China Photo Guide
9 Days Qinghai & Gansu Photography Tour
Qinghai and Gansu are a photographer's paradise, a place that every travel enthusiast dreams of visiting in their lifetime. Here, one can find quaint European-style villages nestled amidst seas of rapeseed flowers, colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind, landscapes as picturesque as oil paintings, and the Yardang landforms. There's also the enchanting Chaka Salt Lake, known as the "Mirrow of the Sky," the charm of the Jade Lake, and the highland pasture scenery where one can see sheep and cattle grazing as the wind blows the grass low. Our organized Qinghai-Gansu photography tour takes you through a journey of stunning landscapes, including the Riyue Mountain - Qinghai Lake - Erlang Sword Scenic Area - Heima River Township - West Coast - the "Mirrow of the Sky" Chaka Salt Lake - Qaidam Basin - Yumenguan - Yardang Devil City - Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring - passing by the Mogao Caves - Guazhou - Jiayuguan City - Zhangye Danxia Landform - Binggou Danxia - Qilian Zhuoer Mountain - Menyuan Scenic Area. This tour allows you to experience the charm of the plateau while appreciating the beauty of primeval forests, seas of flowers, grasslands, lakes, towering salt bridges, salt sculptures, deserts, Crescent Spring, Devil City, Danxia landforms, fluttering prayer flags, dancing wind horses, and the mysterious presence of lamas or Tibetans.
Type
Nature &People
Group Size
Less than 10
All-inclusive
accommodations, meals, guiding and transportation
Duration
10 days, 9 nights
Places
Qinghai & Gansu Province
Activity Level
Easy
Cities We Go: Xining-Qinghai Lake-Delingha-Dachaidan-Dunhuang-Jiayuguan-Zhangye-Qilian
Yardang landforms
Chaka Salt Lake
Highland pasture&grasslands
Primeval forests
Towering salt bridges & sculptures
Deserts
Devil City-Danxia landforms
Lamas / Tibetans
What to Expect
Route Overview
D1 | Arrive in Xining
D2 | Xining - Riyue Mountain - Qinghai Lake Rapeseed Flower Base - Partial Lakeside Scenery -
Sunset Photography - Qinghai Lake
D3 | Sunrise at Qinghai Lake - Sunset shoot at Chaka Salt Lake - Delingha
D4 | Delingha - Dongtai Jir Lake - U-shaped Highway - Photograph the sunset and its play of
light and shadow at the Water Yadan Devil's City - Dachaidan
D5 | Morning Shooting at Emerald Lake - Sunset Shooting at the Yadan Devil City of Yumen Pass
- Dunhuang's Crescent Lake and Echoing Sand Mountain
D6 | Sunrise at Dunhuang's Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake - Visit the Mogao Caves -
Guazhou - Sunset at Jiayuguan
D7 | Jiayuguan - Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park
D8 | Sunset at Zhangye Danxia Ice Gully - Qilian Zhuo'er Mountain
D9 | Qilian - Through Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers, Qilian Monastery - Xining
Itinerary
D1 | Arrive in Xining
Early arrivers can check in hotel first, and then visit places such as Ta'er Monastery, Dongguan Mosque, or the Xining Museum. In the evening, you can directly go to old streets of Xining or Mojia Street to taste local specialties, where has a six-hundred-year history and culture. Some of the more famous local dishes like Qinghai's stuffed dough, stir-fried cold noodles, yogurt, fried cakes, noodle slices, hand-grabbed noodles, lamb skewers, and so on.
Day 2 | Xining - Riyue Mountain - Qinghai Lake
Wake up early and head to Sun-moon Mountain to capture the scenery of the Southern Great Wall and the landscape beyond it - In the afternoon, go to the Qinghai Lake rapeseed flower base for sunset shooting. Stay: Qinghai Lake
D3 | Qinghai Lake - Chaka Salt Lake - Delingha
Get up early and head to the unique sunrise shooting spot to capture the sunrise at Qinghai Lake. We have a private sunrise spot, which is the best place to view the sunrise over Qinghai Lake. Then, move on to Chaka Salt Lake to capture stunning reflections; this place is known as China's "Mirror of the Sky." Heima River Township- One of the best spots for viewing the Qinghai Lake sunrise, the West Lake Ring Road offers different beautiful sceneries in various seasons. Chaka Salt Lake - Known as China's "Mirror of the Sky," the clear lake water, set against the white salt crystals, forms a massive reflective mirror. The blue sky and white clouds are reflected from above, earning it the nickname "Mirror of the Sky" in China. Stay: Daocheng
D4 | Delingha - Dongtai Jir Lake - U-shaped Highway - Water Yadan Devil's City - Dachaidan
Depart early to visit the Danxia Devil City by car, passing through Dongtai Lake and Jir Hu to reach the on water Danxia for photography. The Danxia Devil City is one of the largest and most typical Danxia landscapes in the world, with its peculiar and bizarre terrain that fascinates photographers. The newly discovered attraction, Dongtai Jinier Lake - China's Maldives - a fairyland on earth - a must-visit spot for tourism and photography, is located in Golmud City, within the Qaidam Basin. The periphery of the lake basin is composed of Quaternary alluvial, lacustrine, eolian, and lacustrine clay sediments; most of the lakeside areas are covered with lake deposits and lacustrine chemical sediments, with saline-alkali land widespread.
D5 | Emerald Lake - Yadan Devil City of Yumen Pass - Dunhuang's Crescent Lake and Echoing Sand Mountain
Get up early to capture the morning light at Emerald Lake, then head to the "Yumenguan Yardang Devil City" for photography. The "Yardang Devil City" is one of the world's largest and most typical yardang landscapes, with its bizarre and fantastical terrain captivating photographers. Yumen Pass, also known as Xiao Fangpan City, after breakfast, we proceed to the National Geopark "Yardang Devil City" on the western route of Dunhuang. The overall structure resembles an ancient medieval city; this unique "castle" features city walls, streets, buildings, squares, churches, and sculptures. Its vivid and lifelike appearance leaves the world in awe. These natural masterpieces are a testament to nature's miraculous craftsmanship, endlessly fascinating and wondrous.
D6 | Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake - Mogao Caves -Guazhou - Jiayuguan
Set out early to shoot the sunrise at Crescent Lake, then pass through the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang on the way to Jiayuguan. At noon, you can taste the Hami melons from Guazhou, and in the evening, drive to capture the sunset view of the Jiayuguan City Tower. Jiayuguan is known as "the First Grand Pass through China" an armed pass on the ancient Silk Road, and is one of the three wonders of the Great Wall of China (with Shanhaiguan in the east, Zhenbeitai in the middle, and Jiayuguan in the west).
D7 | Jiayuguan - Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park
After breakfast, we will head to Zhangye's Rainbow Danxia for photography. This location offers convenience for photography enthusiasts and those who are fond of Jiayuguan's First Dun and the Suspended Great Wall. You can go there on your own to capture the sunrise. After breakfast, we will proceed to Zhangye Danxia National Geopark to photograph the sunset at the Rainbow Danxia. Here, you can also capture the beauty of the Little Potala Palace waiting for everyone.
D8 | Zhangye Danxia Ice Gully - Qilian Zhuo'er Mountain
Early in the morning, shooting along the way to Qilian county, sunset shooting for the Zhuoer Mountain, Known as the "Oriental Little Switzerland," it boasts picturesque landscapes, robust livestock, and abundant resources, all captivating in their color blocks.
D9 | Qilian - Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers /Qilian Monastery - End in Xining
Start early and head to Menyuan to photograph the rapeseed flowers, using an en-route shooting method. Menyuan is acclaimed as one of the top ten best locations for photographing rapeseed flowers in the China. After the photo session, proceed to Xining to end this photography trip.
Xu Changhong
Photographer
請用此空間來介紹自己並分享專業背景。
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Photography guide + local professional
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Private transportation
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10-night accommodation
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Inclusive entrance fees to photography locations
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Personalized processing instructions
