Off-Season Northwest Small Group Tour Full Record｜Tired but Happy, Didn't Want to Leave

From 11.27 to 12.1, I joined a small group to explore Northwest China. The 3-day itinerary was full of surprises and some regrets. Here’s a super detailed travel diary👇 Day 1 Special Forces Speed March: Riyue Mountain → Qinghai Lake → Chaka Salt Lake Woke up at 6 AM, pushing for an extreme rush 😴 • Riyue Mountain: Arrived too early, it was very cold and the wind was strong enough to blow off hats. I spent 10 yuan to hug a little lamb for photos 🐑, but my hands were shaking from the cold and none of the photos turned out good. Although the lamb was cute, it peed on my scarf! A pure unlucky experience 🤣 • Qinghai Lake: Truly breathtaking! The vast blue lake paired with distant snow-capped mountains 🏔️ made every photo wallpaper-worthy. Unfortunately, the tour schedule was tight, so I couldn’t explore fully. Self-driving travelers would definitely enjoy it much more 🚗 • Chaka Salt Lake: The highest altitude spot on this trip! Taking the little train deep into the lake area was totally worth it 🚂. Both the train cabin and the salt lake’s mirror surface were perfect for photos, but the wind felt like knives cutting the face, so I warmed my hands in my pockets. The stunning scenery completely made up for the cold～ Day 2 Half-Day Group Check-In: Rainbow Mountains Booked a half-day group tour to rush to the Danxia landform 🏜️ The driver recommended watching the sunset at Viewing Platform No. 4 🌅, but the views at each platform were quite similar. Also, we had to catch the return bus, so we missed the sunset, which was a bit disappointing 😮‍💨 Day 3 Physical Exhaustion Day: Matisi Temple → Pingshanhu Grand Canyon This day was really tiring but the most rewarding experience! • Matisi Temple: Climbed all 33 caves using both hands and feet 🧗, determined to check off every level! I even sweated in the freezing cold! The snowy mountain scenery was beautiful～ • Pingshanhu Grand Canyon: The deep tour package maxed out the fun! Rode a bumpy off-road vehicle 🚙, rode camels 🐫, and took a camel cart ride, all super exciting. We originally wanted to visit the One-Line Sky, but at the cave entrance, we found it smelled bad and was very narrow, which could tear clothes, so we turned back and went to Lingzhi Valley instead. We thought it would be a short hike out of the mountain, but ended up climbing for a very long time. However, the sunset and evening glow at the top 🌇 were stunning, instantly wiping away all fatigue! 😆 Travel Summary Late November in Northwest China is really cold 🥶 and very dry 💨. If you plan to come in the off-season, make sure to keep your skin well moisturized! But the beef, lamb, and noodles here are so delicious you’ll want to stomp your feet 🍜. Food lovers, just go for it with your eyes closed～ Overall happiness level maxed out, next time I’ll definitely choose self-driving!