The summer of 2024 is just around the corner, and it’s time to embark on a journey to the great Northwest. Together, we’ll witness the pure and clear highland lakes, experience the vastness and freedom of the Qilian Grasslands, feel the awe-inspiring magic of the Devil’s Yardang, and immerse ourselves in the cultural charm of the ancient Silk Road.
Calling all friends who plan to explore the Northwest! We’ve prepared the 【Itinerary + Travel Guide】 for you. Simply save it and follow along to enjoy the Northwest without any hassle~
Best Time to Visit the Northwest Loop
Low Season: Starting from May, Qinghai warms up, and Gansu enters summer mode. So, if you visit the Northwest during this time, temperature won’t be an issue. If you can accept the grasslands being yellow, coming before June is very cost-effective, with affordable food and accommodation!
Off-Peak Time: June to early July and August 25th to September 15th are off-peak periods. The scenery is beautiful, with relatively fewer people, and prices are moderate.
Peak Season: Of course, visiting during the summer vacation (July-August) is even better. This is when the Northwest is at its most beautiful, with the grasslands being more vibrant and all the scenery at its best. However, during the peak season, the cost of food, accommodation, and entertainment is higher, and there will be more people.
Recommended Duration: The Northwest is truly vast, with a minimum of 5 days required for a trip. The distance between attractions can easily be hundreds of kilometers. So, friends planning to do the loop, be sure to reserve enough time in advance! If you don’t want to rush through the journey, it’s recommended to reserve 7 days or more, allowing you to explore the attractions more comprehensively and avoid fatigue from rushing.
PS: Specific route recommendations can be found at the end of the article.
Northwest Loop Transportation Guide
✔ Arriving in the Northwest:
First, choose your destination by plane . We can select either Xining or Lanzhou as our starting point, as both places are conveniently located near various attractions. Most Northwest loops choose Xining as the starting point, but if you want to visit Dunhuang first, you can choose Lanzhou (for a reverse tour).
✔ Local Transportation:
You can opt for self-driving (the road conditions in the Northwest are complex, with many high-altitude roads, so self-driving is not recommended for inexperienced drivers) or join a regular tour group or take a bus on your own. Of course, the editor suggests not compromising on comfort to save money by taking buses. Buses are very time-consuming, and the Northwest loop already takes a considerable amount of time. If you take buses, you’ll spend several times longer on the journey, and the overall experience will be relatively poorer.
Northwest Loop Attraction Guide
📌 Qinghai Lake
As the largest inland lake in China, the beauty of Qinghai Lake is captivating. There are two main scenic areas: the Erlang Sword main scenic area in the southeast and the Fairy Bay main scenic area in the north. We can enjoy the sunrise and sunset by the lake and experience the tranquility and grandeur of nature.
If you visit Qinghai Lake before June, it’s still in the thawing period, with half ice and half water, yet still stunningly beautiful. The color of the lake water depends on the weather. On a sunny day, it’s a gradient of blue under the sunlight, which is very pleasant to see!
PS: It’s windy by the lake, so remember to wear windproof clothing!
If you visit Qinghai Lake in July-August, you’ll witness the magnificent sight of rapeseed flowers in bloom. Vast flower fields surround the blue lake, looking like a scene from an oil painting under the sunlight, creating an unforgettable beautiful scene.
📌Qinghai Lake: Erlang Sword Scenic Area + Fairy Bay Scenic Area
⏰Opening Hours: 8:30-19:00
🎫Ticket: 90 yuan/person for Erlang Sword Scenic Area (free for children under 1.2 meters)
💰Other Fees: Medium-sized high-speed boat 110 yuan/person (20 minutes); Large cruise ship 150 yuan/person (50 minutes); Sightseeing bus 20 yuan/person; Parking fee 15 yuan/hour
📌 Chaka Salt Lake
Chaka Salt Lake is known as the “Mirror of the Sky.” The lake surface is like a mirror, reflecting the sky and surrounding scenery, forming a beautiful painting.
📌Chaka Salt Lake (Mirror of the Sky)
⏰Opening Hours: 07:30-21:00
🎫Ticket: 60 yuan/person (❗️Free from May 1st to May 31st)
💰Other Fees: Small train ticket 50 yuan/person/one way; Boat ticket 90 yuan/person/one way; Electric car ticket 5 yuan/person/one way
📌 Emerald Lake
The Emerald Lake in Dachaidan never freezes throughout the four seasons and is rich in various elements such as potassium, magnesium, and lithium at different concentrations, resulting in different colors of the Emerald Lake. The lake water is crystal clear, and through the water surface, you can clearly see the salt layers at the bottom of the lake. The inner layer of the Emerald Lake is turquoise, the outer layer is milky blue, and the right side is olive green, presenting a colorful appearance, like a huge emerald embedded in the earth.
Emerald Lake is quite different from the salt lake. The lakes here are small but numerous, with stunningly beautiful colors, bright blues and greens, few people, and great for taking photos. If you have a drone, be sure to fly it here; you’ll capture unforgettable beautiful photos!
📌Dachaidan Emerald Lake
⏰Opening Hours: 07:30-20:30
🎫Ticket: 110 yuan/person/package (including 50 yuan admission + 60 yuan small train); Free for Zhejiang residents
📌 Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park
The Zhangye Danxia Landform boasts a kaleidoscope of colors and unique formations. Some say it’s not worth visiting, but the editor believes it’s truly a must-see destination! Witnessing the Danxia landform from geography books in person is an awe-inspiring experience that words and photos cannot fully describe.
📌Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park
⏰Opening Hours: 05:30-19:00
🎫Tickets:
🔵Regular Ticket: 92 yuan, suitable for those who only want to see the sunset;
🔵In-depth Tour Ticket: 368 yuan, includes limited visitor flow, private car, and tour guide, providing a better experience without crowding on the walkways;
🔵Night Tour Ticket: 188 yuan, mainly for the light show & performance, passing through the Wanxiang Tulin Valley, an in-depth tour spot. (The night tour lasts around 60 minutes, with outdoor performances, so you may get wet if it rains. You cannot leave early and must wait until the end of the performance)
📌 Dunhuang
The name Dunhuang evokes a sense of historical vicissitudes and artistic mystery. It’s not merely a desert but also a thick historical book recording centuries of changes and cultural accumulation. The main attractions include the Mogao Caves, Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake, Dunhuang Museum, and Yardang National Geopark.
One must-visit attraction is the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It houses a large number of exquisite murals and Buddha statues, hailed as the “treasure of oriental art.” Each cave and mural is a profound reflection on history and a sincere tribute to art.
Mingsha Mountain is named after the sound of moving sand and is located five kilometers south of Dunhuang City. Together with the Crescent Lake, it forms a natural wonder of sand and spring coexisting, known as the “desert wonder” throughout history.
Crescent Lake is nestled within the embrace of Mingsha Mountain, named for its shape resembling a crescent moon, and is known as the “first spring in the desert.”
The Dunhuang Museum has a distinctive architectural style, with a three-story rammed earth building modeled after the Han Dynasty Great Wall, exuding a strong Northwestern flavor. The spiral stone cave corridor inside, though small, contains a vast universe closely tied to Dunhuang’s history. It houses 13,000 artifacts spanning from the Bronze Age to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, showcasing Dunhuang’s ancient civilization.
The wind-eroded, towering Yardang landforms form a stark contrast with the vast, desolate Gobi desert, creating a mysterious and bleak atmosphere. It’s perfect for watching the sunset! It’s recommended to take an off-road vehicle deep into the Yardang and communicate with the driver to find a spot to stop and admire the starry sky on the way back, which is incredibly beautiful.
🎫Ticket Prices
🔵Mogao Caves: Regular ticket 238 yuan/person (requires reservation one month in advance); Emergency ticket 100 yuan/person (can only visit 4 caves)
🔵Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake: 110 yuan/person
🔵Dunhuang Museum: Free, requires advance reservation through WeChat public account
🔵Yardang National Geopark: Admission ticket 50 yuan/person, bus ticket 70 yuan/person, off-road vehicle 500 yuan/vehicle
📌 Jiayuguan Pass
Jiayuguan is the western starting point of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall and an important pass on the ancient Silk Road. It connects to the Overhanging Great Wall in the north and the First Beacon Tower in the south, known as the “First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven.” It is a shining pearl on the Northwest Loop! Here, we can marvel at the grandeur and magnificence of the Great Wall and experience the unique charm of the ancient frontier culture.
📌Jiayuguan Pass
⏰Opening Hours: 08:00-19:30
🎫Ticket: 108 yuan/person (includes Jiayuguan Pass + Overhanging Great Wall + First Beacon Tower), valid for 3 days from the date of visit, can be scanned with ID card or QR code; if tight on schedule, choose either the Overhanging Great Wall or the First Beacon Tower
💰Other Fees: Jiayuguan parking fee 10 yuan
Northwest Loop Cuisine
The Northwest is truly a paradise for carb lovers and meat enthusiasts! The mutton here is not gamey, the beef is cheap and delicious, there are various dairy products with a rich milky flavor, and there are unforgettable hand-pulled noodles and naan bread…
Along the way, you’ll pass through various attractions, each with many hidden delicacies nearby. Opening a review app and filtering through the options is sure to yield great results! The journey may be tiring, but these delicious foods will undoubtedly comfort your weary body from the hustle and bustle of travel!
Northwest Loop Accommodation Guide
Regarding accommodation for the Northwest Loop, since everyone’s itinerary may be different, the editor will not make specific recommendations. However, there are several key points to keep in mind when choosing a hotel, so take note!
💡 Environment: Pay attention to guest reviews with photos. Cleanliness and tidiness are the top priorities. If you have high requirements for accommodation quality, you can choose some well-known chain hotels or high-quality B&Bs.
💡 Parking lot: Self-driving travelers should pay attention to this. Choosing a hotel with a large parking lot can save a lot of hassle during the trip.
💡 Distance from attractions & gas stations: It is recommended to choose a place to stay after determining the overall route and itinerary. It’s best to choose a location between the attractions of the previous and next days, so that driving won’t be too exhausting.
💡 Hotel opening time: Don’t choose hotels that are too new, as there may be safety hazards such as formaldehyde. Also, don’t choose hotels that are too old, as there may be issues with outdated facilities.
Recommended Itineraries
🔥🔥🔥 Qinghai-Gansu Loop 5-Day Itinerary
D1 Xining-Qinghai Lake-Chaka Salt Lake-Delingha
D2 Jade Lake-Western Highway-Yangguan Ruins-Dunhuang
D3 Mogao Caves-Mingsha Mountain Crescent Lake
D4 Guazhou Great Earth Mother-Jiayuguan Great Wall-Zhangye Danxia
D5 Qilian Grassland-View Gangshika Snow Peak from afar-Menyuan-Xining
🔥🔥🔥 Qinghai-Gansu Loop 6-Day Itinerary
D1 Xining-Qinghai Lake-Chaka Salt Lake-Delingha
D2 Instagram-famous 315 National Highway-Water Yardang-Nanba Immortals-Dachaidan
D3 Dangjin Mountain-Oil Town-Yangguan-Dunhuang Desert Camping
D4 Mogao Caves-Mingsha Mountain Crescent Lake
D5 Guazhou Great Earth Mother-Jiayuguan-Danxia Landform
D6 Biandou Pass-Qilian Grassland-Menyuan Flower Sea-Xining
🔥🔥🔥 Qinghai-Gansu Loop 7-Day Classic Itinerary
D1 Xining-Riyue Mountain-Qinghai Lake-Chaka Salt Lake-Chaka Town
D2 Chaka-Qaidam Basin Crossing-Chaerhan Salt Lake-Dachaidan
D3 Instagram-famous 315 National Highway-Water Yardang-Nanba Immortals-Dachaidan
D4 Dachaidan Jade Lake-Oil Town-Yangguan-Dunhuang
D5 Mogao Caves-Mingsha Mountain Crescent Lake
D6 Dunhuang-Guazhou Great Earth Mother-Jiayuguan Great Wall-Danxia Landform
D7 Biandou Pass-227 National Highway-Qilian Grassland-Menyuan Flower Sea-Xining
Precautions
1) There are many scenic spots in the Northwest, and the distances are far. You can choose to carpool or self-drive. Be sure to book hotels in advance, plan your route well, and make trade-offs on scenic spots based on time;
2) The climate in the Northwest varies greatly. Even in summer, it is recommended to prepare for cold weather. It is advisable to bring light, windproof, and warm clothing;
3) The ultraviolet rays in the Northwest are very strong. Be sure to take sun protection measures and prepare sun hats, scarves, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.;
4) In some scenic spots, you need to get off the vehicle and walk. It’s best to wear comfortable, well-fitted shoes that are easy to walk in;
5) Whether self-driving or joining a group tour, it’s best to carry some emergency medicines. In addition to Rhodiola rosea for preventing altitude sickness, cold medicine, fever reducers, digestive medicines, and mosquito repellent are also essential;
6) The Northwest has many unique local specialties, but you should eat in moderation according to your taste and physical condition;
7) When visiting scenic spots, please respect the customs and habits of the local residents and do not criticize them at will.
