Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop Travel Guide

Planning a trip to the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop? Check out this comprehensive guide to avoid common pitfalls! It includes travel sequence, detailed attractions, accommodation tips, and food recommendations—all covered! 🌟 Essential Documents for Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop ✔ Basic documents: ID card, student/teacher ID, driver’s license, vehicle registration ✔ Electronics: Power bank (must-have daily!), camera/drone (perfect for capturing Danxia and salt lakes), phone tripod (ideal for road trip selfies) ✔ Daily essentials: Sunscreen (SPF50+), sunglasses, sun hat (UV rays in the northwest are intense!), windbreaker (temperature difference of 20°C+ between day and night), comfortable hiking shoes, bright long dresses (must-have for photos at Chaka Salt Lake), lip balm, hydrating face masks, thermos, trash bags 🚗 Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop 7-Day Itinerary 🔵 Day 1: Xining—Sun and Moon Mountain—Qinghai Lake—Chaka Salt Lake—Chaka (overnight) 🔵 Day 2: Chaka—Chahann Salt Lake—Emerald Lake—Dachaidan (overnight) 🔵 Day 3: Dachaidan—315 U-shaped Road—Water Yadan—Dongtai Jinel Lake (distant view)—Dachaidan (overnight) 🔵 Day 4: Dachaidan—Black Mountain—Dunhuang (overnight) 🔵 Day 5: Dunhuang—Mogao Caves—Mingsha Mountain Crescent Lake—Shazhou Night Market—Dunhuang (overnight) 🔵 Day 6: Dunhuang—Son of the Earth—Jiayuguan—Zhangye Rainbow Danxia—Zhangye (overnight) 🔵 Day 7: Zhangye—Qilian Grassland—Gangshika Snow Peak (distant view)—Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers (seasonal)—Xining 🌄 Must-Visit Attractions Recommended Qinghai Attractions: Xining: Ta’er Monastery (a sacred site of Tibetan Buddhism; remember to remove hats and avoid photography), Dongguan Mosque Qinghai Lake: Erlangjian Scenic Area (stunning rapeseed flowers from June to August), Heimahe Township (best spot for sunrise) Chaka Salt Lake: "Mirror of the Sky"—wear a red dress for photos! Don’t forget shoe covers (salt crystals can hurt your feet) Qilian Mountains: Zhuo’er Mountain (Danxia and grasslands in one frame), Menyuan Flower Sea (rapeseed flowers covering the slopes in July) Recommended Gansu Attractions: Zhangye: Rainbow Danxia (best colors at sunset! Observation Deck 4 is less crowded and great for photos) Dunhuang: Mogao Caves, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Lake (ride camels to watch the sunset; avoid getting sand in your camera!) Jiayuguan: The First Pass Under Heaven (climb the tower for a panoramic view of the desert; ancient costume photos are stunning) 🍜 Northwest Food Guide ✔ Must-Try Dishes: Qinghai: Hand-grabbed lamb (perfect with garlic), Qinghai old-style yogurt (yellow millet at the bottom is fragrant), stuffed noodles (chewier than cold noodles) Gansu: Lanzhou beef noodles (clear broth, white radish, red chili oil, green cilantro—start your day with it!), lamb stew with rolled noodles (lamb flavor + noodles soaking up the juice), fish-shaped noodles (shaped like small fish, chewy texture) ✔ Local Snacks: Sweet fermented barley drink (a refreshing drink to cut through grease), gray bean soup (a night market staple in Lanzhou), apricot peel water (a hit in Dunhuang, sweet and sour for summer) Grilled buns (crispy skin, juicy filling; 10 RMB for 3 at roadside stalls), desert onion (a desert plant, delicious in salads or stir-fried) 📝 Summary Tips 1. Best Seasons: June-August for salt lakes/grasslands, September-October for golden Danxia/poplar trees; May/September for fewer crowds and lower costs 2. Essentials: Sunglasses, sun-protective clothing, power bank; waterproof shoe covers for salt lakes, old sneakers for deserts 3. Altitude Sickness: Avoid washing hair or intense exercise upon arrival in the northwest!