Qinghai and Gansu feel distant and unfamiliar to us southerners, so when we started planning to travel, we originally considered traveling with a group or renting a car with a driver. Later, Xiao Xu's family of three also planned to travel together, and finally decided to rent a car and travel by car. Freedom is priceless, and hard work is also welcome. The car was ordered one month in advance. At the beginning, it was more than 5,000 yuan for a 7-day Buick business in company C. Later, it was discovered that company S only cost 2,680 yuan for 7 days. One day, so friends who want to rent a car must book in advance and shop around.

　　Let’s talk about the total expenses first, eating and drinking every day, and staying in a family room every night. The per capita consumption of the entire itinerary is about 5,700 yuan. In the same period, the quotation of the tour group reached about 7,000, and the scenic spots were far less than ours. It seems that independent travel may not necessarily cost more than traveling with a group.

 　　As usual, first post a itinerary map, and the following and itinerary are the actual itinerary completed every day.

 　　The feeling of the whole trip is that the northwest is too big, with an average daily distance of 500 kilometers, which leads to getting up early and getting dark every day, and spending most of the day in the car, but the scenery is really different from the south, vast and barren, hundreds of kilometers Not being able to see a person or a tree feels like walking on the surface of an alien planet. It is a new experience, and it is worth it no matter how hard it is.

　　I drove to Zhuhai Airport at 1:00 p.m. on July 12. Halfway through, I received a text message that the flight was delayed. I went to the airport and had dinner and waited for a long time at the airport. After a delay of about three hours, the plane finally took off and arrived in Lanzhou. It was already 1:40 am at the gate of the airport (should have arrived at 23:20). It was already three o'clock when we arrived at the hotel in the downtown area. It was extremely difficult to fall asleep after the sleep time. As a result, I don't know if I got enough sleep for two hours that night.

　　There was no way everything had to go according to the original plan. I got up at 7:30, and it was almost ten o'clock after I picked up the car nearby. Rush to Qinghai Lake. Shortly after passing Xining, there was a highway repair. I followed the navigation to exit the highway and entered Qinghai Lake from the north via Huangyuan and Haiyan. But it’s okay, I had the opportunity to travel around half of the lake, and I was fortunate enough to witness the completely different scenery on both sides of the lake.

Qinghai Lake

It was a blessing in disguise, the blue sky and white clouds along the way, rape flowers everywhere, dizzying.

The green grasslands are everywhere, and the sheep all over the mountains and plains are grazing leisurely.

Passing by a large field of wild flowers blooming brilliantly, I finally couldn't help but stop the car and rushed into the sea of ​​flowers.

You must be careful when driving here, because sheep will occupy the road at any time.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the beautiful shadow of Qinghai Lake finally appeared in front of my eyes.

Surprisingly, there is a large desert beside the lake. This is the first time I have seen the spectacle of coexistence of desert and large lake.

The lake is really endless, and it was still a lake after driving for more than an hour.

Find a place closest to the lake and have a close contact with the lake.

Tried it, the water is really salty.

At this time, the weather suddenly changed, and the wind and rain were coming.

A gust of wind blows, and you can feel the chill in July. When you come to Qinghai, you must bring thick clothes. It is really cold here. If the sun is out of sight, the temperature will drop immediately. Short shirts and shorts are absolutely useless here.

The car drove for another hour and arrived near the Erlangjian Scenic Area. The herdsmen did their own thing and planted rapeseed flowers in their pastures by the roadside to attract tourists. Riding a horse to the lake for 50 one-way, it looks very close, but it feels like walking farther and farther.

Yaks are also standard equipment for herdsmen's private plots.

This luxurious private plot requires 60 people per person, and all kinds of flowers are in full bloom. It is also the most beautiful scenic spot by the lake.

The photo was taken at 19 o'clock, and it was only dark here at 21 o'clock.

The rain started to fall, and there was still endless Qinghai Lake beside the road. It was windy and windy all the way. Fortunately, the rain stopped when we crossed the 3,800-meter rubber mountain. If there was no fog, it would be a big trouble. Not long after climbing the mountain, the rain came again, and we arrived in Chaka Town at 9:30 in the evening.

The local characteristic earthen hot pot, the pot is very deep and there are a lot of food, the lamb is not strong, even I am a little afraid of eating lamb.

Yellow mushrooms, only available in July and August, 88 per plate.

As a tourist town, Chaka is psychologically prepared for the high prices, and the meal costs 450 yuan. Chaka accommodation is also ridiculously expensive. A simple room that costs tens of yuan during leisure time can cost three to four hundred yuan in the peak season of July and August. Fortunately, I booked a three-person room for 180 yuan a month in advance.

I don't know if it was because I didn't sleep well last night or because I had altitude sickness. Both Qinghai Lake and Chaka are about 3,000 meters above sea level. I felt a little uncomfortable in my head. I still couldn't sleep that night. I don't know if I slept enough for two hours all night.

Chaka Salt Lake

I got up at 6 o'clock on July 14th, didn't have time to eat breakfast, and arrived at Chaka Salt Lake before the arrival of the big troops.

Take the first small train at 7:20 to reach the middle of the lake.

The train tracks are lined with paths made of salt deposits, leading straight into the middle of the lake.

Zaizai became very interested in salt, played with it all the way, and even picked out a few beautiful ones, put them in his pockets and took them to the car.

It rained all night last night, and the weather is beautiful today, and it turned out to be sunny. 

Tea cards have recently been mythologized by the Internet, and the reality is far less beautiful than deception.

However, the white snow-capped mountains in the distance support the light blue lake, which makes people feel as calm as still water.

The lake is shallow and cold.

There are still reflections.

Walking by the lake, the eyes are full of bright red skirts.

It takes about 20 minutes to walk back to Yandiao Square from the end of the center of the lake. You can take a five-yuan battery car on the side of the square to return to the exit of the scenic spot.

The time is 10:30, breakfast and lunch are settled together, the place is Qingyuan Yak Big Bone Soup, a large bowl of noodles for 30 yuan, the yak meat is not old but there is a lot of it, super full.

After passing the tea card, I entered no-man's land. I saw no people along the way, and I didn't see a car for a few kilometers. I walked 400 kilometers on the road, and I didn't even see a house on the roadside, and I couldn't see a tree. Talk about people.

emerald lake

 Run all the way. The roadside is endless Gobi, near Dachaidan, the roadside is full of unknown flowers, blooming brilliantly.

 A large piece of Danxia Mountain beside the road is very red and beautiful, and it should be well developed into a scenic spot.

 The blue sky and white clouds give people the feeling that the sky is high and the sea is wide enough to let me fly.

After passing through Dachaidan Town and walking several kilometers on bad roads, we arrived at Emerald Lake at four o'clock.

 Emerald Lake is also a salt lake, and there is no charge now. However, there are large machinery under construction, the visitor center has also been completed, and there will be charges in the near future.

 There are several large and small salt lakes nearby, one of which is as green as a big emerald.

 

 

 

 

 

 The high altitude here can see large snow-capped mountains everywhere.

 Dinner is settled at Dachaidan. Lamb pit pot, grilled lamb, super fragrant.

 Barbecue is also endless.

 Barbecue is perfect with beer.

Satisfied with food and wine, continue on the road, passing Xiaochaidan Lake.

G315 Most Beautiful Road

Pass Xiaochaidan Lake and enter the 200-kilometer unmanned road.

The straight G315 national highway has no end in sight, and there are endless deserts on both sides.

Head west in the direction of the sunset.

After the desert is another large stretch of Yardang tens of kilometers away.

While playing and walking, it was already 9:30 in the evening when we arrived at the travel inn booked in the no-man's land.

The Travel Inn is next to a work area of ​​CITIC Guoan. The house is a cubicle. This is the first time we have stayed in a cubicle. The water used by the inn also needs to be pulled from afar by car.

The deluxe standard room looks like this, 328 for one night, it is considered a luxury to have hot water to take a shower in an uninhabited place with a radius of 200 kilometers.

Maybe I was too tired, but I slept well that night.

Shuangse Lake & Waterway (Xitaijinel Lake)

On July 15th, I woke up at 6:30 and ate a huge beef noodle at the food stall next to me. Continue westward along G315 for ten kilometers to Xitaijinel Lake.

A large group of waterfowl perched in the lake, shouting together, startled a large group of birds flying in the air.

G315 crosses Xitaijinel Lake, dividing the lake into two halves, one half is emerald green and the other half is yellow green.

The road stretches along the lake to an unknown distance.

Usute Water Yardang

Going back the same way, there are endless Yadan mountains all the way. After 30 kilometers, we will arrive at Jinel Lake in Dongtai, and Wusute Water Yadan is by the lake. Tickets for scenic spots are 60, and transportation vehicles are 60.

The sightseeing car was speeding on the smoky sightseeing road, and after a turn, a large piece of Yardang floated on the water, which was amazing in an instant.

Yadan looks much taller than in the photo, and it is difficult to capture a shocking effect in the photo.

Walking by the lake feels very peaceful.

There are also Yadans on the shore.

Southern Eight Immortals Yadan

From Water Yadan along G315 to Yuka, you will first walk through the desert area for tens of kilometers, and then enter the Yadan landform that stretches for tens of kilometers. It really seems to be walking on the surface of an alien planet. The difference is that only by driving by yourself can you really appreciate the rough and vastness of the Northwest. It takes about one hour to reach Nanbaxian.

We picked a place with convenient parking, found a higher hill and climbed up.

Standing on the top of the mountain, I feel that the earth is under my feet, and thousands of mountains come to court, and I am the only one in the world.

As far as the eye can see, there are hills of different shapes and heights all around.

These Yadans are all small hills that have been polished into what they are today after thousands of years of blowing and erosion, and the ups and downs basically face the same direction.

The Yadan body is actually a bit high, and the photos cannot capture the visual shock.

The sky is also quite blue, with white clouds, and the sky is like a giant spherical curtain covering the earth, and it seems that the sky is within reach.

Continue along the uninhabited road all the way, cross the Dangjin Mountain which is more than 3,700 meters, and arrive at the oil town - the former site of Boluo Zhuanjing Town 4 hours later.

Former Site of Zhuanjing Town, Boluo

Boluo Zhuanjing Town was originally an old county seat, but was later relocated because radioactive substances were found in the water source. After the town was abandoned for many years, it reappeared in the public eye because of the filming of "Nine-story Demon Tower" here.

The scenic spot was originally free, but when more people came, it began to charge, 30 per person, big or small.

Dilapidated, old and decadent can also arouse people's interest.

At four o'clock, the sun was still very strong, and the temperature rose significantly as it approached Dunhuang. The number of vehicles on the road gradually increased, and the sand hills gradually appeared on the roadside. We arrived in Dunhuang two hours later.

Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring

Let's climb Mingsha Mountain in the evening when Father Sun is about to finish work, at least the temperature is more suitable at this time.

Arrive at the gate of Mingsha Mountain at 18:40.

Unexpectedly, Mingsha Mountain is so close to the city, it can be said that it is integrated with the city.

It is essential to come to Mingsha Mountain to ride a camel, 100 people. FITs line up for more than 100 meters, and I don't know when they will wait. Decisively find the team guide next to you, and set off on a camel in less than ten minutes.

Isn’t it beautiful, romantic and poetic?

However, the fact is that the smell of camel poop along the road is tangy, and accompanied by the discomfort of bumping on the camel's back, it feels like an hour's journey is really too long.

Zaizai rode a small camel, the young man was very happy.

At the top of the mountain, there are motorcycles, sand boarding and other self-funded projects that you can voluntarily participate in.

Zaizai wanted to go sandboarding, so he had to try his best to climb to the top of the mountain.

Climb the mountain for half an hour and slide down for ten seconds.

Continue to ride a camel down the mountain to Crescent Lake.

The sun was about to set, so I rushed up to the middle of the mountain to find a vantage point to watch the sunset.

At 21:06, the sky was about to darken.

Sandboarding without tools. Children like sand for some reason, and when they see it, they will roll on it and get covered in sand. It’s okay, just be happy!

The Crescent Moon Spring is a bit more charming when the lights are on.

Dinner is mainly barbecue, which is delicious but it really gets angry after eating every day. After eating, it was past 11 o'clock, and I ate early for supper at this time at home, and my biological clock was completely messed up in Northwest China.

Mogao Grottoes

On July 16th, I can finally sleep in a "lazy sleep" today and get up at 8 o'clock. I booked the tickets for Mogao Grottoes at 9:45 a month in advance. These tickets are really in demand. It is impossible to book a class A ticket (230 yuan) in the next few days, so I have to grab a class B ticket (100 yuan). Type A tickets can see 8 caves, and category B people can only see 4 caves at most.

First, I went to the Digital Center to watch two movies introducing Mogao Grottoes, and had a preliminary understanding of Mogao Grottoes, and then took a scenic bus to Mogao Grottoes.

Class A tickets basically do not need to queue up, and there is a long queue for Class B tickets, visually, there is no one hour to get in, so it is necessary to plan ahead.

Mogao Grottoes are famous for their exquisite murals. We have not studied Buddhism in depth, so we can only feel the wisdom of our ancestors from the perspective of appreciation.

Nine floors.

After lunch next to the scenic spot, we arrived in Jiayuguan City in 4 hours.

It was the first time for everyone to eat Xinjiang large plate chicken for dinner, and everyone agreed that it tasted good.

I wanted to have a sip of beer, but unfortunately the halal restaurant really prohibits alcohol and only serves soft drinks.

Jiayuguan

Get up at 7 o'clock on July 17 and arrive at Jiayuguan scenic spot at 8 o'clock.

There is no sun today, and there is still a light rain in the sky.

Jiayuguan Tower is said to be built in the Ming Dynasty, but I think it is a modern work no matter how I look at it.

It takes about an hour to walk around Jiayuguan.

When you walk to the north gate, there is a classic car back to the parking lot, and by the way, you can have a panoramic view of Guancheng.

Cantilevered Great Wall

Tickets for the Jiayuguan Scenic Area also include the Cantilever Great Wall and the No. 1 Pier in the World. The cantilevered Great Wall is 10 kilometers away from Jiayuguan.

The road up the mountain is too tortuous, and it will take at least an hour to complete the walk by eye. Every lazy person said that it is good to see from a distance. Only Zaizai wants to climb, but he has no one to follow and has to give up.

I heard that dozens of meters of the Great Wall on the mountain are original preserved monuments.

Fake camels can also arouse children's interest.

There is also a scenic spot of the first pier in the world, which is more than ten kilometers away, and the time relationship is directly skipped.

Zhangye Binggou Danxia

Jiayuguan went to Zhangye for 2 and a half hours by car. After eating Chinese food, I went to Binggou Danxia. Many people only go to Colorful Danxia because of time, but give up Binggou Danxia.

Binggou Danxia is atmospheric and also very ornamental.

The color of the mountain is very red, at least it is much more beautiful than Danxia Mountain.

I don't know how this strange mountain was formed, but I can only lament the magic of nature.

Binggou Danxia has two parking spots, and the first parking spot has a more magnificent view. On the second one, if you are tired and want to save your energy, you will not go the full distance, and you will only go to the middle of the mountain to see it from a distance.

This trip is a group of six. Everyone is a person who can play, sit, eat, and endure. Although the whole process is hard, it is really painful and happy.

Zhangye Colorful Danxia

Arrive at Colorful Danxia at 5:00 pm. There is no sun today, and the sky is a bit cloudy. The viewing light may be slightly insufficient.

Evening is the best time to watch the colorful Danxia, ​​and the colors of the mountains are more vivid.

Although the color is not as beautiful as the one posted on the Internet, it is still quite shocking.

Colorful Danxia is actually not a real Danxia landform, Danxia is only red, and this colorful mountain reflects the official name of the colorful hills.

There is no P picture taken by the thousand yuan machine, and the color is really brilliant.

It was raining again when we left the scenic area, and it took an hour to return to the urban area.

Tonight, try the Zhangye Earthen Stove Daguotai, which really burns wood.

The pot is super big and tastes good, and it costs 400 yuan to eat it.

Biandukou Ecological Tourist Area

On the 18th, I walked along the Xizhang Line early in the morning. The scenery along the way is boundless, and the rapeseed flowers stretching for tens of kilometers are refreshing.

It was raining continuously all the way, not like the Northwest at all, but a bit like the misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River.

The Biandukou eco-tourism area is also based on the theme of rapeseed flowers. Because you want to go to Menyuan, you won’t go in here.

Herds of yaks are rampaging on the road. There are so many yaks here, all over the mountains and plains, and each yak costs at least 10,000 yuan. It feels like every herdsman is a millionaire.

Prairie Prairie

Near the Qilian Mountains, rape blossoms have turned into stretches of intermountain grasslands. There are no trees at all, and there are stretches of grasslands and mountains full of cattle and sheep.

The prairie happened to meet a groundhog, and it seems that the ecology is well maintained.

Lunch was eaten in a grassland yurt, 390 yuan, and I ate a real native chicken, which was super delicious and not expensive, and the herdsmen were still very simple.

 

Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers

As you get closer to Menyuan, patches of rapeseed flowers begin to appear on the side of the road, and as far as the sky, it is boundless and beautiful.

The weather was not good, it started to rain. Although it is raining, you still have to enter the Bailihua Scenic Area.

Climb to the top of a small hill, and you can see the rapeseed flowers all around.

The green wheat interspersed with yellow rapeseed is more like a watercolor painting.

Then climb over the 3,800-meter Daban Mountain, and walk through the mountain road with nine bends and eighteen bends to reach the urban area of ​​Xining. 

Xining City

Yak meat for dinner.

Yak meat with bones is 98 yuan per catty, one piece is more than one catty, the waiter said one piece per person, I think it’s worth it, it’s 600 yuan, three yuan! I also ordered a bunch of other things, and after paying the bill, the waiter actually asked me to take back the bones after the meat, saying that I would weigh them and refund the money. The three big pieces of meat and bones only charged more than 100 yuan, and each meal cost 460 yuan. Can't hold on.

 

After dinner, visit Dongguan Grand Mosque at night.

Kumbum Monastery

On the 19th, go to Kumbum Monastery early in the morning, 25 kilometers away from the urban area, and arrive in one hour.

Kumbum Monastery is the activity center of Tibetan Buddhism in Northwest China.

The monastery is huge, like a small county town.

I don't have any research on Tibetan Buddhism, but just looking at the exquisite buildings and majestic halls, I can deeply feel the power of faith.

There are generations of monks, old, middle-aged and young, everywhere in the temple, which shows that Buddhism has been fully integrated into the lives of local Tibetans.

Return to Lanzhou after visiting Kumbum Monastery. 

Lanzhou City

I wanted to see Ma Tafeiyan at the Gansu Provincial Museum, and arrived at 4:36. Unfortunately, the invoice was stopped at 4:30.

 Moved to Lanzhou Waterwheel Expo Park, encountered floods in the Yellow Sea again, the riverside trails were submerged, most of the scenic spots were closed, and only two large waterwheels were seen.

It’s almost time to return the car. Fill up the fuel and return the car. This is the Buick GL8 that accompanied us for seven days. The seven-day journey is 3060 kilometers, and the fuel cost is more than 1700. The Big Buick is quite comfortable for 6 people, and it is the best choice for long-distance travel.

When you come to Lanzhou, how can you not eat a bowl of beef noodles?

I picked a hotel with a high rating on the Internet and close to Zhongshan Bridge.

The beef is super delicious, I can't eat enough, so I added a few more meats.

Super big bowl, lots of noodles, full tube.

After dinner, cross the road and arrive at Zhongshan Bridge. I feel that all the tourists who come to Lanzhou gather here, and everyone is there.

Water Mosque.

Mother of the Yellow Sea. 

Baitashan Park under the light and shadow on the other side of the river.

Zhongshan Bridge at night. 

Tianshui Maiji Mountain

I got up at 6 o'clock on July 20th, took the train to Tianshui, and took the car I booked online at 9 o'clock and went straight to Maijishan. It took more than an hour to build the road for 30 kilometers.

Maiji Mountain is one of the four major grottoes, famous for its painted clay Buddha statues.

It really takes courage to climb up slowly along the winding and steep stairs, so those who are afraid of heights should be careful!

The statues in the cave are well preserved.

The caves are too close to the pedestrian walkway. In order to prevent people from touching and damaging them, most of the caves are surrounded by barbed wire. You can still take a complete picture with your mobile phone close to the net, but it is not complete with the naked eye.

The colors of the painted sculptures are still relatively bright, and I personally feel that they are better preserved than Dunhuang.

Xi'an - Datang Everbright City

Go to Xi'an by train and arrive in the evening.

Li Xiang prawns for dinner, the prawns are plentiful, delicious and cheap.

Arrived at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square at 21 o'clock, but unfortunately the fountain show just ended, and it was a few minutes away from catching up, always a little bit behind.

Going in the direction of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, not far away is the Nightless City of Tang Dynasty.

The statue of Master Xuanzang is located at the entrance of the Nightless City of Tang Dynasty.

Datang Everbright City is a commercial street imitating Tang Dynasty architecture, with extremely luxurious antique buildings on both sides, and statues of celebrities in Tang Dynasty in the middle of the street.

Completely copy the Great Tang Dynasty, maybe even more luxurious than the Tang Dynasty.

Isn't the rule of Zhenguan just a portrayal of today's prosperous age?

The endless streets, the endless splendid ancient buildings, and the tiredness of walking, in the words of Zaizai, "it is easy to get in, but difficult to get out". After finally walking to the side street, and finally calling a special car to return to the hotel.

On July 21, I took the high-speed train back to Guangzhou.

The friends who don’t forget to study on the road, well done.

Guangzhou transfer car back to Maoming, arrived home at ten o'clock in the evening, the trip was successfully completed, and the trip was safe.