Just got back from the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop!!! Here are some honest thoughts...

(No ads throughout, everyone can watch with peace of mind 🥹🥹🥹) ☑️ First, answering the most asked question from the last post about the filming equipment: iPhone 17 Pro rear camera, 4x zoom on ☑️ Time: 11.27-12.2, six days five nights ☑️ Total cost: around 3000 RMB, really cheap in the off-season!! ☑️ Route: Tour group itinerary, also a good reference for self-driving Day 1: Gather in Xining, stay in Xining Day 2: Qinghai Lake - Chaka Salt Lake, stay in Delingha Day 3: Emerald Lake - Aksai Oil Town - Silk Road Heritage City, stay in Dunhuang Day 4: Dunhuang Mogao Caves - Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, stay in Dunhuang Day 5: Guazhou Sculpture Group - Zhangye Danxia Landform, stay in Zhangye Day 6: Qilian Mountain Grassland - Gangshika Snow Peak, return to Xining ☑️ Booking a tour: I suggest comparing multiple platforms, I won’t recommend or advertise any here, just choose the attractions you like ☑️ Hotels: The hotels arranged by our travel agency were pretty good, a few even provided humidifiers, all located in the city center. You can order takeout at night and they are close to various night markets ☑️ Clothing: Temperatures are basically below zero, and half of the attractions are very windy. I recommend thermal underwear + sweater + down vest + down jacket / leggings + fleece pants / snow boots / knit hat ☑️ Recommended gear for photos: sunglasses / mask / mountaineering goggles / cold hat / knit hat / colorful gloves... ☑️ Summary: The northwest in the off-season is definitely worth visiting. At every attraction, I was amazed at how beautiful it was. But be sure to check the weather forecast in advance. The scenery in the northwest depends heavily on the weather. Sunny days mean the photos come out straight from the camera looking amazing. There are few people, no queues at attractions, and sometimes in huge parking lots, our car was the only one. My friend and I chose to join a tour group. Over six days and five nights, we drove about 3,000 kilometers total, averaging 6-8 hours on the road each day. Except for breakfast provided by the hotel, lunch and dinner were mostly eaten on the bus, which was quite tiring. A few meals were at service areas or near attractions, but none were bad. ☑️ Downsides: Traveling in the off-season may mean sharing rides with multiple tour groups. Everyone’s attraction schedules differ, which can cause conflicts. To be continued, I’ll add more if I think of anything...