🚗 Drifting Across Northwest China — A Journey Worth Taking?
Hi there! I’m not a professional photographer or travel blogger — just someone who loves beautiful places, delicious food, and a slower pace of travel.
This summer, I went on a road trip through the vast and often-overlooked Northwest of China. Over 10 days, I covered roughly 3,500 kilometers through Qinghai and Gansu provinces, taking my time to stop, look, and simply breathe. It was unlike any trip I’ve taken before.
🧭 Where Is Northwest China?
For many outside of China, the term “Northwest” might not ring a bell — so let me give you a little context.
This region covers the upper left corner of China and includes provinces such as Qinghai, Gansu, and Xinjiang. It’s where the Tibetan Plateau meets the Gobi Desert, where the ancient Silk Road once connected China to the West, and where ethnic and religious diversity runs deep: Tibetan Buddhists, Muslim Hui, Mongols, and Han Chinese live side by side.
Here, you’ll find:
- The ancient Silk Road, where merchants once crossed deserts with camels and scrolls of knowledge;
- A kaleidoscope of terrain — deserts, salt lakes, rainbow mountains, high-altitude plateaus;
- Multicultural depth, with Tibetan, Muslim Hui, Mongolian, and Han communities living side by side.
It’s a place of silence and vastness, high altitude and deep history — a land not easily understood through photos alone.
🌟 The Places That Stirred My Soul
These are just a few of the natural and cultural wonders I experienced:
1. Chaka Salt Lake — A mirror of the sky at over 3,000 meters elevation. Walking into the shallow water felt like floating among clouds.
2. Mingsha Sand Dunes & Crescent Moon Spring — A surreal desert oasis near Dunhuang, where sand sings and springs persist.
3. Zhangye Danxia Landform — Painted mountains with layers of color that light up at sunset.
4. Aiken Spring — Nicknamed the “Devil’s Eye,” a geothermal spring bursting with surreal colors in the middle of nowhere.
5. Water Yadan Landform — Strange rock islands rising out of shallow water in the high desert.
6. Jiayuguan Pass — The western end of the Great Wall, where earth meets sky in quiet defiance.
7. The Sons of Earth Sculptures — Modern art placed in the emptiness of the desert; haunting, beautiful, and completely unexpected.
🏔️ High Altitudes: What You Need to Know
Traveling here means spending a lot of time well above sea level:
• Xining: 2,250m (7,380 ft)
• Qilian Mountains: ~3,000m (9,840 ft) and higher
• Chaka Salt Lake: 3,059m (10,036 ft)
• Water Yadan: around 3,200m (10,500 ft)
At these altitudes, Altitude Sickness (Acute Mountain Sickness or AMS) is a real possibility. It can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, or even dangerous complications if ignored.
🛡️ Tips for Staying Safe at Altitude:
• Ascend gradually — build in acclimatization days
• Stay hydrated — but avoid caffeine and alcohol
• Eat light, high-carb meals
• Pack altitude meds like acetazolamide (consult your doctor first)
• Know your limits — if you feel unwell, rest or descend
The thinner air also means UV rays are stronger — bring sunblock, sunglasses, and lip balm.
🗺️ A Slower 10-Day Itinerary (With Time to Breathe)
Many itineraries race through this region in 6–7 days. I found that too rushed. Here’s a more spacious 10-day version that lets you feel the rhythm of the land
| Day | Route & Highlights |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Xining — rest, walk the old streets, taste lamb skewers under lantern light. |
| Day 2 | Xining → Menyuan (canola fields in July) → Stay in Qilian town surrounded by alpine grasslands. |
| Day 3 | Qilian → Zhangye Danxia → Overnight near Jiayuguan Fortress. |
| Day 4 | Jiayuguan → Dunhuang — visit Mogao Caves by day, then wander Crescent Spring by moonlight. |
| Day 5 | Dunhuang → Guazhou → Visit "Sons of Earth" → Overnight in Shiyou Ghost Town (desert stars are unreal). |
| Day 6 | Shiyou → Aiken Spring + Emerald Lake → Stay in Mangya. |
| Day 7 | Mangya → Water Yadan → Camp near Dachaidan or find a small lodge. |
| Day 8 | Dachaidan Salt Lake → Chaka Salt Lake → Stay in Ulan. |
| Day 9 | Ulan → Loop around Qinghai Lake, stop at local temples or yak farms → Sleep by the lake. |
| Day 10 | Wake up to sunrise over Qinghai Lake → Return to Xining and fly out. |
🧭 Tip: Download offline maps. Some stretches have no cell signal for hours — and that’s part of the magic.
🎒 What to Pack (That You Might Forget)
- **Windproof jacket (even in summer!)
- **Scarf or mask (for desert dust)
- **Electrolyte tablets (for hydration)
- **Headlamp (for camps or power cuts)
- **Snacks — food options can be basic and meat-heavy
- **Power bank — and an extra one, just in case
Have you been to China’s northwest? Or have you ever dreamed of silence? Or walked somewhere that made you feel like time stood still? I’d love to hear your story.
