7-Day Qinghai-Gansu Loop Tour: Here's How to Do It!

Planning to visit the Northwest in 2025? Check out this smart travel guide to avoid common pitfalls. Don't miss out, it can save you from many troubles! ✅ Preparation: ✨ Documents: ID card, student ID, discount cards; ✨ Electronics: Phone, camera, earphones, power bank; ✨ Sun protection: High SPF sunscreen, cooling sleeves, sunglasses, etc.; ✨ Skincare: Hydrating masks, toner and lotion, lip balm, moisturizing spray, facial cleanser; ✈️ Transportation Guide Flights to Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport: 1. Zhongchuan Airport to Lanzhou West Station 2. Lanzhou West Station to Xining Station 3. Zhongchuan Airport to Xining Station: Direct airport bus, 100 RMB, about 2.5 hours Flights to Xining Caojiabao Airport: 1. Caojiabao Airport is 30 km from the city 2. Caojiabao Airport to Xining city: Take the airport bus 3. Taxi: Regular taxis or ride-hailing services 🚩 7-Day Qinghai Lake-Dunhuang-Zhangye Loop: Day 1: Xining - Riyue Mountain - Qinghai Lake (Heimahe) - Chaka Salt Lake (Overnight) Day 2: Chaka - Cross the Qaidam Basin - Emerald Lake - Dachaidan (Overnight) Day 3: Dachaidan - U-shaped Road - Dongtai Jinel Lake - Water Yadan - Dachaidan (Overnight) Day 4: Dachaidan - Heidushan - Oil Town - Dunhuang (Overnight) Day 5: Dunhuang - Mogao Caves (Best to buy tickets for around 9 AM) - Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring - Shazhou Night Market - Dunhuang (Overnight) Day 6: Dunhuang - via Jiayuguan - Zhangye Danxia - Zhangye (Overnight) Day 7: Zhangye - Biandukou - Qilian Mountains - Qilian Grassland - Gangshika Snow Peak (Distant View) - Xining (End) 🔥 Highlights: 🌄 Road Trip Scenery: Every road in the Northwest is a landscape, whether it's the desolate Gobi or the winding mountain roads, every shot is cinematic! 🌌 Stargazing at Night: The Northwest night sky is a stargazer's paradise, with no light pollution, the sky is filled with stars, and spotting a shooting star is incredibly romantic! 🌠 🏜 Experience Vastness and Solitude: The deserts and Gobi here make you feel the vastness, and being in it, the world seems to quiet down, making it a perfect journey to heal the soul. 🌾 Popular Attractions: Qinghai Lake: From June to August, the golden rapeseed flowers and the blue lake water create a stunning contrast, perfect for photography. Chaka Salt Lake: From March to October, especially on sunny days, the lake surface mirrors the sky, making you feel like you're in a sky realm. Emerald Lake: From May to October, the salt pools are as green as emeralds. Mogao Caves: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the murals and statues are exquisite, book in advance for a thousand-year-old rendezvous. Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring: Ride a camel to watch the sunset, and lie on the dunes to stargaze at night, it's both romantic and awe-inspiring. Jiayuguan: The westernmost pass of the Great Wall, touch the ancient walls and feel the history. Zhangye Danxia: From June to September, the unique Danxia landform is colorful, nature is the ultimate colorist. Qilian Grassland: From July to August, it's lush and green, with herds of cattle and horses, join the lively grassland festivities and have fun. TIPS: Warm Reminder: The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has high altitude, strong UV rays, and large temperature differences between day and night. The climate is relatively dry, so be prepared for warmth, skin hydration, and sun protection. Essential items include warm clothing, long sleeves and pants, hats, Martin boots, sunglasses, shawls, U-shaped pillows, power banks, sunscreen, lip balm, toner and lotion, hand cream, moisturizing spray, umbrellas, headache medicine, cold medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, small oxygen tanks, and your personal health green code.