core scenic spot. To enter the scenic spot, you must transfer to the scenic spot bus. Not to mention the expensive bus tickets, it is inconvenient to delay time, but the scenic spot There is a country road more than 100 meters to the left of the gate. You can drive directly into it. Don’t pay attention to the locals next to you (these are the solicitors of the farmhouse), and drive directly to the gate of the real Shapotou Scenic Area less than 2 kilometers away. There are security guards here to prevent the door from entering, but there are many farmhouses here, we chose one to eat first, then parked the car in the farmyard, and then asked the farmhouse owner to pick us up to the scenic spot for free.

      The road from Xiahe to Zhayana and from Xiahe to Langmusi was well repaired, but shortly after passing Langmusi, the S313 provincial road (belonging to the section of G345 national highway) in Hongxing Township was closed due to road construction, and one-way traffic was released once every two hours. We waited here for more than two hours. The section of the road from Hongxing Township to Diebujiang section was full of dust, landslides and landslides everywhere. The 313 Provincial Highway, which is less than 80 kilometers away, opened After nearly three and a half hours, it was difficult for a car with a low chassis to pass in the dark. From Zhagana back to Lanzhou, you can choose S313 to detour back to Lanzhou via Min County instead of this section. The whole journey is more than 420 kilometers, most of which are provincial and national highways. The section of S313 from Musi to Diebu is much better. The expressway from Minxian County to Lanzhou has not been repaired, so the total driving time will take nearly nine hours, so friends who are on the road must consider the time.

4. Experience and notices during the itinerary

        Qinghai and Gannan are part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with an average altitude of more than 3,000 meters, which is the second highest average altitude in China after Tibet, so there will be altitude sickness, and each person will have a different degree depending on their physical condition. It can be fully adapted. In places with relatively high altitudes, try not to do strenuous exercise, use smaller movements, drink more hot water, and eat rhodiola a week or so in advance, and then take oxygen-carrying tablets and oral glucose solution on the spot depending on the situation. such as.

      Most of Qinghai is an area with windy, little rain, dry, low air pressure, low air density, and strong ultraviolet rays from the sun. Please pay attention to sun protection; prepare sunglasses, sun hats, and sunscreen. In addition, the weather forecast is inaccurate, the weather on the plateau is changeable, and the temperature difference between morning and evening on the plateau is large, so you should bring enough warm clothes. The temperature difference between day and night in the Northwest is large. In July and August, short-sleeved jackets are worn at noon. It is still relatively cold in the morning and evening, so you need to wear thick long-sleeved jackets in the morning and evening.

      However, Ningxia, most of Gansu, and especially the Hexi Corridor are very hot under the scorching sun, and the average temperature during the day is above 35 degrees, so try to avoid activities at noon, especially if you enter the desert, it is best to do it in the afternoon After six o'clock, otherwise the desert will be too hot to stand on.

     Ningxia, Gansu, and Qinghai are areas inhabited by Muslims. Ethnic customs and habits must be respected. Especially in Qinghai, many halal restaurants do not allow alcohol. Friends who want to drink must ask first.

2019-07-31 Yinchuan

         Arrive at Pudong International Airport at noon to take the flight that departs at 2:00 p.m., and arrive at Yinchuan Hedong Airport three hours after departure on time. Immediately after leaving the airport, go to the Yix airport store next to the airport to pick up the Hyundai Tucson SUV we reserved. Yix’s The car is in good condition. This 2019 Hyundai Tucson has only driven more than 10,000 kilometers. After picking up the car, we rushed to the hotel we booked in Jinfeng Wanda Plaza in Yinchuan. I came to Ningxia 19 years ago. After I came to Yinchuan, I went to the Tombs of the Western Xia Kings, Shapotou of Zhongwei and Pingluosha Lake Scenic Area. It is full of mystery, and the sand lake in the desert is also full of fantasy scenes, especially Shapotou, where the Yellow River and the desert are entangled with each other, forming multiple and diverse magical worlds, like a beautiful secret place, On one side of Ningxia is a fertile plain, plugged to the south of the Yangtze River, and on the other side is a vast desert with turbulent wind and sand, which is fascinating and amazing.

       However, the urban area of ​​Yinchuan was very small at that time. In my eyes, it was about the same size as the county towns in the eastern coastal areas. The Yinchuan in front of me had undergone earth-shaking changes. The roads were wide and tidy, and there were many tall buildings everywhere. The city became bigger and bustling.

        An hour later, we came to Jinfeng Wanda Plaza, which should now belong to Yinchuan New District. The Sunshine Apartment Hotel we booked is in one of the buildings of Wanda Plaza. As a landmark building in the city, Wanda Plaza and every city square They are all the same, a commercial center is formed here, and the parking lot downstairs is the RT-Mart Supermarket. Let’s go to the RT-Mart Supermarket to prepare for the purchase of supplies for tomorrow’s departure, and then go to the hotel to check in. In fact, there is an apartment There are many hotels, and there are dozens of large and small apartment hotels on a building. The Sunshine Apartment Hotel we stayed in is relatively new, and the rooms are quite large. The decoration design style in the rooms is very fashionable, and the facilities are all available. The price of around one hundred and seventy is very cost-effective.

After checking in, it’s getting late, and we’re going to leave early tomorrow, so we didn’t want to go far, so we went to the food court in Wanda Plaza for dinner, and came to the food court on the second floor of Wanda Plaza, where we can eat various delicacies and snacks There are so many things to see. When you come to Ningxia, you must eat local delicacies. I saw a traditional Liupanshan restaurant with the famous Yanchitan mutton, so I chose this one. I ordered hand-caught mutton and a few special snacks. It tastes good. After eating, I went back to my room early to rest because I had to hurry tomorrow.

2019-08-01 Yinchuan - Shapotou - Lanzhou

      Early in the morning, I was in a good mood looking at the bright sunshine outside the window and the Yinchuan New City surrounded by high-rise buildings. I really couldn’t recognize Yinchuan. After checking out, I went to a snack bar that received rave reviews on xx reviews. Breakfast, this is Ningxia's special snack. Most of the small shops are locals, and the taste is good. A large bowl of haggis is rich in content. After a full meal, we officially started our Ningganqing itinerary. The transportation in Yinchuan It was very smooth, and soon crossed the wide road of Jinfeng New City, drove onto the expressway and headed for our first destination, Zhongwei Shapotou Tourist Area.

        After three hours, I arrived at the Shapotou Scenic Area. I was not allowed to drive in. I had to park in the parking lot outside. It turned out that the gate was blocked to a place nearly ten kilometers away from the real Shapotou Scenic Area. To enter the scenic area, I had to change to a scenic bus. Not to mention the expensive bus ticket, it is inconvenient to waste time. This kind of routine is everywhere now, but we saw a country road more than 100 meters to the left of the gate of the scenic spot, so we decided to try our luck and drive directly in. Don't pay attention to the locals next to you (these should be soliciting customers from farmhouses), and drive directly to the gate less than two kilometers away from the real Shapotou scenic spot. There are security guards here who will never let you in again, but there are many restaurants here. Farmhouse, it was lunch time at first glance, we chose a family to eat first, there is free parking for meals here, and free delivery to the entrance of the scenic spot. This village should have been designed as a whole, the environment is better, and the architectural design is more unified.

      After lunch, the owner of the farmhouse sent us to the entrance of Shapotou Scenic Area. It was noon and the temperature here exceeded 35 degrees. We first visited the Yellow River Scenic Area and walked to the Yellow River Area. You can buy it. There is the largest natural sand skiing field in China, the "No. 1 Cable in the World on the Yellow River" across the Yellow River, the ancient waterwheel represented by the Yellow River culture, and the sheepskin raft, the oldest transportation tool on the Yellow River. At the top of the desert ladder, stand on the top and overlook the Yellow River. The banks of the Yellow River are full of green, yellow sand, green trees, and the Yellow River. The willows dotted into a delightful touch of green in the desert, and the Yellow River formed a unique 290-degree turn here, forming a wonderful shape of Tai Chi Yin Yang Bagua. Standing on the top of the mountain, facing the Yellow River in front, overlooking the mountains and overlooking the plains, the natural scenery is extremely peculiar, majestic and grand in scale. Shapotou is a collection of deserts, Yellow River, mountains and oases. The scenery is beautiful, and it is said that if you are lucky, you can see the rare mirage in the desert.

     The desert area to the north of Shapotou is the vast Tengger Desert. The parking lot for the shuttle bus to the desert scenic spot is just outside the gate behind the top of the slope. Here you can see the Baolan Railway (Baotou to Lanzhou) protected by iron fences. ). The Baolan Railway passes through the Tengger Desert between Zhongwei and Qiantang. The entire line runs 140 kilometers in the desert. It is a famous desert railway. In order to protect the smooth flow of the railway, the desert control work here is also carried out at the same time. The protection system has ensured that the Baolan Railway has been unimpeded for 50 years. Note that this achievement is very remarkable! Desert railways in many countries have affected train traffic due to poor desert governance, and eventually abandoned railway operations. Protect the environment, transform the environment, create the environment, give praise to the people who have been controlling sand for 50 years, tourists can also ride camels across the Tengger Desert, take off-road vehicles to surf the sand sea, and enjoy the lonely smoke in the desert and the setting sun on the long river within a short distance Wonders, appreciation. We can only appreciate the unspeakable beauty, but unfortunately we have set our destination today in Lanzhou, which is more than 300 kilometers away from here, and did not go to the desert scenic spot.

      After playing for more than three hours, we went straight to Lanzhou from the Shapotou tourist area. After leaving the Yingpanshui toll gate in Ningxia, we entered Gansu. The terrain along the way became deep and steep. The loess with a loose structure is continuously carried by the water to the lower reaches of the Yellow River, the riverbed continues to sink, and steep cliffs and high slopes are spread all over, forming the typical landform features of steep cliffs and plateaus on the Loess Plateau. There has been little rain in Gansu in the past dynasties, and the green on the hillsides has gradually decreased. From time to time, red sandstone and conglomerate have been eroded by flowing water all year round, and the Danxia landform formed after the soil layer collapsed and the rock layers were exposed. It can be seen that Gansu also had a humid and rainy climate in ancient times. Lanzhou is surrounded by bare loess mountains with no grass growing. There is no tree beside the expressway. The bare red soil occasionally has clusters of weeds on the hillside. There are few people, and the feeling of desolation and emptiness arises spontaneously. Precious, Lanzhou's Ring Expressway is built by excavating mountain tunnels in the surrounding mountains. Occasionally, you can get a glimpse of Lanzhou city in the gap between the two tunnels.

       When the lanterns first came on, we entered the urban area of ​​Lanzhou with dense traffic and congested roads. The road traffic in Lanzhou is too complicated, which is definitely a test for us outsiders. Following the navigation, we finally arrived at the Feitian Mercure Hotel we booked. The hotel service is good. Under the guidance of the hotel staff, we first parked the car in the free parking lot where parking spaces are scarce. Feitian Mercure is a local hotel chain in Gansu. The location of Feitian Mercure Baiyin Road is very good, with convenient transportation. It is very close to Zhengning Road Snack Street, and not far from the most prosperous Zhangye Road and Eurasian Department Store.

        After check-in and hastily put down the luggage, the group couldn't wait to go to Zhengning Road to find something to eat. Although it is already nine o'clock in the evening, the snack street is full of people, bustling with people, and the nightlife here has just begun.

        Zhengning Road Night Market is a representative street of snacks in Lanzhou. During the day, Zhengning Road is just an ordinary street with few people here and there, but in the evening, the street becomes lively, and mobile booths are set up on both sides of the street like a magic trick. , Crowded and crowded together, one by one, a bustling night market sprung up. There are countless delicacies here, brightly lit all night, snacks, stalls, pasta, fruits, dried fruits, Cold drinks abound, because it’s getting late and I’m hungry, so I find a shop at random, and order the most kebabs and grilled fish here, as well as haggis, and then a few drafts of Yellow River draft beer and a few bottles of Yellow River King beer , To be honest, the taste of kebabs is too ordinary, the grilled fish is not very good, and the haggis taste is not bad. The hottest thing here is the local specialty dessert of Lanzhou in China-milk egg fermented glutinous rice. There are many snacks on the street. , They all say that they are the most authentic ones. Before coming here, I read the guide saying that No. 68 is the most authentic, and No. 44 is also good. I saw that the queue for No. 68 was too long, and I had to wait for at least an hour. The next best thing was to go to No. 44. Also waited for nearly forty minutes to arrive. This dessert is not as simple as pouring milk into the fermented glutinous rice. In order to achieve sweetness but not greasy, and a moderate consistency, the ratio of the three main ingredients must not be sloppy. It must be made and sold in small pots. Finally, sprinkle a handful of dried fruit, goji berries, or raisins. After eating strong-flavored kebabs, grilled fish, and haggis, this dish of milk and egg fermented glutinous rice tastes really good. It’s almost early morning after eating, and there are five more tomorrow The journey of more than 100 kilometers is waiting for us, so we hurried back to the hotel to rest.

2019-08-02 Lanzhou-Xining-Menyuan-Qilian

       After eating the hotel's buffet breakfast in the morning, we set off quickly. We passed through the urban area of ​​Lanzhou, where the roads were very congested in the morning. We took the expressway from the south of Lanzhou and headed towards Xining, Qinghai. After three hours, we passed by and looked at the surrounding environment. It is obviously better than the Xining suburb of Lanzhou. Turn on the Ningda Expressway and continue to drive for more than 30 kilometers. Get off the expressway in Datong County. From here, take the G227 National Highway and head towards Menyuan. After passing the county, you can see that the time is past noon. After a quick meal at the roadside shop, continue on the road, and immediately start to enter the Panshan Highway, passing the Heiquan Reservoir, which is the source of water supply to the entire Xining area. Without parking, the road is getting more and more steep, and the altitude is getting higher and higher. High, soon came to the tunnel in Daban at an altitude of 4000 meters, not long after exiting the tunnel, there is the Daban Mountain viewing platform, this 227 National Road, is the most beautiful self-driving road in the northwest where you can meet rapeseed flowers and Gobi unexpectedly, July is the season when Menyuan rape blossoms bloom, and it is also the most beautiful time on National Highway 227. The so-called Baili Rapeseed Flower Sea kicks off from the viewing platform of Daban Mountain. It is located at the junction of Datong County and Menyuan County in Qinghai Province. Daban Mountain Observation Deck is one of the most beautiful viewing platforms in Qinghai. Daban Mountain means mountains and mountain passes in Mongolian. Not only can you see large rapeseed fields in summer, but you can also see yellowed alpine meadows in autumn. If the weather is good, this is one of the best places to overlook hundreds of thousands of acres of rapeseed flowers. However, today’s weather is not clear, and it may be that the best flowering period has passed. The color of the rapeseed flower sea is not very bright, but it is still It has brought a shock to our vision, the earth is like a huge yellow carpet, and the road built by the mountains is like a streamer dotted among the mountains, dreamlike and exciting.

       Going forward, the scenery on the roadside is getting better and better, but you can't stop. After driving for more than 20 minutes, you came to the roadside of Qingshizui Town (another big town in Menyuan). There is a road sign called "Yuanshan View" It is said on the Internet that it is a good place to see rapeseed flowers. We came to the Yuanshan Observation Deck, which is different from the Dabanshan Observation Deck just now. You need to buy a ticket to enter. In fact, the Yuanshan Observation Deck is this The only high slope in the surrounding area, you can look down at the flower fields from a high position. Climbing up to the viewing platform of Yuanshan, you can see flowers blooming on the hillside of the sea of ​​flowers. Against the backdrop of the picturesque field roads and quiet villages, the rapeseed flowers in Menyuan have a variety of forms in the south of the Yangtze River in February. In the large yellow rapeseed flowers , dotted with patches of green highland barley, connected with a sea of ​​rape flowers, the endless yellow with the green trees dotted in between, has become the most beautiful scenery, and under the reflection of the blue sky, white clouds and snow-capped mountains on the plateau, here The sea of ​​rapeseed flowers also has an overwhelming Northwest spirit, a sea of ​​flowers, a charming oil painting, just like God overturned the palette, making Menyuan so stunning, and making summer so brilliant, It is impossible to imagine how vast the sea of ​​rapeseed flowers can be here, and how romantic the midsummer in July and August can be. In this far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, we are looking for a deep inner peace. This is the beautiful Qinghai in midsummer. This is Qinghai Menyuan in midsummer, this is the most dazzling golden color in midsummer, Menyuan makes us fascinated! Menyuan is really worth a visit!

        After coming down from the Yuanshan viewing platform, we continue to move forward. The snow-capped mountains we saw on the Yuanshan viewing platform just now are getting closer and closer. This high mountain is Gangshika Snow Mountain. Feng, there is a small road next to National Highway 227. From the road signs, we still have to drive a lot of roads. Because we have to rush to Qilian County today, we looked at it from a distance and continued on.

       At an intersection called Ebao, we left National Highway 227 and turned into Provincial Highway S302. From here, we have penetrated into the hinterland of the Qilian Prairie. The roadside is an endless green prairie, and the rolling hills make the grassland It is scattered and orderly, and occasionally a small river meanders in it, giving off a different kind of aura. Groups of white, red, blue, and yellow goats roam freely on the grassland. The Qilian Mountains connected to the grassland are still covered in silver, but the grassland is covered with blue waves, dotted with horses, cattle, and sheep. Among them, the scenery is peculiar! It is so beautiful that it is indescribable, the feeling of openness is really great, very pure and crisp, the grassland of Qilian Mountain was rated as one of the six most beautiful grasslands in China in 2005 because of the "beauty of blending", the grassland here is characterized by hills , snow-capped mountains, emerald green mountains, flat grasslands, and embellishments of artificial reservoirs, the grasslands are full of layers, friendly and lovely, and artificial reservoirs add color to the grasslands. As we get closer and closer, the cedar trees, grasslands, rivers, and red cliffs along the way, together with the blue sky and white clouds, compete with each other to form various beautiful pictures, as if to welcome people from afar. It is called the little oriental Switzerland. In fact, the scenery here is not lost to Switzerland.

       In the evening, we came to the Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area, which is located on the northeast side of Qilian County, on the north bank of the Babao River, and across the river from the holy mountain Ami Dongsuo (Niuxin Mountain) in the Tibetan area. The reserved Zhuo Shang Bieyuan is in Zhuoer Next to the Mountain Visitor Center, this is a family-owned inn, but the view from the room is better than that of a 5-star resort. We booked the second best-located view room on the second floor, facing Zall Mountain scenic area, the room is very large, the window to the south is a sea of ​​yellow flowers, and the window to the north is Niuxin Mountain. It is the best choice to watch the sunset from the room. The B&B has its own restaurant. We sat by the window of the restaurant and watched The superb scenery outside the window, enjoying local delicacies under the afterglow of the setting sun, isn’t it really the life we ​​dream of at this moment?

2019-08-03 Qilian - Horseshoe Temple - Zhang Wei

       In the early morning, I opened the curtains and saw that the eastern sky was covered by a thick layer of clouds. It seems that watching the sunrise today is useless, so hurry up and go back to sleep. After breakfast at the B&B in the morning, we came to the Zhuoer Mountain Visitor Center next door and took the scenic sightseeing car to start today’s tour. Ten minutes later, we arrived at the gate of the Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area and got off the sightseeing bus. We climbed up along the wooden plank road in the scenic area. Seeing the fields of rapeseed flowers in the morning light, the smoked houses, and the quiet mountains, everything looks like a baby just waking up. I can't help but be moved by the beauty of nature. Zhuoer Mountain is also a Danxia landform, and the exposed parts of the mountain are all red The sandstone is layered and interlaced with the green grassland, which is very beautiful. With the forest sea, rapeseed flowers, villages and county towns on both sides of the mountains, the scenery has a strong sense of hierarchy and is very popular among photographers.

       Zhuoer Mountain is 4,300 meters above sea level. We climbed to the top of the mountain and stood on the top of the mountain and looked around without any obstruction. The gentle grassland connected the modern buildings with red roofs and white walls and the snow-covered Niuxin Mountain. On the background, it is like a natural picture scroll. The delicate charm of the south of the Yangtze River is perfectly combined with the rough and magical north. Ershan is close to the Babao River and faces Niuxin Mountain, the Shenshan Mountain in the Tibetan area. On the left and right sides are Ladong Gorge and Baiyanggou Scenic Area. On the back is the rolling Qilian Mountains, and near the foot of the mountain are golden yellow rapeseed flowers. Together with the green highland barley fields, the grasslands on the hillside are full of unknown wild flowers, the exposed red cliffs are still welcoming guests in their true colors, and the snow-capped mountains in the distance are accompanied by looking at them. Under the blue sky, they together paint this beautiful Qilian sky. Zhuoer Mountain is full of beautiful scenery, and the view is extremely wide like a fairyland, which is refreshing.

        Reluctantly leave Zhuoer Mountain, return to Zhuo Shang Bieyuan, return to the way yesterday after checking out, come to meet and accompany the beautiful Qilian Prairie, Qilian Mountain Grassland, one of the six most beautiful grasslands in my country , located in the Qilian Mountains at the junction of Qinghai and Gansu, is a high-altitude grassland. Grasslands, white clouds, flocks of cattle and sheep, snow-capped mountains, herdsmen and tents smoking from cooking constitute its beautiful picture. Driving on the road across the prairie, the sky is vast and wild, looking at the herds of cattle and sheep on the mountains and grasslands, you can only sigh the magic of nature's creations, the Qilian prairie is vast and cool, reflected in the snow-capped mountains The scenery is particularly moving, even in the busiest summer, few people come. In order to hurry, we gave up visiting the famous Arou Temple, the largest and most influential Yellow Sect Gelugpa monastery in the Qilian area, and returned to National Highway 227 after eating a simple meal in Ebao, continuing towards Gansu.

        Going north along National Highway 227, you pass through the tall and steep Qilian Mountain Canyon, which was historically known as Dadouba Valley. In front of you is Biandukou, which is set against a backdrop of yellow flowers. Biandukou is more than 3,500 meters above sea level. It has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times. From here, the ancient Silk Road South Road entered Qinghai, Gansu and the Western Regions. Therefore, scenes of earth-shattering and epic historical pictures have been staged here. There are no shortage of stories here in all dynasties... Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions from here, and Huo Qubing fought against the Huns from here. Faxian went west to Tianzhu from here, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty entered Hexi from here, and the People's Liberation Army advanced from here to Gansu... because we spent two consecutive days in the sea of ​​rapeseed flowers, and today the sea of ​​flowers in Biandukou is no longer It didn't stop us from walking. Continuing forward, our eyes turned into an endless plain, on which a large sea of ​​flowers was planted, which made us unbelievable that we were still in a plateau area thousands of meters away. We, who are accustomed to seeing loess, mountains, grasslands, and Danxia along the way, were a bit unable to adapt to the scene of Jiangnan water town. This is Minle County under the Hexi Corridor, which is known as Fortress Jiangnan and Jinzhangyi. When we were planning the itinerary before the trip, we found that there is a small but very distinctive tourist spot, the Horseshoe Temple, near here, and we can stop here for a short rest in terms of travel time. Shunyou Horseshoe Temple is one of our alternative sightseeing spots. When time permits, we turn into X213 county road near Minle County to head to Horseshoe Temple.

       An hour later, after passing a dusty washboard road under construction, we came to the Horseshoe Temple at the foot of the Qilian Mountains in Sunan Yugu Autonomous County, Gansu Province. The Horseshoe Temple in Beiliang was built 1600 years ago. A huge grotto temple complex, it is said that when the Tianma descended to earth, it stepped on a rock here and left its hoofprints, hence the name. Horseshoe Temple is different from traditional temple buildings in that it has no solemn hall or towering ancient buildings. Instead, maze-like caves were dug on the cliffs, and Buddhas and Bodhisattvas were enshrined in the caves. The earliest of these caves was built in the Jin Dynasty. It was dug by Guo Yu, a Dunhuang native, and his disciples. The teaching place, later generations added plastic Buddha statues. The Thousand Buddha Cave is the first scenic spot to enter the gate of the Mati Temple Scenic Area. The Thousand Buddha Cave Grottoes here are on the Baizhang cliff, one after another. , The corridor eaves are volleying in the sky, like a relief sculpture inlaid on the red rock wall, which has weathered wind and rain among the cliffs of Wanren, and blends with the mountain with many traces, harmonious as natural.

      The most majestic of the Horseshoe Temple is the Thirty-three Days Grotto, which has a unique shape and the largest scale in the country. It is also the only cave in China where the plank road is built inside the mountain. However, if you want to enter the Thirty-three Days Grotto, you need another Another feature of Horseshoe Temple is that there are both Chinese Buddhist temples and Tibetan Buddhist temples here. The same place has different styles and is very unique. However, hidden in a canyon in the Qilian Mountains, after vicissitudes of life, the Masui Temple, which still stands proudly among the mountains and rivers, suffered extensive damage during the Cultural Revolution, so many caves are now empty, or Buddha statues placed later, but Together with the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang and the Yulin Grottoes in Anxi, they are still known as the three major artistic treasure caves of the Buddhist resort in the Hexi Corridor. The entire Mati Temple scenic area has undulating mountains, green pines and cypresses, gurgling streams, and not many tourists. If you have time and drop in, it can be regarded as an alternative tourist spot for the Qingan-Gansu Ring Tour.

        After spending more than three hours at Mati Temple, we went to Linze Qicai Town under Zhangye, our accommodation today. We chose this place mainly because it is the closest to the north gate of the main entrance of Qicai Danxia Geopark.

     Zhangye is located in the northwest of Gansu Province, China, in the middle of the Hexi Corridor. It was named after "opening the arm of China, connecting the Western Regions and cutting off the right arm of the Huns". It was called "Ganzhou" in ancient times, which is the origin of the word "Gan" in the name of Gansu Province.

     The colorful town we arrived in has spacious and clean roads. The function of this town is the scenic spot service area, providing food and accommodation. We found a hotel called Suoxing, which was surrounded by single-family villa-style buildings. It was clean and beautiful, and completely overturned my view of the northwest town. The key is that it is very far away from the North Gate, the main entrance of the Colorful Danxia Scenic Area. It's close, and the hotel also provides free shuttle service from the hotel to the gate of the scenic spot. It's also very close to the food street from the hotel, which is only two or three hundred meters away. Put down your luggage, take a rest, and look at the weather. I guess watching the sunset is useless , Decided not to enter the scenic spot today, already hungry, gearing up to have a big meal first.

The development of the town is very mature, and there are many kinds of delicacies on the dining street. We chose a local restaurant. Of course, lamb and skewers are their main products.

2019-08-04Zhangye-Jiayuguan-Dunhuang

        The highlight of Zhangye is of course Danxia Geopark! Since Zhang Yimou filmed "Three Shots Surprise" here, the beauty of Zhangye Danxia has shocked the world and attracted countless tourists to visit.

        We are going to get up in the morning to see the sunrise of Danxia first, and then visit the colorful Danxia landform. At 4:30 in the morning, we are already waiting at the entrance of the starry sky hotel. The hotel owner sent us a free car to the north gate of the scenic spot. Take the reserved online ticket on the self-service machine, and take the first sightseeing bus in the scenic spot to enter the scenic spot.

       The first one to arrive after entering from the north entrance is the No. 1 viewing platform. It is said that this is the best place to watch the sunrise. After we got off the bus, we quickly stepped into the best position, set up the tripod, and waited for the sunrise. When the surrounding sky gradually brightened, a round of red sun appeared in the Danxia Mountain in front, which was a bit different from the red sun gushing out from the seaside and the sea of ​​clouds. It may be because of the higher altitude here, what we saw The red sun exposed to the sky is actually the glorious rising sun. Although it does not have the expected sunrise beauty, but when the sky is bright and the sun is shining, it is as bright as a bright glow, like objects and scenes, with different images and lines and colors The colorful and strange scenery still makes us feel the beauty of the colorful Danxia.

        On Observation Deck No. 1, the Danxia landform is majestic, and the Danxia landform on the ground undulates with the mountains, as if spreading its wings to fly, so it is also called "Colorful Feixia". After viewing the No. 1 platform, we hurriedly took the shuttle bus in the scenic area to the No. 2 platform. The No. 2 viewing platform is mainly "Sunset Returning to the Sail" and "Sleeping Beauty". There are also interlaced layers and colorful colors. It is called "pork belly" strange landform, but according to the landform and orientation here, the best viewing time should be in the afternoon and sunset. The No. 3 viewing platform is next to the No. 2 platform. From the No. 2 platform, walk about 200 meters along the wooden plank road. There is no traffic stop. Like the No. 2 platform, the best viewing time here should also be in the afternoon. , In order to save a little more of the No. 4 station, which is said to be the most beautiful in the entire Colorful Danxia Scenic Area, we decided to give up going to the No. 3 station, but take the bus directly to the No. 4 station at the No. 2 station.

      Observation Deck No. 4, also known as the "Colorful Rainbow Xia" platform, is close to the North Gate. It is the best place to watch the sunrise and sunset, and it is also recognized as the most beautiful observation deck. The Dala Palace and other landscapes are also a transportation hub of the Colorful Danxia Scenic Area. There are a lot of people. We quickly came to the No. 4 viewing platform to find the best viewing position. Looking around, the hills are continuous like waves. , and the mountain is intertwined in color, blue, red, white, purple, yellow, blue, circles in the background color, dyed layer by layer, Zhangye Danxia is the only Danxia landform and color in China. In the hilly landscape complex area, thousands of cliffs and mountains are in bright red and reddish brown. Under the sunshine, the strangely shaped mountains and hills are colorful and majestic. When you face such a colorful and majestic Danxia landform, you will find that even the best painters at this time will lament that the color of the brush in their hands is not enough to express her hotness and intensity, and the language and vocabulary depicted are more complex. It is pale and clumsy.

      The most beautiful Danxia landform in Zhangye lies in the color, bright red and reddish brown, showing the peerless demeanor of "the color is like Wodan, and the brightness is like a bright glow". And I heard that the most beautiful thing about Zhangye Danxia is after the rain and under the sunset. After the rain, the Danxia is cleared and the dust is washed away. Under the nourishment of the rain, the Danxia is more colorful and rich in form. The setting sun is the most magical paintbrush of nature. It paints a layer of gold on the hills and outlines the shadows among the mountains, adding many layers to the whole picture. It's a pity that although it's only less than nine o'clock in the morning, the temperature in the Hexi Corridor rises rapidly in August, the weather is hot, and the sun is no longer suitable for photography at noon. We decided to leave here, although we couldn't see you here At the most amazing moment, Zhangye Danxia Landform's interlaced lines, colorful tones, dazzling and magnificent paintings, majestic momentum, spectacular scenes, and strange shapes are enough to let us lament the uncanny craftsmanship of nature. , soul-stirring.

        I hurried back to the hotel, ate the instant noodles I brought with me, made breakfast + lunch, and then hurriedly checked out, and soon got on the Lianhuo Expressway. There is still the neatly laid railway line on the land, and we occasionally encounter passenger or freight trains coming and going, facing or accompanying us, only the Qilian Snow Mountain outside the window on the left seems to be getting closer, passing Jiuquan along the way , this is the most famous satellite launch base in our country, unfortunately we can only be a passing visitor,

      About 3 hours later we arrived in Jiayuguan City. At the foot of Qilian Mountains, a majestic pass appeared in the vast Gobi. This is the end of the Great Wall——Jiayuguan. We drove into the urban area of ​​Jiayuguan. Located in the Gobi Desert, Jiayuguan City, an oasis in the desert, has a fairly good urban planning. The roads are wide and flat, and the roads are lined with trees. Jiayuguan City is located in the westernmost pass of the Hexi Corridor in western Gansu Province (Hexi Corridor continue west). The western part of Gansu is already a desert area, and the Hexi Corridor is sandwiched between the majestic Qilian Mountains and Beishan Mountains, with a length of about 1,000 kilometers from east to west. An ancient road runs through the Gobi and alluvial plains at the foot of the Qilian Mountains, where the ancient "Silk Road" is located.

       We drove to the entrance of the scenic spot where there was a lot of people and long queues. We didn’t expect that under the scorching sun, there were quite a lot of tourists who came to this so-called “No. , the wicker by the lake dances with the wind; the flowers are blooming under the tree, and the scenery of the south of the Yangtze River outside the Great Wall is beautiful. There is also a horse-riding statue of the founder of this pass, General Feng Sheng of the Ming Dynasty, at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Song Guogong and Feng Sheng, the general who conquered the captives, chose the central part of the Hexi Corridor on the way to the triumphant return of the squadron. This is where Jiayuguan comes from.

       Soon we came to Guancheng, one of the three major passes in China and was dubbed "Xiongguan". Jiayuguan is the most powerful pass in the world. Outside the customs, how many people are concerned and looking forward to. This is the starting point of the west end of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty, an important passage on the Silk Road, and a very important military pass. Climbing the tower, climbing the tower and looking far away, the blue sky , the capped Qilian Snow Mountain and the vast Gobi Desert are all witnesses of history. Jiayuguan, surrounded by the Gobi Desert, enjoys the unique desolation and majesty of the northwest land, and appropriately creates the ancient frontier poetry. The city is divided into outer and inner layers. The function of the outer city is to defend. The inner city wall is relatively large, with large circles and small circles. We are looking for the best place to appreciate the city wall. The most magnificent pass in the world. Prestige can be felt at every corner of the city wall. Every pavilion and every brick here quietly tells the vicissitudes of history. The solitary smoke is straight, the long river is setting in the sun", but we still have a taste of the majesty and majesty of Jiayuguan......

       Because the Jiayuguan package includes two other nearby attractions (bundled sales), one is the cantilevered Great Wall, and the other is the first pier in the world. Although the weather is very hot, we don’t want to go very much. In order not to waste the time, we chose to go to the Cantilever Great Wall. We drove for more than 20 minutes and came to the Cantilever Great Wall in the north of Jiayuguan City for about ten kilometers. Take a look at the Cantilever Great Wall In fact, it is the Great Wall built on a high slope, you can walk up it, but it looks very new, it should be rebuilt, it looks like a miniature version of the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing, under the scorching sun above 35 degrees, the surroundings are bare There is not a trace of green shade, and it seems that the steep slopes are at least sixty or seventy degrees above. After visiting Jiayuguan in the hot sun, I am very tired. I don’t want to climb the cantilevered Great Wall. I stand on a peak fire platform below and take a photo from a distance. , punched a card and we left, because today we have to rush to Dunhuang, and there are nearly 400 kilometers waiting for us, so we decided not to go to another scenic spot in the package, "The First Pier in the World", but go directly to Lian Huo headed towards Dunhuang at high speed.

     Running westward all the way, changing the driver when tired, finding a rest stop to gorge on a simple meal when hungry, and finally passing through the vast desert Gobi after four hours, to Dunhuang. Dunhuang is located at the west end of the Hexi Corridor, which is a typical example. warm temperate arid climate. There are Sanwei Mountains in the east, Mingsha Mountain in the south, desert and Lop Nor in the west, and Gobi in the north, connecting with the rest of the Tianshan Mountains. In the Dunhuang Basin, the alluvial fan belt of the Dang River and the alluvial plain of the Shule River are nourished by melted snow and groundwater, forming a precious desert oasis. When Dunhuang is mentioned, there is an inexplicable sense of mystery. There is no old man in Yangguan in the west, a clear spring in the desert, and the thousand-year-old murals in the Mogao Grottoes. Which one has not been mentioned in elementary school textbooks? From the vague memory of childhood, to the countless imaginations of growing up, the shock brought by seeing it with my own eyes is not as good as seeing it with my own eyes. I am here today in Dunhuang.

       We didn't enter the city of Dunhuang, but went directly to the Crescent Town near the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Spot. We booked the Linsha Courtyard Inn located in the Crescent Town. The Crescent Spring Scenic Area is not far away on foot. When I entered the inn room, although the name is very plump, the reality is very skinny. The conditions of the inn room are too simple and the environment is not good. I can only make it for one night. The sky in the northwest is dark at night , although it is almost 8 o'clock in the evening, the sun is still in the sky and the temperature is not low. After checking in, take a rest first.

        After taking a short rest in the inn, I saw that it was already 8:30 in the evening, and the sun was not as scorching as before. I decided to go to the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Spot. A few minutes later, I arrived at the gate of the scenic spot. At this time, there were still people entering the scenic spot Long queues, Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain, named after the sound of sand, of course, the most famous is the Crescent Moon Spring in Mingsha Mountain. Crescent Spring is named for its crescent-like spring water, and it is also an oasis in the desert.

     As soon as you enter the scenic spot, you can see the scenery of the desert. Mingsha Mountain is very high. When you see it from a distance, it appears at the end of the road like a mountain. It glows silver under the hot sun. Circling on the top of the mountain. Teams of camels carry tourists slowly to the depths of the desert. Of course, we are also the first choice to ride camels in Mingsha Mountain. After queuing for more than half an hour, the team rode on the camel pack, and the pack team set off to the depths of the desert. There were hundreds of camels lined up in a long line, forming a general camel stream, which could not be seen at a glance. , The scene is amazing, the Mingsha Mountain camel team took us to the top of Mingsha Mountain, looking far away, the rolling sand hills are like the hump of a huge camel; occasionally a few faint clouds float in the sky, as if looking for yourself A few birds flitted across the sky, sending out bursts of joyful singing. When we made a detour down the mountain, the sky was getting dark, and a bright moon rose on the top of the sandy hill. When we got off the humpback, the sky was completely dark , The surroundings of Crescent Lake and the pavilions are also lit up with colored lights. Surrounded by sandbars, accompanied by pavilions, and clear spring water, such a beautiful scene in the depths of the desert is like a dream and unreal. Approaching the Crescent Spring in the dark, the Crescent Spring, which resembles a crescent moon, lies quietly in the embrace of the sand mountain. There is a clear spring with lingering ripples, green like emeralds, inlaid in the golden sand valley, and the reeds beside the spring are dense. , the breeze is undulating, and the blue waves are rippling. Although it was already ten o'clock in the evening, the Crescent Spring was still full of tourists, and the sandboarding area of ​​the Mingsha Mountain Scenic Spot entertainment project not far away was also noisy with people's voices, which lost the fun of the real desert scenery. Because we will come here tomorrow morning, and leave after watching the night view of Crescent Lake for a while. The tickets for Mingsha Mountain are valid for three days. You can enter the scenic spot again.

      It was almost eleven o'clock in the evening when we walked out of the scenic spot, and I was hungry. I hurried to find a place to eat. I saw a restaurant that was still open not far from my residence. I quickly ordered for dinner. The famous Dunhuang donkey meat yellow noodles are good. , I drank apricot skin tea here for the first time. It tastes sour and sweet, a bit like sour plum soup. When I chatted with the proprietress when the dishes were on the table, I found that the locals still have a sense of maintenance for Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring. When it came to whether the Crescent Moon Spring would dry up, the proprietress was really anxious, saying that the water from the Crescent Moon Spring would definitely not be able to dry up. It is true that this Wangqing Spring has fed countless Dunhuang people. After dinner, it was early morning of a new day, so I hurried back to the inn to sleep.

2019-08-05Dunhuang

      Before dawn, I was woken up by the sound of tinkling camel bells and the noise of group tour tourists in the scenic area. After having breakfast early, I decided to go to Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area before the sun was too hot in the morning. It was very fast. After brushing his face, he entered the gate of the scenic spot for the second time. Seeing the Crescent Spring, riding a camel, and climbing the sand dunes are the trilogy of visiting Mingsha Mountain. We rode a camel last night and saw the Crescent Moon Spring in the night. Today, the focus of our second visit to Mingsha Mountain is to climb Mingsha Mountain and fine sand Watch the Crescent Lake during the day.

As soon as you enter the scenic spot, the long camel caravan is the most common scene in Mingsha Mountain. The sound of camel bells makes the journey long. Dunhuang is an important town on the ancient Silk Road. As long as the camel caravan sees Crescent Spring, it means that it has arrived in Dunhuang. , the Mingsha Mountain in front of you, there are only a few idle clouds under the tile-blue sky, the sun is high, the hot wind is blowing, the yellow sand is full of tourists wearing red sand-proof shoe covers to take pictures, and the camels behind are carrying people slowly. walking. The camel bells, accompanied by the melodious music in the scenic area, make people forget the mundane world behind them instantly. Of course, this is also an excellent scene for taking pictures of the desert camel team. Many photos of the desert camel team are really beautiful.

Since ancient times, the springs in the desert that do not dry up have been passed down, and Crescent Spring is the most famous one. Throughout the ages, the spring is surrounded by Mingsha Mountain, but it is not covered by quicksand. It has always been rippling and crystal clear. It is miraculous that the rain does not overflow for a long time and the drought does not dry up for a long time. This kind of wonderful landscape of "coexistence of mountains and springs, symbiosis of sand and water" is famous all over the world, and is known as "one of the best scenery outside the Great Wall". We decided to climb the Shashan Mountain to overlook the Crescent Moon Spring. The Mingsha Mountain does not look high. In fact, whoever climbs it will know. It is best to find a place with a wooden ladder to climb the Mingsha Mountain. The wooden ladder is in the middle of the Mingsha Mountain. Climbing with bare hands is very strenuous, one step at a time and half a step back, and when one third of the distance to the top of the sand mountain is left, my wife said that this should be the place where she climbed here to take photos when she first came to Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain 30 years ago. We decided not to climb up anymore, just at the same position, at the same angle, take a photo with the same posture as before, reminiscing about the youthful years that passed by like water, and then sit quietly on the high slope to take a closer look at the beautiful scenery of the desert. The line and the Crescent Spring below, the clear yellow Mingsha Mountain, and the clear Crescent Spring are interdependent. The strange and charming scenery has remained unchanged for thousands of years. Looking from the high sand mountain, the Crescent Spring bends like a crescent moon, so It got its name from "the first spring in the desert", and it has been one of the "Eight Views of Dunhuang" since the Han Dynasty. Mingsha Mountain will make a sound when it is sunny or when someone slides down the mountain. There is also a strange phenomenon. Because of the terrain, when the wind blows, the sand does not go down the mountain, but flows from the bottom of the mountain to the mountain, so the Crescent Lake will never be buried by the sand. It is called a desert wonder. The symbiosis of sand and water will definitely refresh your understanding of the desert. However, there have been rumors that Crescent Spring has dried up in the past two years. In fact, the destruction of the environment has finally reduced or even reduced the flow of the spring. Now it has long been cut off from the supply river and can only be maintained artificially.

      Returning to the Crescent Spring from the heights of the Sand Mountain, you can savor the Crescent Spring more carefully during the day. When you approach the spring, the clear spring water and the plump water plants give you a sense of vitality, and the pavilions beside the Crescent Spring are very beautiful. Beautiful, we climbed up to the Crescent Moon Pavilion. It is said that there used to be a large group of ancient buildings with carved beams and painted buildings, such as the Niangniang Palace, the Dragon King Palace, the Yaowang Cave, the Yuquan Tower, and the Leiyin Temple. From the Crescent Moon Pavilion, look at the Crescent Moon Spring. It is surrounded by ropes to warn tourists not to enter. It is also to protect the sand around the Crescent Spring from being lost into the spring water. Thousands of years have passed, and the surrounding world has been turned upside down. I don’t know how many wars have been experienced. The ancient Crescent Spring silently guards here. Taking care of an oasis, the spring water is as clear as a mirror, reflecting the surrounding things.

      Because we have reserved tickets for the Mogao Grottoes at noon, and the temperature in the desert is getting higher and higher, we can only say goodbye to the Crescent Moon Spring in Mingsha Mountain in reluctantly.

       When we came to the outskirts of Dunhuang City, we saw a large and magnificent building yesterday when we entered the city. This is the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center. Take online booking, just pay attention to Mogao Grottoes on WeChat. Tickets are all real-name system. ID card is required when picking up tickets. 6000 tickets (you can visit 8 caves), type B tickets can be bought on the day you come to Dunhuang (if you are lucky), 12000 tickets per day (you can only visit 4 caves). After picking up the tickets, line up at the entrance of the digital center, and let tourists go in to watch movies in batches according to the scheduled time period. The 40-minute movie is divided into two parts, "Millennium Mogao Grottoes" and "Fantasy Buddha Palace". The former introduces the origin of Dunhuang and Mogao Grottoes, and the latter introduces murals of Buddha statues. It is in the movie hall of Universal Screen and is deeply impressed by the theater effect , especially the latter "Fantasy Buddha Palace", because some caves cannot be visited, so a digital movie shows all aspects of Mogao Grottoes. , It is also helpful for you to visit and understand the cave. After the movie is over, take the scenic bus along the dedicated expressway to visit the cave area 20 kilometers away.

     After getting off the car, under the scorching sun, I came to the surrounding bare mountains and a dry riverbed in front. After crossing the bridge, I waited for the staff to distribute earphones in front of the Mogao Grottoes covered by a poplar forest, and then every 20 A group of tourists followed a guide to visit the cave. The guide had a key in his hand. Every time he opened a cave, he felt a chill. After the explanation, the guide locked the cave. The protection work was still in place. Photography and video recording are strictly prohibited in the cave. The guide will hold a flashlight to illuminate the murals or statues and explain the relevant origins and stories. Our A-type tickets can visit eight caves, except for three or four specific ones, the rest are randomly selected and completely determined by the person leading the team, so each group visits differently. , No photos can be taken during the cave visit, and there is no light source inside.

     Mogao Grottoes, commonly known as Thousand Buddha Caves. It was first built in the pre-Qin period of the Sixteen Kingdoms. After the construction of the Sixteen Kingdoms, Northern Dynasties, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Xixia, Yuan and other dynasties, it has formed a huge scale. It is the largest and richest Buddhist art in the world. land. After experiencing the Han wind and Tang rain, it can still bring a strong spiritual shock to people. The Mogao Grottoes have to be called the treasures of human art. They are also the grottoes with the highest artistic value among the four major grottoes in China and the largest existing in the world. The grand and best-preserved treasure house of Buddhist art is known as the "Oriental Louvre".

     The last cave we visited in Mogao Grottoes is No. 96. There are the most people here, because people who buy B-type tickets will also come here. The nine-story pagoda is one of the symbol caves of Mogao Grottoes, and it is also a must-see cave. There is a big Buddha in the cave. , 35.5 meters high, is also the largest Buddha in Mogao Grottoes. Originally, the Buddha statue was open-air, but the top floor was built later to have the current nine-story building. Although the Buddha has been repaired many times, it is no longer the original appearance of the Tang Dynasty, but it is still majestic. After visiting the caves, we lamented that the Mogao Grottoes are like entering another world. In the vast desert, they are all together. An oasis for spiritual dwelling, flakes of peeling paint, and blurred faces tell the dusty history; while incomplete murals and damaged statues tell the dark sins. Time freezes here, records the brilliance and gloom of art, and continues to flow slowly. Mogao Grottoes, brought us the vague past, knocked the beauty of distant ancient times into modern times, and made a sound of exclamation, let us understand what is the atmosphere of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, what is the Buddha's light in the Northern Wei Dynasty, what is the Chinese civilization, a grotto , a world, a cave, a piece of history, proud of being a Chinese.

       After visiting the cave area, we took the scenic bus back to the visitor center again. The temperature in Dunhuang in the afternoon was about 37 days or more. We decided to go to the hotel we stayed in today and adjust it, because we will leave Dunhuang tomorrow, 500 Many kilometers are waiting for us.

        The urban area of ​​Dunhuang is not big. Today we stayed at the Holiday Inn Hotel Dunhuang. We stayed at this hotel mainly because it is not far from the famous Dunhuang Shazhou Night Market. It is convenient for us to visit the night market at night. We will not go to other attractions around Dunhuang. We will come out for a few days today. Finally, I was able to relax and adjust, took a nap at the hotel, and went to Dunhuang Night Market for dinner at 6:00 pm. Dunhuang Night Market is an important tourist attraction on the Dunhuang tourist route. When I came to Dunhuang Night Market, I thought it was a variety of snacks, but it turned out that there were seats all over the street, shouts all over the street, and a big summary of Majia mutton and beef barbecue on the street. Nine times out of ten Ma, that’s right, maybe we came earlier, there were not many customers in the night market, and there were courteous solicitors standing outside every shop. The Hui people are indeed a nation that is good at business, anyway, they are all run by Ma’s family. We chose one at random, ordered a few dishes, and paired it with beer to experience the heroic atmosphere of Northwest China, which is "eating meat with big mouthfuls and drinking in big bowls". When night falls and the lights shine, the place becomes crowded with tourists , bustling, this is like the face that the most authentic night market should have in the hearts of tourists. We ate and drank enough, and left the night market with a little bit of drunkenness. At this time, this small town in the desert was at its busiest time.

2019-08-06 Dunhuang-Dayandan Emerald Lake-Chaerhan Salt Lake-Golmud

        In the morning, after having breakfast, we set off quickly. Today we will drive more than 500 kilometers and leave Gansu for Qinghai. Before we set off, because we read the strategy, Dachaidan, Qinghai, which is nearly 400 kilometers ahead of us, is the one on the Gansu-Qingqing Ring Road. A hotspot, whether you come from Xining, Qinghai or Dunhuang, Gansu, there is no accommodation for two or three hundred kilometers before and after, so the accommodation here is expensive and tense. Looking at the online booking platform, the average inn and hotel move seven to eight hundred, It is not uncommon for more than one thousand, so we decided to avoid staying in Dachaidan, but the Emerald Lake in Dachaidan will not give up, because everyone said it is worth visiting in the guide. As for where to stay tonight, we can only live with the situation.

        Not long after leaving Dunhuang, the vast Gobi Desert, the road stretches to the sky, this is the G215 national road from Qinghai to Xinjiang. Although the 215 National Highway is deserted along the way, the road surface is very good, the bend is not sharp, and the slope is not steep. The last place before leaving the border of Gansu is Aksai County. Its original county is called "Boluo Zhuanjing Town", which is located in a remote The border of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang. It was the most glorious time when it was built in the 1980s, because all kinds of public facilities in the county are very complete. In just 20 years, the town was abandoned, and the entire county was relocated. This abandoned place has now become a filming location and a tourist attraction, but we had to give up because we had to travel. Accompanied by thick snow and the majestic Dangjin Mountain, we came to the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai. After driving through a bumpy gravel road, we entered the straight G3011 Liuge Expressway. The moment we entered Qinghai Only then did I know what "Qinghai Changyun, Dark Snow Mountain" is, and why Dao Lang was able to write such a desolate "West Sea Love Song". This is another world completely different from the mainland. There are vast Gobi and Yadan on both sides, and there is only one road in the middle. There are a few long sections that are straight and pass through the stretches of Yadan landform, so you can see it from a distance. The uphill and downhill are undulating, and the road seems to hang on the Gobi. This section is said to be the "Heavenly Road" sung by Han Hong at the beginning. The visual effect is very good. Now it has become a place for Internet celebrities to take pictures. Shoot, this is actually very dangerous on the high-speed highway. We didn't have the guts to get out of the car, so we had to take a picture on the car.

       The endless desolation and barrenness of the vast desert, pieces of Yardang landforms with different shapes pass by, and beautiful lakes with the same water and sky. This piece of Yardang landform in the Qaidam Basin is currently an undeveloped area. Because of our rush, I gave up the Nanbaxian Yadan, Shuishang Yadan and other tourist spots here, but went straight to Emerald Lake.

       When we got off the expressway near Dachaidan Town, don’t worry, we followed a Changzi car and passed through a few kilometers of bumpy roads, full of flying dust, and very difficult simple roads. The emerald green "emerald" has magical colors, blue, yellow, and green. With the sunshine, it changes its luggage. This is the mining area of ​​the salt lake mining team of Dachaidan Chemical Factory. It is a mining pit formed after years of salt lake mining. , due to the different concentrations of minerals, it forms a colorful scene. When the weather is calm, it is scattered around like a mirror, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. With the figure at your feet, the feeling at this moment can only be deeply felt when you are in it. We were deeply attracted by the Emerald Lake, which is not a whole lake, but is composed of scattered small lakes. When you look down on it, what you see in front of your eyes are green "emeralds", a lake area, different places present different colors, yellow-green, dark green, blue-green, dark blue, very magical, the blue sky and white clouds are reflected in the On the mirror surface of the lake, the red clothes are reflected, as if you are in a fairyland, because this is still an undeveloped virgin land, not a tourist attraction, and the distance is far away, so there are not many tourists. Many tourists who have been to Chaka Salt Lake said that although it is here It is not as famous as Chaka Salt Lake, but the scenery is not worse than Chaka Salt Lake. Because there are few people, it is a beautiful art blockbuster. Although Emerald Lake has become a new net red place, it has not been confiscated yet. Tickets, but we saw that a beautiful gatehouse has been newly built at the gate, and related supporting facilities are also under construction. It is estimated that there will be a charge soon.

       We played in the small Emerald Lake for more than two hours, and we were completely overwhelmed by this fairyland-like place. This place is definitely everyone's poem and distant place, but no matter how beautiful the place is, there is always time to leave. Because the nearest place to stay is 200 kilometers away from here, we searched for the surrounding strategy on the way just now, and a place came into our sight, and there is also a free one in Golmud, Qaidam Basin Beautiful Salt Lake - Chaerhan Salt Lake, according to the guide, the scenery is no worse than Chaka Salt Lake, and Golmud is about 200 kilometers away from here, although it is a little bit around the Chaka Salt Lake and Qinghai Lake that we are going to go tomorrow. It is within the Gansu-Qingdao Ring Road, but there are many accommodation options in Chagormu City, and the price is cheap. Chaerhan Salt Lake does not charge tickets. It should be a good choice in terms of cost performance. Unanimously decided to go straight to Chaerhan Salt Lake and golmud city. go.

       From Emerald Lake, re-enter the G3011 Liuge Expressway, all the way to the south, 170 kilometers and drove for an hour and a half, passing the Chaerhan Salt Lake Railway Station and the Wanzhang Salt Bridge. At first, I didn’t understand where there is Wanzhang Salt. The bridge, ordinary people think that the salt bridge must be white. It turns out that the roadbed is all paved with salt and is 32 kilometers long. It can be called the saltiest 32 kilometers in the world!

      Because the Chaerhan Salt Lake is not a tourist attraction, there is no detailed mark on the navigation, we can only find a Salt Lake Observation Deck as the goal, and soon after getting off the expressway, we will come to the gate of Qinghai Salt Lake Potash Co., Ltd. When I asked, the Chaerhan Salt Lake was indeed opened to the inside, and the gate guard blocked us from entering, saying that there were too many people visiting inside, so let us wait aside, and there were indeed tourists who wrote in the guide, that the Chaerhan Salt Lake is There is no entrance fee, but the doorman who enters the gate of the Potash Fertilizer Company buys road money privately. This trend is very bad and cannot be encouraged. Fortunately, our partner with excellent public relations stopped by the side of our car for a few minutes and got on with the doorman. After speaking, a cigarette was handed over, and the door opened for us. Drive directly to the side of the salt lake, the lake water in front of you is light green, crystal clear, and the shore is full of white crystal salt grains. Chaerhan" is Mongolian, meaning "salt marsh". It is located in the south of the Qaidam Basin, across Golmud City and Dulan County, from Dabson Lake and South Hobson, North Hobson, Senie, etc. It is formed by the collection of salt ponds, with a total area of ​​5,856 square kilometers. It is located in the vast Gobi sea, the climate is hot and dry, the sunshine time is long, and the evaporation of water is much higher than the precipitation. Due to the long-term wind and sun, a high concentration of The brine gradually crystallized into salt grains, and the lakeside plate formed a thick salt cover, which was extremely hard. The Chaerhan Salt Lake is the largest salt lake in China and the second in the world (after the Salt Lake City Salt Lake in the United States). The lake water contains lithium that is now tight, and is also known as "the most valuable salt lake". Some tourists say that Chaerhan Salt Lake is more beautiful than Chaka Salt Lake, and it is the largest "land of the sky" in China. The Chaerhan Salt Lake looks a little quiet and desolate, but because of this, you can enjoy the shock of 5,800 square kilometers. The calm lake, the water and the sky are the same color, and the white clouds in the distance are like waves of sea water. Layers gradually come to you. The thick salt cover, undulating continuously, is the wave of the sea. The most characteristic feature is the crystallization of special shapes formed by the salt crystallization in the salt lake. Due to the temperature, climate and time of crystallization, Due to the different concentration and other reasons, all kinds of beautiful salt flowers are formed. These salt flowers are in different shapes, some are like shells, and some are like towers. In the salt lake, the salt lake is decorated like a fairyland. The vast Chaerhan is like a piece of flawless jade, quietly leaning against the southern part of the Qaidam Basin. But because it is mainly industrial production, it is not used as a scenic spot The development, although the lake is very large, is divided into pieces of salt fields, each of which is only a few square kilometers at most, which seriously damages her aesthetic feeling. There is no alpine grassland in the surrounding area. The water in the salt fields is relatively deep, and the wind is relatively strong most of the time. The surface of the lake is full of water ripples, and no matter how good the weather is, you can only take pictures of the vast ocean. Unless there is a few good weather with no wind, it is difficult to get reflections at other times. In fact, on the vast Qaidam Gobi Desert, there are countless The large and small salt flats, Chaerhan Salt Lake is one of the best among these salt lakes, but if you have experienced the beauty of the Emerald Lake and want to feel like a mirror in the sky, then the Chaerhan Salt Lake is a little disappointed.

       We drove 65 kilometers from Chaerhan Salt Lake to the urban area of ​​Golmud. In less than an hour, we entered the wide and flat road and the tree-lined urban area of ​​Golmud. Also known as the "Motor City", this is the only place to go to Tibet, Dunhuang and Xinjiang.

       We first went to Golmud Goldfish Lake Hotel. The location of the hotel is good. It is located next to a main road. Today, we drove for nearly 600 kilometers. I was a little tired and wanted to rest early. The altitude of Golmud City is relatively high, about 3,000 meters. , so the temperature is obviously much cooler than in Gansu a few days ago. After checking in, I hurried out to find something to eat. I wanted to find a place nearby to eat. I asked passers-by casually, what delicious food nearby, and pointed at the passer-by. , the locals eat here. When they saw that the noodle shop was unremarkable, and it was a barbecue shop opened by a surname Ma, they didn’t expect much. Who knew that they had the best barbecue since they traveled in this shop, especially His family's grilled lamb tripe and lamb intestines are such crisp, tender, fragrant and distinctive good things for the first time.

2019-08-07 Golmud-Chaka Salt Lake-Qinghai Lake-Xining

        After having breakfast in the morning, we set off early and moved forward along the G6 Beijing-Tibet Expressway. However, the good weather for many consecutive days seemed to end today. As soon as we went out, the weather was gray, with strong wind and little visibility, and there was a It started to rain on the way, so I can only pray for God’s blessing, because the Chaka Salt Lake and Qinghai Lake we are going to go to today, if the weather is bad, the view will be greatly reduced.

       After having breakfast in the morning, we set off early and moved forward along the G6 Beijing-Tibet Expressway. However, the good weather for many consecutive days seemed to end today. As soon as we went out, the weather was gray, with strong wind and little visibility, and there was a It started to rain on the way, so I can only pray for God’s blessing, because the Chaka Salt Lake and Qinghai Lake we are going to go to today, if the weather is bad, the view will be greatly reduced.

It is nearly 500 kilometers from Golmud to Chaka Salt Lake. Although it was a high-speed journey, it took more than five hours to finally arrive at Chaka Salt Lake. It was already 1 pm when we arrived at Chaka Salt Lake. It was the first time I saw the popularity of tea cards. I saw the huge parking lot at the door and the crowds. I took the small train and the queue was crowded. I couldn’t get on the train for 2 hours. I experienced two quiet and free salt lakes yesterday. , Today, the beautiful Chaka Salt Lake has been greatly discounted in our eyes, and the sky is still shrouded in dark clouds so far today. In this kind of weather, it is estimated that the feeling of the mirror of the sky cannot be found, which dispels us. The idea of ​​entering the Chaka Salt Lake, but since we are here, we have to check in here. There is a sightseeing tower at the gate of the Chaka Salt Lake. We decided to go up to the sightseeing tower and look at it, which is known as the mirror of the sky in China.

       "Chaka" is Tibetan, which means salt pond, which is the salt of Qinghai. The difference between Chaka Salt Lake and other salt lakes is that Chaka Salt Lake is a brine lake with both solid and liquid, embedded in the snow-capped mountains and grasslands instead of the Gobi Desert. Kasalt Lake enjoys a high reputation in the international and domestic tourism circles and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau scenery tours because of its production and tourism. At the same time, it was rated as one of the "55 places that people must visit in their lifetime" by the National Tourism Geographic Magazine.

       Spend 20 yuan to buy a ticket to climb to the top of the tower to overlook the Chaka Salt Lake. The salt lake has a wide water area, and the Cangshan Mountain is far away. It is misty, and in the salt lake in the distance, there are tourists who are as big as ants. It seems that even if you buy a ticket to enter the lake today, you will not experience the feeling of the mirror of the sky, but this is good, and it is more determined. I am determined to go to South America to see the Bolivian version of Sky Mirror.

       After coming down from the Chaka Salt Lake Sightseeing Tower, we went straight to Qinghai Lake. After more than an hour, we came to the Huanhu Road of Qinghai Lake, and came to the first stop Heima River. This is the place to watch the sunrise in Qinghai Lake. We are here The stop was only for lunch. After lunch, we started to tour around Qinghai Lake along the Huanhu Road. Qinghai Lake is like a blue gem inlaid on the plateau land, like a giant painting unfolding slowly and leisurely. Her beauty has a strong plateau style. Our car is driving around the lake, and the beautiful scenery is dizzying. The vast lake extends to In the endless distance, the changing water color gradually fades away, and finally merges with the sky without showing any traces. The scenery changes along the way. There is a parking lot guarded by Tibetan herdsmen on the side of the road. After parking, you can enter for ten yuan per person. We walked along the trail to the lake and had a close contact with Qinghai Lake. This is actually a herdsman’s pasture, and now it is considered a sideline business. , the herdsmen erected stone tablets engraved with Qinghai Lake by the lake, and some even led their own yaks and horses. They could ride horses, or take photos with yaks by the Qinghai Lake. It was so low that it seemed to be within reach. The small puddles on the side of the road reflect the clouds. There is only one road between the sky and the earth. There are not many tourists in this area because there are no rape flowers. We also enjoy a moment of tranquility when we stay here. Qinghai Lake The beauty is so quiet, so quiet that people can't bear to walk beside her, just want to look at her from a distance, like a pearl in the embrace of a plateau, and only on such a plateau can Qinghai Lake bloom her true beauty.

       The sky began to be covered with dark clouds again, and the blue water of the lake turned gray again. We left here and continued to move forward. Groups of yaks, sheep, and horses flashed by from time to time along the way. The buildings are scattered on the vast grassland, and the five-color streamers printed with scriptures are made of cloth, which respectively symbolize the sky, auspicious clouds, flames, earth and water, let the wind blow, and pray for auspiciousness. I don’t know what kind of festival it is for the Tibetans in the past few days. Activities are being held by the lake, and there are locals and tourists everywhere. There is a long line of self-driving vehicles on the two-lane Huanhu Road, forming a long queue. Qinghai Lake, "Kukunur" in Mongolian and "Cuowenbu" in Tibetan, both mean blue lakes. Qinghai Lake covers an area of ​​about 4,400 square kilometers and is the largest inland plateau lake in my country.

The circumference of the lake is about 360 kilometers, and the altitude of the lake is 3260 meters, from which the name of Qinghai Province comes from.

      Driving to the vicinity of Erlangjian Scenic Area, there are endless golden rapeseed flowers around. The large yellow color blocks, the blue lake and the blue sky have already become the classics of Qinghai Lake in people's hearts. It was raining, so we could only brave the rain on the side of the road, hold the camera against the wind, and hurriedly scan the sea of ​​rapeseed flowers before returning to the car. Our car hurried forward, because we were going to stay in Xining tonight, and the rain was getting heavier and heavier, so we couldn't go after the Daotang River. We passed by Riyue Mountain, and we could only appreciate the boundless scenery under the snow mountain through the window. The grassland is beautiful, and at this moment, I can only leave some regrets for Qinghai Lake.

       When the lights were on, we came to the cool Xining. We stayed at the Wanda Plaza Jiuyue Holiday Hotel Apartment located in the Haihu New District of Xining. There are many high-rise buildings here and the lights are dim. Today is the Qixi Festival, and a food festival is being held here. The streets are full of bustling people, and the inside and outside of the shops are also very lively. The bustling scene in the Northwest is not inferior to that of the coastal areas.

       The world is big and small, but it’s really small. We unexpectedly met my wife’s uncle and aunt’s family thousands of kilometers away in the Northwest. Accompanied by my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, I was also traveling in the Northwest, but I didn’t expect that they would appear in Xining today by such a coincidence, and the hotel they stayed in was just a few hundred meters away from us. On this Chinese Valentine’s Day We met in Xining and came to a popular restaurant with local specialties. There are all kinds of grilled skewers and beer, big mouthfuls of meat, and big bowls of wine. Of course, the most distinctive dish of this restaurant is mutton, which is full of wine and food. It was the early morning of the next day when I came out.

2019-08-08Xining-Jianzakanbula National Geological Park-Xiahe

      Early in the morning, we left Xining, where the weather was cool and the sky was still lightly raining. We first went to Qinghai Jianzha Kambula National Forest Geological Park, which was not planned for our entire itinerary, and finally arrived at Xiahe County in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Why did we say to go? Is the Kanbula National Geopark in Jianzha County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai unplanned? When we were planning the Ganqing Grand Ring Road and Gannan tour, after looking at the map, we always felt that there should be no need to go through Lanzhou from Xining to Xiahe. There must be a shortcut between them, because in our country with the most historical In front of the powerful country of building roads and bridges, no matter what mountains and mountains can stop us, after checking the map to see the strategy: there is indeed such a shortcut that takes 300 kilometers less than detouring Lanzhou, and there are few outsiders along the way. I know, but the magnificent Jianzakanbula National Forest Geopark, the distance is shortened, and I can see one more scenic spot that is still a minority at the moment, why not do it? After driving out of the Xining Ring Expressway, we quickly got on the Zhangwen Expressway. When we left Xining, we did not go to the famous Kumbum Monastery. First, we did not know much about the profound Tibetan Buddhism. Second, we have lived in Tibet for the past few years. I also visited a lot of temples in the district. Thirdly, I heard that there are often huge crowds of people, and photography is not allowed in the temple, and the monks do not welcome too many tourists, so I decided to give up.

        After more than an hour, the car drove to Jianzha County, got off the expressway and took the Likan Highway, and suddenly there was a completely different scenery in front of us. The water of the Yellow River changed from yellow to blue, and finally turned into a green ribbon, surrounding us. At the same time, large swaths of red mountains are rushing towards us. Before entering the scenic spot, we have already felt the impact of Danxia. Kanbula National Forest Park is located in Jianzha County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province Within the territory, the scenic spot covers an area of ​​152 square kilometers, with a maximum altitude of 3,100 meters. The terrain of the entire park is high in the west and low in the east, surrounded by clouds and misty rain. According to the legend of local residents, the highest part of Cambula is the temple, the middle is the magic city, and the lower part is the dragon palace. , Cambula is not only a forest park, but also a geological park, where Danxia landforms, forest vegetation and religious culture are integrated, and wonderful red rock masses appear layer upon layer.

       We came to the gate of the scenic spot. Tickets are not expensive at 50 yuan per person, but the scenic bus ticket is 100 yuan, and the water tour boat ticket is 100 yuan. I asked the staff whether to buy the 100 yuan scenic spot bus ticket, or you can drive in, but you must You have to wait until after two o'clock in the afternoon to enter. Of course, you can also save 100 yuan for the boat ticket instead of taking the boat tour and return by the scenic bus.

      Take the scenic bus to enter the scenic spot. The first stop is Lingshan Shengshui. This is an excellent location to appreciate Cambra from a high place. There are viewing boardwalks, which can be viewed from multiple angles; the locals say that it is sunny after the rain. Kanbula is the most beautiful, and our luck is not bad. At this time, the sky is not raining, and the clouds surround the mountains, and the visibility is not bad. Overlooking the Kanbula Lake, Kanbula is really beautiful and fully reflects the nature. The uncanny workmanship reminds me of the scenery of the Grand Canyon of Colorado, and a pool of clear water is inlaid in it. Looking at the cruise ships in the lake, it is like a painting, which is especially wonderful and unique.

     The second stop is Lamaogang. This is a good place to see the Danxia landform, Tibetan villages, and terraced fields. Unfortunately, there are more and more clouds and visibility has dropped a lot, which affects the color levels of Danxia, ​​clear water, and forests. However, after seeing the magnificent Danxia landform here, the Danxia landform parks in many places in China are insignificant, because according to the research of geologists, it is believed that this is the largest Danxia landform area in China.

      After walking through a forest path, we came to the third stop, Xiaoyaochi. At first we thought that Xiaoyaochi was a small lake. When we arrived at the scenic spot, we found a large area around it but found no lake. Xiaoyaochi refers to the composition of dozens of Danxia peaks of different shapes around it, just like fairies dancing, just like a fairyland of Yaochi. It is also a good choice to swim in the mountains and breathe the fresh air.

      Take the scenic bus in Xiaoyaochi to the Nanzonggou Wharf. Although this section is not long, it is not easy to walk. After taking the cruise ship, the Danxia landform is completely different from the angle just seen. Take the cruise ship and cross the vast green lake. , In fact, this green lake is Lijiaxia Reservoir. Lijiaxia Reservoir is the third large-scale hydropower station planned in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. It officially started construction in April 1988. Those who built the reservoir did not expect that the artificially built reservoir is now the same as Kambu La Danxia complement each other and reflect each other, becoming an indispensable beautiful landscape in the scenic spot. The water tour time is not long, and we soon arrived at the North Shore Wharf. From here, we took the scenic bus and quickly sent us to the gate of the scenic spot. Cambra - a little-known scenic spot, but it brings us too many surprises and shocks. It is difficult to connect the crystal-clear river we see here with the turbulent Yellow River with turbulent mud and sand. In fact, Guide Qing refers to this section of the Yellow River in the world. The Yellow River has become so clear here.

         Come out of the Kanbula National Forest Geological Park, re-enter the Zhangwen Expressway, accompanied by the clear Yellow River and the beautiful Danxia Mountain, cross the Haihuang Bridge and get off the expressway at the Tongrenbao exit, and take a section of S203 provincial road first, although Huangnan is a Tibetan autonomous prefecture, but it is adjacent to Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu, so it is in the Tibetan-Human coexistence area. Next, we will go along the X601 county road and then turn to the X403 county road to continue driving in the direction of Gannan. Although the road is getting narrower and narrower , but there are not many cars, the feeling of clear clouds and clear wind in this section is very good, and the surrounding Tibetan area is getting stronger and stronger, and Tibetan-style temples with red walls and golden tiles appear on the roadside from time to time.

       Soon we entered the border of Gansu, surrounded by vast natural grasslands. This is the Ganjia Grassland in southern Gansu. This is the unique alpine meadow grassland landform of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The terrain is soothing, with small ups and downs, and the road is good. Go, have a wide view, go up all the way, and see a viewing platform, here is Nuorilangka Observation Deck, Nuorilangka Observation Deck, 3397 meters above sea level, free tickets, free parking lot, tea room and restaurant around Private rooms, where you can gather, rest, eat, and enjoy the scenery. We parked our car and walked up to the viewing platform. We stood at the highest viewing platform in Nuorilangka. The beautiful scenery of the entire Ganga Grassland came into view. Unfortunately, a light rain came. Here The temperature was low, and the wind and rain were blowing on my body. I couldn't stand it. After snapping a few photos, I quickly fled into the car.

      Soon we came to Xiahe County, the inn we booked was called Odan Hotel, Tibetan style, just beside the Labrang Monastery Visitor Center, the facade is small, the stairs are very narrow, our room is on the third floor, there is no elevator, It is definitely a challenge for my body to carry the suitcase up on the plateau with an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, but the room is still quite clean. After checking in, I hurried to find something to eat. I only ate a little snack when I visited Cambula Park at noon today. I didn’t eat lunch. I was really hungry. I wanted to eat the yak meat hot pot here, but who knew The business is too hot and there is no place, so I can only go back to a Sichuan restaurant opposite the hotel to eat Sichuan cuisine. After eating beef and mutton for a week, it is not bad to have a change of Sichuan cuisine today. Well, let me whet my appetite, and quickly pour the green rice wine, which is quite appropriate to drink green rice wine in this kind of place.

2019-08-09 Xiahe-Langmusi-Zhayana

       Early in the morning, go to have breakfast first, and then come to Labrang Monastery. Many believers have already come to Labrang Monastery in the morning. Labrang Monastery is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Political, religious, and cultural center, it is not a temple, but a group of temples, covering almost half of the county seat. Labrang Monastery is most famous for its 3-kilometer-long corridor, which is the longest in the world. The circle basically takes an hour, and people there have to circle three times a day, morning, noon and evening, and kowtow. This belief is really a magical thing. We turned around in the corridor, and the people in the temple would not let us go in. We had to go in and buy tickets at the ticket center. As one of the largest temples of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, there are countless huge temples enshrined in the temple. There are all kinds of exquisite sculptures in the Buddha statue sky, and there are a lot of Buddha statues, ancient books, and murals in the temple. According to the guide, it will take half a day at the fastest to visit the temple inside. First, because I don’t understand the profound Tibetan Buddhism, I feel awe. Today we have booked accommodation in Zhagana, which is nearly 300 kilometers away. Time is limited, forget it! I still chose to give up visiting inside, but now that I’m here, I still have to experience the grandeur of Labrang Monastery. I went to the Raiders to see the panorama on the hillside opposite Labrang Monastery. We climbed up the hillside to look down. The whole picture of Labrang Monastery, Labrang Monastery has the consistent architectural style of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, strong large blocks of gold, red, yellow, black and white buildings, set against the transparent blue sky, giving people a sense of The strong visual impact, and the handsome mountains and rivers and the strong Tibetan style make Labrang Monastery look more mysterious. The entire temple building is row upon row, with the ups and downs of big pearls and small pearls falling on jade plates.

       Our car was not far from Xiahe County, and we came to Sangke Grassland. The river flows slowly from south to north. The water and grass are lush and the scenery is elegant. There are flocks of cattle and sheep under the blue sky and white clouds. It is a natural pastoral scenery. It is very beautiful with green grass and wild flowers everywhere. The grassland is the best summer resort. At this time, the rapeseed flowers in the Sangke grassland are just in bloom. There are a large number of natural pastures for Tibetan compatriots in the Sangke grassland. If you have time, it is a grassland tour. It is an ideal tourist place to escape the summer heat, experience Tibetan nomadic life, and return to nature. Unfortunately, we can only pass by in a hurry today.

Along the way, the view is wide and the road is flat. We enjoy the freedom and vastness of the grassland. The vast and magnificent grassland scenery is really beautiful. After an hour, we came to the Guomang Wetland with a few white cranes flying and walked into the long plank road. , it has already made people intoxicated, colorful wild flowers are everywhere, standing on the viewing platform at the end of the wooden plank road, with blue sky and white clouds above your head, in the distance are continuous mountains and rivers that seem to extend to the sky, and nearby are leisurely sheep Qun, the whole wetland is flat and vast, with gentle slopes and hills, and lush water and grass. You can't help but sigh. This is a paradise on earth. It is also a holy place for bird watching. Every year in late spring and early summer, many rare birds that migrate from south to north settle here. Breeding, black-necked cranes, gray cranes, swans and other rare birds are all over the grassy beach by the lake. The scene is very spectacular. We stand here quietly. Conscience scenic spot, the scenery is good, but there is no entrance fee, even parking fee, because the altitude here is high, try not to walk too fast, otherwise you will be a little out of breath.

       We arrived at Langmusi Temple at noon. Langmusi Temple is not actually a temple, but a regional name. It includes Langmusi Town under the jurisdiction of Luqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and Langmusi Village under the jurisdiction of Hongxing Township, Ruoergai County, Sichuan Province. A clear stream flows through the town. Although it is less than 2 meters wide, it has a very grand name "Bailongjiang". It divides the town in two. Jiangbei is "Anda Canglang Mu Saichi Temple" in Luqu County, Gansu, referred to as Saichi Temple, and Jiangnan is "Anda Canglangmu Geerdi Temple" in Ruoergai County, Sichuan, referred to as Geerdi Temple. Both belong to the Gelug Sect temples of Tibetan Buddhism, with a mosque of the Hui nationality in the middle. The two Tibetan Buddhist temples face each other across the "river".

      We walked into the Saichi Temple on the side of Gansu, which is one of the largest monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism (Gelug Sect), with the existing Great Sutra Hall, Maitreya Hall, Jinwa Hall, Sutra Sutra Hall, Longevity Hall, and Dharma Protector Hall There are more than ten buildings such as the Temple, Matou Mingwang Palace, Zen and Pagoda, and there are five colleges including Wensi, Tantra, Kalachakra, Medicine, and Engraving and Printing. The buildings in the temple are resplendent and magnificent, and each hall is topped with gold-plated, shining golden light, which is very suitable for photography. On the winding path leading to the temple, the herdsmen turn round and round, and stickers can be seen everywhere around the stupa and prayer wheel. Old people who walk on the ground, they put their hearts into devout beliefs all year round, and complete the Nirvana of life with sincerity and faith. Such a thought cannot be easily expressed in words...  .We came to an open place at a high place in the temple, overlooking the panoramic view of Langben Town: Langmusi Town, located in the depression, is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and the scenery is very beautiful. The stone peak in the west of the temple is tall and straight, jagged and steep. The resplendent temple buildings and well-proportioned pagoda houses, the Dharma wheel and the golden deer on the roof of the temple hidden among the lush ancient cypresses and pines are resplendent and glittering under the sunshine, and the monks and lay people are peaceful and leisurely. Therefore, [Langmusi Scenic Spot], known as "China's Little Switzerland", "Gannan Xiangbala" and "Little Jiangnan", is a fascinating paradise in the hearts of many backpackers.

      When I came out of Saichi Temple, I saw that it was already past the meal time, and I was hungry. I decided not to go to the opposite Geerdi Temple. I hurried to find a place to eat. There are the most Sichuan restaurants here. The strong Sichuan cuisine is very hungry. For us, it's just right for our appetite. Just eat a big bowl of rice, which is better than all delicacies at this time.

        Leaving Langmusi Town, headed to Zhayana, 90KM away, and then we encountered the most unsatisfactory thing in our trip. In Hongxing Township, not far from Langmusi Town, we started S313 Provincial Highway (belonging to the section of G345 National Highway) ) due to road construction and road closure, one-way release once every two hours, we waited here for more than two hours, and the road from Hongxing Township to Diebu Jiangdie section is under construction, and there are landslides and landslides everywhere The road section is full of potholes, dusty faces, steep cliffs on both sides, winding roads, and often abrupt mountains in front of you. You are trembling all the way. This section of Provincial Highway 313, which is less than 80 kilometers away, has been driving for nearly three hours. Entering the winding Jiangdie Highway Diela section, the whole journey is nearly 30 kilometers from south to north. Although this section is winding, it is well repaired.

       After waiting for more than two hours and driving for more than three hours, I finally arrived at Zhagana, which was surrounded by darkness at nearly ten o'clock in the evening. We booked and paid for the inn in Zhagana in advance, mainly because we liked it. His family's view room, but because we arrived late at Zhagana, we were not reserved for us. Finally, we were arranged to an inn called Zhagana Eco-tourism Hotel. Although the room was clean, But the view room is gone, here is a reminder to confirm with the hotel in advance

          It was already eleven o'clock in the middle of the night after a lot of tossing. Fortunately, there is a restaurant in front of the inn that is still open. It seems that there are quite a few people who were stuck on the road like us and arrived at Zhagana in the middle of the night. After dinner, it was already the first time. It was early in the morning the next day, so I hurried back to my room to sleep.

2019-08-10 Zhayana-Min County-Lanzhou

       I woke up not long after I fell asleep. I opened the curtains and saw that the sky was full of stars. I simply got up to look at the starry sky. After taking pictures of the starry sky, I washed up and went to watch the sunrise. Driving to the observation deck of Dari Village at the highest point, it was early in the morning at six o'clock in the morning. We became the first group of travelers waiting for the sunrise. The other side of the mountain has not been exposed for a long time.

      Zhayana is located in Yiwa Township, more than 30 kilometers northwest of Diebu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. It means "stone box" in Tibetan. The terrain is not only like a large-scale giant palace, but also like a complete ancient city built by natural rock walls. More than 90 years ago, Joseph Locke, an American-Austrian, discovered during his inspection in Yunnan that Zhagana is a Tibetan language. It means "stone box". The current Zhayana Scenic Area is surrounded by mountains and distributed on the hillside. Four natural villages are Dongwa Village, Yeri Village, Dari Village and Daiba Village and a Tibetan village. The Buddhist monastery Lasang Temple consists of.

      At around 7:00 in the morning, the sky became brighter and brighter. In the morning light, the sun jumped out between the two hilltops, and a thin mist rose from the village in the valley. When the light slanted over the top of the mountain, the village became beautiful, bringing Frost and dew, with light fog, and then illuminated by the sun, everything is soft and beautiful, and the mountains surrounded on three sides are like high, thick and indestructible walls, enclosing the four villages and one temple of Zhagana. In the city, there are row upon row of Tibetan villages on the hillside, stacked up, mani prayer flags fluttering in the wind, and Tibetans working quietly and honestly between the hillside and river, forming a wonderful pastoral scenery. In between, accompanied by wisps of cooking smoke, the village is looming, and the sun shines through the clouds to sprinkle layers of golden light. The scenery is endless, just like a fairyland. Faced with this scene, everyone is reluctant to leave, and because of this unique landform, until now, Zhagana is still a distant and unfamiliar existence to most people, so it can retain a large number of original natural features, and it is a paradise on earth that everyone who loves to travel cannot avoid.

       After shooting the sunrise, I went back to the inn, checked out after having breakfast, and drove to the parking lot at the entrance of the village where I came last night. There is a Nian Gandawa Shenshan Park here. The parking lot is full of cars. From a distance, people like ants are crowded on the boardwalk. Under the command of the traffic police, we have to park the car on a high slope in the distance, and then go to the boardwalk to see Looking at the panoramic view of Zhayana Township, we climbed up the steps along the wooden plank road, which leads to Fairy Beach, where the fifth season of "Where Are We Going, Dad" was filmed here, and we can blame this place for feeling breathless as we keep climbing up The altitude is 3,400 meters. Take a few steps and take a breather. After walking for more than one kilometer in 40 minutes, you will come to an open grassland. It is full of wild flowers of various colors, very, very beautiful. Looking east from Fairy Beach, you can have a panoramic view of the entire Zhayana mountain peak and Zhayana village. At this time, the clouds on the top of the opposite mountain have dispersed, and the blue sky is fully displayed. , the main peak of Zhagana has gradually revealed its true colors, and the houses in the village are too small to be seen clearly. I really have to admire the uncanny workmanship of nature. I heard from the tourists who returned earlier that they continued to climb up from Fairy Beach. It is estimated that they will have to climb 1.5 kilometers before arriving at Fairy Lake. Fairy Lake is just a small water resort with a size of only a few tens of square meters. The scenery is actually quite ordinary. When we heard that it was like this, we chose to give up and return the same way, and return to the gate of Nian Gandawa Shenshan Park. Here we can take a shuttle bus (40 yuan) to Yixiantian, walk on foot, see the mountains, and see the waterfalls. Seeing the long queue, we planned to rush back to Lanzhou tonight, but we had to give up again. In this way, we came to what is known as the last "Eden" in the world. After a hasty passerby, we said goodbye to Zhagana at noon. In our opinion, if Zhagana does not accept tickets, it will keep its original Ecology, there are people working in the countryside, and the smoke from cooking in the morning flutters in the morning mist. It is becoming less and less simple. I think it will lose its charm in the near future if it continues like this. And I personally think that if you don’t like photography, Zhagana, which is known as the last "Eden" in the world, will also lose its charm. Not as beautiful as reported on media websites.

        Because I learned about the bad road and the long wait when I came to Zhaga yesterday, I didn’t dare to go back the same way when I returned to Lanzhou today. I decided to go to Min County and then return to Lanzhou. When I came out of Zhayana Scenic Area, I went to the river first. After Die Highway, turn left and continue to drive along the S313 Provincial Highway (G345 National Highway) towards Zhouqu County. This section of 313 Highway is much better than the one when you came yesterday. The road is flat and there are few vehicles. Diebu County is a famous The location of the Zikou Battle, so there are many revolutionary sites here. When our car turned from the S313 Provincial Highway to the S210 Provincial Highway and passed the Lazikou Battle Monument, we saw that the terrain here was indeed too steep. In the deep valley, the S210 Provincial Highway It was squeezed into a narrow path that can only pass two cars. It was really not easy for the Red Army to pass here during the Long March. At that time, the Shaanxi-Gansu detachment of the Red Army arrived at Lazikou, a natural danger pass in southern Gansu. Three Lu Dachang troops of the Kuomintang army The regiment blocked the advance of the Red Army according to danger. On the same day, the Red Army attacked head-on and failed to break through the defensive positions of the Kuomintang army. The next day, two companies of the Red Army climbed over the steep cliffs, interspersed with the Kuomintang army's back, and defeated the defending enemy in one fell swoop. After breaking through the natural barrier Lazikou, the Central Red Army entered the open area of ​​southern Gansu and opened up a passage to the north to the Shaanxi-Gansu area. The Battle of Lazikou , became a crucial battle on the Red Army's Long March.

       Although the section of S210 our car passed was called a provincial road, the road conditions were still very difficult. Not to mention the narrow road and several high mountains to climb, fortunately there were not many vehicles. After arriving in Min County, which belongs to the Dingxi area of ​​Gansu Province, the road became wide and flat, but the G75 Lanhai Expressway leading to Lanzhou has not yet been completed, so we can only take the G212 Lanzhou-Chongqing Line. There are too many freight vehicles along the way, and there are There are many hills, and the speed cannot be pulled up at all.

       Our car crossed the watershed between Taohe River and Weihe River, two tributaries of the Yellow River at an altitude of 2980 meters. The changes are rapid, and the road is winding and ups and downs. I thought the height of the watershed was already impressive, but on the observation deck, we saw a higher exposed mountain. It is upright and unique, with an altitude of 3941 meters. , The peak of Lugu Mountain was originally a white stone, and the snow on the peak does not disappear all year round, but for those of us who have seen too many snow-capped mountains, this mountain is really nothing.

       At less than 100 kilometers away from Lanzhou, I finally got on the G75 Lanhai Expressway. The closer to Lanzhou, there are bare mountains all around. Outside, there are groups of mountains, far without end. After nearly nine hours of driving, we came to Lanzhou in the dark. Because we didn’t book a hotel in Lanzhou, the Mercure we stayed in was already fully booked. On the way here, we booked Super 8 Hotel Yantan Branch in Lanzhou. This kind of economical hotel It's not cheap in Lanzhou, but the location of this hotel is good, and the service attitude is also good. After checking in, it's already past nine in the evening. I'm tired today. I don't want to go to the food street in Lanzhou. It's not far from the hotel. I found a small Sichuan restaurant in the alley to deal with it, but no matter where I go, the chefs of the Sichuan restaurants that can survive are mostly not bad. The taste of this small restaurant is really good.

2019-08-11 Lanzhou-Yinchuan

       A bowl of noodles, a bridge, and a magazine, these three signs of Lanzhou must be known to most people. Now that we are back in Lanzhou, our focus in Lanzhou today is to rest and check in these three things.

    When mentioning Gansu, you will definitely think of Lanzhou beef noodles. Ganshi Lanzhou has no beef noodles but only beef noodles, and the beef noodles actually have no beef. Lanzhou Beef Noodles, also known as Lanzhou Beef Noodles in Clear Soup, is one of the "Top Ten Chinese Noodles". The strength of the noodles and the deliciousness of the beef broth make Lanzhou Beef Noodles really unforgettable. It is a delicacy that must be tasted in Lanzhou. Let’s go straight to this delicacy first, because the hotel’s extra breakfast voucher is designated on the upper floor The next one is called Serra Palace Beef Noodle Restaurant. Once we entered the restaurant, there were no empty seats, and most of them were locals. It shouldn’t be bad. The breakfast voucher was a bowl of noodles in clear soup. We each paid for a small plate Beef, this beef is all marinated bullock meat, put this meat into the green soup, the aroma is overflowing, and the temptation is irresistible, one green, two white, three red, four yellow and five green are "Lanzhou "Beef Noodles" has five characteristics, one is green, it is a soup made from bones; the other is white, it is white radish slices unique to Lanzhou; Green means green chopped green onion. The five characteristics of the bowl of noodles we ate today are all presented.

       After tasting the beef noodles at Sierra Palace, check out as soon as possible. We have to taste other Lanzhou signatures during our limited time in Lanzhou, because Lanzhou is not just about the authentic Lanzhou beef noodles.

         Lanzhou used to be an important town on the ancient Silk Road. Although it is not dazzling today with the rapid development of major and medium-sized cities, its heritage still exists. The Yellow River runs through Lanzhou from west to east, sandwiching it between the north and south mountains, making it a long and narrow city extending from east to west. Now more than ten towers have been erected on the Yellow River passing through the city. There are railway and highway bridges with beautiful shapes and novel structures, but the most famous one is Zhongshan Bridge. This is the oldest ancient bridge in Lanzhou. It was built by a German businessman in 1907. It is located under Baita Mountain in the middle section of Binhe Road, echoing Baita Mountain. Five arc-shaped steel frame arches are erected on the bridge. It was originally called the Yellow River Iron Bridge, and later renamed Zhongshan Bridge. The bridge does not require tickets, the entire bridge is not open to traffic, you can walk across the Yellow River from the bridge.

       Walking through the first bridge of the Yellow River full of people, we came to the Baitashan Park on the opposite side of the Yellow River. Lanzhou people say this: look at the White Tower under the Zhongshan Bridge, and see Zhongshan from the Baita Mountain. After we got in touch with the Zhongshan Bridge, Decided to climb up Baita Mountain, and then take a look at the whole picture of Zhongshan Bridge. Baita Mountain Park is free to enter. Baita Mountain is a place where Chinese and Tibetan cultures blend together. It is named after the White Tower. This tower was originally commemorated to visit Genghis Khan in Mongolia and died in Lanzhou. It was built by the Lamas of the Sakya Sect in Tibet, and then rebuilt several times. It was turned into a park in 1958. We climbed to the highest point of Baita Mountain, and you can have a panoramic view of the Yellow River Iron Bridge and the mud-colored Yellow River. You will see the raging waves rushing eastward, and you can also have a panoramic view of the beautiful Lanzhou. Tashan and Zhongshan Bridge are almost the soul of Lanzhou City.

      One city, one book, the magazine "Reader's Digest" in Lanzhou, which was later renamed "Reader", this magazine has accompanied us in our youth and influenced our entire generation. We came to Reader Avenue, which is named after this famous local periodical magazine, next to the Yellow River. On the north side of this road is the largest producer of periodicals in Asia - Reader Publishing Group. After discussing and agreeing with the guards, we went to the readers’ stone sculptures to take photos and check in. We named an important road in a city after a magazine, which is rare in China and even in the world. Now Readers has become Lanzhou’s One of the business cards, to understand Lanzhou, start from reading "Reader"....

       In fact, there is another important scenic spot in Lanzhou: Gansu Provincial Museum. The Gansu Provincial Museum has a collection of more than 350,000 historical relics, modern cultural relics, ethnic cultural relics, and paleontological fossils and specimens, especially the town hall, which is a national first-class cultural relic. Stepping on Feiyan is a landmark of an excellent tourist city in China. Unfortunately, today is Monday, and the museum is closed. Let us regret our trip to Lanzhou. After punching in the three major signs of Lanzhou, we will say goodbye to Lanzhou.

      As the capital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou is worth your stay. As the capital of Gansu Province and the central city of Northwest China, Lanzhou has a very important traffic position: it reaches Dunhuang in the north, Gannan in the south, Xining in the west, and Yinchuan in the east. It is said that it is a necessary place for traveling to the west. Day and night, the Yellow River flows endlessly to the distance, making Lanzhou a city with "character". The rolling turbid waves and bursts of waves not only nurture The water and soil in Lanzhou have also created the bold and rough character of Lanzhou people. The city has become warmer and richer because of the Yellow River. At the same time, the unique landforms of Lanzhou have restricted the development of Lanzhou. The urban area of ​​Lanzhou is really like an inch of land. Jin, Lanzhou's traffic conditions can be said to be one of the most congested cities in China that we have seen. In Lanzhou, I deeply experienced the chaotic, chaotic and depressing city appearance, which greatly affected the overall city appearance.

         Leaving the barren and barren land of Gansu, where no grass grows everywhere, we have once again returned to Ningxia, which is known as the top of the south of the Yangtze River. The blue sky, white clouds, straight roads, sand dunes on both sides, green land, and wind power devices can be seen everywhere. The most eye-catching thing is the large stretches of watermelon fields on both sides of the expressway. This is the famous Ningxia Sesha melon producing area. Sesha melon is also known as "Gobi watermelon" and "Watermelon growing from the cracks in the rocks". , mainly produced in the Huanxiangshan area of ​​Zhongwei City, Ningxia. The melon farmers take the rock fragments mainly Carboniferous that have been weathered and washed into the ravine by mountain torrents, and are laid on the lime-calcium soil with a thickness of 10-15cm. It achieves the functions of improving ground temperature, water storage and moisture conservation. At the same time, the sand contains trace elements such as zinc and selenium necessary for the human body, which provides unique natural conditions for the accumulation of a large amount of natural glucose, vitamins, amino acids and various trace elements. Selenium sand melon Very big, squashy melons, each with a sandy flesh and plenty of water. This year, due to the high rainfall and high production of watermelons, the price of melons is low. Generally, you can buy a catty for 20 or 30 cents. It is said that you can buy it directly in the melon fields. Selenium melons are too big, usually around 20 catties a piece, and we can't eat one at a time. There is no way, we can't buy more, and melon farmers are really not easy.

        Back in Yinchuan, I came to Jinfeng Wanda Plaza again. Because I didn’t book the Sunshine Apartment Hotel, I booked the Famiiy Apartment Hotel located in the same building. The facilities here are a bit outdated, but it’s not bad, so check in quickly Looking for food, I searched for a nearby "Guoqiang Handcuffs" that has been to China on the tip of my tongue. The grade and scale of the restaurant are larger than any one I have eaten before. The dishes also look much more exquisite. Of course The price has also gone up, but to be honest, the most famous hand-caught mutton in the store is not much better than the ones in some small shops we have eaten before. Maybe it is because we ate too much mutton along the way.

2019-08-12 Yinchuan-Shanghai

       When I woke up in the morning, I opened the window and saw that a round of red sun was rising on Helan Mountain in the distance, dyeing the sky golden yellow. Today we will use the rest of the time to visit Yinchuan again, and we choose to go to the site of the Xixia King's Mausoleum at the foot of Helan Mountain.

When I came to the Xixia Royal Tombs Park located in the western suburbs of Yinchuan City and at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain, it was completely different from when I came here 19 years ago. Next to the visitor center is the newly built Xixia Museum, which looks very imposing. It turns out that The Xixia Museum is probably too small to be displayed. It is not open now. We change the online ticket to enter the scenic spot. First, we enter the Xixia Museum. This is the first one in China with the Xixia Mausoleum as the background. A special museum on the history of protection. The museum is a two-story building. When visiting, the first thing you enter is the large preface hall. The main relief on the wall of the preface hall is a major attraction, and a large number of stories about Xixia are stored and displayed in the museum. Historical relics are very precious. For tourists who like history, this must be a must-see place. Walking out of the museum, there is a Xixia Folk Culture Park next to it. There are brick pagodas from the Xixia period that were relocated here from other parts of Ningxia, and statues of the emperors of the Xixia period. It’s not that I’ve seen these Xixia emperors. It’s really a dark history full of history. Killing, barbarism and incest are a history of bloody struggles that cannot be recalled. And the artistic level of the statue itself is not high, which makes the Xixia civilization, which was originally high-end and comprehensive, lose a lot of points. Of course, there is still a little bright spot here, that is the Xixia script, which was originally created by the Xixia Dynasty based on Chinese characters. It still looks very distinctive, and it is said that the earliest wooden movable type discovered in the world was invented by the Xixia people.

         After visiting the museum part, we will take a unified scenic bus to visit the mausoleum area. There are 9 imperial tombs and more than 250 accompanying tombs in the mausoleum area. The area of ​​the mausoleum is 50 square kilometers. It is one of the largest existing imperial cemeteries and the most complete preservation of ground sites. It is the largest Xixia cultural site in my country, and it is also the most important historical heritage and the most mysterious cultural landscape in Ningxia. [Xixia Royal Tomb] has the "Oriental Pyramid "It is said that because Western powers robbed Xixia documents and cultural relics, the history and culture of Xixia were covered with a veil of mystery. The scenic bus is driving on the vast Gobi Desert at the foot of Helan Mountain. The view is infinitely wide, and the earth is under your feet. You can see small mounds along the way, and each small mound is a mausoleum. The currently open royal tombs are Tombs 1, 2, and 3. Tomb No. 3 is separate, and Tomb No. 1.2 is next to each other, which is the so-called double tomb. The owners of these three tombs are No. 1 Li Jiqian (the grandfather of Li Yuanhao) ), No. 2 Li Deming (father of Li Yuanhao), No. 3 Li Yuanhao. The first thing we came to was No. 3 Mausoleum, which was also the first Xixia Mausoleum open to the world. In fact, the Mausoleum of No. 3 Mausoleum Yuanhao that we are currently visiting. It’s just a pile of loess. Its buildings on the ground were destroyed when the Mongols marched, and the underground palace has not yet been opened. Therefore, many people who visited the Xixia King’s Mausoleum left a message, “Look at the big mound from a distance, and look at a pile of soil up close.” In fact, this is not the original appearance of the royal mausoleum. The earliest architectural style of the Xixia Mausoleum is very solemn and magnificent. The rammed earth accounts for about 65%. The exterior is decorated with wooden structures and brick and tile building components. The wall base is covered with bricks. The wall has been painted with red paint. The representative dripping tiles, wonderful sound birds, and beasts unearthed in the Xixia Mausoleum in the museum just now are proofs, and the large and small mounds are scattered in a patchwork pattern. On the vast Gobi, backed by Helan Mountain, with the blue sky and white clouds, the momentum is as grand as the distribution of the Egyptian pyramids. It is still full of good geomantic omen, and the Xixia Royal Tomb still has many mysterious places of its own. For example, grass never grows on the mound, and birds never stay on the mound. These phenomena have cast a veil of mystery on the Western Xia Royal Tombs. At noon on the Gobi Desert, the sun is scorching hot, and No. 1 and No. 2 Shuangling are a few kilometers away from No. 3 Mausoleum. There is no scenic bus to go there. If you want to go , you need to rent a bicycle in the scenic spot to go there by yourself. Forget it, let’s take a look from a distance. In this pile of loess, we can taste the bits and pieces of the time through these vanished elements. , Winners and losers, let's laugh at everything.

        After visiting the Xixia Royal Mausoleum Site Park, our trip to Yinchuan will come to an end. Although there are Helan Mountain rock paintings, sand lakes, and Zhenbeibao Western Film and Television City around Yinchuan, the temperature here is too high at noon, and it is already 10 o'clock to go out. It’s been many days, I’m a bit tired of aesthetics, so I decided to give up, and we went back directly to the downtown area of ​​Yinchuan. Yinchuan has changed a lot over the years, especially the new urban area, where there are commercial plazas and decent new buildings. There is still some time before the flight home, I decided to take my companions to the old town of Yinchuan, where I have been, to a very meaningful place, Nanxun Gate located in the South Gate Square of the old city, the South Gate Square is Yinchuan City A geographical business card, here is also a bustling place for culture, business and leisure in Yinchuan. No matter foreigners or locals in Yinchuan, they will come to Nanmen Square to eat and shop in Yinchuan. One of the six major city gates is the only complete city gate tower preserved so far. People are used to calling it "South Gate Tower". According to legend, it was built by Zhu Di in Ming Dynasty when he was in Lingzhou, and it was built almost at the same time as Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It looks like Tiananmen from a distance, so it is known as "Little Tiananmen". Although it is still a small model compared with the capital Tiananmen, the red bricks and blue tiles look very majestic and solemn. When I came here, there were ceremonies on both sides of the tower. The platform has been demolished now, but it is still the place where major celebrations and gatherings are held in Yinchuan.

       For the last meal before leaving Yinchuan, we decided to eat Ningxia’s special snacks. We didn’t go to Shahu this time, so we went to the Shahu Hotel Food City, which is also located in the old city of Yinchuan. A large bowl of lamb haggis with lungs. The soup is filled with delicious lamb oil and spicy peppers. The bowl is filled with red. It does not have the unique smell of sheep. Ningsha melon bought in the Ning service area, lamb offal and shagua, a perfect match in Ningxia.

      Back near the airport, return the car first. Seeing that we have traveled quite a lot in this circle, we have driven a total of 4,768 kilometers in 13 days. How many laughs and laughter we left behind along the way I have seen so many beautiful scenery beyond the Great Wall, along the way, grasslands, lakes, cattle and sheep, Gobi, desert, scorching heat, and magnificent scenery. Along the way, I have recalled many epic heroes and lamented how many shocking changes in the west today. The journey of the day is the baptism of vision and soul, and the impact of taste buds. The Great Northwest is very far away, and the driving time is also long, but here, if you can meet all beings at once, and even talk about them for a lifetime, you must go to the Great Northwest for an appointment, so that it can be fulfilled.