The most beautiful Northwest Ring Road in summer, you can see all kinds of scenery at once

【Preface】

If life had never met, I would still be the same me, occasionally dreaming, hovering between two points and one line, doing the job in the office where you can see the head at a glance, day after day, year after year, never thought of meeting After you, my life changed...

I have always believed that there must be a magnetic field between people. It radiates outward along the three views. You and I met on the road. Since then, we have been traveling between cities and countries, turning our hobbies into jobs.

Five years ago, we all came to Qinghai for the first time in that summer. You rode and I took a car, but we never met each other. But people who are destined will meet and know each other at a certain corner. In the past few years, we have missed it countless times The endless rape blossoms by Qinghai Lake, the sunrise on the sea level, the gentle breeze in summer, the free yaks on the green grass...

Finally, taking advantage of the time both of them had, they agreed to take a tour of the Northwest in this most beautiful season, grasslands, lakes, deserts, sea of ​​flowers...

Many people say that if you haven’t been to the Northwest, you don’t know how big China is. When you arrive in the Northwest, you have met most of China. Walking through the grasslands, crossing the desert, driving across the Gobi, and looking at the Xuefeng Mountains. All fantasies, a complete loop, cover the most classic beauty, explore the meaning of life in the desolation of the desert and the upgrade of the grassland, and use the journey to interpret the love of life together.

【Preparation before departure】

For those of you who are about to travel to the Northwest, here are a few questions that many people want to ask:

1. The altitude in the northwest is between 2,000 and 4,000 meters. Altitude sickness may occur only when it exceeds 3,000 meters. Don’t worry too much. Generally speaking, the northwest area is not particularly high. If you are worried, it is recommended to take rhodiola in advance. Play a role in preventing high altitude sickness, altitude sickness can be adjusted and adapted, everyone can go there with confidence;

2. The temperature in the northwest in summer is between 15-28 degrees. The weather on the plateau changes rapidly. Generally, it is mainly sunny and cloudy, with occasional rain. It is recommended to bring a jacket and trousers. The clothes are mainly summer clothes. The temperature difference between morning and evening Big, must pay attention to keep warm, in addition, it is best to bring an umbrella;

3. Northwest travel needs to experience walking, mountaineering, horseback riding, camel riding, etc. It is recommended to prepare a pair of comfortable and easy-to-walk flat shoes. Walking in the desert is suitable for wearing a pair of slippers, so that the sand is easy to get out of the shoes;

4. Ultraviolet rays are very strong in high-altitude areas. Be sure to wear sunglasses, sunscreen clothing, sunscreen, hats, etc. Girls must bring moisturizing masks, sprays, etc., and replenish water in time;

5. Prepare the shooting equipment and charging equipment in advance. SLR, mobile phone, and drone can often produce films when the weather is good. The equipment we brought this time includes drone DJI Mavic 2, Nikon D800E, Nikon Z6, lens There are 15-30mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, 35mm, 50mm, Sony RX0 second generation, etc.;

6. Northwest China is a place inhabited by ethnic minorities. Local customs should be respected, and topics that are taboo by ethnic minorities should not be mentioned;

7. There are no cleaners in nature. You must protect the environment when you go out. Take garbage bags with you and don’t litter. Thank you.

【about the author】

Hello everyone, I am your old friend: Shen Xiaoxian Children's Shoes,

I like to travel all over the place with my own footsteps. If there is one thing worth sticking to, it is travel.

There are some roads that you can’t walk in high heels, some air you can’t smell when you spray perfume, some people you will never meet in the office, those lonely and beautiful things that are left alone, those magical and charming enthusiasm, you have never been there , I never knew that on this planet, there are still all kinds of different beauties...

If you like my text and photos, please follow me. If you have any travel strategies, I am willing to answer and share them for you. The pictures and texts are original. Please do not reproduce them in any form without permission. The copyright belongs to All of the authors.

Weibo: Miss-Shen Xiaoxian

WeChat public account: Xianyu tribe

【Itinerary Introduction】

The Northwest is sparsely populated and is suitable for self-driving and chartered/carpooling. We have thought about it for a long time. If we drive by ourselves, we are not familiar with the roads in life, and it is easy to drive the wrong way. Moreover, driving is tiring. After six days, we will be exhausted. It was unanimously decided that it would be more reliable to find a local driver to take us with us, so that we could avoid a lot of wrong roads, see all kinds of scenery at once, and feel the charm of the Northwest at the same time with body and mind.

Itinerary for six days and five nights:

D1 Xining - Ta'er Monastery (ticket 70) - Laji Mountain - Qinghai Lake - Jiangxi Ditch - Black Horse River - Rubber Mountain - Chaka Town [Su Chaka Town]

D2 Chaka Salt Lake (ticket + sightseeing car ticket 70)--Dachaidan Emerald Lake [Su Dachaidan Town]

D3 Dachaidan---Nanbaxian Yadan-Oil Town (Tickets 20)-Dunhuang [near Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang]

D4 West Thousand Buddha Caves (Tickets for Mogao Grottoes in peak season must be booked within one month in advance) - Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring (tickets 120) [Dunhuang]

D5 Depart from Dunhuang--Guazhou (tasting honeydew melon)--Jiayuguan (ticket 120)--Zhangye Colorful Danxia (ticket 75) [stay in colorful town of Zhangye City]

D6 Zhangye--Biandukou Scenic Area (the most beautiful National Highway 227)--Menyuan--crossing Daban Mountain--Xining

【Tar Monastery, the holy place in my heart】

Starting from Xining, three people and one car started our trip to Qinghai Grand Ring Road...

According to Tibetan customs, we decided to go around the lake in a clockwise direction. Kumbum Monastery in Xining missed this place because we had no time five years ago. This time, we decided to make up for this regret. The driver took us from Xining to Ta’er Er Temple, Kumbum Monastery in peak season is very crowded, self-driving is not recommended, needless to say, parking is slaughtered, just looking for a parking space can take several hours, fortunately, our Master Zhang is familiar with the road, which saved us a lot of time, It must be praised.

If you are looking for the most secular place of faith in Qinghai, almost everyone will say Kumbum Monastery, which is a holy place in the minds of Tibetan Buddhist believers, but even if you don’t believe in religion, the thick and colorful buildings, murals, and pile embroidery of Kumbum Monastery are worth it. Come and have a look.

Kumbum Monastery is "Gunben Xianbalin" in Tibetan, which means Maitreya Temple where one hundred thousand lions roar Buddha statues; it is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in my country. It has a history of more than 600 years and is popular in China and Southeast Asia. Has a very high religious status.

Its landmark buildings will come into sight when climbing the steps and entering through the door: eight pagodas, many people will take pictures here, and I also made a wish here. I hope that after many years, I still remember the original dream.......

Surrounding the pagoda are local believers, holding Buddhist beads in their hands, chanting scriptures, walking around and worshiping. When you feel faith, it exists.

The whole temple is built on top of mountains, with many pagodas. The temples are splendid and high and low. The prayer wheel rotates to the right accompanied by the Tibetans chanting sutras in a low voice. The bodhi tree on the wall is in full bloom...

A sudden heavy rain trapped us in the monastery, quietly listening to the sound of rain and chanting, the most beautiful thing is not the rainy day, but the eaves that escaped the rain with you...

There is a moist plateau atmosphere and the smell of hot butter in the air. Those colorful Tibetan ornaments, pulu, rammed adobe walls, mani piles, prayer flags, prayer wheels, cheese, tsampa, butter lamps, barley Wine... no matter what kind, it is the most straightforward statement and expression of Tibetan culture...

【tips】

Scenic spot address: No. 56, Jinta Road, Xining City

November 1st - March 31st of the following year (low season) 08:00-17:00

Tickets: 70 yuan / person

【Qinghai Lake, a visual feast】

From Kumbum Monastery to Qinghai Lake, you need to climb over the Riyue Mountain. The beautiful scenery along the way is not to be missed. The pictures in memory come to the fore one by one...

The advantage of chartering a car is that it makes travel more free. You can stop at a suitable place anytime and anywhere to capture the desired scenery. You don’t have to worry about getting up early and joining the group, and you don’t have to worry about missing the scheduled time of the bus. The regular tourist attractions are beautiful, but the ones along the way The scenery is worth pressing the shutter. Whether it is posted on Moments or Weibo, it can make this trip even bigger, and the number of likes in minutes will become the strongest in history!

Riyue Mountain has a beautiful legend: When Princess Wencheng was about to leave the land under the jurisdiction of the Tang Dynasty when she traveled to Chiling (now Riyue Mountain), she felt very sad and looked westward at Tubo. Looking back at Chang'an, she missed her hometown even more, so she took out the "Sun and Moon Mirror" bestowed by the queen to look after the scenery of Chang'an and her relatives from it, but she accidentally broke the mirror, which was divided into two parts, the sun and the moon, so it was called "Sun and Moon Mirror". It is Riyue Mountain.

The mountains are stretching, there are many prayer flags fluttering in the wind, yaks and sheep are all over the hillside, winding mountain roads are built, the clouds are within reach, the air is exceptionally fresh, and the surrounding mountains are silent and empty.

14 kilometers below the Riyue Mountain is the Daotang River, the only Daotang River in the land of China that flows stubbornly from east to west in its own way. It condenses too many tears of homesickness from Princess Wencheng. It flows quietly and gently. Finally, it flows into Qinghai Lake....

The Daotang River winds for more than 40 kilometers and is crystal clear, like a beautiful silk falling on the grassland.

Crossing the Riyue Mountain and crossing the Daotang River, the vast and deep blue lake gradually appears between the blue sky and the grassland. The time on the road has also become a "flowing visual feast" that is dizzying. Unforgettable scenery.

Summer is the most beautiful season in Qinghai Lake. The golden sea of ​​rapeseed flowers is the best companion. It is poetic and distant. No need for superb shooting skills. Every frame has the potential to become a screen saver or wallpaper.

Driving all the way to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the open and continuous grassland, driving to the lake, surrounded by a large piece of rapeseed, as if the palette of God was overturned in the world, and spread all the way to the sky, the sea of ​​rapeseed by the lake Basically they are circled by the locals, 10 yuan/person can go in and take pictures at will, we chose a colorful sea of ​​flowers, of course the tickets are more expensive, 40 yuan/person, it is quite a deal for those who like to take pictures.

Golden rapeseed, purple lavender, and green highland barley are staggered for dozens of kilometers. Walking through them is like walking in a painting, supporting the beauty of the entire Northwest. It is so beautiful that you can’t take your eyes off it. It is a pity that there are only two sentences repeated in the end: so beautiful.

In July and August, the temperature difference between morning and evening in Qinghai is very large. When there is sunshine during the day, it will be too hot to open our eyes, but it can’t stop us from seeing the great beauty in front of us. Excitement, being here, I feel that I have transformed It's a picture frame.

Come to the familiar Erlangjian Scenic Area. It is larger and more commercialized than five years ago. You can ride horses, yaks, hot air balloons and speedboats. There are many items. The yaks here have become photo props, and the owners give them The dress is very beautiful, and it feels like a yak beauty contest.

After looking at the lake for a long time, I found the most beautiful yak. ​​The soft hair style attracted us instantly. After confirming the eyes, we put it away. Riding on it became a landscape by the lake. Everyone who rides a yak to take pictures 20 yuan, Tibetans are pretty good at doing business with their own cattle.

And I prefer the tranquility of Huanhu West Road, the straight road, the blue sky, the green grass, driving on that straight road, the exuberant vitality, the color cleanses the eyes, looking at the blue in front of me , Even if you don’t do anything, you still feel comfortable in the city that you haven’t seen for a long time.

I found a small road extending to the lake, let go of everything and ran along. In the summer of 20 degrees, it looks like a paradise on earth.

The yak brothers who are leisurely scattered on the grass greeted us friendly. Living in such a place with such a good environment and air, they must be very happy.

Qinghai is not like a city, bustling and in a hurry, nor like a paradise, far away and strange. This is the spiritual home that many people yearn for, and it is the tranquility and eternity that can be reached in the world...

【Chaka Salt Lake, the Realm of the Sky】

Many people who go to Qinghai will not miss to go to Chaka Salt Lake to take pictures besides checking in Qinghai Lake. When I went to Chaka for the first time five years ago, my best friend and I were so excited that we couldn’t stop the camera shutter in our hands. The only drawback It’s just that there are too many people. After five years, I decided to take a new set of photos of the sky.

Chaka Salt Lake, also known as Chika or Dabnur, travelers also gave it a wonderful name "The Realm of the Sky", and it was even rated as "the place to go in one's life" by "China National Geographic" magazine. One of 55 places".

This time we went to the Sky No. 1 scenic spot, which is located in the east of the original scenic spot. Although it belongs to the Chaka Salt Lake, the difference is that there are relatively fewer tourists in the Sky No. 1 scenic spot. During the peak season, the pressure on the original scenic spot can be relieved. After all, in the peak season of Qinghai, the 2KM traffic jam every day from the national highway to the parking lot of Chaka Salt Lake Scenic Area is really a disaster.

There is no need for PS to wipe out the bustling crowds, there is no noise like a busy street, there is only this side of the blue lake and sky, no need to deliberately look for angles, any shot is a magical picture of "this scene should only be in the sky".

(It is said that Chaka Salt Lake has a ticket-free policy for the ID card of Zhejiang Province, but we didn’t try it at the time, and bought the ticket honestly. If you have students from Zhejiang Province next time, you can try with your ID card)

The decoration at the entrance of the scenic spot is also extremely distinctive, and it shows a unique artistic beauty under the blue sky.

The Sky One scenic spot is very big. If you want to walk the entire distance on your own feet, I advise you to give up. If you have the strength, it is better to take more beautiful photos. The small train in the scenic spot is specially used to carry tourists. , the steam locomotive has become a unique landscape, leisurely shuttling between the salt lakes, adding a touch of playfulness, carrying expectant passengers to see the stunning scenery of Chaka Salt Lake.

The sightseeing car in the scenic spot is a circular driveway, and there are four stops in total without going back. They are: Diamond Plank Road, Love Plank Road, Lucky Promenade and Lake Center Observation Deck.

Sitting in the sightseeing car, the lake and the sky along the way are in a line, so beautiful that people forget the passage of time, as if this train has no end, just wandering in the blue and white world, forever...

The overall layout is connected by plank roads, which can solve the problem of difficult photography and protect the crystallization layer of the salt pond.

There are also a lot of experience items, such as camel riding, horse riding, kart driving, glider... If you have enough time, you can play here for a whole day, but it is really super hot, so you must take sun protection measures.

Among them, the "Diamond Submerged Water Plank Road" can enjoy all kinds of salt flowers. Just like the name of this plank road, salt flowers are like diamonds sunken into the water, and they also shine brightly in the water.

It is highly recommended to wear a red dress when you come here to take pictures. The bright red skirt dances casually with the wind. It contrasts with the quiet blue around it and echoes each other. It makes the original quiet scenery vivid. Walking here , I feel that the whole sky has been contracted by myself...

Some people may wonder why I chose to come to Chaka Salt Lake on this sunny day in August, a vast and boundless place free to accept the baptism of the sun, but in fact, summer is the most beautiful time of Chaka Salt Lake, when the sun shines on the lake. The scenery reflected on the screen is unique.

The love plank road in the scenic area is a place where many couples go to check in. The plank road is connected in the shape of a heart, which can be seen clearly only by aerial photography, but flying drones is prohibited in the scenic area, so you can only experience it on land. The lake here is deeper than the original scenic spot, so it is more suitable for taking pictures on the plank road. The purity, reflection, blue and white are intertwined, just like a dream.

Chaka Salt Lake photography is very affected by the weather. As long as the weather is good, you can take pictures of a fairyland. I think of the beautiful scenery in Hayao Miyazaki's animation, which seems to be in the real world. The sky is mixed with the blue of the lake. The beauty is to the extreme, and the occasional clouds are even more magical.

To say which stop I like the most in the scenic spot, I still recommend the last stop of the sightseeing bus. Maybe many tourists just skip this stop and don’t get off the bus when they are tired at the end of the tour. So there are fewer people and you can take pictures at will. up.

The small train that the workers of the salt lake used to ride is now used as a shooting prop, extending far away in the white salt lake, as if leading to the end of the world, and as if walking out of "Spirited Away".

There are patches of salt flowers sinking under the clear lake water, and a golden triangle made of piles of salt. Don't underestimate this small triangle. It is a popular place for online celebrities to take pictures. For Virgo people It is undoubtedly a holy place, and no flaws can be found.

It may be because I love this kind of scenery so much, I have to take photos with excitement everywhere I go, hoping that the camera can record the most beautiful moments between me and Chaka Salt Lake, and I will get old when I wait, so I can take the photos to me His children and grandchildren said: "Look, I am also a person who has been to fairyland."

Although the salt lake is beautiful, it is also very fragile. Don't hurt it because of love. Don't leave anything behind except memory. Let this mirror left behind by God always reflect the most beautiful appearance of heaven...

【tips】

Scenic spot address: East of Chaka Salt Lake, Ulan County, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture

Tickets: 50 yuan/person, sightseeing car: 20 yuan/person

【Emerald Lake, Tears of God】

If Chaka Salt Lake is known as the realm of the sky, some people will definitely stand up and express their dissatisfaction: "There is also Emerald Lake! How can we not take it seriously!" Don't worry, there are many beautiful scenery in the Northwest. Let me come one by one.

It was already afternoon when we came out of Chaka Salt Lake. The driver brother took us to eat a good meal and couldn’t wait to drive towards Dachaidan. In order to catch up with the beautiful scenery at sunset in the evening, the Emerald Lake, a plateau with an altitude of more than 3,000 meters in the depths of Dachaidan, is here. Like gems falling into the world, you must bring a drone with you when you come here. From the perspective of God, it is like emeralds inlaid on the earth. The green is vividly presented here, whether deep or shallow, thick or light... …

It is said that the real natural beauty should be on the road instead of being "captive". Emerald Lake is such a beautiful place. It was originally the mining area of ​​the Salt Lake Mining Team of Dachaidan Chemical Plant. After many years of mining, Only with the current beauty, it has not been fully developed yet, and no tickets are charged, but I believe it will be developed as a scenic spot in the near future.

It is a primitive gravel road from Dachaidan Town to Emerald Lake, the navigation is not easy to use, and the mobile phone has no signal, so it is recommended that the local driver elder brother be leading to reach the destination smoothly.

It was dusk when we arrived, and the light was not at its best. There are not many lakes in this world that can stand God’s perspective. Emerald Lake is one of them. It is so beautiful in aerial photography. What is different from Chaka is that it is not a whole lake, but is composed of scattered small lakes. Only by seeing it with your own eyes can you experience how shocking it is.

This dark brown land, white salt crystals and blue-green lake water blend together, peaceful and quiet, just like an overturned palette, the locals call this salt water "brine".

It's not as lively as Chaka Salt Lake here. What's there is just a piece of tranquility and comfort in the vast world. Stop at will and have your own artistic conception.

There are almost wide roads between the lakes. The lakes on both sides have different scenery. One side reflects Yadan Devil City and the other side reflects Kunlun Snow Mountain. The magic mirror and fairyland meet here. You can step barefoot on the edge of the salt lake and feel the summer. Facing the vastness of the lake in the coolness of the Rigao Plateau, wait for the wind to blow over your cheeks and let your thoughts go.

Maybe it is really a thing left by the Buddha or some god. The Emerald Lake is scattered into many pieces all over this spiritual treasure land. You can only enjoy one-tenth of the beauty of the Emerald Lake when you walk on land normally. When you look down, it is like thousands of Emeralds are inlaid on the earth...

In Qinghai, it gets dark basically after nine o’clock every day, and the few clouds hide sensiblely at this time, letting the river of stars flow in front of people’s eyes, the starry sky of Emerald Lake is quiet and bright, the Milky Way and The constellations are clearly visible. I took a few hours of shooting the starry sky on the shivering plateau. I felt the silence of no one else for a few kilometers around. Only the stars covering the sky sprinkled the glow, and I felt that I had contracted the entire starry sky...

【tips】

Address: Dachaidan, Qinghai Province

Tickets: Free

[Devil City, vicissitudes of history]

The principle of mutual generation and mutual restraint in the world is always true everywhere. There is a rare fairyland in the northwest, and there are naturally demons that accompany each other. If Chaka and Emerald Lake are the light of God, then Nanbaxian Yadan is under the light shadow……

Like Emerald Lake, Nanbaxian Devil City is also an undeveloped natural scenery. It is located on the northeastern edge of the Qaidam Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is one of the main landform types of the Qaidam Basin. The landform combination of strip-shaped mounds and concave grooves distributed at intervals, this is the largest wind-eroded soil forest group found in the country so far, and it is also called the Devil City because of this.

The Northwest is sparsely populated, and the distance between each destination is very long. When the car is speeding on the straight national highway 315, it is as familiar as the scene in a movie road movie.

Going to Nanbaxian Yadan, it is recommended to drive a certain distance inside. Many drivers will be lazy and put people down at the intersection, but that is not the essence. The real essence is in a deeper place. Of course, the road is also It will be difficult to walk and easy to get lost. Our driver brother was very enthusiastic and sent us to a place without tourists. He allowed us to take pictures freely, which is really considerate.

The Yardang landform in Qaidam is a lake deposit in the late Tertiary and early Quaternary 75 million years ago. Due to the uplift of geological movement, it was separated from the water body. The salt and sand condensed crust during the period was sculpted by westerly wind erosion. One of the largest and most typical Yardang landscapes in the world, the Yardan forest here has a total area of ​​about 21,000 square kilometers and an average altitude of 3,260 meters. It is the largest wind-eroded soil forest group found in China so far.

Because of its strange and grotesque landforms, erratic gusts of wind, and the eerie sound of the wind generated by the strange topography, coupled with the fact that the local rocks are rich in iron and the geomagnetism is strong, the compass often fails, resulting in the inability to distinguish the direction and get lost. The world regards it as the Devil City and the Ecstasy Array, which is unique.

Time is not only a pig-killing knife, but also a carving knife that is immortal for thousands of years. It uses wind and water as a handle and a blade. It has been diligently carving on this sandstone for thousands of years, and finally Shayan is willing to die. Layers peeled off, loosened, and collapsed, forming various strange rock shapes over the years.

If you don't arrive at this place in person, you may never realize how magnificent it is. I have seen many photos of Devil City in National Geographic magazine, but when I set foot on this land in person, I was still shocked by everything in front of me. There is no grass or tree for kilometers, and a unique Yardang landform is formed under the drought and windy environment...

Looking into the distance, there is an endless sandy land, on which there are tall and short hills of various shapes. If you look closely, you will find that some are shaped like tigers, and some are like horses. In the twilight, it looks as majestic and majestic as a hundred beasts.

Looking at it again, these hills look like bunkers, wheat stacks, and yurts. They stand in this sea of ​​sand, like a dead city that has been abandoned for a long time. admiration.

In the face of nature, human beings are always so small, across thousands of mountains and rivers, under the profound witness of natural changes, the vicissitudes of time are not worth mentioning...

【tips】

Address: North margin of Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Tickets: Free

【Oil town, photo holy place】

I believe many people should have watched the movie "Nine-story Demon Tower", right? The town in the movie that looks like a 3D modeling town—the oil town actually exists, fans of Ghost Clowning Lantern are all looking this way!

Before setting off, I searched for the mystery of the oil town. I thought it would be hidden in an inaccessible place, but I didn’t expect it to be next to the road, as if waiting for tourists to relieve its loneliness. It is located in Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County, just like the plot of the movie, the oil town in reality changed from a prosperous small town to ruins overnight. It used to be vibrant here.

Driving into the oil town requires a ticket of 20 yuan per person. The little brother who collects the ticket will deliberately dress up as a rough look and jump out to collect the ticket from you. With such an abandoned town full of yellow sand, it seems to come It's like being in the cowboy territory of the American West, which is full of interest!

With excitement, walking into the oil town is like walking into a movie. There are dilapidated buildings and abandoned facilities everywhere. Although it is not as majestic as other scenic spots, it is unexpectedly a place to take pictures. holy place!

The most impressive thing in the movie is the scene where a bus is inserted upside down in the ground. I didn't expect this scene to be not a special effect! Seeing the upside-down bus in the real scene, I was so moved that I wanted to cry, there was no hesitation, no hesitation, no concave shape to take pictures!

Any wall or a scrap car can make a movie of the American West in minutes! Dressing is not as dreamlike as in the sky, just be simple and capable, and with a cloak and a hat, even a girl will look heroic. Here you will find a new self, not only It is beautiful and is cool!

There are also many architectural relics left in the 1980s: government buildings, cultural centers, gas stations, schools and canteens, etc...

They are no longer as radiant as they were when they were prosperous, but they stay here with their backs bent. The natural traces eroded by wind, sand and rain all the year round are not as rough as those artificially destroyed, but there are more traces of time.

There are also some abandoned cars, tanks, factory buildings, overgrown with weeds, and some even passed through these facilities. If you are a photographer or someone who likes to take personal photos, you will definitely jump high on the spot happily. , because it is really suitable for taking pictures!

The dark and gloomy loess color is the background color of a blockbuster film in no man's land, and it is also a mysterious and distant color. It seems that you can become a character in the movie canvas at any stop, walking in the desert with desolation on your back, no matter where you come from No matter where you come or go, just sharing the unique scenery at this moment is enough.

The oil town has a magical power. Walking on the small road here, my heart is always entwined with excitement and desolation. I can't help but want to go to every secluded corner to take pictures and check in the same movie, but seeing this town is devastated. There will also be a sense of desolation, carrying the weight of time, allowing us from modern cities to have a glimpse of past life, and even the changes of the times.

【tips】

Address: 150 meters south of the intersection of National Highway 215 and County Highway 281, Aksay Kazak Autonomous County, Jiuquan City, Aksay Old County

Tickets: 20 yuan / person

[West Thousand Buddha Caves, the beauty of art]

All the way to Dunhuang, this big stage for the gathering and distribution of ethnic groups in the Western Regions is full of exotic customs and ancient legends. It has world-class material cultural heritage and the largest Buddhist art sanctuary in the world. It is almost surrounded by deserts, but it has bred a long history. The Silk Road civilization, relying on a bend of clear springs in the desert, has attracted Chinese and foreign travelers from ancient times to the present. There are majestic and magnificent natural features, colorful cultural landscapes and historical details that cannot be buried by thousands of years of wind and sand...

If you go to Dunhuang, you will definitely go to Mogao Grottoes to check in, but the tickets for Mogao Grottoes in the peak season are really hard to buy. You need to make an appointment online one month in advance, and we didn't buy tickets for Mogao Grottoes, so we had to go there temporarily. The West Thousand Buddha Caves is 35 kilometers outside the city of Dunhuang.

Compared with the fame of Mogao Grottoes, the Xiqian Buddha Cave, which is separated by a mountain, seems to be more independent from the world, but it was excavated earlier than Mogao Grottoes. It has 16 complete caves, but because most of them are The caves dug in the Northern Wei Dynasty were old and severely damaged. As a result, there are only 9 caves for tourists to watch.

The West Thousand Buddha Caves seem to be located in a big pit, overlooking the flowing water, standing in an oasis, looking around is a rare vitality in this vast desert, it has been isolated in this yellow sand for thousands of years. For a hundred years, it is the broken Qiang pavilion that once listened to the gold and iron horses of a generation of dynasties. It is the only way to Yangguan on the Silk Road...

Going down the steps, you will see a West Thousand Buddha Cave cut on the cliff. Looking up, you can see that the Gobi is at the same level as the trees, the leaves are whirling, the land is flat, and the pavilions are like pavilions. People brought it back thousands of years ago. It was in the prime of life, and it was not so eroded and scarred by the years. Although it has been repaired, it can hardly hide the scars it deposited...

Many tourists who couldn't buy tickets for Mogao Grottoes have transferred to West Thousand Buddha Caves, so when we went here, we simply responded to the classic sentence of "queue for two hours, visit for twenty minutes", random After seeing a few caves, photography is not allowed in the caves, so I can only feel the beauty of this art.

【tips】

Address: About 35 kilometers from Dunhuang City, excavated on the cliffs on the banks of the Dang River

09:00 to 17:00 (November to April)

Ticket price: 30 yuan / person

【Desert Springs, Wonders of the World】

In Dunhuang, apart from Mogao Grottoes, Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring are also not to be missed. Mingsha Mountain lies in the south of Dunhuang City. When the wind roars, the sand mountain will make a huge sound. When the wind blows, the sound is like an orchestra. So it is called Mingsha Mountain.

The camel bells on Mingsha Mountain echoed in the hot air over the desert. If the Hexi Corridor is desolate and atmospheric, then Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake are unique and romantic on the Silk Road, witnessing this Thousands of years in a desert...

In the scenic spot that arrived in the evening, there are still many tourists. There is no shelter in the hot desert. It is so hot that I have nowhere to rest my soul.

Over the hills, looking at the Crescent Lake and the ancient buildings not far away, it is like a mirage in a trance. I always hear people say that the Crescent Lake is the most beautiful scenery in Dunhuang. Sand hills, who would have thought that there is such a clear spring hidden in their arms, like a delicate woman hidden in a golden house, the more dusty the surrounding is, the clearer it will be.

Water and fire have always been incompatible, and it is difficult for deserts and clear springs to coexist. However, in Mingsha Mountain, you can see the wonders of deserts and clear springs next to each other. One is rough, the other is tender.

Dressed in a red dress, she looks like a heroine hidden in the desert in the movie. She doesn't have so many sorrows in the modern city, but it is enough to enjoy the boundless magnificence of the yellow sand.

When you come to Crescent Lake, the most attractive thing is not only the wonders of the spring water and the magnificent sand mountains, but also the sunset here.

Many people were waiting for the sunset on the hillside. The rays of the sun shone on the blue spring water, causing the Crescent Moon Spring to shyly sway with silver waves. The afterglow of the setting sun reflected a layer of golden light on the sand in the distance, like a fairy flying in the sky. Floating light gauze with wide sleeves.

Unlike the sunlight in the daytime, which illuminates everything clearly, the sun that is about to leave the scene gave us a big gift in the evening. In the oblique light, the sand ridges in various poses and with different forms are alternated with light and dark, and the layers are more distinct. He said the phrase "the good fortune bell is beautiful, and the yin and yang are at dusk".

I love the continuous and well-defined sand dunes. No matter how many people pass by, a gust of wind will always pile the sand into a mountain, forming gentle lines, like the next best bite on a cream cake, dense and smooth. sweet.

The desert is very cool after sunset. When you hear the camel bells of the camel caravan going away with the vast yellow sand, and the sound of the wind blowing through the spring water, time slows down. This moment will be treasured forever. .

Looking at a starry sky in the desert, but Mingsha Mountain does not recommend taking photos of the starry sky. The light pollution here is serious, so let this beautiful scenery stay in memory.

【tips】

Address: 5 kilometers south of Dunhuang City

Tickets: 110 yuan/person in peak season, 55 yuan/person in off-season

【Jiayuguan, the majestic city wall】

When you come to Gansu, of course you have to go to Jiayuguan, which is known as the world's most majestic gate tower. It is one of the three wonders of the Great Wall of China and a famous world cultural heritage!

Jiayuguan is connected to the Great Wall of Heishan in the north and the first pier in the world in the south. It was once known as the Throat of Hexi in history. Together, the caring driver, Brother Zhang, waited for us to play one attraction and then took us to one after another.

Standing outside Jiayuguan, you can feel the majesty and magnificence, not only in terms of scale, but also in terms of its architectural equipment. Jiayuguan Guancheng is divided into inner city, outer city, Luocheng and Wengcheng. There is a circle of moats, and the camera can't put them all in. Only by standing at the foot of this pass city can you feel the shock of this huge project.

Jiayuguan 500 years ago, with its back facing the Great Wall, closed the west gate of China firmly, climbed up the tower, and looked from a distance, the Gobi overgrown with wild grass outside the pass was spectacular in the wind, and the plaque of "the most magnificent pass in the world" was as high as Standing high, you can see the endless Gobi in front of you. The majestic vermilion city tower is particularly majestic against the jade-like snow peaks of Qilian Mountain.

However, throughout the ages, "Grand Mo laughs drunk on the battlefield, how many people have fought back in ancient times", how many elegiac songs of life and death have been witnessed in this majestic desert city?

Sometimes I feel that human beings are as insignificant as a dust, and sometimes I feel as big as a giant. It is hard to imagine what kind of perseverance and belief the Chinese ancestors relied on to build the Great Wall without large mechanical tools. It is the devotion and loyalty of the ancients to defend the country, and the unyielding Chinese blood flows under every inch of land.

The Jiayuguan Tower is like a majestic general guarding the border, wearing golden armored boots and holding a bloody sword, standing straight and majestic on the Jiayuguan city wall, walking slowly to us from thousands of years ago, telling us about those The history he witnessed, those winds, frosts, rains and snows.

There is a folk rhetoric: "Out of Jiayuguan, two tears will not dry".

Today’s Jiayu is a majestic scenic spot for us to observe history, but it is a place full of sadness for the ancients. Wars are always inevitable at the borders of the country. How many soldiers sleep here forever, leaving homesickness on the city platform Liren's sweat and tears, I approached this city as if I had stepped into history, and the shock and sadness were repeatedly entangled in my heart.

In ancient times, military generals regarded Master Guan as the God of War, so a "Guandi Temple" was built in Jiayuguan City, and a plaque with "Wei Xuan Zhongwai" was hung outside, symbolizing the majesty and righteousness of the Chinese nation.

There is also a red lacquered Guan knife standing in this temple, which symbolizes the invincibility of Master Guan, and also means that Master Guan can protect the soldiers and return safely after overcoming all obstacles.

In addition to the Guancheng of Jiayuguan, the hanging wall of the Great Wall in the north, known as the Badaling in the west, is also famous. There are many poems praising "Wanli Pass of the Great Wall, stacked with black mountains and dark walls".

The Great Wall of the Hanging Wall is not a city wall that rises from the ground. Because it is built on a dangerous ridge, this section of the ridge has an angle of about forty-five degrees. , like a yellow dragon hovering among the mountains.

Building the Great Wall is already difficult and dangerous, and it is even more difficult to build on this rugged ridge. This trip to Jiayuguan really made me go from one shock to another without breathing.

Standing next to the watchtowers and beacon towers on the city, overlooking the scenery inside and outside the city, it is not as desolate as Jiayuguan. It may be because of relying on the Montenegro, it is not full of yellow sand, and there is a lot more green. In the yellow sand desert, green represents infinite vitality and makes people feel lighter.

Of course, when I came to the Great Wall, I have to mention the first pier of the Great Wall south of Jiayuguan. When I heard the first pier of the Great Wall, I thought it was because it was the most spectacular one of the countless piers on the Great Wall, but I didn’t expect the first pier of the Great Wall. Yidun actually refers to the abutment on which the Great Wall rises. It echoes the "Old Dragon Head" on the shore of the Bohai Sea in Shanhaiguan, Hebei, and together constitutes this long dragon, which becomes the head and tail of this giant dragon, guarding the border.

Standing here is not only the piers, but also training grounds, tents, drums, chariots, stables... It seems that soldiers and generals can be seen in the tents discussing how to fight against the enemy, for the family and the country , This is where they have devoted their whole life, even if they can only be with this sky and sand all their lives, they are willing to have no regrets.

【tips】

Tickets: peak season (May 1-October 31): 100.00 yuan

Off-season (November 1-April 30): 50.00 yuan

【Colorful Danxia, ​​Color Oil Painting】

The ancients have a poem saying that they don’t look at the snow on the top of Qilian Mountain, and mistook Zhangye for the south of the Yangtze River. Zhangye is like a Gobi water town covered with wind and sand, gentle and delicate but rough and harsh. Its charm is hidden in the cold wind at night. In the endless Gobi Desert, hidden in a story called Spring and Autumn...

On the Hexi Corridor, this piece of colorful Danxia fully expresses the beauty of nature, "the color is like Wodan, and it is as bright as a bright glow". With the flow of light and shadow, it is like a paint plate that has been knocked down in the mortal world. , layer upon layer, the precipice is exposed, majestic.

The first time I saw the colorful Danxia, ​​before I had time to admire it, I thought of Zixia Fairy and Monkey King in Journey to the West: My ideal person may not step on the colorful clouds to marry me, but he will accompany me to see it This colorful Danxia took my hand in a colorful magnificence.

Early morning, evening, and after the rain are the best time to take pictures. Although it is not the most beautiful time to go, it is enough to make people linger and forget to return. Standing on the viewing platform, you can look at this magnificent piece of land with well-organized lines and colorful colors. The rocks are as dazzling as an oil painting. They should not be the beautiful scenery in reality. They are really "colorful like Wodan, bright like bright clouds". It is no regret to come here to see it in life.

Zhangye Colorful Danxia is mainly composed of red gravel, sandstone and mud. It was developed in the red bottom layer from the Jurassic to the Tertiary. general term.

Walking along the red stone brick road, there are hills rising and falling on both sides of the road. Sitting in the car, you can see layers of colorful mountains in the distance, against the blue sky and white clouds, like a masterpiece of oil painting.

Come to a mountain top to view the scenery, and be in the five-color ocean, it is enough to enjoy the stunning beauty that is not inferior to the five mountains and mountains.

If you look at this painting at the same level, you may not be able to enjoy the whole picture. Many people who come here choose to take a paraglider or a hot air balloon to overlook the rainbow in order to see the whole picture of the colorful Danxia. The peaks of Xiaqun are like the uneven pigment color blocks on French oil paintings, with thick ink and heavy colors, and you can feel the unrefined publicity and undisguised masculine beauty of the northwest wilderness.

It’s hard to say that it took tens of thousands of years of rain erosion and weathering to form such strange rocks and rocks. Looking at this group of strange rocks from a distance, they harmoniously show their red and gorgeous figure, and unabashedly show their beauty and enthusiasm to the world. Like the blood-red artery that keeps beating in your body and mine, it is vast and powerful.

【Tips】

Ticket information

Tickets for Zhangye Danxia Geological Park are (Colorful Danxia: 74 yuan, consisting of two parts: ticket (54 yuan) plus battery car (20 yuan), Binggou Danxia: 60 yuan, consisting of ticket (40 yuan) plus battery car (20 yuan) ) consists of two parts), tourists cannot climb the colorful mountains by themselves, they need to take a battery car in the scenic spot to board the four viewing platforms respectively.

[Rape sea, the most beautiful summer]

Unknowingly, the six-day itinerary is coming to an end. The time on the road is always so fast. From Gansu to Xining, along the 227 most American road, the road is picturesque. Passing through the south gate of the "Hexi Corridor" Known as Biandukou, tens of thousands of acres of rape blossoms are in full bloom, and the eyes are golden and green.

From a distance, you can see a large fluffy golden rapeseed flower and barley barley interacting to form a beautiful landscape. After seeing the yellow sand for a few days, you can see this scene full of vitality and dancing birds. Lemon-flavored bubbles are refreshing and refreshing.

Although Biandukou used to be a military point and a battleground for military strategists, it is now the "Rapeseed Flower Source" where rapeseed flowers all over the mountains compete for beauty. There is no way to quickly skip it when driving. , but each section of the road has different scenery, which makes people stop and ask the driver to drive slowly, and then slowly.

The weather in August should have been roasted into a salted fish in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but the climate here is very comfortable. Flocks of cattle and sheep are foraging on the Qilian prairie. Every frame is unforgettable. quiet.

Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers, which I have been thinking about for several years, finally caught up. They swept the entire plateau town quietly with the most gorgeous golden color. Before you come, you will definitely think that Rapeseed Flowers have something to look forward to. , you will definitely sigh from the bottom of your heart, is there a more beautiful sea of ​​flowers than this?

Adjacent to Qilian Mountain in the north, starting from Yong'an City in the west, reaching Yulong Beach in the east, and adjacent to Daban Mountain in the south, there is a sea of ​​golden waves as far as the eye can see. When blue, green and yellow are blended together by nature in Menyuan, The breathtaking beauty cannot be expressed in words.

Different from the golden color of the yellow sand, the golden yellow of the rape blossoms and the green of the highland barley are not chaotic, but distinct in layers, connecting one by one to form a gradually changing ocean. The Qilian Mountains in the distance are still somewhat snow-colored, as if in a trance. The back garden of Tianshan fairy.

When the wind blows, you can smell the fragrance of rapeseed flowers slipping through your hair. No matter where you stand, it is a picture of a sea of ​​flowers in warm colors. All tones are natural and just right.

Natural scenery is always difficult to convey with words or images. No matter what kind of rhetoric you use, what angle you find, the beauty recorded is less than one-thousandth of what you see with your own eyes. There is no need for a beautiful word Word.

A sudden shower left our memory in Menyuan and ended our perfect trip to the Northwest. If you have a chance, you must come and visit in person.

【Conclusion】

The six days and five nights of the Qingan-Gansu Ring Road came to an end. Thanks to our driver, Mr. Zhang, for taking us to appreciate the most beautiful scenery in Northwest China and eating the most authentic delicacies. Every day is spent in a wonderful way.

Those places that have not been visited, those photos that have not been taken, and those words that have not been finished are all saved for the next time. I look forward to the next trip and give you a more perfect northwest trip.