Xining or Lanzhou: Which to Choose for Your Qinghai-Gansu Loop?

1. Key cognition: Xining clockwise, Lanzhou ≠ counterclockwise

First, a common misunderstanding must be clarified：

❌ “If you choose Xining, go clockwise, if you choose Lanzhou, go counterclockwise”-this is inaccurate!

In fact,whether the Qinggan-Gansu Grand Ring Road is clockwise or counterclockwise depends on the overall itinerary and transportation methods, not just the starting city.

• Most free-traveling tourists will choose: departure from Xining → detour clockwise (more mainstream)
• ✅ Some team tours or chartered products may: Depart from Lanzhou → enter Zhangye counter clockwise → Dunhuang → Dachaidan……

But no matter where you start, you will eventually have to pass through key nodes such as Xining, Qinghai Lake, Chaka, Dachaidan, Dunhuang, and Zhangye.
Therefore, what really affects the experience is not the starting point itself, but whether the design of the entire itinerary is scientific and reasonable.

Next, we objectively analyze the pros and cons of Xining and Lanzhou as the first stops from four dimensions.

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2. In-depth comparison of the four dimensions: Xining vs. Lanzhou

1️️ Altitude adaptation: Xining wins, which is more suitable for beginners on the plains

Xining : Gradual rise, easier for the body to adapt

• The altitude of the urban area is about 2260 meters, which is a mild high altitude, and most people have no obvious discomfort.；
• The subsequent itinerary gradually increases：
• Qinghai Lake: 3200 meters
• Chaka Salt Lake: 3059 meters
• Dachaidan: 3100 meters
• Highest point Sonam Dajie Protection Station: about 4700 meters (usually short stay)
• In the second half of the trip, he returned to Dunhuang (1100 meters) and Zhangye (1500 meters). The altitude continued to decline and the physical burden was reduced.

Summary of advantages: In line with the “low→high→low” scientific plateau adaptation rhythm, it is especially suitable for the elderly, children, and people who are entering Tibet/plateau for the first time.

️️Lanzhou: First low, then high and then sudden rise, which can easily cause high reactions.

• The urban area is only1520 meters above sea level, close to the plain；
• If you go counterclockwise, you will soon face：
• Zhuoer Mountain: 3100 meters (in the direction of Qilian)
• Cold Lake: 2800 meters
• Golmud: 3300 meters
• Caka: 3059 meters
• After experiencing drastic changes in “low→high→higher” in a short period of time, the body has no time to adjust, and it is prone to high reflex symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and insomnia.

📌 Risk warning: Those with weak cardiopulmonary function are more challenging, so you need to take rhodiola rosea in advance and avoid strenuous exercise.

Conclusion：

If you consider plateau adaptation,Xining is a safer choice.

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2️.Scenic spots to watch: whether you can seethe ‘best condition”depends on the accommodation arrangement, not the starting point

Many people mistakenly think that “you can see the sunrise in Danxia from Lanzhou.’ In fact, this is a serious logical misunderstanding.

🔍 The truth is：

Whether you can see the sunrise or sunset of Zhangye’s colorful Danxiadepends entirely on：

• Did you live in Zhangye City or Danxiakou town the night before?
• Does the reported itinerary include early morning admission service?

It has nothing to do with whether you are starting from Xining or Lanzhou.

Correct approach：

• Whether clockwise or counterclockwise, as long as you plan to watch the Danxia sunrise, you must arrive in Zhangye one night in advance and stay in a nearby hotel.；
• The sunrise session is usually 30 minutes before the scenic area opens(about 6:00 in peak season), so you need to get up early and take a car to get there.；
• If you don’t want to get up early, you can also choose the evening session to watch the sunset. The light is warm and the flow of people is small. The film will also be released.

Common stepping on pits：

In order to save costs, some low-cost groups arrange for tourists to “travel to and from Jiayuguan→Danxia, Zhangye on the same day”, resulting in only noon arrivals. At this time, the direct sunlight is shining, the color is whitish, and the effect of taking pictures is greatly reduced. Tourists often complain that “it doesn’t look as good as they thought.”

📌 Suggestion: Choose a regular travel agency or charter service that can provide special pick-up and drop-off services for Danxia sunrise/sunset, don’t just look at the price.

Conclusion : The quality of Danxia viewing depends on the itinerary design and accommodation arrangements, not the starting city.

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3️.Itinerary rhythm : Departure from Xining is more in line with the ‘golden experience curve”

Research in the psychology of travel shows that people’s emotional peaks often appear at the beginning and end of the journey. Therefore, it is essential to “when the good scenery will appear”.

Departure from Xining (mainstream clockwise): The essence is in front, and the mood is full

Typical route:
Xining → Qinghai Lake → Chaka Salt Lake → Dachaidan Emerald Lake → G315 → Dunhuang → Zhangye → Return

✔️ Advantages：

• In the first three days, high-value attractions such as Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, Emerald Lake, and Shuishuiyadan were concentrated.；
• Energetic when I first set off, I can fully feel the ‘visual bombardment”；
• Entering Dunhuang and Zhangye in the second half, although there are long-distance journeys (such as Dunhuang→Zhangye, about 6 hours), they have adapted to the rhythm of the journey and can rest and adjust in the car.

️️ Departure from Lanzhou (counterclockwise): long-distance first, easy to fatigue discount

Typical route:
Lanzhou → Zhangye → Jiayuguan → Dunhuang → Dachaidan → Chaka → Qinghai Lake→ Xining

❌ Disadvantages：

• In the early stage, we will face continuous long-distance driving from Lanzhou to Zhangye toDunhuang(each way is over 5 hours).；
• The scenery of the Gobi is monotonous and prone to aesthetic fatigue；
• By the time you arrive at Qinghai Lake and Chaka Salt Lake in the later stage, your physical strength and enthusiasm may have been exhausted, making it difficult to fully appreciate it.

Conclusion : From the perspective of psychological experience,starting from Xining can better achieve“wonderful opening+smooth ending”.

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4️Convenient transportation: Xining is better, and the flights are more dense by high-speed rail.

Dimension	Xining	Lanzhou
️️ Non-stop routes	More (direct flights to major cities across the country)	Less (transit is required in some cities)
🚄 High-speed rail accessibility	The Qinghai-Tibet Railway originates here, connecting to Lhasa; the Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed Railway makes stops along the way.	Lanxin high-speed rail hub, but farther from the core scenic area
🚌 Distance to the first stop (Qinghai Lake)	About 1.5 hours by car	About 5 hours by car

Detailed description:
Although Lanzhou is a transportation hub in the northwest, the first core attraction (Qinghai Lake or Zhangye) from it to the Qinggan Ring Road is much farther than Xining.
Xining is not only a geographical center, but also a transportation distributioncenter, which is more suitable for starting a journey around the line.

✅ Conclusion:Xining has more advantages in terms of comprehensive transportation convenience.

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3. Final recommendation:90%of people prefer Xining!

Comparison Item	Recommended Choice	Reason
Plateau adaptation	✅ Xining	Gradual increase in altitude to reduce the risk of high reflux
Attractions to watch	️️ Depends on the itinerary	The key is whether you live close and see accurately.
Itinerary rhythm	✅ Xining	Essence front, smoother experience
Convenient transportation	✅ Xining	There are many flights and high-speed rail, close to the scenic area

总结Summarize in one sentence：

If you are free to choose, give priority to starting from Xining; if you can only enter from Lanzhou, be sure to take high-risk prevention and choose a reasonable itinerary.

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4. Recommended itinerary: Departure from Xining·5daysand 4nights Lite version (clockwise·Novice friendly)

Suitable for tourists who have limited time and want to check in to core attractions.

days	Itinerary	Highlights & Tips
Day 1 Xining → Qinghai Lake → Chaka Town	✔️ Take the West Road around the lake, the scenery is more beautiful ✔️ Take an afternoon tour of Chaka Salt Lake (recommended for ”Sky One” with fewer people) 注意 Note: Avoid strenuous exercise and wear bright clothes to take pictures.
Day 2 Tea Card → Dachaidan Jade Lake → Dachaidan Town	✔️ Emerald Lake is divided into multiple observation decks, it is recommended to go through them all✅ Note: Accommodation is tight during peak season, please book in advance
Day 3 Dashaidan → Nanbaxian Yadan → Dunhuang	✔️ The scenery along the G315 highway is shocking ✔️ Tour Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring in the evening (riding a camel + watching the sunset) 注意 Note: Bring sand-proof shoe covers and don’t wear light-colored clothing
Day 4 Dunhuang → Mogao Grottoes → Zhangye	✔️ Mogao Grottoes Make an appointment 15 days in advance (Category A tickets are hard to grab) ✔️ Evening tour of colorful Danxia (sunset from Observation Deck on 2/3/4) 注意 Note: Photography is prohibited in the cave, Danxia needs to take a sightseeing bus
Day 5 Zhangye → Menyuan Rapeseed Flower Sea / Tal Temple → Xining	✔️ Go to Menyuan from July to August to see 10,000 mu of rapeseed flowers ✔️ Other seasons can be replaced with Tal Temple (a sacred place in Tibetan Buddhism) Note: Don’t return too late and avoid driving at night

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5. Must-have before Traveling· 8practical tips

•  Sunscreen! Sunscreen! Sunscreen!
  Ultraviolet rays are extremely strong, SPF50+ sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, and sunscreen clothing are necessary.
• It is important for orangutans to keep warm
  . In summer, it is hot during the day and cold in the morning and evening. Bring a jacket or a thin down jacket.
• To moisturize and prevent dryness
  , the climate in the northwest is dry, drink not less than 2L a day, and prepare lip balm and hand cream.
• 🚗 Transportation is recommended
  to disperse the attractions, and it is recommended to charter/carpool (regular platform) or small groups (≤20 people), which are free and flexible.
• 🎫 Make an early reservation for tickets
  to Mogao Grottoes, Chaka Salt Lake, Shuishuiyadan and other peak seasons. One ticket is hard to find, so be sure to book in advance!
• Signal preparation
  There is no signal on some sections of the road west of Dachaidan. Download the offline map (Gaode/Baidu).
• ️️ Drive safely
  on G315 and U-shaped roads with fast speed, never stop on the road to take pictures! Life is more important than photos.
• ️️ Environmentally friendly travel
  , all garbage is taken away by yourself to protect the fragile ecology.

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Conclusion

A good start is half of the success of the journey

The charm of the Qinggan Great Loop lies in its vastness and diversity.
And a smooth journey begins with a wise choice of starting point.

Xining, not only has a superior geographical location, moderate altitude and convenient transportation, but also allows you to welcome this visual feast in the best condition.
Whether you are setting foot on Northwest land for the first time or a veteran traveler, you can’t be wrong to set off from here.

One last piece of advice:
Don’t sacrifice the scenery that should be stunning in order to save money or rush time.
Slow down and feel the change of every cloud, the warmth of every ray of sunlight falling on the ancient land. The Qinggan Great Loop, a journey that allows the mind to talk to nature, is waiting for your footsteps. Set foot on this mysterious and magnificent land and you will find that the most beautiful scenery is always worth the wait.

🌍 Explore the Great Northwest, start here!

Set off nowand start a legendary journey to the Northwest that belongs only to you!

Contact our travel consultant to provide you with more customized suggestions.