Day 1: Port of Entry Lanzhou Lanzhou
[itinerary] At the designated time, gather at the airport and take the booked flight to Lanzhou to check in at a hotel. In the evening, enjoy Lanzhou cuisine freely at the Zhengning Road night market.
Recommended snacks: Jincheng fermented skin, sweet fermented grains, red willow grilled meat, egg and milk mash;
【 Kind reminder 】
- While ensuring that the original itinerary standards and tourist attractions are not affected, the travel agency will adjust the itinerary and tour sequence based on the actual flight time and port of the airline. Please be informed.
Day 2: Lanzhou Colorful Danxia Zhangye
[Journey] After breakfast, take the bus to Zhangye to visit the location of the “Three Guns Shooting a Table of Wonders” – [Zhangye Danxia Geopark] (including the scenic spot battery car, about 3 hours of sightseeing). The only compound area of Danxia landform and colorful hilly landscape in China is one of the regions with the largest and best development of Danxia Landform of China and the most abundant landform shapes, which has high scientific research and tourism value. After lunch, go to Jiayuguan City, which is known as the “Northwest Steel City” (230km, about 2.5 hours of driving), enjoy the magnificent desert sunset and Qilian Snow Mountain along the way, feel the vast desert Gobi, and imagine the prosperous scenery of the ancient Silk Road and the vicissitudes of the golden age and iron horse history. Check in to the hotel upon arrival.
Day 3: Zhangye Jiayuguan Dunhuang
【 itinerary 】 Visit the western starting point of the Ming Dynasty Wanli Great Wall – 【 Jiayuguan City Tower with large tickets 】 (tour takes about 2 hours), located at the foot of the Qilian Mountains and separated by an ancient river channel. Tourists can climb the observation deck to overlook the cliffs and feel the steepness of Jiayuguan City. Afterwards, take a car to Dunhuang City (380km, driving for about 5 hours). Due to the slightly long distance, you will stop at the Guazhou Rest Station to use the restroom (staying for about 15 minutes) (there are shopping points inside the rest station, but the quality cannot be guaranteed as they are not designated by our company. Please choose carefully when purchasing). Upon arrival in Dunhuang, stay at the hotel and rest (you can arrange to visit the scenic spots on the same day according to the time),
Food recommendation: Dunhuang style banquet (Snow Mountain Camel Palm, Mingsha Date, Yangguan Rainbow Trout, Beacon Fire Sheep Chop, Desert Wind Sand Chicken, etc.);
Snacks: “Da Ji” Donkey Meat Yellow Noodles, Roujiamo, Saozi Noodles, Pao’er Oil Cake, Brewed Skin, etc; Specialty products: dried apricots, Yangguan raisins, walnuts, dates, etc.
Note: Self funded projects can only be arranged with the participation of the entire team. We apologize for any inconvenience caused
The fourth day: Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Mogao Grottoes
[itinerary] Visit Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring after breakfast (tour takes about 2 hours); Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring have been known for their wonderful scenery of “coexistence of mountains and springs, coexistence of sand and water” throughout history, and are hailed as “a masterpiece of scenery outside the Great Wall”. They are renowned for their “desert wonders” due to the coexistence of sand and springs. Afterwards, arrange a visit to the Mogao Grottoes, which is known as the “treasure trove of Eastern art”, according to the ticket reservation time of the day (tour for about 2 hours, A-class tickets); The Mogao Caves are known as the “treasure trove of Eastern art”, commonly known as the Thousand Buddha Cave, and are hailed as the most valuable cultural discovery of the 20th century. Located in Dunhuang at the western end of the Hexi Corridor, they are renowned for their exquisite murals and sculptures. In 1961, it was announced as one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units; In 1987, it was listed as a World Heritage Site (during the peak season from July to September each year, if there is a special reception or no ticket status for the Mogao Grottoes, if it is not possible to arrange a tour, we will arrange emergency tickets. If it is also not possible to arrange an emergency plan visit, the local tour guide will refund the adult ticket or arrange the Dunhuang West Thousand Buddha Cave (40 yuan/adult ticket+50 yuan/adult fare) and refund the price difference. This policy is a government action, please read this clause carefully when registering and cannot be used as a reason for complaint Check in to the hotel. Wanke Shazhou Night Market to Taste Local Flavored Snacks!
Kind reminder:
- From the entrance of the scenic area, you can take a camel ride at your own expense to the main peak of Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area. Camels can take photos and slide on the sand themselves. After playing, continue to take a camel ride to the parking lot near Yueya Spring.
After visiting Crescent Spring, you can choose to walk or take the scenic bus at your own expense to return. Possible self funded projects within the Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area: 10 yuan/person for shuttle buses, 100 yuan/person for camel riding, 15 yuan/pair for shoe covers, 20 yuan/person for sand skating, starting from 200 yuan/person for desert off-road vehicles, 150 yuan/person for off-road motorcycles, and 260 yuan/person for gliders; The sand on the sand mountain is very windy and the sand is very fine. Take good care of your camera. Sunscreen goes without saying much, it is necessary to travel to the northwest!
Day 5: Dunhuang Water Yadan Jade Lake Dachaidan
[itinerary]: After breakfast, take a car to climb over Dangjin Mountain, cross the Qaidam Basin, and delve deep into the northwest hinterland, experiencing the desolation and silence of the Qaidam Basin. Then head to visit Wusute Water Yadan (tour time is about 2 hours, including tickets). Wusute Yadan is bordered by Yiliping to the west and Mahai to the east, and is located in Yahu Lake between Dongtaijinai Lake and Xitaijinai Lake, about 240 kilometers west of the Dachaidan travel committee. There was originally no water here, but some years mountain floods broke out, and the Nalingele River, which originates from the Kunlun Mountains, changed its course and flooded this area, forming a water Yadan landscape. In the spring and autumn seasons, flocks of waterfowl and wild ducks soar in the azure sky, play in the shimmering lake water, or run and chase on the Yadan. Therefore, this place is called Duck Lake by locals and also known as “Hundred Birds and Thousand Islands Lake” by tourists. By way of driving to see the Maldives in Qinghai [East Taijiner Lake], the scenery here is more beautiful than Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area and Kanas, and the water is as clear as Maldives. Passing through Chelan, the Blood of the Earth is located at milestone 757 of National Highway 315 in Dachaidan, Qinghai. It is a dry and red riverbed. Along the road by car, there is the famous South Eight Immortals Yadan landform here, which is a magical land. It is a combination of a series of intermittently extending long soil mounds and concave gullies, known as the Yadan landform by geologists. The Yadan landform of Qaidam is a lake sediment from the late Tertiary and early Quaternary period 75 million years ago. Due to geological movements, it was lifted out of the water body, and the salt and sand condensed during this period, and the crust was sculpted by the westerly wind erosion. Here, dozens of kilometers of roads pass through the Yadan landform and pass through the popular 315U section of the National Highway 315, also known as the Chinese version of Highway 66. The highway looks straight to the sky, forming a beautiful scenic line! After visiting “Jewels in the Desert” – “Jade Lake” (including tickets, excluding shuttle buses, about 2 hours of sightseeing), the lake surface is emerald green to the bottom, and pure white salt crystals are laid thick on the bottom and shore. The sky is blue, calm and windless, and the lake surface forms a clear reflection. The blue sky, white clouds, snowy mountains, grasslands, reeds, and emerald lakes are all stunning in the world. After arriving in Dachaidan Town, stay at the hotel for the evening.
【 Kind reminder 】
- The journey is quite long, please be patient as you can enjoy the scenery outside the car along the way.
- Reminder: This section is all due to poor mountain road conditions and slow vehicle movement. Tourists are advised to prepare for motion sickness prevention
Day 6: Dachaidan Chaka Salt Lake Qinghai Lake
[itinerary]: After breakfast, go to Chaka Town (400km, about 4 hours by car), and upon arrival, visit the renowned “Sky Land” – Chaka Salt Lake (excluding electric cars and small trains, about 2 hours by tour). Chaka Salt Lake is the smallest of the four major salt lakes in the Qaidam Basin and also the earliest developed one. You can enjoy the magnificent picture of sunrise and sunset in the salt lake, and through the clear and abundant lake water, you can admire the lifelike salt flowers that are growing in various shapes, explore the mystery of the world at the bottom of the lake, and also appreciate the wonders of rolling salt waves left on the lake surface after high tide. Take a car to Qinghai Lake (130km, about 2 hours drive), along the way, the vast and magnificent scenery of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau is breathtaking, and then move in to Qinghai Lake. In the afternoon, visit the Pearl of the Orchid Plateau – Qinghai Lake Erlang Sword Scenic Area (about 2 hours). Qinghai Lake is the largest inland saline lake in China. The colorful wildflowers on the banks of Qinghai Lake are adorned with green blankets like brocade. Countless cows, sheep, and plump horses are like colorful pearls scattered on the grassland. On the south bank of Qinghai Lake, the road is filled with rapeseed flowers, and cows and sheep are scattered everywhere, occasionally adorned with white pagoda prayer flags. The scenery along the way is extremely beautiful, attracting endless imagination! Arrive at the Republic Hotel for check-in.
【 Kind reminder 】
- The Chaka Salt Lake area has an altitude of about 3000 meters, so it is important to avoid vigorous exercise to avoid altitude sickness.
- Due to the rough salt layer, walking barefoot may cause some pain, and the mud in the lake is deep, so it is not recommended to walk too deep.
- Before playing in the Chaka Salt Lake, you can prepare some wet tissues. When exposed skin is stained with salt or salt water, it should be washed with fresh water or wiped off with a tissue. If left for a while, it can cause certain damage to the skin.
- The distance between scenic spots is long, please bring your own snacks
Day 7: Qinghai Lake Kumbum Monastery Lanzhou
[Journey]: After breakfast, take the bus to Kumbum Monastery to visit [Kumbum Monastery], one of the six major monasteries of Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism (excluding 20 yuan for explanation, 35 yuan for battery car, and about 2 hours for sightseeing), the birthplace of Zongkhapa, the founder of Yellow Sect, and the ancient architectural complex combining Tibetan and Han art styles. It is magnificent. The butter flowers, murals, and embroidery in the temple are known as “the three wonders of Kumbum Monastery”. It has unique national style and artistic value, allowing you to appreciate the mystery and emptiness of the Buddhist world. After visiting, return to Lanzhou (240km, about 3 hours), upon arrival in Lanzhou, check into a hotel and have free activities.
Travel tips:
The main attractions in Lanzhou city include the Yellow River Mother Sculpture, Water Car Park, Zhongshan Bridge, and the Yellow River Hundred Mile Scenic Line
Convenient transportation, can be reached by taxi or bus, with a bus fare of 1 yuan, starting at 1.4 yuan/kilometer for a taxi of 10 yuan;
Food recommendations:
Lanzhou cuisine is concentrated in Dazhong Lane and Zhengning Road Night Market Snack Street, offering beef noodles, fried noodles, cold noodles, grilled meat, and various types of barbecue
Beef and sheep mixed soup, gray beans, sweet embryo, fermented skin, etc; Famous shops include Mogouyan Beef Noodles, Xiaogong Liangpi, Mazilu Beef Noodles, and Tongjian
Sharp snack shops, etc.
Day 8: Lanzhou Exit Port (Free Activity)
[itinerary] Sleep until you wake up naturally in the morning, move freely after breakfast, and return to the departure port by plane according to the flight time, ending a pleasant journey to the northwest!