Chaka Salt Lake

Initially when we arrived at Chaka Salt Lake, the weather was gloomy, and we felt a bit down. But don't be discouraged, cloudy days have their own sense of sophistication: smoky purple, protein green, and gray-blue are all sophisticated colors! We drove from Qinghai Lake. The road was just an ordinary highway. It was okay to drive in the morning and it took about two hours. We went to the old scenic area, directly navigated to Chaka Salt Lake. Because we thought the small train was interesting, we bought tickets for the small train. Actually, you don't need to buy tickets for the battery car. If you want to walk, I think it's okay. The small train takes about half an hour from the starting station to the terminal station. It's not so cold if you sit in a covered one. About taking pictures, in fact, it's enough to take pictures at the terminal station. Remember to take pictures with the small train, railway tracks, and small boats. Finally, you can also buy the ice cream of Chaka Salt Lake for taking pictures. This makes it perfect~

🚧 Qinghai-Tibet Loop Travel Suggestions: A Must-Read for May Day Travelers Having just completed the Qinghai-Tibet loop journey, I have some sincere suggestions for friends planning to go there during the May Day holiday. 🚫 About Chaka Salt Lake, I want to say that Chaka Salt Lake may not be suitable for everyone. By comparison, the scenery of Charhan Salt Lake and Emerald Lake is much more spectacular and definitely worth a visit. 📍 Recommended Attractions Here are the attractions I think you should not miss, and I suggest planning your trip around these places: Qinghai Lake Emerald Lake Charhan Salt Lake Water Yadan Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Mogao Caves Jiayuguan Pass Zhangye Danxia ⛺ Itinerary Planning Day1: Depart from Xining, pass Riyue Mountain, arrive at Qinghai Lake, and stay overnight at Chaka Salt Lake. Day2: From Chaka Salt Lake to Emerald Lake and Charhan Salt Lake, stay overnight at Da Qaidam. Day3: Visit the 315 National Highway, Water Yadan, and Devil City, return to Da Qaidam for accommodation. Day4: Head to the oil town and Silk Road heritage city, stay overnight in Dunhuang. Day5: Visit Mogao Caves, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, explore Dunhuang night market in the evening, stay in Dunhuang. Day6: Depart from Dunhuang, pass Jiayuguan to Zhangye Danxia, stay overnight in Zhangye. Day7: Depart from Zhangye, pass through Qilian Grassland and Gangshika Snow Peak, return to Xining. 🚘 Travel Tips Compared to the tight schedule of travel groups, I recommend renting a car for a free trip, which can avoid unnecessary attractions and save time. Customize your own route, and accommodation is also more economical. 📸 Essential Items Sunglasses Windbreaker Sunscreen Moisturizing skincare products 💊 Medical Preparations Gastrointestinal medicine: Suitable for people with sensitive stomachs. Erythromycin ointment: To cope with the dry climate of the Northwest, prevent chapping. Cold medicine: The temperature difference between morning and evening is large, prepare medicine to prevent colds. Oxygen bottles: Although the altitude is not high, they can be purchased online in advance, economical and affordable. Motion sickness medicine: Essential for long-distance travel and those who get motion sickness.

This time, I want to share with you a few tourist spots that I have visited, where my expectations were high, but the disappointment was just as great. 📍Chaka Salt Lake, along with Kumbum Monastery, Qinghai Lake, and Mengda Tianchi, is one of the four major attractions in Qinghai and a spot many people pass through on the Qinghai-Gansu grand loop. The lake is called the 'Mirror of the Sky' because its surface reflects like a mirror, and it has been named one of the '55 places one must visit in a lifetime' by National Geographic Traveler magazine. But, is it really a must-visit? The truth is, the greater the expectations, the greater the disappointment. Upon arriving at the scenic area, you first take a shuttle bus to the entrance, then you can choose to buy a ticket for the small train. If you don't buy a ticket for the train, you'll need to walk 4-5 kilometers to complete the tour of the site, so buying tickets is a continuous process. The worst part is that there is not a single shaded area in the scenic spot, so you have to be exposed to the sun for the entire journey❗So be sure to pay attention to sun protection and bring plenty of water when you come here! 💴Ticket 60 / Sightseeing car 30 / Small train 50 / Round trip 100 / Electric cart 10 / Shoe covers 10 Carefully calculating, a trip will cost nearly 200 RMB. This way of making money is really a common problem in many domestic scenic spots, and it's frustrating. The ticket office must be built far away from the scenic spot, and then they charge for the sightseeing car. Secondly, the difference in scenery is very big. The scenery of Chaka Salt Lake is really mediocre, without the feeling of the 'Mirror of the Sky' at all. When we went in July, the weather was actually very good, but overall it was not as stunning as imagined. There were few people that day, and we could take a few photos, but I can't imagine what it would be like when it's crowded. This trip was in July 2021, and overall, it was a bit disappointing, and I don't know if there have been any improvements in the past two years. 🌈But later we went to the Qarhan Salt Lake in Golmud, which was truly stunning❗Just as exposed to the sun, but the difference in scenery between the two places is not just a little bit. Qarhan Salt Lake is like emerald blue-green, with visible layers to the naked eye. So if you're choosing between salt lakes on the Qinghai-Gansu grand loop, I would directly recommend going to Qarhan Salt Lake.

🔥Don't hesitate to travel this summer, take your kids on a tour around the great northwest, and embark on a wonderful parent-child exploration journey! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧Step out of the textbooks, travel through grasslands🌿, deserts, Gobi, snow-capped mountains, lakes, Danxia🌈, Yardang... Explore the stunning scenery of the northwest; experience stargazing in the desert, horse riding on the grasslands, 5 major study classes, and a plethora of fun parent-child activities, allowing children to learn while playing, it's really worth it! 👉This time we chose a parent-child RV, which is really suitable for taking children and the elderly on a trip together. One family, one car, with professional RV butlers and parent-child leaders throughout the trip, it's not tiring for parents at all, and the whole journey is at a relaxed pace, the whole family is full of praise, giving it full marks!💯 ⭕Activity period: July-August summer limited (weekly departures) 🔸Target audience: Families with children aged 4-13 🔸Number of participants: 4 family groups to form a team, up to 25 people/team ⭕【Fun Northwest·Parent-Child RV 8 Days and 7 Nights】 ✅Service configuration: Full-time driver + full-time tour guide + full-time photography ✅Attraction tickets: Full journey attraction tickets + scenic shuttle + independent explanation ✅Experience projects: 10+ special parent-child study activities + invited experts ✅Teaching staff guarantee: Resident lecturers + scholar celebrities + top student leaders . 🚗【Itinerary】 D1 Xining gathering (all-day airport pickup) - opening ceremony D2 Xining-Menyuan rapeseed flowers-Qilian grassland secret carnival-Zhangye D3 Zhangye Rainbow Danxia-Jiayuguan cultural ambassador D4 I'm repairing the Great Wall in Jiayuguan - Shazhou banquet + desert stargazing class D5 Mogao Caves VIP expert lecture - special cave visit - Mogao school study - Mingsha Mountain D6 Dunhuang - Yangguan site study - Dachaidan emerald lake - Dachaidan D7 Dachaidan - Chaka Salt Lake - the magical salt world - stargazing experience - Chaka Town D8 Chaka - Qinghai Lake in-depth tour - Xining dismissal . 📚【In-depth Study Tour】 ✔2 digital movies🎦 + 8 cave visits ✔Mogao expert lectures, appreciate the preciousness of the caves ✔Refuse🚫 to queue for tickets, special guide explains Mogao ✔Restore ancient craftsmen's techniques, experience repairing the Great Wall at Jiayuguan ✔Enter the Dunhuang murals, learn to grind mineral pigments🌈 and package ✔Create mural🎨 works, receive official study certificate from Mogao Caves ✔Professional teachers lead explanations of Jiayuguan history + issue passes ✔Exclusive explanation of Yangguan + pass certificate Q&A, experience the pass ceremony . 🎯【Wild Fun Experience】 ✔Horseback riding exploration of grassland secrets ✔Fly kites on the grassland, archery🏹, tug-of-war to your heart's content ✔Next to the grassland lake, enjoy a hot pot🫕 under the snow-capped mountains ✔Invited stargazing expert, explain astronomical knowledge ✔Professional telescope stargazing + mobile phone photography teaching ✔Desert fireworks bloom, spend an unforgettable starry night🌌 ✔Desert green banquet, taste the classic food of Hexi ✔Behind Mingsha Mountain, desert🏜️ projects at will ✔Learn salt harvesting and salt carving crafts at Chaka Salt Lake . 🏨【Special Accommodation Experience】 Chaka Salt Lake Starry Sky Bubble House Hotel Meihao Hotel (Dachaidan store) Xining Kunlun Hilton Garden Hotel Zhangye Shangjing International Hotel (Bell and Drum Tower store) Jiayuguan Youth International Hotel Dunhuang Tianhe Hotel

After people return, their hearts stay at Chaka Salt Lake, it's simply too beautiful. 🍒 Chaka Salt Lake is known as China's 'Mirror of the Sky', comparable to Bolivia. What makes Chaka Salt Lake different from other salt lakes is that it is a brine lake with both solid and liquid states. Walking on the lake is like being in the sky, with the lake reflecting the heavens, the earth, and you. If you're lucky enough, during the day you can see mirages formed on the surface of the lake. 🌈 Chaka Salt Lake has been rated by 'National Geographic Traveler' as 'one of the 55 places to go in a lifetime'. When the sun sets behind the mountains, the afterglow scatters on this white scroll. 🌵 Chaka Salt Lake is located near Chaka Town, Wulan County, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, 292 kilometers from Xining and about 151 kilometers from Qinghai Lake. 🌻 Chaka Salt Lake ticket price: 70 yuan, half price with a student ID; Scenic area train ticket price: one-way 50 yuan/person; 🍒Tips: 1. The small train at Chaka Salt Lake is a major feature, but it departs at fixed times during the peak season, and the queue time is long, so make sure to manage your time well when visiting. 2. It is recommended to bring waterproof shoe covers or transparent water shoes, as there are pebbles in the water that can easily cut your feet, and it is very painful to sprinkle salt on wounds. 3. There is a large temperature difference between day and night in the salt lake scenic area, and it is especially cold in the morning and evening, so you need to bring a coat to keep warm. The climate is dry and the ultraviolet rays are strong, so be sure to bring sunscreen, especially to prevent altitude sickness. 4. If it has been cloudy and rainy for several days, the salt layer in the lake may be diluted and dissolved, revealing the mud underneath, and you will not be able to go down to the lake to play. There are many small black holes in the lake, which are actually traps, so don't step on them, and the darker they are, the more dangerous they are.

The Qinghai Grand Loop is a self-driving route that traverses the magnificent hinterland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in southern Qinghai, taking you deep into this mysterious and magnificent land. 1. Xining - Qinghai Lake Your journey starts from Xining, the capital of Qinghai, also known as the 'city of bright sunshine'. Heading west, you will reach the magnificent Qinghai Lake. The azure lake is surrounded by the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, dreamlike. Walking by the lake, you will feel the tranquility of the plateau and the coolness of the lake. 2. Qinghai Lake - Chaka Salt Lake Next, you will go to Chaka Salt Lake, a place like a fairyland. This lake, due to its special structure of saline-alkali land, presents dazzling blue and white salt fields, like a huge mirror. Here, you can stroll on the salt lake and enjoy the beautiful lake view and reflection. 3. Chaka Salt Lake - Hoh Xil Nature Reserve Continuing west, you will come to the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve, the main distribution area of the Tibetan antelope in China. You can observe these rare wild animals at close range, while admiring the majestic Kunlun Mountains. In the reserve, remember to keep quiet to avoid disturbing these endangered animals. 4. Hoh Xil - Kunlun Mountains The Kunlun Mountains are the 'ancestor of ten thousand mountains' in China. Here you will feel the grandeur of the mountains and rivers. Snow peaks, glaciers, valleys, alpine meadows, every scene is intoxicating. Exploring the Kunlun Mountains, you will feel like you are in a fairyland. 5. Mangya Emerald Lake This is a secluded natural lake, nestled in the highland valley. The lake is crystal clear and green, surrounded by green grasslands and majestic mountains, like a fairyland. You can wander by the lake, feeling the tranquility and beauty of the lake and mountains. Chaka Salt Lake

The May Day holiday is coming up🌪️ Has everyone got their tickets🎫? If you haven't, don't worry, you can head directly to these destinations from Xi'an‼️ Check out these last-minute options👀! ▫️ 📍Optional Routes ✅Wild Shennongjia 4 days and 3 nights🚌Bus——Latitude 31 degrees line, watch the morning mist over the Great Jiuhu Lake🌫️, and find the Hubei 'Little Nara' among the mountains and waters 💰Budget 1️⃣3️⃣8️⃣0️⃣ D1: Xi'an→Tianyan Scenic Area→Muyu Town D2: Muyu Town→Great Jiuhu Lake→Shennongjia→Muyu Town D3: Muyu Town→Guanmenshan→Shennong Altar→Muyu Town D4: Muyu Town→Tiansheng Bridge→Xi'an ▫️ ✅Mountain and Water Three Gorges 4 days and 3 nights🚌Bus——A journey through mountains⛰️, a journey through water, the most beautiful Three Gorges scenery, explore the natural beauty of the Three Gorges 💰Budget 1️⃣3️⃣8️⃣0️⃣ D1: Xi'an→Fuyin Expressway→Shangluo→Shiyan→Xiangyang Ancient City→Yichang D2: Yichang→Three Gorges Dam→Three Gorges Waterfall→Yichang D3: Yichang→Three Gorges Family→Yichang D4: Yichang→Xi'an ▫️ ✅Touring Gannan 5 days and 4 nights🚌Bus——A trip to check in both Longnan and Gannan, arriving at the earthly Shambhala kingdom🌇 💰Budget 1️⃣6️⃣8️⃣0️⃣ D1: Xi'an→Langdu Wetland Grassland→Dangchang D2: Dangchang→Guan'e Gully→Lazi Mouth→Diebu D3: Zhagana→Ruoergai Grassland→Langdu Wetland Grassland→Langmu Temple D4: Langmu Temple→Sangke Grassland→Labrang Monastery→Lanzhou D5: Lanzhou→Lianhuo Expressway→Xi'an ▫️ ✅Strolling in Qinghai 5 days and 4 nights🚌Bus——See the sapphire of the plateau, Qinghai Lake💎, witness the sky mirror Chaka Salt Lake, and encounter the beautiful time in Qinghai 💰Budget 1️⃣6️⃣8️⃣0️⃣ D1: Xi'an→Xining City walk D2: Xining→Ta'er Monastery→Guide Danxia Landform→Guide D3: Guide→Yellow River Qing→Chaka Salt Lake→Chaka Town D4: Chaka Town→Rubber Mountain→Heima River→Qinghai Lake→Lanzhou D5: Lanzhou→Xi'an ▫️ ✅Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong 5 days and 4 nights🚌Bus——See the scenery of Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong🏞️ in one go, check in at characteristic ancient towns + Sichuan-Tibetan flavors 💰Budget 1️⃣6️⃣8️⃣0️⃣ D1: Xi'an→Hanzhong→Qingmuchuan Ancient Town D2: Qingmuchuan Ancient Town→Jiuzhaigou County D3: Jiuzhaigou County→Huanglong Scenic Area→Jiuzhaigou Valley Entrance D4: Full day tour of Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area→Wen County D5: Wen County→Zhaohua Ancient City→Guangyuan→Xi'an ▫️ ✅Self-driving Gannan 5 days and 4 nights🚗Car——Explore the nine-colored Shambhala, deeply traverse the Rock's Road🛣️ 💰Budget 1️⃣9️⃣8️⃣0️⃣ D1: Xi'an→Langdu Wetland Grassland→Min County D2: Min County→Zhagulu Town→Rock's Road→Zhagana D3: Zhagana→Gannan Xiaoduku→Langmu Temple D4: Langmu Temple→Sangke Grassland→Labrang Monastery-Linxia D5: Linxia→Xi'an ▫️

📍【About Transportation】First, get to Xining 🚌Bus ✅There is a bus departing for Chaka Salt Lake from Xining Bus Station at noon every day at 12 o'clock, taking about 4 hours, with a ticket price of about 65 yuan. It is about 5 kilometers from the town to the salt lake, with no public transportation available, so you can only walk or take a taxi, or consider hitchhiking 🚂Train ✅Xining Station--Chaka Station train number: K6831 (08:00--12:10) Duration: 4 hours and 20 minutes ✅Hard seat ticket price is 62.5 yuan, upper berth is 110.5 yuan, middle berth is 114.5 yuan, lower berth is 117.5 yuan 🚕Chartered car, self-driving ✅The most popular way is self-driving or chartered car 1⃣️Qinghai Lake + Chaka Salt Lake The wind at Qinghai Lake is also very strong, remember to dress appropriately Arrive at Chaka Salt Lake in the afternoon, it's very sunny, and the wind is strong. (Decide whether to go to Chaka No.1 or the Mirror of the Sky) 🎫Ticket: Chaka Salt Lake 60 (108 yuan for a round-trip by train, not recommended) 2⃣️ U-shaped Highway + Water Yadan Be sure to pay attention to safety on the U-shaped Highway⚠️There are many large vehicles, and the slope is steep 📍The best photo spots are on the dirt slopes on both sides❗️ For Water Yadan, the small train can only be taken one way to the exit. Do not stay too long at the first, second, and third stations. 🎫Ticket: Water Yadan 60 (60 yuan for a scenic car) Nearby attractions: If you have enough time, you can visit 👉Da Qaidam Jade Lake It's just like a wallpaper for your phone. After the small train enters, there are many people at each pool. Just take some simple photos. 📍Transparent boats can only be photographed at Pool No. 3. The piano is at the last station. Not many people there. 👉Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring It's best to arrive at 18:00 in the evening, otherwise, it's too sunny! The camels there are too pitiful🐫Their humps are either very small or non-existent! It's better to walk up. 📍The sunset is almost over by 21:00, so hurry up. You can spend 480 yuan to experience a glider, which is very stable and allows you to overlook the entire view of the desert and Crescent Spring. 👉Zhangye Danxia Scorching sun! Be sure to use an umbrella, apply sunscreen, wear long pants, and long sleeves 📍Do not stop at Station No. 1, go directly to Stations 2 and 3. There are more views, and people are dispersed. Tips: ⚠️Be sure to pay attention to safety along the way, do not stop by the roadside to take photos randomly. ⚠️Essential items: sunglasses, sunscreen, umbrella, long sleeves, long pants, body lotion

Winter tourism in the Northwest: Four days and three nights of hassle-free, nanny-level guide💡There's only one month left until the Spring Festival!🎉Everyone can start planning their Spring Festival travel plans📆If you don't know where to go, come to the Northwest!💯Traveling in winter is more economical, just eating and accommodation can save a lot of money💰. In addition, during the Spring Festival, attractions will be half price, or even free, you can have fun without spending money, it's so happy!🎊Here is also a five-day and four-night travel plan for everyone, friends who need it hurry up and collect it!🌟 🛍Travel preparation: 1⃣ Documents: ID card, student card, etc. 2⃣ Appliances: mobile phone, charger, headphones, power bank, camera, etc. 3⃣ Daily necessities: toiletries, hydration, cosmetics, sunscreen, etc. 4⃣ Weather: The temperature is suitable (🌞), but the temperature difference between morning and evening is large, it is recommended to bring jackets, long-sleeved suits, skirts, sun hats, etc. 🛳How to get to Qinghai: 1⃣ Plane: Directly to Xining Caojiabao Airport, or first fly to Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport, then take the high-speed train to Xining. 2⃣ High-speed train/train: Directly to Xining Station or transfer at Lanzhou Station, and then transfer to Xining. 🏡Recommended accommodation in Qinghai: 1⃣ Business district near Xin Qian International Plaza: Convenient transportation, night market, rich snack street. 2⃣ Haihu Wanda Business Circle: High-end hotels, developed commerce. 3⃣ East Street: Rich ethnic flavor, characteristic homestays. 📸Five days and four nights route to have fun in Qinghai: ⭕ Day 1: Xining→Mysterious Desert→Xiaobo Lake Tree Planting→Cycling around the East Lake Road→Erlang's Small Crowd Sunset ⭕ Day 2: Sunrise of Qinghai Lake→Departure from Erlang Sword→Chaka Salt Lake→Cycling around the West Lake Road→Stay in Gangcha ⭕ Day 3: Depart from Gangcha→4120 Dadongshu Mountain Pass→Ice Gully Forest Sea→Zhuoer Mountain→Stay in Qilian County ⭕ Day 4: Depart from Qilian County→Qilian Mountain Grassland→Small Crowd Matisi→Zhangye Rainbow Danxia→Stay in Zhangye ⭕ Day 5: Depart from Zhangye→Menyuan Rapeseed Flower→Daban Mountain Viewing Platform→Return 📸Northwest scenic spot check-in: 1⃣ Qinghai Lake: The emerald on the earth 2⃣ Mogao Grottoes: The witness of ancient civilization in the world 3⃣ Crescent Spring: When the wind rises, the sand rings, the sound of camel bells echoes, the beautiful scenery under the moonlight 4⃣ Water Yadan: Yadan landform floating on the water surface 5⃣ U-shaped road: The mysterious 315 road, China's Route 66 6⃣ Rainbow Danxia: At a glance, Rainbow Danxia, the mountains in the world are colorless 7⃣ Qaidam Basin: Experience the feeling of crossing the uninhabited area ⚠ Tips: For the first time to take the baby to Qinghai, you can choose the local team leader to charter or carpool, both are good choices. Because the distance between the attractions in Qinghai is far, self-driving may be a bit difficult, find a team leader old driver to lead, the experience is simply too good!🎉 Wish everyone a happy Spring Festival in the Northwest!🎆🥳

Qinghai-Gansu Loop | One of the most worthwhile travel routes!! ||| The Northwest is really a gathering place for peculiar landforms! Salt lakes, Yardang landforms, water Yardang, Devil City, deserts, canyons, snow mountains, Danxia and so on, the scenery in the geography book finally saw in reality! 1⃣️Transportation🚗 If you choose to charter a car, carpool or follow a group, you basically start from Xining. There are four, seven, nine or bus seats. There are many drivers who walk the loop. This time I was really lucky to meet the experienced little fat brother and super matching companions. Little fat brother really helped us avoid a lot of thunder, enter the scenic spot when there are the fewest people, take us to catch the good weather into the scenic spot, so even if it is the May Day season we go to see Qinghai Lake Emerald Lake Water Yardang Chaka Salt Lake Xiaochaidan are sunny! Little fat brother will also give us drone and mobile phone photos, really good at finding angles! 2⃣️Accommodation🏨 If the itinerary is confirmed, you can book the hotel as soon as possible. I booked all the hotels for May Day at the end of March, catching up with the time when the price did not rise. If you confirm to travel in the peak season of July and August, you must book early. 3⃣️Food🥣 The Northwest is really delicious! Every meal is full of beef and mutton! 1. Yogurt: The yogurt here has a yellow skin on the surface 2. Kang pot: Very flavorful! The potato slices inside are like chips. 3. Stewed bread: Must order mutton stewed bread, camel meat is a bit unaccustomed. 4. Hand-grabbed mutton: Not smelly, super fragrant. 5. Eight-treasure tea: The more you brew, the sweeter it is 6. Beef noodles: The noodles are chewy and the soup is delicious 7. Milk fermented glutinous rice eggs: Like dessert 8. Yak earth hot pot: A bit ordinary, the dipping sauce is not very good. 9. Roast whole lamb: Eight people come down to only over a hundred per person, opening the sheep is very ceremonial, the meat is tender but the spices are not enough. 10. Pepper chicken: The meat is tender 4⃣️Essential items👗🕶️🎩 1. Clothes: The weather in the Northwest is a bit changeable, you can bring clothes for all four seasons, if the sun is out, wearing a skirt is no problem, but it snowed when I walked to Qilian Mountain on the last day. 2. Sunglasses and hats: Sometimes the wind is strong and blows sand, so wear them to keep warm and windproof. 3. Bring slippers or rent shoe covers: It's hard to clean shoes in Mingsha Mountain and Salt Lake 4. U-shaped pillow: Every day on the road to various attractions, it's much more comfortable to sleep in the car with a U-shaped pillow 5. Student ID: Tickets are half price for students, and some attractions are free for people from Zhejiang 6. Power bank: The time on the road is too long, basically only at the hotel at night. 7. Sunscreen or sun protection products: The sun here really stings the skin 5⃣️About group tours The mechanism here in the Northwest is a bit strange, many people report different things and they are inexplicably put together. Some are only carpooling, some are car fees plus accommodation, some are all expenses, and even travel agencies and drivers communicate very little, hotel locations, performance times, ticket times are all different, but the arrangements of little fat brother are really good, all the places that should go will go, if you can get together a car charter together is the best.

📝The super detailed guide to Chaka Salt Lake is here! A must-see! Make sure to check the weather before going to Chaka Salt Lake, as the scenery on sunny days and cloudy days is worlds apart. 📌About the attractions: There are two spots at Chaka Salt Lake, and , and there is some distance between them. 🔸Mirror of the Sky: This is the old scenic area, the classic choice for most tourists, focusing on natural landscapes. 🔹Sky No.1: A popular tourist spot developed in recent years, featuring some amusement facilities. 📌Entering the attraction process: After arriving at the scenic area, follow these steps: 1️⃣Purchase tickets: You can buy them on-site at the second-floor visitor center, or purchase in advance below, make sure to choose the right attraction. Tip: People from Zhejiang province have free admission. Ticket purchase will involve package deals, see the guide below for details. 2️⃣Scan the code to register, then take the free shuttle bus to the entrance of the salt lake. First, go to the second-floor visitor center, register, and then follow the instructions to go downstairs to the blue bus stop to queue for the shuttle. 3️⃣Arriving at the spot: After reaching the main gate of the salt lake scenic spot, there is still a distance to the salt lake itself, and there are three options: 【Option One】Walk all the way in. 【Option Two】Take an electric cart to the entrance of the salt lake where the salt sculptures are, then walk into the salt lake, electric cart ticket is 5 yuan/person. 【Option Three】Buy a train ticket, round trip is 108 yuan. My suggestion is to choose 【Option Two】, which has the best value for money. The salt lake is not as far as the staff say, and it's fun to walk and play along the way. The train offers limited views, and there's a long wait of 1-2 hours to board, plus you'll be exposed to the sun for a long time. 📌Salt Lake Tour Guide (taking Mirror of the Sky as an example): 📍Mirror of the Sky is divided into the following stations: 🔸First Station: Mirror of the Sky Square, featuring large salt sculptures. 🔸Second Station: Sky Path Reflection Station. 🔸Third Station: Sky Horizon Joy Station: First, it's the place to rent shoe covers and buy special salt lake ice cream. Shoe covers are a must, 10 yuan, and you can't use your own disposable shoe covers or go barefoot in the water. Important: This expense can't be spared, otherwise your shoes will be damaged by the salt water, and it's not good for your feet. Second, the Mirror of the Sky check-in point is here. Third, many tourists play and take photos in the water here. 🔸Fourth Station: Mirror Clear Water Station, where the water is mint green, and there's a popular photo spot, super beautiful for pictures. 📝Tips: 1. Scarves and sunglasses are very photogenic for pictures. 2. Pay attention to sun protection, it's very sunny! 3. There's a small cabin outside the scenic area where you can get a free pack of edible salt made from Chaka Salt Lake (I didn't know at the time, found out later, missed out). 4. It's recommended to go in the evening, it's not hot, and you can watch the sunset. 5. The altitude here is quite high, some people may start to experience altitude sickness, be prepared with medicine or oxygen bottles in advance.

💧Often you will see such a set of photos on the Internet: a beautiful girl 💃 draped in a red scarf or wearing a red long dress, barefoot standing in a lake of blue and white interweaving 🌊. The lake surface is as transparent and holy as a mirror, reflecting the beautiful shadow of the girl. The check-in place for this set of photos is the Chaka Salt Lake in Qinghai. 💧'Chaka', in Tibetan means 'salt pool', and in Mongolian it means 'sea of blue salt'. During the formation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, some seawater accumulated in the low-lying areas and actively became many salt lakes and ponds. Chaka Salt Lake is one of them. The lake surface here is 3100 meters above sea level, 15.8 kilometers long from east to west, and 9.2 kilometers wide from north to south, in an oval shape. 💧According to the introduction: Chaka Salt Lake is surrounded by snow-capped mountains 🗻, the calm lake surface is like a mirror, reflecting the beautiful and intoxicating sky scenery, it has been rated by the National Tourism Geographic Magazine as 'one of the 55 places a person must go in his lifetime', and it is even known as the 'Mirror of the Sky in China'. But I want to ask a question based on my personal experience, who gave Chaka Salt Lake this title? Is it the tourists or the experts, or the sky of China? Calling it the 'Mirror of the Sky in China', does the sky of China agree? 💧I came here in September, fantasizing about standing on the 'Mirror of the Sky' lake surface, taking a few memorable photos, what a comfortable thing it would be. However, when I took a bus for several hours, then took a small train 🚂, put on heavy boots and came to the heart of the lake, came to this so-called 'Mirror of the Sky', I asked myself: Is this muddy salt alkali beach in front of me the 'Mirror of the Sky'? Did I come at the wrong time? Isn't September the best season to come here? Is the weather wrong, it's a sunny afternoon 🔆! 💧The reality gave me the answer: this is indeed Chaka Salt Lake, but it is far less stunning than imagined, and it is not as beautiful as the photos on the Internet 😝! All there is here is a fairy-tale-like small train 🚂, and a few artificial salt sculptures along the way, and tourists who are taking photos in the lake like dumplings 👨‍👨‍👧‍👧. Chaka Salt Lake, let alone a mirror, it can't even be called 'clean', let alone 'clear'. 💧The photos on the Internet can only be appreciated. In reality, the so-called Internet celebrity check-in places sometimes really make people feel regret and regret. On such a sunny day, the scenery is so 1⃣, if it's a cloudy day, I guess the scenery can't even be 2⃣. 💧After returning from Qinghai, I learned that the so-called 'Mirror of the Sky' effect requires the joint action of light 🌈, water surface 🌊, and salt 🌫 crystals, and it won't work if one is missing. Therefore, the best time for the three to be one is probably after a heavy rain ☔️, when the weather suddenly clears up 🔅, that may be the most beautiful moment of Chaka Salt Lake, the real mirror of the sky. 💧I also learned that in Qinghai, there are actually many lakes with beautiful scenery, such as Chaerhan Salt Lake, Mangya Emerald Lake, Dachaidan Emerald Lake, Xitaijinoer Lake, etc. And Chaka Salt Lake belongs to a place where you will regret it if you don't go, and you will regret it even more if you go 🤭. 💧Some netizens commented on Chaka Salt Lake like this: 'As a local, I really can't stand it anymore. A few years ago, Chaka was really a mirror in the sky, now it's a stinky ditch, all polluted and destroyed.' Chaka Salt Lake, perhaps once a beautiful place, but now it is not as beautiful as the Internet says, let alone as stunning as the 'Mirror of the Sky', at most it can be considered a Internet celebrity check-in lake 🌊. 💧Leaving aside the lake itself, if you come here to see the small train 🚂, appreciate the salt sculptures, understand the crystal clear, pure quality of blue salt production process and scene, it is also worth it. But expecting to be able to take those filter big shots on the Internet here is a bit unrealistic. As for being called 'Mirror of the Sky in China', not only the sky of China will not agree, but also many of us ordinary tourists, I guess many people will not agree 😊🚫. 📍Tips: 💦Address: Chaka Salt Lake is located in Chaka Town, Ulan County, Haixi Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai, about 300 kilometers from Xining. 💦Cost: about 200 yuan, including ticket 60 yuan + bus 30 yuan + small train 100 yuan (round trip) + battery car 10 yuan (round trip). 💦Opening hours: peak season (May to October) 7:00-20:00, off-season (November to next April) 7:30-19:00. 💦Title: National 4⃣A Scenic Area, China's first green edible salt production base. 💦Tour time: about 2⃣ hours. 💦Precautions: The UV rays in the scenic area are very strong, you need to bring sun protection and anti-high anti-products, etc. Chaka Salt Lake