Collecting a Golden Storm East of Qinghai — Menyuan Travelogue

Qinghai Menyuan Travelogue 1. Why Menyuan When the July monsoon crosses the Qilian Mountains, the rapeseed flowers on the north shore of Qinghai Lake are still budding, but Menyuan’s 600,000 mu (about 40,000 hectares) of flower sea has already ignited the plateau summer. With snow-capped mountains as a screen and the Haomen River as a belt, the golden color cascades from 2,800 meters to 3,300 meters in elevation, as if someone has spilled the sun’s paint bucket. This is not a fenced “photo check-in spot” inside a scenic area, but a daily scene growing authentically among villages, river valleys, and highland barley fields. 2. How to Get There 1. Major Transportation • High-speed rail: Xining Station to Menyuan Station, 38 minutes by bullet train, 12 trips daily; 10 minutes by taxi from the station to the county town or 30 minutes by chartered car to the flower sea. • Airplane: Fly nationwide to Xining Caojiabao Airport, rent a car or take the airport shuttle bus to Xining Station, then transfer to the bullet train. • Self-driving: Xining—Jingzang Expressway—Zhangwen Expressway—Gangmu Line, total 150 km, 2.5 hours; excellent road conditions, climbing all the way, with snow mountains slowly rising in the windshield. 2. Local Transportation The flower sea viewing platforms are scattered; self-driving or chartering a car (400–500 RMB/day) is recommended. If no self-driving, electric bikes can be rented in the county town for 30 RMB/hour to leisurely cruise along Gangqing Highway. 3. Three-Day Itinerary: Flower Sea, Snow Mountain, Ancient City All Included Day 1: Xining—Menyuan County Town—Flower Viewing Platform Arrive at Menyuan by bullet train in the morning, rent a car and head straight to "Zhaobishan Flower Viewing Platform" (ticket 30 RMB). A 30-minute wooden plank trail climb to the top overlooks the Haomen River Valley making an S-shaped bend in golden hues. In the afternoon, head north along Gangqing Highway, with cattle blocking the road along the way; the sunset shines on the white pagoda in Qingshizui Town, resembling a 3D oil painting. Overnight in Qingshizui. Day 2: Qingshizui—Huangcheng Grassland—Gangshika Snow Peak Get up at 5:30 AM, drive 40 minutes to Gangshika Snow Peak base camp (altitude 3,800 m). In July, the snow line is still as low as 4,200 m; hike 2 hours to the end of the glacier tongue, turning back to see an overwhelming sea of rapeseed flowers. In the afternoon, cross Lenglong Ridge to Huangcheng Grassland, watch yaks and colorful prayer flags together, and return to Qingshizui at dusk to shoot the starry sky. Day 3: Xianmi National Forest Park—Huzhu Tu Ethnic Homeland Park—Xining After breakfast, head south to Xianmi Forest Farm, a 74 km colorful forest road with few cars and dense scenery; in September, you can see autumn leaves in advance. Arrive at Huzhu Tu Ethnic Homeland Park at noon, learn to sing “Hua’er” folk songs and drink distilled liquor; return to Xining in the afternoon and return the car at the bullet train station. 4. Accommodation Map 1. Qingshizui Town (Core of the Flower Sea) • Huajing Xiaozhu Homestay: Window views of the flower sea, rooftop terrace for time-lapse photography, 380 RMB/room in peak season. • Gangshika Tent Camp: 20 Tibetan-style tents at the foot of the snow peak, equipped with electric blankets, 780 RMB/tent including breakfast and dinner. 2. Menyuan County Town • Menyuan Hotel: Established three-star, clean and affordable, starting at 220 RMB. • Shuxiang Qingke Homestay: Highland barley wine theme, owner is a poet, about 160 RMB per person. 3. Xianmi Forest Farm • Xianmi Forest Farm Wooden Cabin: Detached wooden cabins in the forest, listen to pine waves at night, 480 RMB/room. 5. Best Seasons • Rapeseed Flower Sea: Peak from July 5 to July 25, temperature 8–25°C, windbreaker needed in early morning and evening. • Autumn Colorful Forest: September 15 to October 7, Xianmi Forest Farm is ablaze with colors, few tourists. • Winter Snow Scenery: December to February next year, Huangcheng Grassland turns into a snowfield, experience Tu ethnic New Year customs. 6. Menyuan Delicacies • Hand-Pulled White Strips: Grass-fed sheep by the Haomen River, boiled in clear water and dipped in pepper salt, fatty but not greasy. • Yak Yogurt: A layer of butter skin on the surface, sprinkled with sugar or roasted highland barley flour, a bite takes you back to childhood. • Jiong Guo Momo: Tu ethnic traditional steamed bread with clear oil and fragrant bean powder rolled inside, cooked in a sheepskin fire basin, crispy outside and soft inside. • Highland Barley Fish: Highland barley dough rolled into small fish shapes, stewed in mutton soup, sprinkled with cilantro and chili, warming and filling. • Sweet Fermented Drink: Made from fermented highland barley or oats, sweet and sour, a perfect summer cooler when chilled. 7. Folk Customs and Festivals • Rapeseed Flower Festival: Opens every year on July 9, lasts 40 days, featuring Tu ethnic “Yutu” dance and Hui ethnic “Banquet Song” performances in rotation. • Tu Ethnic Anzhao Dance: At dusk in Malian Township, men and women form a circle, throwing long sleeves into the sky; when the drum beats, it’s a thousand-year tradition. • Hui Ethnic “Hua’er” Gathering: Next to the Qingshizui Mosque, young men play guitar and sing “Hua’er and Youth,” love songs exchanged under the moon descending behind the mountains. • Handicraft Experience: Learn to make “Pan Embroidery” in Moergou Village, Haomen Town, stitching colorful clouds into wallets one stitch at a time. 8. Costs and Tips • Tickets: Flower Viewing Platform 30 RMB, Gangshika Snow Peak environmental vehicle 50 RMB, other routes free. • Plateau Sun Protection: Altitude 3000 m+, strong UV rays, sunglasses + SPF 50 sunscreen + fisherman's hat are essential. • Flower Sea Photography: Arrive at the viewing platform before 7:00 AM, when morning fog lingers and light is soft; use a wide-angle 16–35 mm lens for large scenes, telephoto 70–200 mm to compress snow mountains and flower sea. • Environmental Protection: Rapeseed flowers are farmers’ staple food, do not trample; park only in designated parking lots. 9. Epilogue When the car window passes the last streak of gold, the snow-capped peaks of the Qilian Mountains turn rose-colored in the sunset. You will remember the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the flower sea, the bowl of yak yogurt handed by a Tu ethnic auntie, and the echo of your heartbeat heard for the first time in the 3,800-meter wind. Fold Menyuan’s July into a postcard and tuck it into your pocket—no matter how noisy the city is, there is always a golden storm ready to restart your summer.