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10-Day Northwest Loop: Qinghai & Gansu Road Trip

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Route Overview

The classic Northwest loop starts from Xining: Qinghai Lake → Chaka Salt Lake → Delingha → Dachaidan Emerald Lake → Dunhuang → Jiayuguan → Zhangye Danxia → Qilian → back to Xining. Total ~2,800 km. Self-drive or chartered car (¥500–800/day incl. driver and fuel) is ideal. Best season: June–September; July–August for peak rapeseed blooms at Qinghai Lake.

Day-by-Day

D1–D2 Qinghai Lake & Chaka: Circle Qinghai Lake (Erlangjian scenic area ¥90), catch both sunrise and sunset. Chaka Salt Lake (¥60) — the “Mirror of the Sky,” best reflection effect on clear days, fewest crowds before 10am.

10-Day Northwest Loop: Qinghai & Gansu Road Trip

D3–D5 Dunhuang: Mogao Grottoes (¥238 incl. guided tour, MUST book 30 days ahead), Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Moon Spring (¥110, camel ride ¥100), Dunhuang Night Market at Shazhou for donkey-meat noodles and apricot juice.

D6–D7 Jiayuguan & Zhangye: Jiayuguan Pass (¥110, westernmost point of the Ming Great Wall). Zhangye Danxia Geopark (¥75 + shuttle ¥20) — most vivid colors at sunset; stay nearby to catch sunrise the next morning.

10-Day Northwest Loop: Qinghai & Gansu Road Trip

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D8–D10 Qilian & Return: Zhuo’er Mountain in Qilian (¥60, “Oriental Little Switzerland”), Qilian Grasslands, Menyuan rapeseed fields (free viewing in July). Return to Xining via National Road 227, with Daban Mountain viewpoint at 3,900m altitude.

Driving Tips

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