You must go to the Northwest in this life, Qinghai + Dunhuang + Zhangye guide code

A trip to the Northwest is a double shock to the eyes and soul. If you plan ahead, you will definitely gain magnificent memories beyond your expectations. Save this guide before you set off, and refer to it at any time to adjust your itinerary. May your trip to the Northwest become a highlight on the title page of your life! ---------------------- 📅 Best time to travel: Peak season (June-October): Pleasant climate, rich landscape, accommodation prices increased by 30% 🍂🍁Off-season (November-April): Few people, quiet scenery, some scenic spots are half price/free, but Qinghai Lake is frozen and the grassland is withered --------------------- 📷Photography Tips: Wear bright-colored long skirts when photographing Chaka Salt Lake and avoid the strong sunlight at noon; The colorful Danxia becomes more colorful after the rain Be careful when shooting on Highway 315 and avoid stopping in the middle of the road ------------------------- 🚗 Transportation comparison method Advantages Notes Group tour Save time and effort, suitable for families/middle-aged and elderly groups Choose a small group for pure play (within 4/8 people) to avoid wasting time at shopping spots 🔸Charter/carpooling High degree of freedom, stop and shoot at will, the team leader is familiar with niche camera positions --------------- 👀👀👀Five-day loop of Qinghai Lake, Dunhuang and Zhangye: Day 1: Xining - Sun Moon Mountain - Qinghai Lake (Heima River) - Chaka Salt Lake - Delingha (stay overnight) Day 2: Delingha - Crossing the Qaidam Basin - (Emerald Lake) - Dunhuang (overnight). Day 3: Dunhuang - Mogao Grottoes (tickets are best purchased around 9am) - Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Lake - Shazhou Night Market - Dunhuang City (stay overnight) Day 4: Dunhuang City ---- (via Jiayuguan) ---- Zhangye Colorful Danxia Geopark ---- Zhangye (stay) Day 5: Zhangye-----Biandukou-----Qilian Grassland------Ganshika Snow Peak (viewed from a distance)-----Menyuan rapeseed flower sea (July)----Xining City (end). ------------------ 🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈Qinghai Lake Dunhuang Zhangye Shuiya Six-Day Grand Loop: Day 1: Xining---Riyue Mountain---Qinghai Lake (plateau sapphire)--Chaka Salt Lake (mirror of the sky, China's Bolivia)--Delingha (stay overnight) Day 2: Delingha - U-shaped road - Yadan on the water - Daxiadan (Emerald Lake) - Daxiadan (overnight) Day 3: Dachaidan - Dangjin Mountain (Northwest version of Highway 66) - Yangguan Scenic Area (no ancient people ruins west of Yangguan) - Dunhuang City (stay overnight) Day 4: Dunhuang - Mogao Grottoes (World Cultural Treasure House, Oriental Louvre) - Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake (Long River Sunset, Desert Smoke) - Shazhou Night Market - Dunhuang City (Overnight) Day 5: Dunhuang City--(Jiayuguan)--Zhangye Colorful Danxia Geopark--Zhangye (overnight) Day 6: Zhangye - Biandukou - Ebao - Qilian Grassland in Qilian Mountains (one of the six most beautiful grasslands in China) - Gangshika Snow Peak (view from a distance) - Xining City (end) -------------------- 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥Qinghai Lake Dunhuang Zhangye Shuiyacharhan seven-day loop: Day 1: Xining - Sun Moon Mountain - Qinghai Lake (Heima River) - Chaka Salt Lake (overnight) Day 2: Chaka------Qarhan Salt Lake------Golmud (overnight) Day 3: Golmud--U-shaped road--Dongtaijinaier Lake--Water Yadan--Dachaidan Emerald Lake (stay overnight) Day 4: Daxiadan - Heidu Mountain - Silk Road Heritage City - Dunhuang City (stay) Day 5: Dunhuang ------- Mogao Grottoes (the best time to buy tickets is around 9 am) ------ Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Lake ------- Shazhou Night Market ------ Dunhuang City (stay) Day 6: Dunhuang City - Passing Jiayuguan - Zhangye Colorful Danxia - Zhangye (stay overnight) Day 7: Zhangye---Biandukou---Qilian Mountains, Qilian Grasslands---Gangshika Snow Peak (viewed from a distance)---Xining City (end) ------------------------ 🚙🚙🚙🚙 Hoh Xil Dunhuang Zhangye eight-day loop: Day 1: Xining - Sun Moon Mountain - Qinghai Lake (Heima River) - Chaka (stay overnight) Day 2: Chaka Salt Lake -------- Chaerhan Salt Lake -------- Golmud (stay overnight) Day 3: Golmud-------Nachitai--------Wuji Dragon and Phoenix Palace-------Kunlun Pass-------Hoh Xil Sonam Darje Conservation Station-----Golmud (stay) Day 4: Golmud ------ 315U Highway ------ Dongtaijinaier Lake ------ Water Yadan ------- Dachaidan (stay overnight) Day 5: Da Qaidam Emerald Lake---Heidu Mountain---Oil Town---Silk Road Heritage City---Dunhuang City (overnight) Desert camping and night star photography. Day 6: Dunhuang - Mogao Grottoes (the best time to buy tickets is around 9am) - Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Lake - Shazhou Night Market - Dunhuang City (stay overnight) Day 7: Dunhuang City - Passing Jiayuguan - Zhangye Colorful Danxia - Zhangye (stay overnight) Day 8: Zhangye------Biandukou-------Ebao-----Qilian Grassland-------Gangshika Snow Peak (viewed from a distance)------Menyuan Rapeseed Flower Sea-------Xining ------------------------ ✅Must-check-in view 💎Qinghai Lake: From July to August, the rapeseed flowers and the blue lake water complement each other. You can ride around the lake or take a close look at the herdsmen's trails. 💎Emerald Lake: A must-have for drone aerial photography! The light is best in the early morning or evening, and the lake color changes from mint green to Tiffany blue 💎Mogao Grottoes: Class A tickets must be booked one month in advance, and the special cave explanation is worth purchasing; don’t miss the film "Millennium Mogao" in the digital center 💎 Mingsha Mountain Crescent Lake: Enter the park 3 hours before sunset, ride a camel to the top of the sand dune to overlook the Crescent Lake, and participate in desert camping and stargazing at night --------------------- 🍜 Northwest flavor you can’t miss 💥Xining: Hand-pulled lamb, old yogurt and barley cakes 💥Dunhuang: Donkey meat noodles, apricot peel water at Shazhou Night Market; Xiajia Juice breakfast 💥Zhangye: Chicken rolls, fish noodles ----------------------------- 📌 Key preparations before the trip to deal with altitude sickness: Avoid bathing and strenuous exercise on the first day, and prepare glucose oral solution Xining (2200m) → Chaka (3100m) → Dachaidan (3200m) Gradually adapt to the altitude 👕Clothing and equipment: The temperature difference between day and night is large: you can wear a jacket + fleece liner, and summer clothes + sun protection clothes in the Dunhuang section 👞Footwear: waterproof Martin boots (Salt Lake), comfortable sports shoes (Danxia hiking), anti-sand shoe covers (Mingsha Mountain)