It is said that in one's life, there is always a journey of wandering that should be dedicated to the Great Northwest—seeking the visual impact where splendor and desolation coexist, and experiencing the ultimate route that blends wildness and romance.
Just how popular the recent travel route in the Great Northwest (Gansu + Qinghai) is can be seen from various variety shows. The Great Northwest has long been a place I yearn for. As someone put it: Taking a trip along the Great Northwest Loop is like taking ten trips. Spanning Gansu and Qinghai provinces, this 2,800-kilometer (8-day loop) route boasts a rich variety of landforms, including yardangs, gobi, deserts, oases, fields, snow-capped mountains, and salt lakes. The Great Northwest truly lives up to its reputation!
—— For friends visiting the Northwest for the first time, please take 3 minutes to read this 8-day travel guide for the Great Northwest Loop. It will definitely help you avoid detours during your trip. This is a sincere recommendation based on my personal experience!
When it comes to traveling to the Great Northwest, I consider myself quite qualified to speak. I've been there three times, and this latest trip was the most enjoyable. This time, we chose a semi-self-guided tour. There were six of us; we booked our round-trip flights ourselves, and through a friend's recommendation, we contacted Xiaoguan, a local tour guide in the Northwest, in advance to arrange our itinerary. It was very hassle-free and cost-effective. I had some initial worries and doubts, but with Xiaoguan's arrangements, everything went smoothly. When we arrived directly in Xining, Xiaoguan personally picked us up at the airport and checked us into a star hotel. He even showed us the company's business license, and we signed a formal travel contract. All in all, including accommodation, meals, tickets, transportation, etc., the cost was just over 2,000 yuan per person. The service throughout the trip was excellent—we avoided many detours, saved a lot of unnecessary expenses, and skipped the time spent queuing for tickets. Xiaoguan took us to visit all the characteristic attractions in the Great Northwest, leaving no regrets.
A special note: Xiaoguan's team has been deeply rooted in the local area for more than ten years, so they are very professional. They have first-hand high-quality resources for hotels, transportation, tickets, and guides. Therefore, traveling to the Northwest with Xiaoguan as your guide is the most cost-effective option—you can save half the money! Friends planning to travel to the Northwest this year can contact Xiaoguan for more information; they also have preferential policies now.
✈️【Itinerary】
"Leave professional matters to professionals"
A reminder to friends planning to go: be sure to plan ahead. Traveling to the Northwest is not like traveling to other circular cities; the attractions here are very scattered. Traveling randomly may end up being a huge waste of time, leaving you unable to enjoy the trip properly and resulting in a poor experience. Before I set off, I looked up many guides online and felt dizzy from all the information. Xiaoguan customized the travel itinerary according to our needs: a streamlined small group with a dedicated driver for pick-up and drop-off; it included transportation, accommodation, meals, attraction tickets, and attraction explanations.
Detailed itinerary:
D1: From all over the country - Xining/Lanzhou - arranged airport pick-up - check into hotel - free activities. Accommodation: Xining/Lanzhou New District
D2: Xining/Lanzhou - Danxiakou Town - Zhangye Colorful Danxia - "Return to Zhangye" performance. Accommodation: Zhangye/Jiayuguan
D3: Guazhou's "Son of the Earth" - Mogao Grottoes (Ticket B) - Campsite (opens in mid-July) - Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring. Accommodation: Dunhuang Hotel/campsite
D4: Nanbaxian Devil City (yardang landform) - Emerald Lake/Chahan Salt Lake - 315 U-shaped Highway. Accommodation: Delingha/Golmud
D5: Chaka Salt Lake ("Sky Mirror"/"Sky No.1"). Accommodation: Gonghe
D6: Tibetan Villages - Wenga Ranch - Qinghai Lake (Erlangjian Scenic Area). Accommodation: Duoba/Huangyuan
D7: Duoba/Huangyuan - Rainbow Tribe - Ta'er Monastery. Accommodation: Xining/Lanzhou New District
D8: End of trip, airport drop-off - return to warm home
What the itinerary includes:
【Tickets】Tickets for all attractions in the itinerary;
【Transportation】All transportation expenses, plus dedicated airport pick-up and drop-off services;
【Accommodation】1 upgraded night in a 5-star hotel, and 6 nights in quasi-4-star hotels (popular and in-demand hotels)—excellent!;
【Meals】The food was very good, and Xiaoguan even treated us to a whole roasted lamb feast—an unexpected surprise;
【Service】Full-time tour guide consultant service fee (the guide was patient and thoughtful);
At first, we tried to plan the trip by ourselves by looking up guides online, and calculated that a self-guided tour would cost 5,000 yuan per person. But with Xiaoguan's plan, the total cost per person was just over 2,000 yuan—we saved almost half! Moreover, Xiaoguan also gave us many additional activities as gifts, which really surprised me. If you want to go, you can contact Guide Xiaoguan in advance for relevant matters.
My thought is: Leave professional matters to professionals and give yourself a completely relaxing and enjoyable vacation—why not?
I only recommend this because I had a great personal experience. Friends who want to travel to the Northwest recently can contact Xiaoguan in advance for consultation. Xiaoguan is very enthusiastic.
✈️【Notes】
Transportation: Some attractions in the Northwest are far apart, and the road conditions are complex. Unlike some tourist cities in the south where you can just set off on a whim, it's recommended to choose your travel mode in advance. Trying to handle things last minute will really affect your experience and leave you feeling tired.
Items: Don't forget moisturizing and sun protection products. Nice clothes are also essential for taking beautiful photos by Qinghai Lake and in the desert. However, the temperature difference between morning and evening is large, so remember to bring a coat.
Routes: The mobile signal in some attractions is not very good, and it's very easy to get lost. It's best to find a local friend who is familiar with the routes to go with you!
Customs: Respect the religious customs of ethnic minorities and be a civilized tourist!
Once everything is ready, set off for the Great Northwest!
【Must-visit attractions in the Northwest】
TOP1: Nature's scarlet romance—Zhangye Colorful Danxia
Zhangye Colorful Danxia is the only composite area of Danxia landform and colorful hills in China. It was rated as one of the seven most beautiful Danxia landforms in China by Chinese National Geography. This "earthly fallen rainbow"—Zhangye Colorful Danxia is truly stunning! It feels like stepping into a geography textbook!
TOP2: "A lone smoke rises straight over the desert; the long river reflects the setting sun"—Mogao Grottoes, Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring
The part I looked forward to most about traveling to the Great Northwest was the trip to Dunhuang. Who wouldn't love the culture of Mogao Grottoes and the beauty of the desert? Only after seeing the endless desert can you understand Sanmao's love for it. The rolling, vast land may seem barren, but it carries a broader world—lonely yet magnificent!
A warm reminder: Tickets for Mogao Grottoes are divided into Type A and Type B. They are booked with real names, and tickets are hard to come by during the peak season. Be sure to book in advance. At that time, Guide Xiaoguan arranged it for us. For details, you can consult Guide Xiaoguan.
TOP3: Endless yellow sand, vast stretching gobi—the most beautiful 315 U-shaped Highway
The U-shaped Highway is a section of wavy road on G315. The black asphalt road is like a soft silk ribbon, drawing a beautiful undulating curve across this uninhabited land. With the desert and gobi around, it's totally a Western cowboy vibe!
TOP4: Just one glance, and it's unforgettable—Dachaidan Emerald Lake
Dachaidan Emerald Lake has just become a popular online attraction. Its popularity comes from the movie A Little Red Flower. In the cinema, just one glance made me unable to forget this place. Fortunately, it didn't let me down. The reflection in the lake is exactly the scene I'd dreamed of. Who would have thought that the mirror that shattered at Chaka Salt Lake was perfectly pieced together at Dachaidan Emerald Lake?
TOP5: The "Sky Mirror" scattered by the wind—Chaka Salt Lake
The "Sky Mirror" of South America is in Bolivia, while China's "Sky Mirror" is at Chaka Salt Lake. Take the small train and slowly head to the depths of the salt lake. Listen to the clanking of the wheels against the rails. Looking around, everywhere is a world paved with green salt, and even the air is filled with a faint salty scent.
TOP6: Water and sky merge as one, a vast expanse of blue waves—Qinghai Lake
It's said that Qinghai Lake is at its most beautiful in July and August when the rapeseed flowers are in bloom. The lakeside is a sea of golden yellow, and the high-saturation blue of the lake and sky forms a strong visual impact with the yellow rapeseed fields! You must visit Qinghai Lake once—it's truly beautiful!
✈️【How was the travel experience】
Let me talk about why I chose Xiaoguan to plan our trip to the Northwest:
(1) Reasonable itinerary: The route Xiaoguan planned for us includes most of the classic attractions in the Northwest: Colorful Danxia, Jiayuguan, Mingsha Mountain, Mogao Grottoes, Emerald Lake, U-shaped Highway, Chaka Salt Lake, Qinghai Lake, Ta'er Monastery, etc. The itinerary without backtracking not only saves time but also allows us to see as many attractions as possible!
(2) Affordable price: Just the cost of 7 nights in quasi-4-star hotels would be several thousand yuan. But with Xiaoguan's help, the total cost per person for the entire trip was just over 2,000 yuan—this is more affordable than most group tours or self-guided tours! And we avoided being cheated or overcharged.
(3) Comfort and convenience: Xiaoguan provides full-service butler-style service. We didn't have to worry about anything, from insurance to tickets and hotels. Isn't the point of traveling to relax and be at ease? I sincerely recommend Guide Xiaoguan to friends who want to go to the Great Northwest recently.
✈️【Final words】
Guide Xiaoguan said that the Northwest routes are divided into the big loop and the small loop. The big loop covers both Qinghai and Gansu provinces, while the small loop only covers Qinghai Province. If you don't have enough time, you can only take the small loop and visit just Qinghai, then come back again next time you have time.
Of course, in terms of travel experience, I definitely recommend taking the big loop like we did. Prepare 7 or 8 days, and along the way, you'll pass through Zhangye Danxia, Jiayuguan, Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Yardang Devil City, Guazhou's "Son of the Earth", the popular U-shaped Highway, Emerald Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, and Qinghai Lake. In 8 days, you'll get to see rapeseed flowers, grasslands, snow-capped mountains, local customs and culture, Danxia landforms, border passes, Mogao Grottoes, deserts, gobi, salt lakes, and yardang landscapes—all in one trip. It's like seeing half of China, covering both popular and off-the-beaten-path attractions for an in-depth travel experience of the real Great Northwest Loop!
A special reminder: According to what Xiaoguan mentioned, booking the itinerary in advance can allow you to enjoy local policy subsidies and discounts. If you're traveling during the peak season, be sure to book in advance—otherwise, tickets and hotels will be hard to get!
For specific matters such as tickets and hotels, you can consult Xiaoguan.
