Qinghai Road Trip
The Qinghai ring road: endless sea rape flowers, lush grasslands, Tibetan temples, and more.
Route 1 (10 days): Qinghai — Gansu — Qinghai
Day 1:
Xining 西宁 — Kanbula National Forest Park 坎布拉丹霞 — Guide 贵德县
Kanbula National Forest Park 坎布拉丹霞 (highlight)
The Kanbula area is famous for its unique sandstone Danxia landforms. Here you can find a dramatic view of flaming-red mountains mirrored on the turquoise waters of a reservoir created by the damming of the Yellow River. Drive past sleepy Tibetan villages and colourful prayer flags waving high on the wind. We got to play with baby yaks ‘parked’ outside of a Tibetan home.
Tibetan houses constructed with earth, stone and wood resembling a castle are commonly found here. This is the most representative residential Tibetan architecture. The inward-sloping walls provide extra stability in case of tremors and the walls built closely are next to hillside are vertical for stability. Castle-like house is not only good for taking shelter from the wind and cold, but also for defense.
This scenic area has abundant rainfall and a cool and moist climate, which explains the prolific evergreen forests; the forest coverage rate here is about 28%. Some of the tree species represented in Kanbula National Park are the Qinghai spruce, chinese pine, white birch, and various species of azaleas and honeysuckle. My guide mentioned that the red earth here is less nutritious compared to yellow or black soil (like the one in Indonesia) therefore the plant species here have thin and spiky leaves. But another source mentioned that the area is rich with wildflowers. Any plant expert out there? Regardless, the yellow barley and the green Tibetan highland barley 青稞 (which can be made into spirits, noodles even cookies) grow very healthily in this land.
It’s a very big park, so driving is ideal. The scenery is gorgeous right from the start, and changs dramatically seemingly every 30 mins — from mountainous grasslands, to leaves that are inexplicably autumn-colored and dense forest, to jagged, Zhangjiajie-esque mountains which then turns to the red rock mountains Kanbula was famous for and panoramic views of the lake down below.
For a fantastic perspective on the park and its simply beautiful greens, purples, sapphires and blues of the mountains, waters and sky over Kanbula, climb the long wooden steps up to the vast Big Buddha 大佛 Dàfó — a huge and unfinished peak-top statue at the end of the stairs. The views from here are simply knock-out.
Kanbula’s spectacular view was a great start of the trip. In addition, there was not a single park attendant or official who bothered us or asked for tickets and we found ourselves among very few other visitors to the park. Since the time of the visit was right after the pandemic when the park was supposedly close (fortunately it wasn’t), there was no entrance fee (otherwise it’s a whooping ¥250). Private cars can go into the park but may have to access through certain points only. And some scenic places may only be accessible on foot so figuring out the parking areas would be a must.
Note: Buddhist Meditation Caves in the Park
Buddhism here has a long history and this park is known for its meditation caves situated high above the park where monks and nuns silently retreat for periods of 2 months to 2 years eating only a simple diet with a singular bowl of rice per day. This is a ritual and discipline that is part of the practice of Tibetan Buddhism and is thought to help the practitioner release themselves from the attachments and distractions of the world. The hermitage caves are a short 45 minute hike up wooden steps just above the Aqiong Namzong Temple and are located on a 20 minute ride down a bumpy dirt road that leads off the main paved park road.
Guide National Geopark 贵德 (highlight)
Another multicoloured clay scenery of Danxia Canyon 丹霞峡谷 Dānxiá Xiágǔ, this geopark offers walking trails (instead of driving) among the red and orange hills that have eroded into otherworldly shapes.
Set against the contrasting blue Qinghai skies, this is a lovely spot to spend an afternoon wandering and taking photos, or exploring the peculiar geology of this part of the Tibetan Plateau. You can also hike up the Tongtianxia (通天峡) trail to the top of one of the peaks for views of the Yellow River.
There’s a museum with so-so signs and maps in English, and well-kept paths allow for easy access to the geological formations, making this a leisurely walk rather than a back-country hike. Admission includes a Chinese-speaking guide (which you can politely decline) and you can also save ¥20 by declining the tourist electric car 观光车 Guānguāng Chē (we took it and got a good video out of it).
Day 2
Guide 贵德县 — Kumbum Monastery 塔尔寺 — Qinghai Lake’s Erlangjian 青海湖二郎剑
From Kumbum Monastery to Qinghai Lake, you can: drive past a tunnel; or drive via Lajishan 拉脊山 (a mountain that resembles a spine, seen from above) – a seriously beautiful mountain pass that reaches 3820 meters in altitude.
Sunset at Tian E Hu 天鹅湖景区
If the weather permits, watch the sunset in the nearby Tian E Hu 天鹅湖景区. This spot is what gives Erlangjian its name. Due to its coastlines that protrude out into the lake, this point supposedly looks like a sword of a Chinese deity called Erlang. I can’t see it but I may lack imagination.
It was raining so we headed for a great dinner instead, which was finished with fresh yoghurt (yoghurt and milk in Qinghai are TO DIE FOR).
Tibetan Culture: Learn-Through-Practice
There are a couple of resting spots along the south part of Qinghai Lake: Erlangjian, Jiangxigou and Heimahe (closest to Chaka Salt Lake) but I decided on Erlangjian for the second time around simply because of the friendly faces and beautiful Tibetan-style inn I stayed the first time around. The inn is called 莫热塔院 – which I can help you book. It’s beautifully decorated with Tibetan artefacts and here, you can even colour your own thangka (Tibetan Buddhist painting with paint made out of ground mineral pigment) or make your own Tibetan perfume bag 香包 xiangbao.
Horse Riding
If you plan to ride horses along a short distance by the Qinghai lake, there’s a horseman based right around the corner from the hotel. Right next to his plot of land is a field of yellow rape flower (entry ¥10), burst with a sea of yellow in July. Further down next to this rape field is another flower farm locals call Sea of Flowers 花海 huahai (entry ¥40 yikes but I’m sure you can bargain this down to ¥20). Huahai is the only place around the Qinghai Lake where there is lavender so if you haven’t seen it, go ahead. I personally didn’t go in since it was always crowded apart from the early mornings.
Let me know if you plan to be horse-riding and I can give you this horseman’s Wechat. Otherwise, just stop by along the roads anywhere along Qinghai lake and bargain to ride any horse/yak. I’d also highly recommend buying melons if you see anyone selling them. FYI melon sellers come all the way from Gansu to sell their produce, most of them sleep overnight in their vans. On the other hand, bee farmers are most likely to come from Sichuan. They come in summer to let the bees feed on the blooming rape flowers, set up their tent, turning it into a home for the next 2–3 months, and by the end of summer, they move elsewhere or back to Sichuan.
Day 3
Qinghai Lake 青海湖 — Chaka Lake 茶卡盐湖－De Ling Ha 德令哈 －Keluhu Lake 可鲁克湖 (optional)－Da Chai Dan大柴但
Chaka Lake茶卡盐湖
Salt flat, like the one in Bolivia but pretty touristy. Plenty of accommodations here but quite expensive.
A friend showed me the photos she took with the professional photographer in Chaka Lake and I was pretty impressed by the quality. The rate she mentioned was ¥100 for 30 photos, which sounds reasonable but she was in a group so that could be a discounted rate. Wear red or white for best results.
Delingha 德令哈
Visit the alien site 外星人遗址 here. It is located in Baigong mountain, around 40 kilometers southwest of Delingha City. This apparently legendary alien site became famous when a huge 2000 meter diameter circle appeared overnight.
Optional:
Keluhu Lake 可鲁克湖
Baigong mountain is adjacent to Keluhu and Tuosu Lake in the north. These two lakes are called “Lover Lake”. There is an entry fee for Keluhu but the site isn’t large.
Day 4
Da Chai Dan 大柴但－Dachaidamu Lake 翡翠湖－Aksai Petroleum Town 阿克塞石油小镇－Sun Pass 阳关－Dun Huang 敦煌
Dachaidamu Lake 翡翠湖 Fei Cui Hu (highlight)
Only 20 minutes away from Da Chai Dan town, this salt marsh lake features strange shaped, emerald-coloured salt pond. No entry fee.
Akesai Oil Town 阿克塞石油小镇
It was once an oil town but ever since radioactive element was detected in the drinking water, this town became abandoned. Eventually the bus used in the 九层妖塔 movie set was left here and now people come here and take photo of it. Entry is ¥10.
Sun Pass 阳关
This Han dynasty military post was one of the two most important gates marking the end of Chinese empire along the ancient Silk Road. There is a small museum that chronicles some of the site’s artefacts but the real draw is the crumbling beacon tower atop the hill. From here, you can enjoy the vista of the surrounding Taklamakan Desert.
Entrance is ¥50 + ¥10 shuttle service (which you won’t need-the distance to the beacon tower is pretty short). You can also opt to ride a donkey cart for ¥40 or a camel for ¥50.
*Optional:
If you want to see more yardang structure (eroded stone structure) around Dachaidan, you can visit Nanbaxian 南八仙雅丹and Yardang on Water 水上雅丹, but there is no town in between, making the total driving time to/from Dachaidan town 8 hour long. Stay an extra night in Dachaidan if you are planning to see this. It can be exhausting and you’ll see more yardang later, so you can opt out of this.
Nanbaxian 南八仙雅丹
Eight female geologists came here in the 50’s, 60’s to conduct some study. They were caught in a sandstorm and never returned, hence the name: Eight Immortals. Free access.
Day 5 and 6: Dunhuang
Mogao Grottoes 莫高窟 (highlight)
This is the reason everyone comes to Dunhuang. Over a millennium old, Mogao contains what is considered one of the most important Buddhist art in the world. Tours by excellent English-speaking guides are available. Out of the 492 caves, 20 open caves are rotated fairly regularly.
Admission includes two 30-minute films: one on the history of the area; and another on the close-up of cave interiors which are no longer open to public.
There are two tickets available: ticket A and B. Ticket A gives you access to 8 caves and B to 4 caves, so definitely get ticket A. If you are a Chinese citizen, book tickets in advance. If you are a foreigner, you can buy tickets on the day (but come early around 7 or 8am, only 3000 A tickets are handed out daily during the limited access period of the pandemic). As a non-Chinese, I had no luck scoring tickets online despite advance planning.
If you are really into the history, I’d recommend paying extra for the Special Cave tickets which give you access to caves that aren’t usually open for public. There are only 50–100 given out in a day, so rest assured you will have a very personalised access to these caves.
You Jian Dun Huang 又见敦煌 (highlight)
Priced at ¥298, this immersive performance located right next to Mogao is really worth it. You are ushered from one room to the other as you travel back in time and watch the history of Dunhuang unfolds. All conversation is in Mandarin but the costume and set stage are incredible enough that you should watch it even if you don’t speak Mandarin!
Singing Sands Dune 鸣沙山 (highlight)
The desert meets the oasis here in the most spectacular fashion; at the base of the colossal dunes is a Crescent Moon Lake 月牙泉 Yue Ya Quan and a temple sitting in the vast emptiness of nothing.
The climb to the top of sand dune is sweaty but worth it. Some workers carried around 20 timber shipping-pallet-like sand-slides up the dunes, that’s real hardwork so be patient if they stop to catch a breath in their climb up.
Plenty of photo opportunities — lots of girls donned themselves in red and I must say, the red really pop in the photographs.
You can ride a camel but photographing the camel riders trails snaking along the sand dune was far more rewarding for me. Wear boot-style hiking shoes or rent the orange shoe protector if you’d like to get as little sand in your footwear as possible. Tickets are good for 3 day entries, but scan your face on the way out.
Note: Some hotels/hostels offer a desert-camping experience on another side of the dune. Do this on a clear day so you can see the Milky Way. Let me know if you are interested, I have a wechat of someone who can organise this for you.
Dunhuang Night Market
Touristy but fun.
Dunhuang Museum
Free and comprehensive.
Dunhuang Old Town
Abandoned old town. Good for photos
Eat in Dunhuang (highlight)
- The sultanas/dried grapes here are HUGE and SWEET so buy buy buy.
- The sweet sweet melon you would’ve seen being sold all along Qinghai lake.
- Apricot (incredibly sweet and juicy here, I love it and I don’t usually like apricot) and apricot juice.
- 油糕 from 泡儿油糕. This light-airy sweet goodness made of white sugar, brown sugar, sesame and flour is a God’s gift.
- 羊肉合汁 from 夏家合汁. This is basically lamb broth with different toppings, which you can have with a 摸 mo (Chinese flat bread resembling pita bread). I think the bread makes a bit too much carbs but no judgement.
- The lamb. OK, I also don’t usually like lamb but Gansu has made me question what I like/don’t like and that’s what travel is about no?
*Fruit seasons in West China:
June: Apricots (xingzi), plums (meizi) and mulberries (sangshu);
August: Melons (gua) in July; peaches (taozi), figs (wuhuaguo) and grapes (putao);
September: Pomegranates (shiliu), apples (pingguo) and pears (lizi).
Optional:
If you want to see more yardang structure around Dunhuang, you can visit Yadan National Park 雅丹国家地址公园. Located 180km northwest of Dunhuang, it features a weird, eroded desert landscape in the middle of the Gobi Desert. The ¥120 entry ticket includes group minibuses for photostops (to preserve the natural surrounds). The desert landscape here is apparently dramatic. On the way, you can stop by Jade Gate Pass 玉门关 yu men guan, the beginning of the northern route to Turpan which formed part of the Han dynasty series of beacon towers with Sun Pass.
Day 7
Dun Huang 敦煌 － Giant Baby Sculpture 雕塑大地之子 － Yulin Grottoes 榆林窟－Weijin Tombs 新城魏晋壁画幕－Jiayuguan 嘉峪关 －Zhangye Landorm 张掖七彩丹
Giant Baby Sculpture
On the way to Yulin Grottoes, you won’t miss a giant sleeping baby sculpture on display on the Gobi Desert in Guazhou county.
Yulin Grottoes 榆林窟 (highlight)
While smaller than Dunhuang (40 caves), I personally think Yulin is much more enjoyable to visit. The arrival scene is dramatic as you approach the site from the top of the cliff and descend down the canyon to meet your guide and access the caves. Like Mogao, access is only available with guides (no wandering around by yourself or loitering). English guide is available.
Access is only available to the caves on one side as the caves on the opposite side (which sits lower and much closer to the river) have been extensively damaged by floods. While the art of the Mago Grottoes is considered higher quality, the frescoes here are much, much better preserved. The normal ¥55 ticket (¥40 for Chinese citizens) grants you access to 4 designated caves. In addition, I purchased the ¥550 special ticket to access 4 more special (limited access) caves. I was the only non-Chinese who purchased the special ticket so I had the guide all to myself and the liberty to ask the silliest questions. We also spent much longer time in each cave.
Weijin Tombs 新城魏晋壁画幕
Tombs dated from AD220–420 which feature extraordinarily fresh brick wall paintings depicting scenes of everyday life. There are thousands of tombs in the desert 20km east of Jiayuguan, but only one is currently open to visitors, that of a husband and wife. Entry is ¥35.
From here, you can also visit the nearby Yemawan Cun 野麻湾村, the crumbling remains of a former walled village about 10km from the tombs.
Note: On the way from Dunhuang to Yulinku, I visited Western Jin Tomb 西晋壁画幕 which had 2 tombs open instead of one, the artworks have not been recoloured/restored like the one in Weijin but the shapes are still quite vivid. The drive was interesting since you could spot the local villagers’ sand burial grounds.
Jiayuguan 嘉峪关
Jiayuguan marks a symbollic end of the Great Wall, the western gateway of China proper. The Ming dynasty fort erected here in 1372 was one of the defining points of the Silk Road. A classic image of western China is conjured up here with the fort standing erect with the snowcapped Qilian and Heishan peaks in the background. The ¥120 ticket grants you access to the Overhanging Great Wall and the Jiayuguan Museum of the Great Wall.
Day 8
Jiayuguan 嘉峪关 －Zhangye Danxia 张掖七彩丹#
Zhangye Danxia 张掖七彩丹 (highlight)
This ‘rainbow mountains’ lunar landscape is the result of sandstone and mineral deposits that have eroded into odd shapes over the course of millennia. Great for photographers, but you commute by bus from one viewing spot to another. Walking between spots wasn’t allowed.
The colours are most vivid during sunset but you can also come for sunrise. I came for sunset first, then returned for sunrise the day after — and only needed to pay for entry tickets once (if you enter before 9am on the second day) but the ¥20 bus tickets twice. Viewing spot 4 is the best to capture the colourful mountains, but it is also the most crowded.
During the day, it’s way too hot in the national park (there isn’t a single tree) so you can visit Zhangye town instead. Bear in mind that the national park is a good 40km from the town.
If you want to elevate this experience, hot air balloon and helicopter are available for a birds’ eye view of Zhangye Danxia national park. In my opinion, the hot air balloon is grossly overpriced so the helicopter may offer a better value for money.
Zhangye Impression
I didn’t have the time to watch this show but Impression shows are usually worth watching — high production value and sometimes directed by Zhang Yimo. It does start at 9pm so you’ll have to rush after watching the sunset at Danxia.
Optional:
Matisi 马蹄寺
65km north of Zhangye lies a Buddhist grottoes carved into the cliff sides in the foothills of the grand Qilian Mountains. Great to hike on a clear day — there is a 5 hour loop through pine forests and talus fields to the Lin Song Waterfall and back down past Sword Split Stone.
Day 9
Zhangye Danxia 张掖七彩丹－ Bian Dou Kou 扁都口－祁连草原 Qilian Grassland－Men Yuan Rapeseed Flower 门源油菜花－Panoramic View of Dafan Mountain 达坂山远观－Xi Ning 西宁
Bian Dou Kou 扁都口
Historically a place where travelers from Qinghai entered Gansu, but is now a rolling hill of rapeseed flower. No entrance fee, just drive and stop whereever you like.
Qilian Grassland 祁连草原
Touted as one of the most beautiful grassland. There is no entrance fee, but walk 15–20 mins away from the entrance to feel like the whole place belong to you (and the hundreds of sheep and yaks).
Men Yuan Rapeseed Flower 门源油菜花
Millions of rapeseed flower on the hills here. The view from the top of the hill is slightly disappointing due to the newly erected hotels and restaurants right by the entrance. There is a glass viewing platform and zip-line ride which allows you to ‘fly’ on top of the canola flowers. Entrance is ¥60.
View of Dafan Mountain 达坂山远观
A panoramic view of rapeseed flower field with Dafan mountain in the background. No entrance fee.
Optional:
Ma Dan Huang Jia horse market 山丹皇家马场景区
The biggest horse market in China. Unsure of operational hours during the pandemic.
Route 2 (4–5 days)
Do day 1 and day 2 as per the itinerary above and continue with the following route:
Day 3
Qinghai Lake 青海湖 — Garina Monastery 尕日纳寺院 — Huangyu Jia Yuan 皇鱼家园 —
Garina Monastery 尕日纳寺院 (highlight)
A headland guarded by a Tibetan monastery. This spot is not an established sightseeing spot but regardless, a monk came up to us to collect ¥10 entry Wechat payment.
The dramatic view of the wetland here really made this spot one of the top highlights of this trip. The map app doesn’t even have this location listed so message me for an estimated pin drop location.
Huangyu Jia Yuan 皇鱼家园
There is a fish called huangyu 皇鱼 (literally translates to emperor fish) unique to Qinghai Lake which apparently only grows 1cm a year, despite how much it eats. It is now a protected species due to its popularity. And this spot is where all ‘emperor fish’ will pass to get to the Qinghai Lake to lay its eggs.
So the government built this Tibetan ‘theme park’ to protect access to this stream and I guess make some income. Apart from the faux-Tibetan architecture and gigantic golden huangyu sculpture, there isn’t much here. We were supposed to have lunch here under the Tibetan tent as someone prepared the dishes right in front of us, but since we arrived too late (lunch at 5pm anyone?), this service was no longer available. If you are pressed for time/not that interested, you can skip this and head straight to the next destination.
Day 4
Day 4：Qilian grassland 祁连大草原— Gangshenka snow peak 岗什卡雪峰 — Menyuan Rapeseed Flower 门源油菜花景区 — Xining 西宁
Route 3:
From Kanbula, drive 2.5 hours south to Tongren 同仁 to see Rebkong Longwu Monastery. Then drive from Tongren to Xunhua 循化 to check out the Salar minority areas and stopped at a monastery commemorating the 10th Panchen Lama just outside of Xunhua. The drive from Tongren to Xunhua is apparently absolutely gorgeous. If you know Turkish, you would be fascinated by how much commonalities the language has with the Salar language.
From here you can drive back to Xining or continue all the way to Labrang Monastery, which offers plenty of Tibetan culture and beautiful hikes, along with the rest of Gan Nan 甘南 in Gansu province.
This post is part of the Life in China series.1. China Survival Guide
Apps that will make your Chinese experience a whole lot better2. China Through Films
Cinematic trips into the voyage of the breathtaking world of traditional and contemporary China, and whatever lies in between.3. Lijiang, The Gateway to Shangrila
For centuries, Li Jiang was a federation of closely-knit villages. Don't miss these 3 villages for a glimpse of old LijiangI hope they will help you begin to understand this mind-boggling country.
