No Man but Spirits: Crossing the Lop Nur Grand Canyon

Today's itinerary is relatively simple. We set out from the Bosten Hotel in Korla, pass through the Lop Nur Grand Canyon, head to Yuli County, and stay at the Lop Nur Hotel at night, covering a total distance of 75 kilometers. Originally, I planned to visit Bosten Lake, but considering that the two currently open scenic spots are not very impressive, and the essential part, the Heart of the Lake Mountain, which is half water and half desert, is closed and not open to the public. Additionally, the round trip is over 200 kilometers, which could very likely be a wasted effort, so I gave up on that idea. I also thought about visiting the Loulan Village and staying directly in the Joyland Resort Camp in the scenic area, but after coming out of the Lop Nur Grand Canyon, the weather changed and it became overcast. Moreover, the scenic area only allows self-driving cars to enter after 8 pm, and we would have to leave before 10 am the next day, which is quite inconvenient, so I gave that up as well. So today, I only visited this one attraction. Here's my review: ❗️Lop Nur Grand Canyon❗️ Recommended Index: 5🌟 (Unique landforms, hardcore scenery, very photogenic) Time Spent: About 4 hours (6 kilometers round trip on the right path+) Hiking Intensity: 2🌟 (Friendly trail conditions but requires walking the full round trip) Ticket Cost: 20 yuan/person + 50 yuan/car Mobile Signal: None (no signal throughout the valley) Drone Flying: No Rather than calling it a 'Grand Canyon', I think 'Rift Valley' or 'Narrow Canyon' might be more appropriate. Of course, this scenic spot is only part of the Lop Nur Grand Canyon. The landform features are still very rare. Both the top and the bottom are very flat, with the widest part of the canyon being about 8 meters and the height around 6-10 meters. Walking through it feels like traversing the cracks of the earth, similar to the Tongtian Cave in the Hami Sea Road, where such views are common, making it very photogenic without the need to queue. This place is part of Lop Nur. Navigate to the entrance of the scenic area, where there is a slightly bumpy gravel road, and after entering the scenic area, there is a 4-kilometer stretch to the rift valley. Although a sedan can make it, an SUV is recommended. The ticket used to be 20 yuan per person, but now there is an additional 50 yuan per car self-driving fee. However, considering the value of this attraction, it feels acceptable. There are very few visitors, almost like having the place to ourselves, which is quite nice. Once down in the valley, there is no mobile signal throughout. There are two paths to choose from, left and right. The left is about 2100 meters long, and the right is 2800 meters. I chose the right side to cross. Walking and taking pictures, plus a few detours shown in the pictures, the total playtime was about 4 hours, completing the right side crossing, with a round trip of about 8 kilometers. The bottom of the canyon is a flat path of small pebbles, which feels good on the feet and is not tiring. There is also natural shade and valley breeze, so even on a 40-degree sunny day, it doesn't feel too hot or too sunny, making it quite friendly for hiking. As for the downsides, there are still a lot of randomly discarded trash remnants along the way. The scenic area is only concerned with enclosing land and selling tickets, without better cleaning. Also, at the end of each detour, it has become a natural toilet for tourists, with a pungent smell. Although it's understandable that there are no toilets at the bottom of the valley, it's still better to go before descending, and try to hold it if possible.