Bus is the best way for travelers to reach the less accessible areas of the province, and is especially good for those heading southward towards Sichuan. Buses will take you to the wonders of the small Tibetan monastery town Xiahe, and from here bus is the way on to the quaint Langmusi and then on towards Sichuan’s Songpan. Bus is also the best way to travel to Yinchuan (Ningxia Province) and Golmud (in Qinghai Province) from either Lanzhou or Zhangye.
*Special Note: For traveling on long-distance buses throughout this province and the northern section of Sichuan, foreigners are required to purchase a travel insurance policy from the state company PICC. You are not always asked to show this, but some areas are strictly regulated. PICC offices can be found in major cities, and the policies can be bought here and in many bus stations, in hotels, in CITS offices, and frequently from “principled” officials for varying prices. Normally the cost is around RMB40 for a ticket valid for two weeks, and around RMB20 for one week’s validity.