Things to do in Haibei

A trip to Qinghai will definitely include Qinghai Lake in the itinerary. The lake is vast, with a loop of over 300 kilometers. There's an annual cycling race around the lake, so the ecological environment and water quality are well-preserved. The officially developed area is Erlangjian, where there are many accommodations. The cliffs and Fairy Bay are on the opposite side. Heimahe is famous for its sunrise views. While passing by, I saw many new guesthouses still under construction; the accommodations there were previously quite basic. Due to weather conditions, our original itinerary for the lake loop was changed. We'll save the cliffs for another time. It's relatively close to Xining. The weather improved slightly when we arrived at Erlangjian. I took a peek at the lake from the viewing platform.

I was fortunate enough to encounter autumn snow in Qilian County, and the mountains of Zhuoer Mountain were blanketed in silver. Shepherds grazed their sheep on the mountaintop meadows, and the view from the observation deck was exceptionally magnificent. Transportation: Take a bus from Xining to Qilian County, then a taxi to Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area. During the off-season, the scenic area shuttle bus is not running; you can ask the driver to take you directly to the visitor center. There are sightseeing buses within the scenic area that go directly to the summit platform. Dining: Limited options during the off-season; you'll need to find your own food. Delivery services are limited and do not deliver to guesthouses near the scenic area. Seeing the snow-capped mountains, forests, meadows, and Danxia landforms made the trip worthwhile!

From Zhangye, go directly to Zhuoer Mountain via Erga Highway via Sunan. The first picture is the scene of the road construction. In fact, the whole mountain collapsed. No wonder it took so long to repair. The road is not difficult to drive, but there are falling rocks along the way. When you reach the top of the mountain, you can see the snow-capped mountains. The entire Qilian Mountains, except Zhuoer Mountain, seem to be immersed in white snow, which is quite amazing. Finally, we went to Menyuan, took a few photos of rapeseed flowers, and then stayed in Xining. After walking for 16 hours a day, I was really tired.

The cliff should be a fantastic attraction. We went on a sunny day, and the lake water was a vibrant blue. The sunlight reflecting off it created different colors depending on the direction from which it shone. Later, some clouds appeared, so we quickly left. However, as we walked, we noticed sunlight shining through the clouds, creating a Tyndall effect that actually made the lake even more beautiful – definitely worth the trip!

This place is incredibly expensive, and the 20 RMB shuttle bus is such a great deal; I'd probably pay around 40 RMB myself. On the way up, you can see snow-capped mountains from around the world and their corresponding altitudes. The ride takes about 15 to 25 minutes. Once you're up, you'll see 3-4 interconnected lakes, but there are 7-8 in total. The first 2-3 lakes have a very deep blue color, and the later lakes gradually change to a grayish-yellow hue. I recommend bringing a drone to capture distant views of the lakes, mountains, sky, clouds, grasslands, etc. If it's cold, the scenic area provides a small heated room to wait for the shuttle. Overall, it's excellent value, beautiful scenery, and the service is excellent.

Unfortunately, the flowers had faded and there was no one around, but that actually allowed the scenery to be fully appreciated. It was wonderful. I think even without people, the snow-capped mountains, grasslands, and blue skies were in their purest and most natural state.

Binggou Forest Sea is an important scenic spot in Qilian Mountains and the essence of the natural primitive scenic area. The scenic area is densely covered with primitive forests, snow-capped mountains, forests, shrubs, grasslands, and winding mountain roads that shuttle through the mountains, giving it a Swiss feeling.

The scenic area wasn't crowded. It's a quick drive from Gangcha County after exiting the highway. The area isn't large, but the infrastructure is good, and there are shuttle buses. The lake is fantastic, the altar for worshipping the sea is large, and the grasslands are expansive, suitable for camping. The stream flowing into the lake offers the spectacular sight of naked carp migrating. Charging stations are very convenient.

"In that faraway place, there is a good girl... I would like to wander on the grassland and follow her..." Many people can hum this familiar tune. It is said that Mr. Wang Luobin met the beautiful girl Zhuoma on the Jinyintan grassland and created this widely circulated song. This place was once a little-known mysterious restricted area. It gave birth to the first atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb of New China and was China's first nuclear weapons research and development base. The western part of the Jinyintan grassland is adjacent to Qinghai Lake, and the northeast is surrounded by Qilian Mountains. It has an average altitude of 3,200m and is divided into Jintan and Yintan. A small river flows through it. On the grass beach on the north bank, a kind of golden and fragrant small flower called Jinlumei blooms, so it is called Jintan; on the grass beach on the south bank, it is dominated by the silver-white Yinlumei, which is called Yintan. Every summer, wild flowers bloom, and Jinhua white flowers bloom into patches, like golden and silver grass beaches, so the Jinyintan grassland got its name.