Some people say that if you haven't been to the northwest, you don't know how big China is.
If you go to the great northwest, you will meet most of China.
When we climb the plateau mountain range at an altitude of 3,000 meters,
Encounter the bluest plateau lake in the world,
See the world's largest sea of rape flowers,
Epilepsy on the highway in no man's land,
We chase the sun,
Sunrise and sunset,
Encountered Qinghai Lake in the tears of God, Chaka Salt Lake in the realm of barefoot sky,
Passing through the endless heavenly realm Qilian, looking at the colorful and changing Danxia landform,,
Crawling the vast desert of Mingsha Mountain, stopping at the Mogao Grottoes of a thousand-year-old civilization,
We are in the company of nature,
Walking through the grassland, crossing the desert, bypassing the Gobi, looking at the snow-capped peaks, and encountering lakes
Wonderful links along the way, like interstellar travel,
Feel the magic of light and shadow in the great northwest,
Exploring the meaning of life in the desert desolation and grassland life,
Let's use the journey to interpret the love of life.
The specific itinerary and detailed route of the Qinggan Grand Ring Road
First: an overview of the Grand Loop itinerary
Day1：西宁出发-拉脊山-青海湖-茶卡镇（夜宿）
Day2：茶卡盐湖-翡翠湖-大柴旦（夜宿）
Day3: Departure from Dachaidan - Qinghai Yadan - Dangjinshan - Aksai Oil Town - Yangguan - Dunhuang
Day4：莫高窟-鸣沙山月牙泉-敦煌（夜宿）
Day5：敦煌-嘉峪关-七彩丹霞-丹霞七彩镇（夜宿）
Day6: Zhangye Qicai Town - Biandukou Canyon - Qilian Grassland - Menyuan Rape Flower Sea - Daluo Mountain Yuanguan Gangshika Snow Peak - Return to Xining
Second: Prepare before coming to Qinggan Grand Ring Road
1. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a windy, rainless, dry, low air pressure, low air density, and strong sunlight and ultraviolet rays. In addition, the weather forecast is inaccurate, and the weather on the plateau is changeable;
2. Headache, chest tightness and other reactions at higher altitudes are normal reactions, remember not to exercise vigorously. If you are not at ease before entering the plateau, you can first take some anti-hypoxia drugs, such as rhodiola, etc.;
3. The northwest region is vast, it is unrealistic to visit by public transportation, and many scenery along the way cannot be seen, so chartered or self-driving is the first choice. If the number of people is small, you can also choose to carpool, take the Qinghai Dunhuang Grand Ring Road for 6 days, and the per capita cost of chartering is basically about 1300-1600 (the price difference in the off-peak season will not be too big);
4. At present, tourism in the northwest is relatively hot, and the accommodation along the way is relatively perfect. So don't worry about poor accommodation, can't find accommodation, etc., as long as you book online in advance, there are still many hotels of various grades to choose from, which is very convenient;
5. The plateau air is dry, eat more vegetables and fruits, drink more water, and the temperature difference between morning and evening is large, and a trip to the northwest is basically a combination of multi-season clothes (according to the season, sometimes spring, summer, autumn and winter clothes have to be prepared);
6. The local indiscriminate charges and blackness described on the Internet are basically not true, and now the public security in Qinghai and Gansu is better, so you can come with confidence;
7. Most attractions can use student ID, senior citizen ID, military ID, etc., please bring relevant documents, tickets are half price;
8. The cuisine of the Great Northwest is mainly halal, and there are more beef and mutton as the main dishes and auxiliary materials, so those who love meat can feast on it. Friends who are not used to halal food don't have to worry, there are many non-halal meals along the way for everyone to choose;
9. A special scenic spot, that is, the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. In order to protect this national treasure-level cultural relic, if you want to visit now, you must make a real-name reservation ticket on the official website in advance, so you should pay special attention to this one;
10. Some pits about special products: There are locals selling wild mushrooms and cordyceps, wolf teeth and other items near the high-speed service area and some scenic spots, if you know better, then you can buy some, but if you don't understand, it is recommended not to bargain easily.
Third: Introduction to the attractions of Qinggan Grand Ring Road
1. Taal Temple
Ta'er Monastery is the center of Tibetan Buddhism in northwest China and is well-known in China and Southeast Asia. Butter flowers, murals and pile embroidery are known as the "three unique arts of Taer Temple", and the temple also treasures many Buddhist classics and academic monographs on history, literature, philosophy, medicine, legislation and other aspects. Ta'er Temple includes 19 places to visit, such as Kalachakra Mandala, Prayer Hall, Ghee Flower Hall, etc., people who do not believe in religion and do not understand Tibetan culture will still be a little confused when they visit the place, if you want to listen to the allusions, you can rub the group with a narrator next door, and it will be more interesting to understand the story of the visit. The Ghee Flower Pavilion is the most beautiful pavilion in the entire Ta'er Temple, whether it is full of Tibetan cultural decoration or large-scale butter carving works, it is worth visiting. According to the narrator, the works are all changed every year, carved by the monks themselves with ghee, and have been exhibited overseas. Seeing these works with your own eyes is truly amazing by the ingenuity and ingenuity of human beings. Since photography is forbidden in every place visited in the Taal Temple, there are not many photos.
2. Qinghai Lake
The must-visit place in Qinghai is undoubtedly Qinghai Lake and the rape fields around the lake. As we all know, Qinghai Lake is the largest inland lake and saltwater lake in China. July is the best time to go to Qinghai Lake, no, it should be said that mid-July to late July is the best time. The clear water of Qinghai Lake and the ripening and blooming of rape flowers make for the most beautiful scenery here. When you go to Qinghai Lake, it must be a sunny day, and the scenery is simply beautiful. The blue sky is connected to the lake, and the Qinghai Lake in the book impression is displayed in front of your eyes.
3. Chaka Salt Lake
Speaking of Qinghai Lake, there is another salt lake that is very famous, that is, Chaka Salt Lake. People call the Chaka Salt Lake the "Bolivia" of China, and if you can't go to Bolivia, you can come to the Chaka Salt Lake. You can bring a red silk scarf, a red skirt, a red shawl, etc., and with the white salt lake and blue sky, the photos will be very beautiful. You can walk barefoot on the surface of the lake to see and photograph your own reflections, and if you're lucky, you can see the mirages that have formed on these rivers during the day. If it rains for several days, the salt layer in the lake may be diluted and dissolved, and the mud underneath will be exposed, and you will not be able to go down to the lake to play. There are many small black holes in the salt lake, but they are actually traps one by one, don't step on them, and the darker they are, the more dangerous they are.
4. Mogao Grottoes
Commonly known as the Thousand Buddha Temple, it is located not far from the southeast of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. Built during the pre-Qin period, it is the world's largest and richest place for Buddhist art. From May to October, ticket prices are slightly higher during peak periods and a little lower if they are in the off-season, tickets for Jiayuguan and Yumen: The Yumen Pass is for the tourist season from May to October. A combined ticket to Yumen Pass, Han City Wall and Port City, the best time to travel to Jiayuguan is from May to October.
5. Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake is located in Qinghai, China, also known as Shuicui Lake, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau used to be part of the ocean, after a long period of crustal movement, this ground was lifted into the world's largest plateau, as a result of which the sea water was left in some low-lying areas to form many salt lakes and ponds, Emerald Lake is one of them.
6. Qiangshan Meadow
The vast grassland is like a green carpet that stretches for thousands of miles, there is a group of white clouds moving in the grassland, and all kinds of happy "children" such as cows, sheep, and horses are fat and very cute, making the grassland more vibrant. Admission is free, and the best time to visit is in July and August. Zhuoer Mountain is located on the north bank of the Baobao River in Qilian County, Haibin County, Qinghai Province, belongs to the Danxia landform, composed of red sandstone, the beautiful scenery here seems to be in a fairyland, will make people feel relaxed and forget their troubles, feel the scenery in front of them bring everything.
7. Mingsha Mountain
It is located not far from Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. Throughout the ages, it has been known for its "mountains and springs, sand and water" and is known as "one of the most beautiful landscapes outside Serbia". The best time to travel is from June to September, and women who want to take beautiful photos can wear long white or red dresses. Tickets can be purchased on your own on the travel website.
8, Zhangye colorful Danxia
Zhangye currently has two Danxia viewing places: Colorful Danxia and Binggou Danxia, Colorful Danxia is famous for its color and is suitable for watching the sunset. Binggou Danxia is famous for its form, which is suitable for watching the sunrise. Most tourists choose to go to Zhangye Colorful Danxia because the mountains here have bright colors, and they are even more colorful and majestic in the sun. There is also a pockmarked noodle restaurant left by Zhang Yimou when he filmed "Three Shots Surprise". And Binggou Danxia, mainly earthy yellow, but the Danxia statue here is chic, can fully mobilize your sensory imagination, famous attractions are Bliss Palace, Malachite, Turtle Exploration Sea and other attractions, at present, Binggou Danxia has not been fully developed, the road is not very easy to walk, so do not make too many recommendations.
Fourth: A guide to the color of clothing worn on the Qinggan Grand Loop
Day 1: The main attraction is Qinghai Lake, the blue and jewel-like Qinghai Lake is the most beautiful with a white or red skirt, not only that, but it is also the most suitable to wear a red and white skirt to wander among the rape flowers
Day 2: All the outfits for this day should be matched with the Chaka Salt Lake, and choose bright and warm colors (red, yellow, blue)
red
blue
white
Day 3: Highway, Gobi, no man's land, blue denim, black leather jacket, red long skirt, sounds like a road blockbuster
Day 4: Dunhuang, a desert land full of history and ancient atmosphere, you can wear Hanfu to walk in the desert with Hanfu plots, ordinary clothes can choose red, white or black, of course, if you want to experience the feeling of exoticism, you can choose blue or watercolor red, a proper woman in the Western Regions
Day 5: The scenery on the fifth day is more red and orange, and the clothing can be selected in light colors, such as light blue, white, etc
Day 6: Grassland, rape flowers, snow-capped mountains, this is a colorful day, imagine it, put on a pink skirt and a denim jacket, and then put on a woven hat or headband, you can gallop on the grassland, linger in the rape flowers, and wander in the snow
Fifth: Special Reminder:
1. Take pictures of Qinghai Lake, try to avoid taking pictures in the water, Qinghai Lake is a Tibetan holy lake, in case of unpleasantness, and the water of Qinghai Lake is deep, in case of accidents, please do not go into the water.
2. Take photos of Chaka Salt Lake, please do not go to the depths of the inaccessible Salt Lake, although the Chaka Salt Lake Scenic Area has been particularly mature, but in case of accidents.
3. Take pictures of the Emerald Lake, although the Emerald Lake is a scenic spot, but the facilities of the Emerald Lake attractions are not very perfect, and there are many salt pits in the Emerald Lake, in order to ensure your own safety, please do not take pictures of the stream in the afternoon, please observe well before going into the water, and take pictures in the water to ensure safety.
4. The most beautiful highway photo, the most beautiful highway is really beautiful, but safety is more important than anything, if you really want to take highway photos, please ensure your own safety, do not stand in the middle of the road to shoot.
Sixth: Qinggan Grand Ring Road Accommodation Guide
1. Xining accommodation for the first time in the plateau, it is estimated that the mainlanders will have a certain degree of discomfort, there will be various symptoms such as hypoxia, there is no need to worry about in Xining, Xining is the capital city of Qinghai, all kinds of facilities are very complete, Xining's accommodation is also a lot for tourists from all over the world to choose. Prices for mid-range hotels range from 100-300 in low season and 200-600 in high season.
2. No matter how many days you stay in the northwest, Chaka Salt Lake is definitely one of the must-visit places. The town of Nachaka would definitely be an excellent choice for a place to stay. In the past two years, the number of tourists in Chaka Salt Lake has surged, and the corresponding tourism facilities have also developed rapidly, accommodation, meals, and a group of the most beautiful starry sky at night, why not! Medium-grade hotel prices range from 100-300 in the off-season and 300-1000 in the peak season.
3. Da Chaidan accommodation walked through the tea card, photographed the Emerald Lake, we arrived at Da Chaidan, Da Chaidan is a small town, the accommodation conditions are limited, please be mentally prepared. Prices for mid-range hotels range from 100-200 in low season and 400-1200 in high season.
4. Dunhuang accommodation walks through Dachaidan, crosses the no-man's land, and arrives at Dunhuang, a famous cultural city in Gansu, where the choice of accommodation has greatly increased. Business hotels, B&Bs, and desert camping are all available. Visitors can choose according to their wishes. Moreover, the tourism facilities of Dunhuang are relatively perfect, so the housing is sufficient, and everyone can enjoy the fatigue of the first two days here. Prices for mid-range hotels range from 100-200 in low season and 200-500 in high season.
5. Colorful Danxia AccommodationColorful Danxia AccommodationIn order to watch the colorful Danxia sunset and sunrise, we do not choose to choose Colorful Town in Zhangye City. Prices for mid-range hotels range from 100-200 in low season and 200-400 in high season.
Seventh: Qinggan Grand Loop Food Guide
As a foodie, how can you come to the beautiful Qinghai without food recommendations
Qilian mutton
In the Great Northwest, you can eat more delicious mutton than usual wherever you are, but Qilian mutton is undoubtedly the best mutton. "Qilian's sheep drink the mineral water of the Snow Mountain, eat Qilian herbs, and pull the Liuwei Dihuang Pill. It's a joke, but it's not an exaggeration. The sheep raised in such a grassland do not have the slightest fishy, the meat is fresh and tender, and the mutton is fragrant. Our team leader has eaten mutton from Qilian, but after coming back, he basically didn't eat mutton from Shanghai. Without contrast, there is no harm.
There are many ways to make mutton in Qilian
Roast whole lamb
Lamb skewers
Kang lamb chops
There is very little rice cultivation in the arid Great Northwest, so it is basically pasta-based. This simple but original taste has had many wonderful evolutions in the vast northwest. In the Great Northwest, many times, it is these three taels of clear soup and two sides, which are simple and simple, but they make you want to stop! Here are a few that impress us.
"Lanzhou Beef Noodles"
In other regions, it has a more resounding name - "Lanzhou Ramen". Different from the Lanla downstairs of your house, authentic Lanzhou beef noodles, one clear (soup), two white (radish), three red (spicy), four green (coriander and garlic sprouts), five yellow (noodles yellow and bright), beef bone boiled broth, there are more than a dozen classifications of noodle thickness, and the quality of beef meat is even different. Every Lanzhou person habitually comes to the store in the morning to ask for a bowl of ramen, with a stack of beef, a few side dishes, to start a new day.
"Steam Beef Noodles"
It's not as famous, but it's a bowl of noodles with almost no bad reviews from the players. Every time the team arrives at the door, they must order steamed beef noodles. From the outside, it is not much different from Lanzhou beef noodles.
The difference is that the noodles of Lanzhou beef noodles are cooked, and the steamed beef noodles are steamed with steam. Once boiled and steamed, the taste of the noodles is different. The steamed beef noodles are strong, and the soup is fragrant and delicious, which seems to be better than the well-known Lanzhou beef noodles.
Artillery battle surface
Ramen noodles are cut into short strips and stir-fried with various condiments, so named because they resemble firecrackers. There are many ways to make cannon noodles, such as fried crackers, marinated crackers, etc., each with its own flavor.
Yellow noodles of donkey meat in Dunhuang
There is a vivid scene of making yellow noodles on the murals of the Mogao Grottoes, a time-honored noodle dish that is the signature delicacy of Dunhuang. Dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat in the ground, donkey meat is soft and exceptionally nourishing. This yellow dish of donkey meat is made from a strong yellow dough topped with rich nourishing donkey meat.
Qinghai clay hot pot
Qinghai people call the hot pot "pot", the bottom of the pot of Qinghai soil hot pot is generally made of mutton clear soup and a little sauerkraut, the taste is heavy and spicy, no red oil and too much seasoning, the soup color is clear, the taste is natural and mellow; taste a bite, the freshness of mutton and the refreshing taste of sauerkraut are perfectly combined, make people leave a fragrant tooth and cheek, and there is no feeling of fat.
Roll chicken
This dish is a classic delicacy in Zhangye. The tender chicken is covered with a noodle roll, and during the steaming process, the chicken greedily absorbs the full sauce, and the steam steam the top noodle roll, and the noodles are soaked in the fresh aroma of the chicken, becoming oily and shiny, exuding an attractive luster. The chicken is tender and delicious, and the dough roll is firm and springy, which is a rare good taste in ordinary days.
Stuffed skin
Similar to our cold skin, the stuffed skin of the northwest is also a cool appetizer in summer.
Porridge
Tsamba is actually highland barley fried noodles. If you go to a local herdsman's house, the host will give you a small bowl and teach you to mix the flour made from the barley with ghee, sugar, cheese and boiling water, and make a dough with your hands, and a tsamba will be formed.
Tsamba has the fragrance of barley and a strong milky aroma, sweet coarse grain dumplings, nutritious and delicious at the same time, it is very suitable for this ethnic group on horseback to carry and store.
Butter tea
What you will not forget when eating tsampa is that it is accompanied by a bowl of thick butter tea.
In fact, you can get a glimpse from the name, butter tea is actually a combination of ghee and strong tea soup. Pour the mellow ghee into the hot and thick tea soup, then add salt, and stir well to make a bowl of fragrant butter tea!
Ghee actually comes from cow's milk and goat's milk, and the constant whipping separates the water and oil from the milk and goat's milk, and collects the floating oil on the top, which is the most common raw material "ghee" in Tibetan food!
Qinghai old yogurt
Everyone who has eaten Qinghai old yogurt will never forget it.
Grassland herdsmen will make their own yogurt, ferment it with yak milk stocked in the local grassland, and put it in a small bowl after it is done, with a layer of oily smooth milk skin floating on it, and then sprinkle a layer of white sugar on it, the taste is mellow and refreshing, so that you can't stop bowl after bowl.
Apricot peel water
It is the signature drink of Dunhuang City, and it can be seen in the streets and alleys. It is made by boiling the apricot skin of the local tender and juicy Li Guangxing, and the taste is sweet and sour like sour plum juice, which has the effect of quenching thirst and quenching the heat.
Milk egg mash
It is made by boiling milk, eggs, and mash grains together, and has a milky and rice wine aroma. The egg flowers are soft and tender, and the taste is silky sweet with the slight acidity of raisins. Moromi also has a beauty effect on girls. There is an old mash shop in the night market of Zhengning Street in Lanzhou, and business has been very hot.
Eighth: Tickets for Qinggan Grand Ring Road Scenic Area
1. Taer Temple: 70 yuan,
2. Lazhi Mountain: 20 yuan, Sun Moon Mountain: 40 yuan, and Daochuan River: 40 yuan
3. Qinghai Lake: 90 yuan for regular scenic spots, 20 yuan for Heima River
4. Chaka Salt Lake: 60 yuan
5. Emerald Lake: 60 yuan, South Eight Immortals Yadan Landform: Free Ticket
6. Oil Town: 30 yuan
7. Yangguan: 60 yuan
8. Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring: 110 yuan
9. Mogao Grottoes, full ticket: 238 yuan, emergency ticket: 100 yuan
10. Jiayuguan: 120 yuan
11. Colorful Danxia: 75 yuan
end
The northwest is very large, and the big one makes it impossible for you to see the beautiful scenery of the northwest at one time. The Northwest is so beautiful that every time you come, you are already quietly planning your next trip to the Northwest in your heart. It is not easy for many people to come to the northwest once, just to play once is not too much of a loss, if you want to play, you have to play thoroughly and then go, I am waiting for you in the northwest, teach you to play thoroughly, play cool, and then go.