Self-driving in China | Gannan Ring Road: Xiahe, Langmusi, Zhagana

"This land itself is as unparalleled as its entire horizon. The sky in Tibetan areas does have its own unique interest. In the distance, at the connection between the earth and the sky, pale and dark drifting snow outlines the horizon. In summer, it is green here The grass is green, dotted with colorful spots, and wild poppies are dancing. In the distance on the horizon, there is an unknown place, and this is where the wonder comes from. "——Robert, an American missionary, half a century ago. ·The mysterious Gannan described by Robert B. Ekvall has attracted countless Western backpackers; half a century later, increasingly mature transportation and tourism facilities have brought Gannan into the sight of more Chinese people: starting from Lanzhou, it takes just three days to It takes just an hour to complete the journey from the high loess slopes to the vast Tibetan area. On a morning when the sun rises, follow the monks who perform prayers to visit the large-scale Labrang Monastery. At the highest point of Zhagana, you can feel the beauty of the mountains surrounded by mountains. A place to hide from the world, or stroll through the mist-shrouded streets of Langmusi. The beauty of Gannan lies in every mountain, flowing water, temple and village.

Most self-driving tours in Gannan will choose to start from Lanzhou and go all the way south to Xiahe. You can visit Labrang Monastery and Ganjia Secret Land Make a short pause. If time permits, you can set off from here to Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai, which is not far from Maduo County, the source of the Yellow River. The scenic spots from Xiahe to Langmusi are the most dense, but you generally don’t choose to stay overnight in the middle. Langmusi has reached the border of Sichuan. The Ruoergai Grassland and Huahu or even the farther away Jiuzhaigou can be used as an expansion itinerary. Zhagana After arriving at Lazikou to the west, you can continue to Tianshui to Maijishan Grottoes , or directly take the highway Return to Lanzhou. Depending on the pace of self-driving, the journey on the Gannan Loop usually takes 4-8 days.

Day1. Lanzhou

"Travel to northwest China starts in Lanzhou". Whether you arrive at this northwest pass by plane, train or bus, you will see such slogans more or less; leaving the pass in the west and reaching Tibetan areas in the south, Lanzhou is the starting point for northwest tourism. There really aren’t many tourist resources in this station: go to Gansu Museum and have a look at the national treasures Horse Treading on Flying Swallows and Yi Shi Picture Bricks. Baitashan Park on the north bank of the Yellow River overlooks the entire city, and then go to the bustling Zhengning Road Night Market to have a good meal. You can spend a whole day to fully experience this city. A gentle city under a rough mask.

When you come to Lanzhou, you can't miss the beef noodles here. Ma Zilu and Wumule Penghui are the most familiar shops among local residents. The former is located in Dazhong Alley to the west of the City God's Temple, and the latter is on the north bank of the Yellow River. When eating noodles in Lanzhou, you must arrive early, as authentic beef noodle restaurants will close before 14:00 in the afternoon. Of course; this does not mean that there are no gourmet places in Lanzhou at night. Every day after 17:00, the night markets on Zhengning Road and Nanguan Street will be bustling with activity: mutton steamed buns, milk and egg glutinous rice wine , meat pies, haggis soup and various barbecue skewers can fully satisfy your taste buds. If you want to know more about Lanzhou, you might as well click on Chen’s Lanzhou travel guide (Gansu | Lanzhou: The rushing Yellow River slows down here)

Day2. Linxia

To the south of Lanzhou, you can’t miss this Islamic city known as the “Little Mecca of the East”. Strolling through the streets of Linxia, ​​mosques and Gongbei are everywhere. The rich exotic customs are worth spending half a day in.

Most people usually confuse "Linxia" and "Ningxia", but if you call it "Hezhou" like the locals, it doesn't seem so confusing. Linxia was called Hezhou in ancient times. People who know Hezhou will also know that the Hui people in Linxia are also called "Bafang people". Bafang and Hezhou have become Linxia's nicknames at the same time. From the Tang Dynasty to the present, eight mosques and thirteen streets and alleys have been formed around the eight mosques in the city; today, this street has been built into the famous Eight Lanes and Thirteen Alleys. In addition, the East Mansion (Linxia Museum, free) located not far away is also worth visiting, and the Hongyuan Square in the north of the city is home to many Gongbei buildings. It should be noted that most mosques and Gongbei do not allow non-Muslims to enter, and they can only stand outside and watch from a distance.

Labrang Monastery

Xiahe is the first stop when entering Gannan. The Labrang Monastery on the bank of the Daxia River is like a city, with dense Tibetan-style buildings occupying most of the land in the western part of Xiahe County. It is known as the "World Tibetan Academy" and has a complete Tibetan Buddhist teaching system. The entire Labrang Temple has internal roads extending in all directions, and each prayer hall is a separate courtyard. The 3-kilometer-long prayer wheel path surrounding Labrang Temple is the longest prayer wheel path in the world; The best way to experience Labrang Monastery is to pray beads, recite mantras, turn each prayer wheel, or come to the prayer hall of the Buddhist temple during the morning sun to silently watch the monks chant sutras and recite Buddha's name.

Labrang Temple officially sells tickets for 40 yuan, but because the temple is too large and connected to external transportation, there is no strict ticket purchase system. The officially recognized ticket purchasing channel is located at the Labrang Monastery Visitor Reception Center. After purchasing the ticket here, you can have a professional explanation monk take you to visit the Labrang Monastery. If you don’t join a tour group (don’t buy a ticket), you can enter the temple directly from the east gate or west gate. The Gongtang Pagoda on the west gate side is the commanding height of the temple and is the most obvious landmark. You can also climb it if you buy a ticket separately. The top of the tower overlooks the entire temple.

Xiahe

Xiahe County is the starting point for Gannan tourism. In addition to the famous Labrang Temple, there is also Xiahe County Guandi Temple which you can simply visit. This temple was built by the Xiahe Economic and Commercial Association in the late Qing Dynasty. There are tablets for the two saints, civil and military. The entire county is located in the Daxia River Valley. Various restaurants and hotels are lined up along Zhaxiqi Street (also known as Renmin Road), including Uzelinka Tibetan Restaurant and which only cooks Sichuan cuisine. The Sichuan style food stall is highly recommended.

Day3. Ganga Secret Realm

30 kilometers north of Xiahe, Baishiya serves as a 15-kilometer-long natural barrier, vertically dividing the Ganga Grassland into two alpine grasslands with a height difference of 1,200 meters. With Ganga Town as the center, there are Baishiya Karst Cave, Baishiya Temple, Zuohai Temple and Bajiao Ancient City etc. With ancient Tibetan Buddhist temples and relics that have thousands of years of cultural history, this tourist attraction area is called Ganjia Secret Land. Compared with the Sanco Grassland, this place has more primitive natural scenery, with vast alpine grasslands stretching as far as the eye can see; under the giant granite peaks, the roads are so straight that they poke into the distance. This is the Chinese version of the Dolomites.

Starting from Xiahe Town, head towards Gangjia Town. After crossing the pass, you will encounter Norilangka Observation Deck. The observation deck is hidden by the local area. Privately contracted, there is a parking fee of 5 yuan for parking in the courtyard. The observation deck overlooks the entire Ganga land. You can reach Ganga Town by bypassing the winding winding road down the mountain. It is recommended that you start from Ganga Town and follow clockwise to visit Ganga Secret Land, and then visit Baishiya Temple, Baishiya Cave, Bajiao Ancient City and Zuohai Temple. The entire Ganga Secret Realm is huge and will take most of a day. The path leading from Ganga Town to Baishiya Temple is sometimes so narrow that only one car can pass. The temple is located halfway up the mountain on the east side of Baishiya, with its back against the cliff and the vast Ganga. Grassland, this ancient temple has a history of more than 700 years. The Buddhist masters who preached and practiced Dharma here also left behind many legendary stories: Nangqin, the female living Buddha of Gongrigang, is located at the foot of Baishi Cliff. The master of Baishi Temple, the living Buddha has been passed down for six generations, and there are countless stories and legends about the female living Buddha Gongrigang. Beside the Baishiya Temple, there is the more famous Baishiya Karst Cave. This cave in the mountain is one of several famous cultivation caves in Tibetan areas. It was opened by Master Padmasambhava himself in the 8th century. Past masters Jamyang and Gongtangcang Living Buddhas have come here to practice and propagate the Dharma. The 10th Panchen Lama has also visited the cave to practice in person. His dharma image is still enshrined at the entrance of the cave. The entire cave is about 1.5 kilometers long and is very primitive. The cave is slippery, rugged, and has large drops. In many places, you can only crawl on your hands and feet, and there is no lighting. At the entrance of the cave you can find monks leading the way. It is recommended to wear clothes that are not afraid of getting dirty and discard any unnecessary items (such as mobile phones and cameras). The moment you return to the cave entrance, you will definitely feel like you are surviving a disaster. Baishiya Cave is not suitable for every traveler, so please act within your ability.

You can reach Bajiao Ancient City by driving 5 kilometers down the mountain from Baishiya Temple. The ancient city was built in the Han Dynasty. It is called "Yongzhongkar" in Tibetan history, which means "City of Ten Thousand Characters". In fact, it is a hollow city with "ten" characters. It is named because it has eight corners. It was once an important transportation thoroughfare on the Silk Road and an important border fortress in history, witnessing the rise and fall of past dynasties. Today, there is an observation deck hundreds of meters high next to the ancient city. You can overlook the entire ancient city from the observation deck. You can also step into the city gate in person. The villagers in the city still retain their original and simple lifestyle. On the way back to Ganga Town from Bajiao Ancient City, there is a small road leading to Zuohai Temple , which is the largest Bonji temple in Gannan. It was built in the early 12th century AD and has a history of more than 900 years. Since then, the inheritance of the dharma has never been interrupted. As a Honshu temple, the economy is reversed and you need to visit it counterclockwise.

Day4. Sanke Grassland

The Sangke Grassland is a natural pasture for the Tibetan people in Gannan. It is also the earliest grassland in Gannan and is relatively mature in development. Along the national highway G316 starting from Xiahe, and going south for 10 minutes, you can reach the Sangke Wetland Park Observation Deck . The built plank road can take you all the way to the summit of the mountain. Here, you can see the mountains in the distance, the tents of herdsmen dotted on the grassland, the smoke from Tibetan households, and the herds of cattle and sheep, which is so beautiful. Every summer, many grand festivals are held on the Sangke grassland, among which the "Xianglang Festival" is the most famous: the festival originated from the annual activity of monks from Labrang Monastery going out to collect firewood, and gradually It evolved into a festival for monks and laypeople to go out together. "Xianglang" means collecting firewood in Tibetan. Because firewood is called "fragrance" in Tibetan and firewood is called "lang", it is named "Xianglang". The time of Xianglang Festival is not fixed every year, but it is usually held around June 15th of the lunar calendar. If you come across it, don’t miss it.

Sangke Grassland is very large. Starting from Sangke Wetland Park, you will pass through Sangke Township all the way south. Continuing forward in Sangke Township, you will be surrounded by signs of "Farmhouses" on both sides of the road. These "Farmhouses" are run by local residents themselves. A fee of 10 yuan is generally charged to enter. In addition to accommodation, you can also ride horses and buy souvenirs. , take photos in Tibetan clothes, etc. Of course, the official Sangke Grassland Parking Lot is not far from these farmhouses. The price of horse riding here is fixed by the government, which is 55 yuan for a round trip of about 3 kilometers. If you want to experience the grassland scenery in more depth, you can turn right from Sangke Township and drive along Provincial Highway S312. Soon after crossing the Sangke Bridge, you will see Sangke Qiongzetan Observation Deck . The scenic spot is one of the commanding heights of the entire Sanke grassland. You can continue from the Sangke Qiongze Beach Observation Deck. There are many tent hotels along the way. After driving about 10 kilometers, you can reach the famous Nordan Tent Camp . The camp is located deep in the grassland. It is only open for 5 months a year, so the price is naturally high.

Starting from Sangke Grassland, follow the national highway G316 southward towards Langmusi, passing through Luqu County. If you have enough time, you can start from here to Zecha Stone Forest . Shilin is about 55 kilometers away from Luqu County. It seems not far away, but the road conditions are not ideal, and it actually takes 2 hours to drive. Zecha means the home of antelopes in Tibetan. The entire scenic area is surrounded by majestic mountains and is inaccessible to people. It is the home of many plateau wild animals. If you need to go to Zecha Stone Forest, it is recommended to stay in Luqu County on the day.

Guomang Wetland

Guomang Wetland is about 40 kilometers away from Luqu County. The viewing platform is located on the side of the national road. There is a plank road several hundred meters long leading to the wetland viewing platform. At the end of the plank road is a giant black-necked crane sculpture. Guomang Wetland is the source and water conservation area of ​​the Tao River, the largest tributary of the Yellow River. It is also an important habitat for hibernating black-necked cranes and migratory birds.

Gahai

"Ga" means small, but Gahai is not small at all. It is the largest freshwater lake in Gannan and an important wetland that maintains the local ecosystem. Gahai is surrounded by excellent pastures, with crisscrossed rivers and good vegetation. It is a paradise for all kinds of migratory birds. If you just want to take a look at Gahai, you don’t need a ticket. You can see Gahai from a distance on the roadside of National Highway G213 to Langmusi. Gahai Scenic Area , located on the north side of Gahai Lake, requires a 50 yuan ticket. It is said to be a scenic spot, but it is actually a viewing platform with a wooden plank road that can extend all the way to the Gahai Lake.

Langmusi

Langmusi is not a separate temple, but a small town located at the junction of Sichuan and Gansu provinces. The Bailong River that passes through the town divides the town into two parts. The north side belongs to Luqu County, Gansu Province, and the south side belongs to Ruoergai County, Sichuan Province. There is a Tibetan Buddhist temple on each side; the Sichuan side is called Langmu Geerdi Temple, the Gansu side is called Langmu Saichi Temple. In the 1930s, Western missionary Robert B. Ekvall came to Langmusi and was immediately attracted by the scenery in front of him. He stayed here for 20 years. In 1957, Ekvall returned to his hometown overseas. Val wrote the book "Tibet Skylines", which made the scenery of Langmusi appear to Westerners for the first time. To this day, Langmusi is still the "Shangri-La" in the eyes of many backpackers. On a charming morning, a light mist and curling smoke enveloped the small town in the mountains. The rising sun shed golden sunlight and shone on the golden roof of the temple. The eagle chirped from the distant valley. Accompanied by the loud chanting of the monks, standing on the top of the mountain and overlooking it all, you will understand that the name "Little Switzerland of the East" is not in vain.

Langmu Gerdi Temple located on the Sichuan side is much simpler than Langmusi Temple in Gansu on the other side of the river. The Fifth Kirti Living Buddha Body Hall in the temple is the highlight of Langmusi Temple's attractions. Behind Gerdi Temple, there is Namo Grand Canyon that can be visited with the same ticket. The source of Bailong River is here. There is a fairy cave in the canyon, with colorful prayer flags and Mani piles at the entrance. Walking through the fairy cave and heading deeper into the canyon, there will be Tibetan residents leading horses on both sides. It costs about 100 yuan to ride a horse to the deep canyon pasture.

The Langmusai Chi Temple on the Gansu side looks much more magnificent. "Sai Chi" is the name of the tribe. It was founded in 1748. It is one of the sub-monasteries of Drepung Monastery in Tibet and belongs to the Gelug Sect. There is Sky Burial Platform on the mountain behind Saichi Temple. It is one of the largest sky burial platforms in Amdo and has a history of more than 400 years. However, out of respect for local religion and customs, it is recommended that ordinary tourists do not go to see it. .

Langmusi was born for tourism, and the town is full of hotels and Sichuan restaurants. June to October is the peak tourist season, with many tourists and rising accommodation prices, but winter is the best time to experience this Buddhist pure land: especially Held from the fourth to the seventeenth day of the first lunar month every year Mawlam Grand Dharma Assembly, Among them, the 13th day of the first lunar month Buddha Sunning Festival It is the most spectacular and grand gathering in the entire Amdo Tibetan area. Langmusi is located at the junction of Sichuan and Gansu provinces. If you have enough time, you can continue your trip southwards to Ruoergai Grassland-Jiuzhaigou First line.

Day5. Zagana

"Welcome to Heaven on Earth",In the 1920s, American explorer and botanist Joseph Locke came to Diebu, Gannan, and was immediately attracted by the beautiful local scenery. He wrote in his diary : "The canyons here are composed of hundreds of overlapping valleys. These horizontal valleys, such as Wangzangsi Valley, Magay Valley, Axia Valley, Duoer Valley and several valleys that take several days to travel, nurture the The vast unknown forest is like the Garden of Eden. Ihave never seen such a beautiful scenery in my life. If the author of "Genesis" had seen the beauty of Diebe, he would have placed the birthplace of Adam and Eve here. ” Zhagana is the dream of every tourist who comes to Gannan. If you hadn’t seen it with your own eyes, it would be hard to imagine that there is such a secluded mountain village hidden in these strange mountains. Time seems to have gone on forever. Staying a hundred years before the visit of Joseph. Locke , it has never changed.

ZhaGanaTibetan means "stone box". Looking down from a high place, you will find how appropriate this name is. The entire Zhagana terrain is like a large-scale palace, with towering and spectacular stone walls surrounding four primitive Tibetan villages. Being there is like walking into a medieval Roman theater. Dongwa, Yeri, Dari and Daiba four Tibetan villages are arranged from low to high in the Zha Gana valley. Dongwa Village , located at the lowest point of Zhagana , was the first to be developed. Its main scenic spot is called: Negandawa Sacred Mountain Park: There are two hiking trails The route is a wooden plank road going up the mountain on the right side of the ticket office, passing Fairy Beach to Fairy Lake . It takes about an hour one way. This route allows you to overlook in the distance. Dongwa Village and Lasang Temple with a history of more than 300 years. Another route is to start from the parking lot at the entrance of the scenic spot, follow the canyon into Rongnao Valley , pass through Line of Sky and arrive at Zhagana Stone Forest . Among them, to reach Yixiantian from the entrance of the scenic spot, you can take the sightseeing bus of the scenic spot (round trip 40 yuan), or you can choose to walk, which takes about 45 minutes. From Yixiantian to Stone Forest you can only choose to walk or ride a horse. It takes 5-7 hours to go back and forth on foot. Riding a horse is expensive. You can reach the nearest Shenwang Temple. The round trip costs 200 yuan, Line of Sky 350 yuan, and the trip to the farthest Guanggai Mountain is about 500 yuan.

Dongwa, Yeri, Dari and Deba Almost every household in the four Tibetan villages has turned itself into a hotel, homestay or restaurant. Dongwa Village Above Yip Ri Village There is a viewing platform full of prayer flags. In addition, there is also a temple called Runwugou It is a scenic spot where you can enjoy the small waterfalls in the valleys on both sides along the short plank road. Dari and Deba yes Zhagana The two villages at the top, because Deba Village It is in a valley, so the view is not lower than it. Dari Village Okay, on the roadside. Dari Observation Deck Overlooking the entire Zhagana The observation deck with the best view.

From Zhagana all the way west, there are Lazikou You can join this Gannan self-driving loop. Lazikou is Diebu's red tourism business card: In 1935, the Red Army entered the Lazikou area and, through frontal assault and roundabout tactics, broke through the Lazikou natural barrier heavily guarded by the Kuomintang Lu Dachang's troops, opening up the Red Army's passage northward into Shaanxi and Gansu. This was the most critical battle for the Long March troops to enter Gansu. Lazikou Battle Memorial Hall and Battle Monument It stands beside the highway to commemorate the heroic revolutionary martyrs of that year. Lazikou It is the last gorge out of Gannan. After crossing Lazikou, you can choose to drive back. Lanzhou You can also continue to the southeast of Longdong Tianshui , explore the nearby "Oriental Sculpture Gallery" Maijishan Grottoes .

June to the end of September is the peak travel season in Gannan. At this time, the weather in Gannan is cool, and the grasslands, wetland lakes are the best viewing time, but you need to pay attention to ultraviolet protection. After the beginning of October, as the temperature gradually gets colder, the pastures begin to fade rapidly, but the overall accommodation and consumption levels will also decrease a lot. There are very few tourists visiting Gannan in winter, and most of the tourist attractions are closed. The first lunar month puja in Langmusi is a photographer’s favorite.