Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Arrive in Lanzhou

• Destination: Lanzhou
• Meals: None
• Activities: Arrive in Lanzhou, where you’ll be greeted and transferred to a downtown hotel. Visit the Gansu Provincial Museum, located along the Yellow River, showcasing a vast collection of cultural treasures from ancient times to modern Gansu. Explore Zhongshan Bridge, the oldest historic bridge in Lanzhou. In the evening, head to Dazhong Lane Food Street, Lanzhou’s oldest culinary street, and savor famous local snacks at time-honored eateries.

Day 02: Lanzhou / Linxia / Xiahe

• Destination: Xiahe
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: After breakfast, drive 139 km (approx. 2 hours) to Linxia, known as “Little Mecca,” to experience its unique Arabic charm and the devotion of its Muslim community. Enjoy local specialties for lunch, such as Dongxiang hand-pulled lamb and Heyan noodles. Visit the Bingling Temple Grottoes, renowned for their carved Buddhist towers and esoteric murals, rivaling those of Mogao and Maijishan Grottoes. Afterward, drive 101 km (approx. 2 hours) to Xiahe and check into your hotel.

Day 03: Xiahe / Zagana

• Destination: Zagana
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: Visit Labrang Monastery, one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism and a filming location for The World Without Thieves. Led by a lama guide, delve into the profound essence of Tibetan Buddhism. Head to Sangke Grassland to enjoy its scenic beauty and visit nomad tents. Drive 140 km (approx. 2.5 hours) to Gahai Lake, Gannan’s largest freshwater lake and a vital wetland in eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, dubbed a “pearl of the plateau.” Finally, drive 95 km (approx. 1.5 hours) to Zagana Scenic Area and check into a hotel at the entrance.

Day 04: Zagana / Langmusi Town

• Destination: Langmusi Town
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: After breakfast, explore Zagana Stone City, home to the most pristine and authentic Tibetan villages. Visit ancient treadle houses and experience the simplicity of local customs. In the afternoon, drive 140 km (2 hours) to Langmusi Town. Pay respects to the preserved body of the 5th Gerdeng Living Buddha, soak in the solemn Buddhist atmosphere of “Tushita Treatise White Lotus Liberation Island,” and observe the mysterious and sacred sky burial platform from afar. Hike or ride horseback through Namo Grand Canyon and visit the source of the Bailong River. Check into a hotel in Langmusi Town for the night.

Day 05: Langmusi Town / Tongren

• Destination: Tongren
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: After breakfast, drive 215 km (3.5 hours) to Ganjia Grassland, an undeveloped expanse with minimal commercial influence. Then, drive 70 km (approx. 1.5 hours) to Tongren. Visit Wutun Temple, where an elderly monk explains the fundamentals of Regong art—murals, thangkas, embroidery, woodcarving, and clay sculptures—and admire surviving 600-year-old thangkas. Explore Wutun Village, visiting Regong artisans to learn about their painting traditions passed down through generations. Continue to Guomari Ancient Fortress, chatting with its guardians and residents to uncover the history of this thousand-year-old stronghold.

Day 06: Tongren / Ledu / Xining

• Destination: Xining
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: Drive 180 km (approx. 2.5 hours) to Ledu and visit Qutan Temple, dubbed the “Little Forbidden City,” the best-preserved Ming-era complex in Northwest China. Admire its 72 water-flowing hall murals in distinct Ming-Qing styles and hear monks recount their intricate preservation history. In the evening, drive 88 km (approx. 1.5 hours) to Xining and check into your hotel.

Day 07: Xining / Qilian

• Destination: Qilian
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: Depart Xining for Qilian, a 280 km journey (approx. 4.5 hours). Pass by Heiquan Reservoir in Datong, traverse the highest tunnel in Asia—Daban Mountain Tunnel—and catch distant views of Gangshika Snow Peak, the “First Peak of Xiadu,” while soaking in the highland草原 atmosphere. Make a brief stop in Ebao Town, a key Silk Road outpost, and visit Qilian Arou Temple, the world’s largest tent monastery. Arrive in Qilian and check into your hotel.

Day 08: Qilian / Gangcha

• Destination: Gangcha
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: Head to Dadongshu Mountain Pass (4,122 m), the highest stop for most Sichuan-Tibet self-drivers. Descend and drive 217 km (approx. 4 hours) to Jinyintan Grassland, the most beautiful prairie on Qinghai Lake’s northern shore and birthplace of Wang Luobin’s song In That Faraway Place. Visit Atomic City, China’s first atomic and hydrogen bomb research base, and its memorial museum. Drive 88 km (approx. 1.5 hours) to Gangcha, climb a hillside to see colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind, and offer prayers for peace. Check into a hotel for the night.

Day 09: Gangcha / Chaka

• Destination: Chaka
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: Drive along Qinghai Lake’s northwest shore, marveling at its seamless sky-and-water vistas. Travel 195 km (3 hours) from Gangcha to Chaka. Stop in Quanji Township to observe the migration of Qinghai Lake’s naked carp at Shaliu River, witnessing their life-and-death struggle with birds, and photograph the stunning coastal scenery of grazing herds against a boundless horizon. Arrive in Chaka Town and visit Chaka Salt Lake, known as China’s “Mirror of the Sky” and its answer to Bolivia’s Uyuni. Check into a hotel in Chaka Town for the night.

Day 10: Chaka / Qinghai Lake / Xining

• Destination: Xining
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: Depart Chaka and drive 83 km (approx. 1 hour) to Heimahe, enjoying the Qinghai Lake southern shore’s beauty—thousands of tents, fluttering prayer flags, grazing herds, and rippling waters from Heimahe to Jiangxigou. Stop at Erlangjian Scenic Area, China’s first torpedo test base, and explore its pointed peninsula. Drive 213 km (approx. 3 hours) back to Xining, with distant views of Riyue Mountain en route.

Day 11: Depart from Xining

• Destination: None
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: Visit Ta’er Monastery, birthplace of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug sect. Admire its lifelike butter sculptures, vibrant murals, and dazzling embroidery—known as the “Three Artistic Wonders of Ta’er”—along with its vast collection of Buddhist scriptures and academic works on history, literature, philosophy, medicine, and law. After the visit, enjoy a private transfer to Xining’s high-speed rail station or airport for your departure.