In 019, the third day of a 15-day self-driving trip to Maiji Grottoes in northwest Gannan

On the third day, we have to hurry again. Today, we will visit the Maiji Grottoes in Maiji Mountain, and then we will rush to Longnan to stay in to prepare for the fourth day of Gannan Tibetan tour.

We set off at around 8:00 in the morning. When we left Xi'an Ring Road, we were stuck for more than 10 minutes, so it was easy to drive out of the city. The G30 has a speed limit of 120 and three lanes. There are not many cars. However, after passing Baoji, the road conditions begin to be tortuous and steep. There are more and more tunnels, including a 12-kilometer-long Maijishan Tunnel. The speed limit for tunnels in Gansu is 60. Speed is also measured inside the tunnel, so we can only calm down and drive slowly.

There was a major traffic jam when there was still 50 kilometers away from the finish line (it was stuck for a long time). Navigation guided us to get off the highway in advance and over more than 30 kilometers of mountains to reach the scenic spot.

It's already 13:00 when I parked the car, so I bought a ticket and took a battery car. This section is more than 2 kilometers long, and it's still uphill. It's very necessary to take a battery car. I got off the battery car and had lunch at the snack square next to me. A bowl of beef ramen was 10 yuan, and I added beef for 10 yuan. To be honest, it was not delicious and too salty, so I could only fill my stomach. After climbing the mountain with strength, I had to walk another 1 kilometer. It takes about uphill to reach the secondary ticket gate at the foot of the grotto. The tour guide should be invited here for 50 yuan. The tour guide who did business when the battery car got off said it on the road and did not go to the grottoes.

Secondary ticket gate

The tour of Maiji Grottoes is to walk the entire journey through the stairs, which looks dozens of meters high, and I am a little afraid of heights when climbing it. The tour guide walked up and down to see and explain the 7 or 8 grottoes. The whole journey took less than an hour. After arriving at the Maiji Grottoes, I finally visited all the four major grottoes. The Maiji Grottoes are among the four major grottoes, and not much can be seen. Many grottoes are blocked by barbed wire and cannot be seen clearly, and most of them are directly locked and closed. Walking up and down the stairs was quite tiring, and the harvest did not meet expectations.

At 15:00, I left the scenic spot and rushed to Longnan. The 15-kilometer road from the scenic spot to the highway entrance was very bad. The whole journey was full of potholes and difficult to drive. It looked like a grotto and was poorly maintained. There are still about 250 kilometers on the highway. The G30 is replaced by the G7011 and then the G8513 and then the G75. Most of them have a speed limit of 120 kilometers, and there are few cars. However, the speed limit in the Gansu Tunnel is 60. Several times when you go to the tunnel entrance, you brake from a few hundred meters per hour to 60 meters. I feel sorry for the car. This speed limit difference is very unreasonable.

Take the highway at 18:30 and enter Longnan City. The urban area is narrow and long, with river water on one side and mountains on the other. The scenery is good. Stay at Longnan Kumquat Hotel. The newly opened hotel facilities are very new and parking is convenient. It is 300 yuan per room. Very cost-effective and should be the best hotel in the area.

There are restaurants around the hotel. I ate paper-wrapped fish nearby at night. It was delicious and enjoyable. I had a full stomach and drank, so I returned to the hotel to rest with satisfaction.