There is such a beautiful route that combines vastness, wildness, depth, gentleness and tenderness.
It is lonely, vast, wild, desolate, silent but full of vitality. Many people have a special liking for it and want to explore the ultimate beauty.
She is the Great Northwest. I heard that one trip to the Great Northwest Loop is equivalent to 10 trips!
The Great Northwest was called the Western Regions in ancient times. The beautiful and majestic border has allowed many heroes to guard the border and fought bloody battlefields; it has made many literati and poets fall in love with it and express their lofty ideals.
The Northwest is a huge, straight tail on the rooster-shaped territory of our country, accounting for about one-third of the country’s area.
The Northwest is a land favored by God, carrying all-encompassing beauty: snowy areas, desert seas, desert beaches, Gobi, grasslands, grottoes, Yadan, Danxia, ??mountains, lakes, flowers The sea, the holy temple...
In the northwest, the loess-like desolation is just its background color. In fact, it is so colorful that it is breathtaking: green mountains, blue lakes, green grass, white snow-capped mountains, elegant Scarlet red, rapeseed yellow, desert gold...
Northwest, it will make you fall into a gorgeous dream: mirror lake, sea of ??flowers, devil city, no man's land, An isolated city on the water, oil painting scenery, colorful paradise, prehistoric wilderness...
Turn the book over thousands of years and witness its elegance that lasts forever with the sun and the moon.
Day1
1. Kumbum Monastery
Huangzhong County, 25 kilometers away from Xining, is home to one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in my country. . Because there is a pagoda first and then a temple, it is called "Tum Temple".
It is built on the mountain, with nearly a thousand Buddhist buildings of various sizes. It reveals a kind of peace and stability in its majestic majesty. Thousands of years have passed, and the incense is still strong. The devout believers in the temple chanted sutras and worshiped in front of the Buddha statue, silently and firmly.
2. Riyue Mountain
On the way to Qinghai Lake from Xining, you will pass by a famous mountain, which has a beautiful name - Riyue Mountain.
High in the mountains, in the vast mountains, rolling dark clouds, the wind blowing wildly, colorful prayer flags dance wantonly, and some colorful debris keeps falling off, like the aura scattered on the sleeves of a fairy dancing.
There are sand and stones rolled up in the air, flying against the skin, but there is no fear.
3. Qinghai Lake
The "Blue Sea" on the plateau shows varying degrees of blue and green, as if dyed by the blue sky, and it is cool and refreshing.
Sunshine, white clouds, flowers, breeze, lake water, birds, and tourists in various clothes all combine to form this beautiful dynamic picture.
There is no lens wide enough to accommodate it except for the eyes.
4. Heimahe Township
What kind of sunrise have you seen? Is it on the top of a mountain or on the shore of the sea. In Heimahe Township near Qinghai Lake, there is a sunrise spectacle that cannot be missed.
At dawn, I stood quietly by the Qinghai Lake. The dreamy blue-purple sky was filled with gray-blue clouds. I could vaguely see the yellow and white waning moon in the sky. My ears were filled with the white noise caused by the entanglement of the wind and the lake water. It was brisk. Pleasant.
The moment the sun breaks through the horizon, everything is silent and everything shines.
Day2
1. Rubber Mountain
On the way to Chaka Town, you will pass by an alpine meadow, which is the Rubber Mountain.
Under the warm sunshine, cattle and sheep take a leisurely walk and graze, and passers-by flick their tails expressionlessly, as if to say that they are the masters of the mountains.
The green grass mats on the roadside are dotted with wild flowers of various colors, and in the distance is a vast grassland scenery, which is the romance and style of the northwest.
2. Chaka Salt Lake
Have you ever imagined the scene of soaring above the nine heavens? Maybe dreams will lead you to Chaka Salt Lake.
When I opened my hazy eyes, I saw an uneven blue sky under my feet, with large clouds passing by. I looked around and saw my stunned face.
There are also blue sky and clouds above the head, as if standing in two days of chaos, everything becomes within reach.
3. Keluke Lake and Tuosu Lake
Some people say that Keluke Lake and Tuosu Lake are lovers, while others say they are sisters.
Keluke Lake is small, delicate and clear. Birds hover on it and stir up the water, and fly to the reed branches to play with it. The undulating arcs of the mountains are dimly outlined in the distance.
Tuosu Lake has a cool beauty. Because it is a saltwater lake, there are fewer aquatic animals, plants and plankton. The lake is wide and open, the waves are vast, the water and the sky are the same color, which is quite spectacular.
4. Dachaidan Lake
If Chaka Salt Lake is a mirror, then Dachaidan Lake is a piece of emerald, with deep green, emerald green and light blue, which is very layered, pure and thorough. From a distance, it looks like pieces of uncarved jade.
White clouds, blue sky, mountains, Gobi... Looking from the shore, everything seems to have been filtered, and no matter how rough and distant the scenery is, it becomes fresh and beautiful.
Day3
1. Yadan on the Qinghai Sea
The strange Yadan landform is located on the lake, with mountains and islands stretching arrogantly on the lake. The body is not afraid of the erosion of the wind.
They are isolated from each other, each has his own place, and enjoys himself leisurely. The surrounding lake water changes in color, delicate and gorgeous.
2. The Southern Eight Immortals
On the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin is one of the world's largest Yadan landforms, the Southern Eight Immortals.
Standing in it, there is a strong wind, sand and stones are flying, the wind is shuttling between the hills, and the shrill whimpering sound of the otherworld is ringing in my ears, as if I have fallen into an alien world where demons are roaming, and I am frightened. At the same time there is a kind of excitement.
Day4
1. Yangguan
Yangguan, known as "one man can guard the gate, but ten thousand people cannot open it", has finally lost to the baptism of time. The glory was washed away and faded into the long river of history.
Standing in front of the dilapidated city, I seem to see the mighty generals standing on the city thousands of years ago, overlooking thousands of soldiers and horses, and making bold words before setting off for the expedition.
2. Yumen Pass
The famous saying "Why does the Qiang flute blame the willows? The spring breeze does not cross Yumen Pass", which makes Yumen Pass famous.
The fact that such a building full of traces of time can be preserved is itself a gift from history.
On the flat and open plateau, the sky is its background, vicissitudes of life and isolation. You have to think hard about the hustle and bustle that once existed.
3. Yadan Devil City
Yadan Devil City is located in the uninhabited land of Haixi Prefecture. Here, in addition to the Gobi desert, there are weathered rock mounds.
The earthen peaks have been eroded into different shapes, with coarse blue-gray gravel remaining on the surface, and the patches are mottled and strange.
They come in different sizes and postures, including city walls, streets, buildings, squares, churches, sculptures... It’s hard not to imagine that this was once a city, and people were here. Proliferate and have plenty of food and clothing for generations to come.
4. Shazhou Night Market
Many of the natural landscapes in the northwest can be enjoyed during the day, so it is best to come here at night.
In the famous Dunhuang Night Market, various snack shops and shops are open until early in the morning, one after another.
Come here and enjoy the authentic traditional cuisine of the Northwest: donkey meat yellow noodles, grilled naan, sauerkraut noodles, mutton skewers... Maybe your taste buds will take you to experience a different northwest style.
Day5
1. Mogao Grottoes
The Mogao Grottoes, known as the "Thousand Buddha Cave", stand silently on the cliff at the eastern foot of Mingsha Mountain Above it, it is solemn, majestic and sacred.
There are countless apsaras, murals, and Buddha statues inside. The Zen nature exuded makes people believe that it is the Buddhist world.
Under the gaze of truth, people will involuntarily restrain their worldly sharpness, regardless of age, gender, or skin color, and their mind will seem to return to childhood, full of awe and innocence, listening to the wordless guidance of the Buddha.
2. Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring
Mingsha Mountain is a group of hills formed by the accumulation of quicksand. The slope is gentle and gentle. When the sun is not shining, it is vast and vast, with a With constant alienation and majesty.
When the sun appears, it becomes sacred and precious. The wind passes by silently, and a thin veil of mist is suspended.
Crescent Moon Spring is surrounded by Mingsha Mountains, shaped like a crescent moon. The spring water is not affected by wind and sand, and the blue waves are clear. It never overflows after long rains or dry up after long droughts.
It is like an existence outside the rules, the "Moon Goddess" in the desert, exquisite and beautiful.
3. Jiayuguan Pass
Climb up to Jiayuguan and look around, the scenery is different in every direction.
Inside the pass, various government offices, stages, and temples are exquisitely laid out; outside the pass, the wind is blowing, the sky is clear, and the blue is as clear as water, and the sight follows the thousand-year-old road to the unknown; under the pass, the water and It is loose, natural, beautiful and fascinating.
Looking south to the Qilian Mountains, stretching for thousands of miles, the top of the mountain is covered with snow all the time; to the west is the endless desert Gobi, with its vicissitudes of life; to the north is the Black Mountain Cliff Great Wall, and to the east is the beautiful Jiayuguan City.
4. Colorful Danxia
When nature created this place, perhaps he was still a child, holding several paintbrushes and graffiti happily.
Splashing various colors of paint without hesitation, like splashing ink, the lightness and darkness of the colors quietly change with each mention, instantly presenting an amusement park that only exists in a fairy tale world.
Most of the people who come here have innocent childhood dreams and want to return to their youthful and beautiful days.
5. Binggou Danxia
Binggou Danxia, ??one of the "Top 10 Magical Geographic Wonders in the World", has been derived from the Jurassic period to this day. Isolated and strange groups of rocks are steep, straight, continuous, and majestic.
Let your eyes adhere to the palace-like lines of the window lattice, trace and touch them over and over again, and indulge in this ancient masterpiece. Can you read a hint of prehistoric grandeur?
Day6
1. Biandukou
On the way from Zhangye Minle County to Qilian Mountain, you will pass through Biandukou, which was once called "Dadou" by the ancients. Pull out the grain." Through here, the warmth of the Hexi Corridor suddenly meets the coldness of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, creating the most beautiful scenery in the vast west.
During the season when rapeseed flowers are in full bloom, I stand here among the flowers and look across there. The cattle and sheep are leisurely, and it seems that a shepherd is singing loudly in the distance.
The snow and clouds on the high mountains overlapped, and different forms of matter magically blended together. For a moment, it was somewhat unclear whether it was the snow rolling on the horizon or the clouds deposited on the top of the mountain.
2. Qilian Mountain Grassland
"The snow is vast, the mountains are green, and there are good pastures at the foot of the Qilian Mountains. There are groups of horses and thousands of cattle and sheep. The horses are fat and the cattle are strong. "The sheep's wool is as bright as snowflakes."
The four seasons in the grassland of Qilian Mountains have always been unclear. There are many nights of rain in summer. In the early morning, you can smell the fresh fragrance of grass after the rain. Looking up, you can see the water mist suspended on the mountainside, like snow-white gauze, gentle and beautiful.
The sky is light blue mixed with white, the clouds are soft cotton white, the snow is silvery white on the top of the mountains, and the grass and trees are different shades of green...satisfying the yearning for freedom , the mood is colored candy.
3. Zhuoer Mountain
Zhuoer Mountain, known as the "Little Switzerland of the East", is located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Danxia landform makes it appear faint red and charming. noble. At the foot of the mountain, rapeseed flowers and green grass bloom alternately, with yellow and green spreading along the way, full of vitality.
Standing on its highest point, you can look at Niuxin Mountain on the other side. The old snow on the top of the mountain and the green forest at the foot of the mountain. In the middle of the mountain is a transition zone of natural colors. The Babao River lies between the two mountains. Over the years, we have been waiting for each other.
Day7
1. Gangshika Snow Mountain
On the way to Menyuan, you will pass by Gangshika Snow Mountain. Legend has it that this is the Crystal Palace of the Queen Mother of the West. The first of the thirteen mountain gods worshiped by Tibetans. It stands proudly here, attracting countless travelers and believers.
The dark night is approaching, and the afterglow from the west comes as promised. The fairy Caixia stops on the top of the mountain, curling up and looking forward to the brilliance.
The skylight inadvertently leaked out, and the color of the snow suddenly changed, ranging from light purple and deep red to crystal blue and dark green, just like the colorful auspicious clouds above the sky.
2. Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers
Rapeseed flowers can be seen everywhere, covering hundreds of thousands of acres, only in Menyuan.
The average altitude is above 3,000 meters, and the summer is still cool. No matter it is sunny or rainy, the fragrance of flowers always lingers in your nose, which is fresh and pleasant.
Village houses are located among them, echoing the endless yellow sky. The clouds in the sky are extremely white, and the colors are as fresh and bright as oil paintings, just like a fairyland left on earth.
3. Desert
Sanmao's Sahara Desert, the Taklimakan Desert with its exquisite ancient city, Wang Wei's "desert with solitary smoke" and the Tengger Desert... in Northwest, this is an appointment in the desert that you can’t miss.
Do you have that feeling? The sand in the desert is no longer dirty dust, but a crystal that symbolizes free adventure and detachment from the world, entrusting a certain idea.
The continuous golden sand sea, the sun shines and reflects the light, and the wind passes by, causing layers of sand waves. It allows the natural force to control the shape, informal, decadent and unpredictable.
The night in the desert is so beautiful that you want to keep it forever. But quicksand is destined to drift with the wind and cannot stay for people.
With his hands behind his head, he looked up at the sky. The residual warmth of the day remained in the sand, and the wind whispered in his ears. He could clearly see every star belt and star cluster in the Milky Way.
Those crystal clear planets looked at each other across light years. Although they did not understand each other well, the spiritual meeting at that moment was like a call from another world.
Go to the northwest. Maybe it is not the flower road with green mountains and green waters in the south of the Yangtze River, nor is it like the romantic ice road with snow in the north, but it is a long road close to the soul.
Too many words cannot describe that beauty, you have to experience it yourself. Let your heart ripple on the journey, free and easy in all directions, without any taboos.