Ask a QuestionIf you have been to the major cities to China and look for places to visit in China, Qinghai and Gansu provinces are recommended to you. Why should you visit Qinghai and Gansu? In Qinghai, you can see many beautiful lakes including Chaka Salt Lake, Qarhan Salt Lake, Dachaidan Emerald Lake and Qinghai Lake. Visiting the Qarhan Salt Lake and Dachaidan Emerald Lake, you will be amazing at the colors of the lake. In July and August, the bright yellow rape flowers near the Qinghai Lake make it more beautiful. In Gansu, you can witness the rainbow mountains, Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Lake, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, etc.
And how to plan a trip to Qinghai and Gansu? Let’s read on to find out the answer.
Ta’er Monastery: 2,600 meters above sea level, 30 kilometers from Xining
Qinghai Lake:
Chaka Salt Lake: 3,059 meters above sea level, 300 kilometers from Xining
Qarhan Salt Lake: 2,900 meters above sea level, 60 kilometers from Golmud
Dachaidan Emerald Lake: 3,200 meters above sea level, 10 kilometers from Dachaidan
Heidu Mountain: 2,900 meters above sea level, 20 kilometers from Lenghu Town
Menyuan Rape Flower Fields: 3,000 meters above sea level, 120 kilometers from Xining
Gangshika Snow Peak: 3,500-5,300 meters above sea level, 180 kilometers from Xining
Gansu Dunhuang
Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes
Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Lake
Dunhuang Yardang
Gansu Zhangye
Colorful Danxia National Geopark
Zhangye Giant Buddha Temple
Overall, May to October are recommended to visit Qinghai. July to August is the best time to visit Qinghai Lake and Menyuan Rape Flower Fields. During this time, the bright yellow rape flowers are blooming in Menyuan and Qinghai Lake. But please note that July to August is the peak season of attractions in China because of the summer vacation of schools. If you plan to visit Qinghai in July or August, please get prepared of the crowds of the domestic tourists. If you want to avoid the crowds, you may choose June and September to visit Qinghai. And weather is very important when you visit the natural landscapes, checking the weather forecast in advance is necessary to get the better traveling experience.
Qinghai Lake June-August
Chaka Salt Lake June-October
Dachaidan Emerald Lake June-September
Heidu Mountain April-June, September-October
Qilian Mountain Grassland: June-August
Menyuan Rape Flower Fields: July
Mogao Grottoes: April-June, September-October
Zhangye Colorful Danxia: June-September
Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Lake: April-October
Visiting Gansu, you can experience the essential part of the Silk Road from the exquisite murals, magnificent passes, vast deserts and colorful landscapes. It is over 3,000 kilometers from the east to the west of Gansu. April to October is the best time to visit Gansu. Kindly reminder, attractions in Gansu will be full of tourists in July and August and public vacations of China(like Labor Day holiday and National Day holiday).
Traveling around Qinghai and Gansu, the best starting point is Xining or Lanzhou. As the capitals of Qinghai and Gansu provinces, the transportation of Lanzhou and Gansu is very convenient with trains and flights. Generally speaking, Lanzhou, Xining and Dunhuang are usually recommended to be your starting or ending pint for your Qinghai and Gansu travel.
Itinerary: Lanzhou/Xining-Ta’er Monastery-Chaka Salt Lake-Qarhan Salt Lake-Dunhuang(Mogao Grottoes, Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Spring)-Jiayuguan-Zhangye(rainbow mountains)-Xining/Lanzhou
The best way to traveling around Gansu is taking private car. It is about 500 kilometers from Lanzhou to Zhangye, which is about 3 hours’ bullet train and 6 hours’ drive. Zhangye is about 220 kilometers from Jiayuguan Pass, which is about 3 hours’ drive. And Jiayuguan Pass is about 370 kilometers from Dunhuang, which is about 4 hours’ drive.
Traveling across Qinghai and Gansu, please get prepared for the time of the transportation on the way. The tourists attractions in Qinghai and Gansu distribute dispersedly. And the distance between the attractions is a bit far from others.
To travel around Qinghai, it is recommended that you leave at least 4 days to explore the highlights of Qinghai. The beauty of Qinghai lies in the lakes. You will encounter the vast Qinghai Lake, picturesque Chaka Salt Lake, impressive Qarhan Salt Lake and amazing Dachaidan Emerald Lake.
And the altitudes in Qinghai is over 2,000 meters, please pay attention to your physical strength while visiting Qinghai. To avoid the altitude sickness, please do not run quickly in Qinghai. And please protect your skin from the heat and sunshine in summer in Qinghai.
4 Days Itinerary in Qinghai
Day 1 Arrival Xining
Day 2 Ta’er Monastery, Qinghai Lake
Day 3 Chaka Salt Lake, Dachaidan Emerald Lake
Day 4 Qarhan Salt Lake, Xining
Traveling across Gansu, the distance is also long. Please note that it is over 3,000 kilometers from the east to west of Gansu. Generally speaking, it is recommended that you stay in Gansu for at least 4 days.
4 Days Itinerary in Gansu
Day 1 Arrival Lanzhou
Day 2 Bullet train to Zhangye, Zhangye Rainbow Mountains
Day 3 Drive to Jiayuguan Pass
Day 4 Mogao Grottoes, Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Spring
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