Qinghai Travel Guide 2023

Qinghai Province is named after the Qinghai Lake, the largest inland salt lake and the most beautiful lake in China. It is short for Qinghai, and also called Tsinghai, Ch'inghai. The capital city and transportation hub is Xining. Qinghai is located in the northeast of Qinghai-Tibeta Plateau, northwest China, and borders Gansu to the north and east, Xinjiang to the northwest, Tibet to the southwest and Sichuan to the southeast. Covering one-thirteenth of the total area of China, Qinghai ranks the fourth-largest province in China after Xinjiang, Tibet and Inner Mongolia. As a vast plateau region, Qinghai reserves abundant splendid natural landscape like Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, Kunlun Mountains, Kanbula National Forest Park, Hoh Xil and rich ethnic minority culture. The province is named “China’s Water Town” for being the origin of the Yangtze River, Yellow River and Lancang River, three very important rivers of China. The natural and cultural diversity and primitiveness makes Qinghai an amazing land full of irreplaceable unique charms.

Why Visit Qinghai:

• Large Amounts of Natural Splendors. Qinghai is a large plateau tourist region with rich tourism resources. Here you can see many types of incredible natural landscape, including sapphire lakes (Qinghai Lake), crystal salt lakes (Chaka Salt Lake, Qarhan Salt Lake), majestic snow-capped mountains (Qilian Mountains, Kunlun Mountains, Tanggula Mountains), green grasslands, winding rivers, colorful Danxia mountains, Gobi, deserts, glaciers, etc. The aboundant color and amzing physiognomies offer you unique visual feast you hardly see in other places of the world.
• Diverse Ethnic Culture and Folk Customs. Qinghai has long been a place many ethnic groups coexist. It currently houses over 40 minority groups, whose number occupies nearly half of the province’s total population. Besides the Tibetan, Hui, Mongolian, Qinghai has Tu and Saka people that are peculiarly live in Qinghai. Thus, when traveling around Qinghai, you can experience Tibetan Buddhist culture, Muslim culture and other interesting cultures and traditions. Dining, language, dressing, festivals and arts are the specific embodiment.
• Multiple Travel Experinces. There are massive wonderful things to do in Qinghai. You can view the superb nature, take good pictures as record and memory, hike on an impressive mountain to challenge yourself, make a leisurely biking, walking and boat trip in and around the beautiful Qinghai Lake, go on an interesting train trip in Chaka Salt Lake, take an unforgettable scenic Tibet train adventure along the Qinghai Tibet Railway.
• The Gateway to Tibet & Vital Link of Northwest China. Qinghai has both direct train and the shortest air travel to Lhasa. Therefore, Qinghai is the most recommended domestic departure place for a Tibet tour. Still, with the operation of Lanzhou-Urumqi High Speed Railway, Qinghai is perfectly linked with Gansu and Xinjiang, offering tourists great traffic convenience and travel routes.
• Eecellent Ecosystem and Protection. Qinghai is the cradle of many China’s influential rivers and mountains. It has the Hoh Xil National Reserve - the largest & highest nature reserve in China and one of the best-presered examples in the world, National Nature Reserve of Three Rivers Source. Primitive ecological environment is under maximising protection.
• Distinctive Northwest Cuisine. Eat the local food, you know the people. The special climate and products make a unique flavor of food in Qinghai. You will taste mixed plateau and ethnic minority features. Boiled & roasted mutton, noodle patches, dried brief are classic local dishes you may have a try. Yogurt, barley wine, sweet oat are local exclusively drinks you can only taste in Qinghai, Gansu, Northwest China.
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Top Travel Destinations in Qinghai

Qinghai Province governs 2 prefecture-level cities (Xining and Haidong) and 6 autonomous prefectures, including the Haibei, Huangnan, Hainan, Golog and Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures and Haixi Mogolian & Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Each region owns stunning natural scenery and cultural attractions. The most popular and often visited destinations are located in the north, center and east of Qinghai with more convenient and efficient transportation. Among them, Xining is the transfer center with diverse ethnic minority cultural sites, Qinghai Lake and Chaka Salt Lake are beautiful plateau lakes with mind-blowing scenery, Tongren is best known for authentic Amdo Tibetan culture and Regong Arts while Kanbula National Forest Park hides magnificent Danxia mountains and the sublime Anemaqen Snow Mountain is worshiped by local pilgrims.

Qinghai Lake

Xining

Chaka Salt Lake

Tongren

Kanbula National Forest Park

Amne Machin Snow Mountain

Golmud

Yushu

Top Tourist Attractions to Visit in Qinghai

Travelling in Qinghai not only gluts your eyes via various superb plateau natural landscapes but also gives you a great opportunity of catching a glimpse of the Amdo Tibetan culture, Islamic culture and perfect fusion of different ethnics groups. The top place to visit is the Qinghai Lake, which usually drive from Xining and visited with Chaka Salt Lake. In Xining, Kumbum Monastery, Dongguan Mosque are two landmarks showing different architectural styles and religious cultures. Tibetan Medicine & Tibet Culture Museum helps you know the medical system and Tibetan life, traditions. Around Xining, there are some splendid places off the beaten track, for example, Tongren, Kanbula National Forest Park, Anemaqen Snow Mountain, etc. >> Top Qinghai Tourist Attractions & Places to Visit

Qinghai Lake (Lake Kokonor)

Qinghai Lake is the largest and most beautiful lake in China. June to August is the best time to view the pretty turquoise lake decorated by blue sky, white soft clouds and lakeside golden sea of rape flowers.

Qinghai Tibet Train

This great engineering project has 9 world records. It's a once-in-a-lifetime train trip with amazing plateau scenery along the rail, like snowy mountains, beautiful lakes...

Chaka Salt Lake

An incredible “Mirror of the Sky” in China. This huge salt lake is known for magic reflection of the nice sky and imposing mountains around. The sightseeing train brings you back to a dream movie scene.

Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er Monastery)

The monastery, the birthplace of Tsongkhapa Master, is one of the top six Gelug Buddhist monasteries with blended Tibetan style and Chinese style architectures, three kinds of marvelous arts.

Dongguan Mosque

It is one of the four greatest mosques in northwest China which features in unique Muslim buildings and the grandest prayers during the Islamic festivals.

Kanbula National Forest Park

It’s a less-known national park which is located just 1.5 hours’ drive from Xining but presents sapphire-like lake embraced by magnificent Danxia mountains.

Amne Machin Snow Mountain

This majestic mountain is worshipped as one of the four sacred mountains by Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims. You will gaze in awe of its striking elevation and perennially snow-covered mountains when looking from afar.

Rongwo Monastery (Longwu Monastery)

The monastery, about 2.5 hours’ drive from Xining, is a secluded Tibetan Buddhist shrine in Amdo Tibetan region. Except the Tibetan Buddhist atmosphere, visitors may meet grand Buddhist festivals.

Qinghai Weather & Climate - Places to Go in Each Season

Qinghai is a completely landlocked region on Qinghai Tibet Plateau. Its average elevation is about 3,000 meters. Affected by its latitude and altitude, Qinghai owns a Plateau Continental Climate. The main features include long sunshine hours, intense sun radiation, long & cold winter, cool summer, large temperature difference between day and night, little rainfall. Major tourist destinations are in the eastern Qinghai with a relatively moderate climate, but the west areas are freezing cold, windy, dry and lack of oxygen.

The annual average temperature in Qinghai is about -5.1 °C ~ 9.0 °C. Temperature in January (the coldest month) is between -17.4 °C and -4.7 °C while in July (the hottest month) is about 5.8 °C~20.2 °C. Most places of Qinghai have a low annual precipitation of below 400 mm. For travel comvenience and better scenery, months from May to October are the best times to visit Qinghai. Summer from June to August is a peak season when Qinghai Lake turns the most beautiful with gloden sea of rape flower blossoms, and the temperature is milder than other parts of China.

Tips: 1.) Be sure to keep warm in early morning and evening, and fully prepare for the strong sunlight and wind, sunglasses, hat and sunblock are necessary for outdoor sightseeing during the daytime. 2.) Rest assured that high altitude sickness rarely happens when visiting Qinghai.

>> Qinghai Weather, Temperature & Best Time to Visit

>> Qinghai Lake Weather & Best Time to Visit

Qinghai Transportation

Get to Qinghai

By Air: So far, Qinghai has 7 airports: Xining Caojiabao International Airport, Yushu Batang Airport, Golmud Airport, Delingha Airport, Huatugou Airport, Golog Machin Airport and Qilian Airport. Among them, Xining Caojiabao International Airport is the mainly used one, because it operates more domestic flights between Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Chengdu, Lhasa and many Chinese cities and more convenient transfer to Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake and attractions around Xining. (A new airport, Qinghai Lake Airport is under planning.)

>> Xining Airport & Flights to Xining

By Train: Qinghai has three main railways - Lanzhou-Urumqi High Speed Railway, Qinghai-Tibet Railway and Lanzhou-Xining Railway (Lanqing Railway) connecting it with other parts of China and places within Qinghai. Xining Railway Station is the railway hub, so train travelers usually get to Xining first and have a stopover in Xining. Specifically, you can take a high speed train to Xining of Qinghai from Lanzhou (1~1.5 hours), Zhangye (about 2 hours), Jiayuguan (3~3.5 hours), Xian (about 4.5 hours), Urumqi (9~10 hours), Chengdu, Taiyuan, etc., and or take the Qinghai Tibet train from Lhasa (about 21.5 hours), Golmud, Delingha and other stations along the rail.

>> All High Speed Trains to Xining / >> Xining to Lhasa Train Schedules
>> Xining Railway Station and Major Train Schedules

Get around Qinghai

The most common and efficient way to get around Qinghai is by land driving. The highways are well-paved with gorgeous landscape all the way. There are some long-distance coaches running between major tourist destinations, but it’s time-consuming and complicated with extra transfer.

China Discovery’ Private Transfer is the best way of getting around Qinghai, for we can pick you up from the airport/train station and escort you to every attraction by a safe, clean, comfortable, licensed private car. So you can focus on the sightseeing trip and fully enjoy the tour. If you like, our drive can stop to admire the scenery en route.

● Xining to Qinghai Lake: about 150 km, 2.5 hours’ drive
● Xining to Chaka Salt Lake: about 300 km, 4 hours’ drive
● Qinghai Lake to Chaka Salt Lake: about 150 km, 2.5 hours’ drive
● Xining to Kanbula National Forest Park: about 105 km, 1.5 hours’ drive
● Xining to Tongren: about 160 km, 2.5 hours’ drive
● Xining to Amne Machin Snow Mountain: about 440 km, 6.5 hours' drive

>> How to Get to Qinghai Lake
>> How to Get to Qinghai & Get around Qinghai

Qinghai Accommodation: Where to Stay

As a popular tourist region, Qinghai offers a variety of accommodation choices. Though located in northwest China, the accommodation of Qinghai has been greatly improved than you expected. It’s easy to find clean, comfortable places to stay during your Qinghai tour. Xining, as the capital city and transfer center, has the largest number of options, from luxury 5-star hotels (like Sofitel Xining, Wanda Realm Xining, Qinghai Yinlong Hotel...) to budget local hostel and guesthouses. If you just have a Qinghai Lake tour, or a Kanbula National Forest Park tour from Xining, it’s best to accommodate in Xining. If you extend trip to Chaka Salt Lake, Chaka Town is the recommended place to stay overnight. For those traveling from Xining to Tongren for an Amdo Tibetan culture exploration, you can accommodate in Tongren, but there are only some local hostels and the condition is simple and basic.

>> Places to Stay & Recommended Hotels in Xining
>> Where to Stay during a Qinghai Lake Tour
>> Recommended Accommoation Areas & Hotels in Qinghai

Qinghai Travel Maps

In order to help you clearly know the location of Qinghai, the top places to visit and the best way to transfer between major destinations, we have collected many useful Qinghai travel map in the following, including Qinghai China Map, Qinghai Attractions Map, Qinghai Lake Travel Map and so on. You can click overall Qinghai Maps, and Xining Maps, Qinghai Lake Maps to read more helps travel maps. They all are lately updated and free for download.

Qinghai Attractions Map

Qinghai Lake Travel Map

Other Popular Destinations in Western China

Though far away from the eastern and central developed cities, northwestern China is a beloved dream land for tourists to trace back to the ancient Silk Road and discover off-the-beaten-track landscape and experience the diverse minority culture. As one of the birthplace of many ancient Chinese civilizations, you can also find time-honored relics in this region. Here are four best places selected for you to enjoy the stunning plateau scenery, vast deserts and glorious culture and history, make a special, meaningful and memorable adventure. You can easily travel to these charming places from Xining. (Check all destinations in China.)

Dunhuang

Zhangye

Tibet

Xinjiang