The Northwest Loop, also known as the Qinggan Loop, is a tourist loop that runs through Qinghai and Gansu provinces. The conventional Qinggan Loop Route does not pass through Hoh Xil, Dongji Nai Lake, Shuiya Dan, Aiken Spring, and Mangya Emerald Lake. This is one of the four uninhabited areas in China's land area. Therefore, when planning the route, I deliberately added the itinerary to Dongtai Aijing Lake, Shuiyadan, Hoh Xil, Kunlun Pass, Mangya Aiken Spring, and Mangya Emerald Lake to make the journey of the Northwest Grand Ring Road more perfect.
Starting from Xining, famous scenic spots include Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, Hoh Xil, Kunlun Mountain, Dongtai Aijing Lake, Shuiyadan, Mangya Aiken Spring, Mangya Emerald Lake, Dunhuang (Mogao) Cave, Crescent Moon Spring), Zhangye Colorful Danxia, Qilian Mountain Grassland, Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers, etc.
The total distance is 3,400 kilometers. I drove for 9 days, with an average daily driving distance of 380 kilometers. (Traveling through the uninhabited land in the northwest, the average daily distance is 400 kilometers, which is within the normal range, and there is no rush at all.)
Route: Starting from Xining, first arrive at Ta#039 Er Temple for 2-3 hours , and then have lunch in Huangzhong County. We drove over Laji Mountain and passed the Riyue Mountain where Princess XX entered Tibet, as well as the tears of the flowing river that are said to have been formed by Princess XX. We arrived at Erlangjian Scenic Area in Qinghai Lake around 2 p.m. From June to September, rapeseed flowers spread all over the Qinghai Lake. Yellow flowers, green lakes, sky blue and snow-white flowers spread out to become the most classic business card of Qinghai Province. In the evening, check in at Chaka.
Attractions: Laji Mountain, Riyue Mountain, Daotang River, Qinghai Lake.
Distance: 320 kilometers, 6 hours of driving.
Route: After breakfast, enter the Chaka Salt Lake Sky No. 1 Scenic Area, the real mirror of the sky. To see the beautiful side of Chaka Salt Lake, you need to spend time waiting for the right wind volume, light, white clouds, blue sky and other conditions. 3 hours of play is more appropriate. After lunch, drive to Golmud via Dulan. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Roof of the World and Kunlun Culture. On the way, we pass through Dulan County, visit the nearby Xiangride Panchen Lama or Haisi Flower Sea, and spend the night in Golmud City.
Attractions: Chaka Salt Lake, Panchen Lama's Journey to Xiangride, Haisi Flower Sea.
Mileage: 480 kilometers, 6 hours of driving.
Route: Starting from Golmud, the car is located in a vast and desolate no-man’s land. The road is deserted and vast, and Tibetan antelopes can be vaguely seen. Passing through Nachitai and Xidatan, overlooking the majestic and bright Yuzhu Peak (6178 meters above sea level), visit the Promised Dragon and Phoenix Gong, where are the descendants of the dragon and the descendants of the phoenix. After passing the Kunlun Mountain Pass (4767 meters), you reach the legendary cold spring that never freezes all year round. It is called the Holy Water of the Earth and the Nectar of the Icebergs. In the afternoon, I drove back to Golmud. On the way, I looked out at the Sonamdajie Conservation Station, an outpost of the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve in an uninhabited land. Overnight in Golmud.
Attractions: Hoh Xil, Kunlun Pass, Yuzhu Peak, Wuji Dragon and Phoenix Palace, Thaw Spring.
Mileage: 360 kilometers, 6 hours of driving.
Route: Starting from Golmud, visit the newly developed Internet celebritiesThe scenic spot is Aijing Lake in Dongtai, Qinghai Maldives. Arrive at Usut Shuiyadan, the uninhabited water city of Qaidam, around 2 pm, and feel the miraculous craftsmanship of nature. In the afternoon, you can experience the G315 National Highway through Huagualiang and Laomangya, a desert road that separates Lop Nur and Hoh Xil. It is the second and fourth largest land in China where no one can experience the loneliness and magnificence of no man's land. Huatugou in Mangya Town at night.
Attractions: Aijing Lake in the east, Aijing Lake in the west, and Wusut Shuiyadan.
Mileage: 600 kilometers, 9 hours of driving.
Route: From Huatugou to the depths of Alar grassland, explore the mangya known as the devil seye. In Aiken Spring in the vast desert, the spring water is like boiling water, constantly rolling and rising. The sulfur minerals around the spring have precipitated over a long period of time, forming colorful and unusual pupil shapes, like an eye embedded in the earth. In the afternoon, visit Mangya Emerald Lake and then stay at Huatugou.
Attractions: Aiken Spring Devil’s Eye, Mangya Emerald Lake.
Distance: 260 kilometers, 4 hours of driving.
Route: Starting from Huatugou, passing through Laomangya, Huanggualiang and Aoboliang. Liangbo is independent from other Yadan Sands, with dense forests. Overlooking the dense and mysterious landscape of the nearby ghost town, it feels like being on Mars. Along the way, the vehicle traveled through the endless Gobi and Yadan landforms, with unknown salt lakes dotting both sides of the road. In the afternoon, we passed through Lenghu and Aksai, visited the Yadan Landform of Lenghu (Qinghai Ghost Town), and arrived at Dunhuang, the Silk Road, the Hexi Corridor, Mengli Shazhou and the Buddhist Capital of the World. Ji Xianlin once said: The four major civilization systems in the world are China, India, Greece and Islam; the meeting place is Dunhuang.
Attractions: Dunhuang Lenghu Ya Egg Egg Mao Aoboliang.
Mileage: 558 kilometers, 9 hours of driving.
Route: Take a bus to the Mogao Grottoes, known as the Louvre of the East and one of the four major grottoes in China. Inside the grotto, the flying murals are immortal. After the visit, we headed to Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring at 3pm. During your visit you can ride a camel and spend the night in Dunhuang.
Attractions: Mogao Grottoes, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring.
Distance: 10 kilometers, 0.5 hours of driving.
Route: Starting from Dunhuang, passing through Guazhou and Yumen, arriving at Jiayuguan Pass, the steel city at the west gate of the Great Wall, standing in the Gobi at around 2 p.m. Along the way, you can overlook the year-round snow on the top of the Qilian Mountains and the spectacular and scattered wind power stations in the Gobi Desert. More than 2,000 years ago, Huo Qubing, a great general in the late Western Han Dynasty, fought in Hexi. Now, he can experience the legendary glory days through the window. Drive to Linze County to report in the evening.
Attractions: Yumen Pass, Jiayuguan Pass, Qilian Mountain.
Mileage: 550 kilometers, 5.5 hours of driving.
Route: Starting from Linze, visit the Danxia landform, colorful hills and colorful Danxia morning in Zhangye. Then pass through Ebao Town, arrive at the Qilian Prairie, cross Dadong Shuguan (4120 meters above sea level), come to Menyuan, and enjoy a rapeseed field that is hundreds of miles deep (early Julyopen). Overlooking Gangshika Snow Mountain (5254 meters), climbing over Daban Pass (3940 meters), visiting Heiquan Reservoir, and finally arriving at the terminal in Xining, ending the impressive journey of the Great Northwest Loop.
Attractions: Zhangye Colorful Danxia, Qilian Grassland, Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers, and Black Spring Reservoir.
Distance: 420 kilometers, 6.5 hours of driving.
1. Safety: Hoh Xil has a harsh climate, and there are wild animals such as wolves and brown bears in the depths. Do not cross it without permission. Ordinary tourists can only go to [Sonam Street Monument] to see Hoh Xil at most.
2. Altitude sickness: The altitude near Hoh Xil, Bubingquan and Kunlun Pass is about 4,600 meters, which is prone to altitude sickness. You can bring glucose, oxygen bottles and other items to prevent altitude sickness in advance.
3. Ticket reservation: There is a maximum daily limit for tickets to the Mogao Grottoes Scenic Area, and advance reservation is required.
4. Mileage description: Self-driving Qinghai-Tibet Line, Northwest Grand Ring Road and other tourist routes are far apart, and the entire journey is mostly desert and uninhabited land. There are no sharp bends on the mountain road that require slowing down. Therefore, even on a road trip, it is normal to drive 400-500 kilometers per day, so don't worry.
The ancient wasteland, the stars, the sea, the peaks, and the vast grasslands constitute the memory of the Northwest Great Ring. Looking at any domestic tourist route, none can be as boundless, wild, profound, gentle and kind as the Northwest Great Ring Road.
How can it be worth visiting this lonely, vast, savage, desolate, silent but vibrant area once in a lifetime?