Qinghai Gansu Zhangye Danxia Landform Tour – 6 Days

Day 1: Xining Arrival
Upon your arrival at the Xining Caojiabao Airport/ Train Station, our tour guide will meet and escort you to your hotel in Xining downtown. If time allows, we will go to visit the Dongguan Great Mosque, one of the “four great mosques in China” (others: Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, Nanguan Great Mosque in Yinchuan and Huajuexiang Mosque in Xian). Then have a good rest in your hotel.

Day 2: Xining – Jinyintan Prairie – Qinghai Lake
After breakfast in your hotel, your local tour guide and driver will pick you up, and then drive to Jinyintan Prairie to appreciate the beauty of highland grassland. Jinyintan Prairie comprised of two prairies: Jin Tan and Yin Tan. These two prairies cover nearly 1,100 square kilometers. Jinyintan Prairie is the place in which the love story laid between the famous writer Wang Luobin and the Tibetan girl.
On the way to Qinghai Lake, you will visit the Riyue Mountains (Sun and Moon Mountains), and the Ri Pagoda and Yue Pagoda. Both pagodas were built in Tang Dynasty to commemorate the intermarriage of marrying Princess Wencheng of Tang to Tubo. At the foot of Riyue Mountains, you will be amazed by the unique Daotang River which flows from east to west. Then be transferred to your hotel in the Erlangjian Scenic Spot.

Day 3: Qinghai Lake – Bird Island – Menyuan County
Today get up early to ramble around the Lake and take some beautiful photos of the sunrise of Qinghai Lake. The Sea of Rape Flowers at lakeside could be seen in July and August. The drive to the Bird Island Scenic Spot via Heima River to take photos of kinds of birds on Bird Island. The island is praised as the ¡°Paradise of Birds¡±, where you can see more than ten thousand in the summer.
Drive about 316km on the roads along the Lake to Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, and check in the local featured hotel.

Day 4: Menyuan – Qilian – Zhangye
After breakfast in your hotel, you will drive to appreciate the Sea of Rape Flowers in Menyuan. In July, Menyuan is the paradise of flowers. You can not breath to see the spectacular view of the 100,000 acre of rape flowers. The rape flowers land is next to Qilian Mountain.
The Qilian Mountain Grassland is at the foot of Qilian Mountain. In the Tibetan epic King Gesar, the grassland gained the name of ¡°Golden Lotus Prairie¡± due to its distinct climate and good weather. The Uygur and Mongols call the grassland ¡°Golden Pasture¡±. When the yellow wild flower flourishes in the summer, the entire land puts on the color of sunshine, and the Uygur herdsmen rove about in this ¡°golden sea¡± with their white and black yurts and flocks of cattle.

Day 5: Zhangye – Zhangye Danxia Landform – Xining
Today drive about 40km to visit Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park, which remains seemingly untouched by and pollution in the Gansu Province. The Landform is known for its saturated color patterns. The unusual colors of the rocks are caused by red sandstone and mineral deposits laid down over the course of 24 million years. The formations carved into the park, such as valleys, pillars and waterfalls, were shaped over millions of years by rains and winds.
Then drive to visit the Mati Temple (Horse’s Hoof Temple) in Sunan Yugu Tibetan region. This is a famous scenic spot integrating grotto art, mountain views and folk customs of the Yugu minority group. The temple got its name because legend has it that a Chinese Pegasus landed here, leaving a huge horseshoe imprint that can still be seen within the Mati Hall. Then transfer to your hotel in Xining.

Day 6: Xining Departure
Today we will drive 28km to visit the famous Taer Monastery, the birthplace of the Tibetan Buddhism master – Tsongkhapa who was the founder of Gelug sect. The monastery is also famous as one of “six monasteries of Gelug”, and a very important institute to learn Buddhism, Astronomy and Medicine. You must not miss the “three treasures of the monastery”: mural, barbola and butter sculptures. Every year, there are many Buddhist ceremonies organized here.
In the afternoon, drive back to Xining to visit Qinghai Museum, which features in three exhibition centers: Qinghai Protoculture, Qinghai Ethnic Collections and Tibetan Buddhism Arts. Then we will transfer you to your hotel or the airport/ train station for your next destination.