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Silk Road Qinghai Lake Grand Circuit 10 Days
10 days / 9 nights · Xining / Chaka / Dachaidan / Dunhuang

Silk Road Qinghai Lake Grand Circuit 10 Days

Qinghai Lake · Chaka Salt Lake · Zhangye Danxia · Jiayuguan · Dunhuang

Reference Price

$1,650Rise / Person

  • Purely for fun, no shopping
  • The itinerary can be slightly adjusted
  • Includes ticket reservation service
Number of people in a group6–14 people
IntensityMedium (including plateau section)
Best seasonSummer / Autumn
TrafficBusiness vehicle full journey
AccommodationFour-star and boutique hotels 9 nights
Departure MonthJune to September
View daily schedule Customized according to this line

Prices vary between peak and off-peak seasons; the following order confirmation shall prevail · Tickets for highlands and peak seasons need to be booked in advance

Itinerary Details

All routes are for reference only, the actual route is subject to the explanation of customer service

This route connects six types of landscapes: plateau lakes, salt lakes, yardangs, deserts, grottoes, and Danxia landforms. Each type of landscape is separated by a whole day's drive, and this 'rapid switching of landscapes' is itself the most unique experience in the Northwest.

Day-by-day itinerary10 days in total · daily destination, meals, accommodation and transport

Expand day by day; click a title to collapse. Itinerary for reference and may be adjusted for weather and traffic.

  1. D1Arrived at Xining · Ta'er Monastery

    DestinationEverywhere→ Xining → Ta'er Monastery

    Meals
    Meals are self-managed
    Accommodation
    Xining Four-Star Hotel
    Transport
    Airport/Station pickup
    Distance
    Approximately 30 km
    Daily detailArrive in Xining (altitude about 2260 meters) from various places and get used to it for half a day.
    15:00 Ta'er Monastery, one of the six major Gelugpa monasteries and birthplace of Master Tsongkhapa. Three wonders—butter flowers, murals, and embroidery piles—must-see.
    Note: Most halls inside the temple are closed for photography; circumambulation clockwise.

  2. DestinationXining→ Huangyuan→ Qinghai Lake

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: En route (included) · Dinner: On your own
    Accommodation
    Qinghai Lakeside Hotel
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    About 220 kilometers
    Daily detail08:30 Depart, gradually increasing elevation to 3200 meters.
    12:00 Lunch.
    15:00 Arrive at Qinghai Lake, China's largest inland saltwater lake. The north shore and the Erlangjian area offer the widest views.
    18:00 Wait by the lakeside for sunset.
    Tip: The lake's color depends on cloud thickness and sun angle. On cloudy days, it is leaden gray, so don't jump to conclusions.

  3. DestinationQinghai Lake→ Rubber Hill→ Chaka Salt Lake

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Tea card (included) · Dinner is self-paid
    Accommodation
    Chaka Town Hotel
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    Approx. 200 km
    Daily detail06:30 Sunrise over Qinghai Lake.
    08:30 After breakfast, cross Rubber Hill toward Chaka.
    12:00 Lunch.
    14:00 Chaka Salt Lake. "Mirror of the Sky" has strict conditions: no wind, a thin layer of water, and suitable lighting angles. When the wind blows, the water surface wrinkles and the effect disappears immediately.
    17:00 Salt sculpture and small train.
    Tip: Please wear shoe covers when entering the salt lake. Salt particles are very hard and saltwater can irritate shoes and skin.

  4. DestinationChaka → Delingha → Dachaidan Jade Lake

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: En route (included) · Dinner: On your own
    Accommodation
    Dachaidan Hotel
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    About 480 kilometers
    Daily detail08:00 Depart, the longest drive of the day.
    12:00 Lunch at Delingha.
    16:00 Dachaidan Emerald Lake. The salt lake displays varying shades of green and blue due to different mineral compositions, with colors more intense than Chaka.
    18:30 Check in Dachaidan.
    Tip: There are few supply points along the way, so water and dry food are well stocked in the city.

  5. DestinationDachaidan → Yardang Devil City → Dunhuang

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: En route (included) · Dinner: On your own
    Accommodation
    Dunhuang Four-Star Hotel
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    About 500 kilometers
    Daily detail07:30 Departure.
    11:00 Yardang Devil City, with wind-eroded earthen mounds and various shapes, with the most unique light and shadow at sunset.
    13:00 Lunch.
    15:00 Continue westward to Gansu.
    19:00 Arrive in Dunhuang.

  6. DestinationDunhuang → Mogao Caves → Mingsha Mountain

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: City (included) · Dinner: On your own
    Accommodation
    Dunhuang Four-Star Hotel
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    Near the city center
    Daily detail08:30 Mogao Caves, advance reservation required. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the cave, and touching the murals is not recommended—the water vapor exhaled by people is a burden to the thousand-year-old murals. The visiting order is led by a guide, with random cave assignments.
    12:00 Lunch.
    15:00 Digital Exhibition Center and Display Center (best for understanding the overall context).
    17:30 Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, climb Sand Mountain to wait for sunset and watch the lights by the spring turn on.
    Tip: The sand surface temperature is extremely high at noon, so avoid it.

  7. DestinationDunhuang→ Yumen Pass→ Zhangye

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: En route (included) · Dinner: On your own
    Accommodation
    Zhangye Four-Star Hotel
    Transport
    High-speed trains or business vehicles
    Distance
    About 600 kilometers or by high-speed train
    Daily detail08:30 Yumen Pass and Han Great Wall, the ruins of the Silk Road pass. Small in scale but rich in historical significance.
    11:00 Return to Dunhuang.
    In the afternoon, take a high-speed train to Zhangye (or a full business bus, depending on schedule and travel conditions).
    Note: The western route is long and has few supply points, so bring plenty of water.

  8. DestinationZhangye → Seven-Colored Danxia → Binggou Danxia

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Scenic area (inclusive) · Dinner is at your own expense
    Accommodation
    Zhangye Four-Star Hotel
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    Round trip is about 80 kilometers
    Daily detail09:00 Rainbow Danxia, sandstone layers with different levels of iron oxidation forming red, yellow, gray, and white bands. Among the four viewing platforms, Terraces 2 and 4 are the best.
    12:30 Lunch.
    15:30 Ice Valley Danxia, observe 'shape' rather than 'color': palace-style window lattice-shaped peak forest.
    18:30 Sunset, when the color bands are most clearly layered.

  9. DestinationZhangye → Matisi → Xining

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: En route (included) · Dinner: On your own
    Accommodation
    Xining Four-Star Hotel
    Transport
    High-speed trains or business vehicles
    Distance
    About 400 km
    Daily detail09:00 Mati Temple, where the grottoes and temple are built along the cliff. The Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes are carved layer upon layer along the rock mass, with a very unique structure.
    12:30 Lunch.
    14:00 Depart and return to Xining.
    18:30 Arrive in Xining.

  10. DestinationXining → airport drop-off

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch is on your own
    Accommodation
    Not included
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    Within the city
    Daily detailFree time in the morning; you can make extra purchases or visit the Qinghai Provincial Museum.
    Drop-off according to flight time.
    Note: Northwest flights are prone to weather conditions, so it is recommended to allow flexible time.
Key facts
Departure pointAssemble in Xining, disperse the group in Zhangye or Xining
Number of people in a groupSmall group of 6–14 people
AccommodationFour-star and boutique hotels 9 nights
AltitudeUp to about 3,800 meters (around the Rubber Mountain area)
SuitablePhotography / In-depth travel / Physically fit individuals

Costs include

  • 9 nights accommodation (including breakfast)
  • First entrance tickets and scenic area transport within the itinerary
  • Business vehicle and driver throughout the trip
  • Mogao Caves ticket agency service
  • Chinese-speaking tour guide
  • High-altitude travel accident insurance

Cost not included

  • Round-trip transportation to and from Xining
  • Main meals are self-arranged
  • Optional activities such as camel riding
  • Personal expenses

Booking Reminder

Mogao Caves strictly control visitor numbers through reservations, and you must confirm your spot 20–30 days in advance. The Northwest loop has long driving distances in a single day (up to about 6 hours), so be mentally prepared.