In August, we visited the northwest of China. We saw Qinghai Lake,grasslands, and Tibetan Buddhist temples which were amazing.

July and August are peak travel seasons in China, attracting many tourists fromaround the world. Its also a good time for Chinese students to go on tripsduring their holidays. So, it can be hard to get tickets for planes and trains.Hotels can cost more. Places where people visit are terribly busy. So, if youwant to travel in China in summer, get ready early.

Day1 High speed train Zhengzhou Dong - Lanzhou Xi, Overnight Lanzhou

Our first stop was Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu. It took usabout five and a half hours by high-speed train to get there. The train stationconnects to the subway, so it was convenient to find a hotel nearby.

We chose Lanzhou because its near the Yellow River, which we callour "mother river." My 10-year-old boy didnt know much about it, sothis trip was a chance to see it, learn, and have new experiences.

After checking into our hotel in Lanzhou, we looked for some famousLanzhou beef noodles. Every trip needs good food, right? In Lanzhou, you canfind authentic beef noodles just by walking around. If locals are eating there,its a good place. There are lots of these noodle restaurants in Lanzhou.

We only stayed in Lanzhou for one night before going to Xining thenext day. We saw Zhongshan Bridge, sat by the Yellow River, and went to ZhengningStreets night market. We also explored the city and visited the GansuProvincial Museum.

If you have some time or cant find a direct ticket to Xining,spending a night in Lanzhou is a good idea. Its cheaper than Xining and thereare more ways to travel between the two cities.

Day 2 High speed train Lanzhou Xi-Xining, Overnight Xining

Day3 Whole day trip: Xining - Taersi Monastery - Lajishan Mountain- Qingqing Yellow River Park - Longyangxia Reservoir - Xining, Overnight Xining

A high-speed train for 1 hour took us from Lanzhou to Xining. Then,we started our self-driving tour around Xining. Because the most beautifulviews were along the road.

Staying near the train station in Xining was smart. Its a stop forpeople going to Tibet. Since we arrived in Xining at noon, we first went to thewildlife park to see the Pallass cat, which can only be seen here, and someother animals from high-altitude areas. The next day, we went to high places toacclimatize to the high-altitude environment.

1.Taersi Monastery

Its a big monastery for Tibetan Buddhism. It has cool things likebutter sculptures, paintings, and special decorations. It shows the traditionsand beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism. ( 1-2 hours for visiting)

2.Lajishan Mountain

We drove up the mountain and saw the grasslands for the first time.We also saw the happy and free yaks and goats. It was huge and the weatherchanged quickly. At the top, we felt the thin air. Its really high up. (totally 4 hours driving including several stops for the beautiful sights)

3.Qingqing Yellow River Park

After lunch, we stopped at this park by the Yellow River. The YellowRiver water here is clear and bright, totally different from the usual YellowRiver we see. (short stop for 30 min is enough)

4.Longyangxia Reservoir

We spent about 4 hours get there. En route to the LongyangxiaReservoir, we encountered beautiful Danxia landforms. Though not as striking asthose in the Danxia Landform Geological Park, these landforms have theadvantage of being free to view. The Longyangxia Reservoir, a major water conservancyproject, is strategically located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. Itserves multiple purposes, including flood control, power generation,irrigation, water supply, and navigation.

Day 4-7 Xining - Menyuan -Shandan Horse Farm(2N) - Qinghai Lake (1N) - Xining -(4-day trip), Then highspeed train Xining -Zhengzhou Dong

The Qinghai Grand Loop is a popular travel route; however, you canalso plan a flexible loop route tailored to your specific needs. We embarked ona 4-day road trip, visiting Menyuan, Shandan, and Qinghai Lake before returningto Xining.

1.Menyuan

The fields of yellow flowers there are huge, but we missed theblooming time in July. Every mid-July, when the rapeseed flowers are in fullbloom, the flowers, combined with the blue sky, white clouds, mountains,rivers, grasslands, and unique residential areas, create a unique and charmingscenery. (visiting 1-2 hours).

Then we set off for the Shanfan Horse Farm. We got lost on amountain road and had to take a detour. We eventually found our way back byevening. However, we were accompanied by the beauty of the sunset as well asyaks, donkeys, and horses.

2.Shandan Horse Farm

On the second day, we got to ride horses, which was the best part ofthe trip for our kid. We saw horses running to drink water, and enjoyed thepeaceful mountains.
(half day here is enough)
The Shandan Horse Farm was established in 121 BCE by General Huo Qubing of theWestern Han Dynasty. This historic and scenic farm, recognized as one ofChina’s six most beautiful grasslands by China Geography magazine, is theoldest royal horse farm in the world. It was once the largest in Asia and thesecond-largest military horse farm globally. With the dissolution of the SovietUnion’s Don Horse Farm, Shandan Horse Farm has since become the worlds largesthorse farm..

Visitors to the Shandan Horse Farm can enjoy various activities,including watching horse races and equestrian performances, as well asparticipating in horseback riding and camping.

3.Qinghai Lake

On the third day, we drove for 6 hours to Er Lang Jian area. But itwas too commercialized, and the weather wasnt good. We missed the sunrise.Some people say the other side of the lake is prettier, but we only saw oneside. Well, you cant win them all.

So, the best views are when youre traveling, and Charmission canhelp you on your way.

Yours Truly

Rita Ju – Charmission Travel