6-Day Qinghai and Gansu Photography Tour

Zhangye Danxia Landform
Zhangye Danxia Landform
Menyuan Rape Flowers
The Bird of Bird Island of Qinghai Lake
The Sunset of Qinghai Lake
The Jinyintan Prairie in Qinghai Province

Tour Outline: 6 Days & 5 Nights
Xining (1 N) - Erlangjian (1N) - Menyuan (1N) - Zhangye (1N) - Xining (1N)

Overview
Itinerary
Service Inclusion
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Trip Overview

From mid-July to mid-August each year, the rape flower in Menyuan becomes a beautiful and splendid artificial landscape. Moreover, the planting range of rape flowers, starting from Qingshizui in Haomen Riverside in the west, Yulong beach in the Datong riverside in the east, Lenglong Mountain in the junction of Gansu Province in the north, and Daban Mountain in Gaojun in the south, extends for ten miles. In summer time, walking into Menyuan Hui Autonomous County in Qinghai Province you will have a feeling of stepping into a natural painting.

Zhangye Danxia 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 formation carved into the park, such as valleys, pillars and waterfalls, were shaped over millions of years by rains and winds.

[Qinghai Lake] See the biggest inland lake and biggest salt-water lake in China. It is also a good place for viewing by walking, riding and biking;
[Riyue Mountains] Climb the Sun and Moon Mountains and visit the Ri Pagoda and Yue Pagoda for commemorating the intermarriage of Tang to Tubo;
[Menyuan Rape Flowers] Walking into the planting range of rape flowers extending 10 miles make you have a feeling of stepping into a natural;
[Qilian Mountain Grassland] When the yellow wild flower flourishes in the summer, the entire land puts on the colour of sunshine;
[Zhangye Danxia Landform] The unusual colors of the rocks are caused by red sandstone and mineral deposits laid down over the course of 24 million years.

Best Time to Visit

June, July, August, September
Physical Demands

Very leisure tour; zero physical demand

Day by Day Itinerary

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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.

Drive 38km from airport to downtown
Xining (2295m)
Xining business hotel
Meal: NO

Day 2: Xining - Jinyintan Prairie - Qinghai Lake

Jinyintan Prairie

The Sunset of 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.

Today drive about 260km
Qinghai Lake (3260m), Riyue Mountains (3520-4877m)
Internet & Wifi: NO
Erlangjian business hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Qinghai Lake - Bird Island - Menyuan County

Qinghai Lake in Rape Flower Season

The Bird Island of Qinghai Lake

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.

Today drive about 450km
Altitude: Bird Island (3330), Menyuan (3000m)
Internet & Wifi
Menyuan business hotel
Meals: NO

Day 4: Menyuan - Qilian - Zhangye

Menyuan Rape Flowers

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.

Today drive about 370km
Altitude: Menyuan (3000m), Zhangye (1200-6000)
Internet & Wifi
Zhangye business hotel
Breakfast

Day 5: Zhangye - Zhangye Danxia Landform - Xining

Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park

Zhangye Mati Temple

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.

Today drive about 420km
Altitude: Danxia Landform (2000-3800m), Xining (2295m)
Internet & Wifi
Xining business hotel
Breakfast

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.

Drive about 56km from Xining to Taer Monastery and backn
Altitude: Taer Monastery(2696m)
Hotel: NO
Breakfast

Price Details & Guide

Price Inclusions

Private transportation to the destinations and sites listed in the itinerary; ranging from 4WD land cruiser to bus depending on the group size and trip route; car gasoline, road toll and in-transport refreshments (free bottles of water, air pillow and headscarf) are included;;
Lodging: two nights in Xining business hotel, one night in Erlangjian business hotel, one night in Menyuan business hotel, one night in Zhangye business hotel;
Private experienced English-speaking tour guide / trip leader;
Airport/railway station pick-up and send-off services at the beginning/end of the tour;
Entrance ticket fees for all the sight spots listed in the itinerary;
Meals listed in the itinerary (5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches);
First aid kit;
A coverage of 300,000RMB Chartis travel insurance;

Price Exclusions

International and domestic flight/train to Xining (Note: we accept the domestic flight/train tickets booking to Xining from other cities in advance, check the updated ticket availability and cost with your travel consultant);
Meals that are not specified in the itinerary (Averagely a meal in the 3rdpole region cost 3~10USD per person);
Tips and gratuities for the trip leader and driver;
The expense of a personal nature like alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone call, etc;
Optional activities and excursions not specified in the itinerary;
China Entry visa fees;

Itinerary Alteration

Once we receive your tour deposit, which is followed by signing the contract, your reservation is secured with legitimacy. Our staff will reserve the accommodation, vehicle, site tickets, meals and more, and pay the deposit for our suppliers. So if you want to alter to another itinerary, you need to cover the deposit we've paid, while no service charge is needed if you make some changes on the itinerary you booked.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

If you cancel the tour beacuse of your personal issues, you will be liable to pay cancellation charges that are bounded by 3rdpoletour.com cancellation policy as follows:

1.) If you cancel the tour more than 30 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 10% of the total land cost per person;
2.) If you cancel the tour 15-30 days prior to your trip start date, 20% of your total land tour cost will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.
3.) If you cancel the tour 7-15 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 30% of land cost.
4.) If you cancel the tour 7 days prior to your tour start date, you will forfeit 50% of land cost.
5.) If you fail to show up or cancel at your scheduled arrival time without prior notice or later than that, you will forfeit 100% of the land cost.

If the tour has to be cancelled because of the natural disaster or the government restrictions that is beyond both parties control, we will charge only USD50 per person, this is just the service fee and larbor fee during the preparation. This is a rare occurrence!