I always thought Daocheng Yading was stunningly beautiful, until I arrived at...

🌄 Hiking Diary in Zhagana, Gannan | Getting Lost in God's Back Garden Time: Last June, a spontaneous graduation trip --- 🗺️ My 5-Day Itinerary Day1 First Encounter with Labrang Monastery Departing from Lanzhou at dawn, the scenery outside the window gradually shifted from loess slopes to barley fields. Arrived at Labrang Monastery at 3 PM, where the chime of prayer wheels blended with the aroma of butter tea. While following a Tibetan grandma along the world's longest prayer wheel corridor, she suddenly handed me a piece of tsampa—turns out my button had snagged her prayer beads (lol). Day2 A Thrilling Horseback Ride on the Grassland Rode a "rebellious" white horse for 30 yuan on Sangke Grassland—it kept lowering its head to graze and refused to move until the Tibetan guy whistled at it. Langmusi Town was more charming than expected, and I enjoyed apple pie at "Lisa's Café," where the second floor offered a view of the gilded rooftops of the Gansu monastery across the way. Day3 Hiking in Zhagana Caught breathtaking morning mist at 5 AM! Took a shortcut with local Tibetan herders during the hike but got lost in the stone forest for half an hour (thankfully, I had an outdoor map app). Lazed in the wildflower fields of Fairy Beach and got my face licked by a passing lamb. Day4 Rainbows Over Flower Lake Ruorgai Flower Lake looked like a spilled palette, and after a sudden sunshower, a double rainbow rose from the edge of the wetlands. That night, at a Sichuan restaurant in Tangke Town, my carpool buddies and I debated whether "the First Bend of the Nine Curves was worth climbing the stairs" until the owner turned off the lights. --- 🌟 Honest Experience Report 1. Zhagana Morning Mist: Stay at a high-altitude homestay in Dongwa Village! The rooftop view at "Cloud Inn" was unbeatable—at sunrise, the whole village looked like it was soaked in milk. 2. Langmusi Sky Burial Site: Hiking up left me panting like a bellows, and seeing vultures circling brought unexpected tears (not from fear, but awe at how life returns to nature). 3. Tibetan Food Gem: Try the yogurt with ginseng fruit at "Gengsangquzhen Tibetan Restaurant" in Xiahe—sweeter than first love! --- ⚠️ Hard-Earned Lessons - Don’t wear white shoes on the grassland! My AJs were "stamped" by cow dung and ruined forever. - Most homestays in Zhagana use solar water heaters—water turns cold after 9 PM. - The wind in Ruorgai is insane—my fisherman’s hat now permanently resides in Flower Lake. - The couple in my carpool argued the whole trip—confirm your travel buddies’ vibes beforehand. --- 📸 Secret Photo Spots 1. Labrang Monastery’s southwest corner Buddha Terrace, capturing silhouettes of monks at dusk. 2. The wooden path turn at Yeri Village in Zhagana, framing both barley terraces and the stone city. 3. The stream beneath Langmusi’s red cliffs—light piercing the mist at 3 PM creates a divine glow. "At 3,000 meters above sea level, even worries feel thinner"—this is what I carved on my hiking stick, now a paperweight on my desk.