[2025 Delingha Attraction] Travel guide for Tuosu Lake (updated Dec)

A secret realm accidentally discovered while driving in Qinghai! At the end of the road, a stretch of blue suddenly unfolds, like the sky crushed and scattered across the Gobi 💎 The lake water is a clear Tiffany blue, and the white salt flats on the shore look like natural cream edges. Walking on them makes a crunching sound, and the wind carries a salty sense of freedom~ 📸 Photo tips: ① Wear light-colored dresses, they match perfectly with the blue and white background ② After 4 PM, the light is soft, perfect for photos without backlight ③ The salt flats can be slippery, so it’s recommended to wear non-slip shoes Location: Tosu Lake, Haixi, Qinghai 🚗 Transportation: Self-driving or chartered cars are recommended; the scenery along the way is stunning ⚠️ Note: UV rays are strong, be sure to apply sunscreen! You could daydream here all afternoon without getting bored, feeling like all your worries are washed away by the lake water~

👉 Hala Lake | An ecological classroom on the wilderness 📍 Location: Along the route from Tianjun County to Delingha, Haixi Prefecture 🚐 Set off with a local convoy to safely cross the uninhabited area. Kids can observe Tibetan antelopes up close and experience the charm of the plateau ecology. ⚠️ Remember: Having a professional guide is key; self-driving risks getting stuck and there is no signal. 👉 Baishu Mountain | A private camping and stargazing base 📍 Location: 10 km north of Delingha 🏕️ Charter a car directly to the starry sky campsite to avoid the fatigue of hiking. The campsite is quiet with few people; during the day, the blue sky is within reach, and at night, the Milky Way is right above your tent. 👨‍👩‍👧 Suitable for light family camping, letting kids experience the fun of nature. 👉 Tosu Lake | A lake adventure full of sci-fi vibes 📍 Set navigation to: Alien Ruins direction 🌊 The lake surface is like a mirror, full of mysterious legends. Get real-time opening information from the charter driver to avoid wasted trips. 🚗 Route: Lianhu Town → Keluke Town, with unique Gobi scenery along the way, perfect for teaching kids geography. 👉 Keluke Lake | A fairy tale world of migratory birds and reeds 📍 Location: 40 km southwest of Delingha 🕊️ In the early morning, the lake is filled with flocks of migratory birds; from September to October, the reed flowers fill the sky, forming a golden one-day tour route with Tosu Lake. 🎫 Off-season tickets are only 5 yuan, low-key and less crowded but highly photogenic.

👉 Hala Lake | A wildlife paradise deep in the plateau 📍 Location: Northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 🚗 Recommended route: Tianjun County → Hala Lake → Baishu Mountain → Delingha The first half of the road is smooth, reaching Hala Lake by noon. Starting from Delingha, the route through the checkpoint is unobstructed; personally tested and reliable! ⚠️ Note: Hala Lake is an uninhabited area where Tibetan antelopes and other animals frequently appear. You must hire a local guide with a car! The plateau road conditions are complex, and self-driving carries high risks. 👉 Baishu Mountain | Delingha's backyard stargazing campsite 📍 Location: 10 kilometers north of Delingha city ⛰️ Hiring a car can take you deep into the scenic area; drivers and managers are familiar with the area, saving hiking distance. If self-driving, you can only park at the free outer parking lot and must hike at high altitude. 🌌 The mountaintop stargazing campsite allows camping, with few people and beautiful scenery. The Milky Way is clearly visible at night, perfect for quietly observing nature with children. 👉 Tosso Lake | Mysterious "Alien Lake" adventure guide 📍 Navigation setting: Tosso Lake / Alien Ruins 🚙 Route passes through Lianhu Town → Keluke Town; it is recommended to check local opening status before departure. ❗️ The terrain here is special; strongly recommend hiring a car to avoid getting lost or restricted when self-driving. 👉 Keluke Lake | The "Pearl Tear" in the Gobi Desert 📍 Location: 40 kilometers southwest of Delingha city (navigate to "Keluke Lake") 🌅 Best for birdwatching at dawn; in autumn, the reed flowers look like snow. Combining with Tosso Lake makes for a more efficient trip. 🎫 Tickets: 20 RMB in peak season / 5 RMB in off-season, a highly cost-effective family check-in spot.

Here comes the 9-day Northwest Grand Loop travel guide! A super detailed itinerary compiled with tears～✨ 🚗Day 1: Kushuizhen Danxia Self-driving Camp, Yongdeng County ✨The first stop lets you experience the wonders of nature! The camp is about 1.5 hours' drive from Lanzhou, self-driving is recommended～ 🚗Day 2: 📍Wanda Meihua Hotel, Hailu New District, Xining → 📍Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum (Ticket 60💰, opens at 9:00) → 📍Ta'er Monastery (Sacred site of Tibetan Buddhism) → 📍Cangyang Gyatso Cultural Square → 📍Fairy Bay at Qinghai Lake (Stunning sunset🌅) → 📍Haizi Poetry Museum (A must-visit for literary youth📖) 🚗Day 3: Depart from Delingha → 📍Keluke Lake (Free!) → 📍Toson Lake (Alien site) → 📍Chaka Salt Lake (China’s largest salt lake🌊) → 📍Yadan Landform (Great for photos📸) → 📍Nanbaxian Devil City (Full of mystery🈵) 🚗Day 4: 📍Emerald Lake (Ticket 50💰) → 📍Mars No.1 Highway (Crossing the no-man’s land🚙) → 📍Heidu Mountain (Looks like the moon surface🌑) → 📍Aksai Film Base (Filming location of "Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe"🎬) 🚗Day 5: 📍Mogao Caves (Book in advance🎫) → 📍Son of the Earth (Giant sculpture👶) → 📍Jiayuguan Fortress (The First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven🏯) → Overnight at All Seasons Hotel (Jiayuguan City Government Branch) 🚗Day 6: 📍Barsi Snow Mountain (Hidden gem🏔️) → 📍Binggou Danxia (Less crowded than Rainbow Danxia!) → 📍Zhangye Alien Valley (Super magical landform👽) 🚗Day 7: 📍Shandan Military Horse Farm (Asia’s largest🐎) → 📍Biandukou (Sea of rapeseed flowers🌼) → 📍Ebao Ancient City (Full of historical vibes🏰) 🚗Day 8: 📍Zhuo'er Mountain (The Little Switzerland of the East🇨🇭) → 📍Qilian Mountain Grassland (Horse riding fun🏇) → 📍Qinghai Provincial Museum (Free admission📜) 🚗Day 9: Yangtze International Hotel, Xining → Return home✈️ 🌄Top Must-Visit Attractions: 1️⃣ Ta'er Monastery ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 2️⃣ Qinghai Lake ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 3️⃣ Mogao Caves ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4️⃣ Chaka Salt Lake ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5️⃣ Jiayuguan ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⚠️Travel Tips: ✔️Big temperature difference in August, bring sun protection + warm clothes ✔️Book Mogao Caves tickets in advance ✔️Wear waterproof shoe covers at the salt lake ✔️Self-driving is recommended in convoy ✔️Prepare medication for altitude sickness

Explore hidden gems. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Climb to the top of Yadan Mountain and see the blue sky and the green lake meet. When you can't see the end, you will be full of awe for nature again.

"Facing the sea, spring flowers are blooming" reminds countless people of Haizi. Because of his song “Sister, I’m in Delingha tonight”, countless people remembered this small town. Put on your bag and let's go see Delingha 【Haizi Poetry Exhibition Hall and Haizi Poetry Stele Forest】 When Haizi passed through Delingha, he wrote the poem "Sister, I am in Delingha tonight", which is one of the most famous literary reflections of this city. [Bayin River] Emerald Bayin, the colorful stones on the river beach, is called Bayin River, the mother river of Delingha. 【Photovoltaic power station】 Entering Delingha City, a light tower as dazzling as the sun shines on the city and the Gobi Desert. This is China's first circularly distributed solar photovoltaic power station, which looks spectacular from the air. [Cypress Mountain] A large mountain in the north of Delingha, the mountain is full of cypress trees and the highest altitude is over 4,000 meters. To the west is the mother river of Delingha - the Bayin River. The Qinghai spruce is known as a "national treasure" and the entire city of Delingha can overlook the Cypress Mountain. [Lover's Lake] About 50 kilometers away from Delingha, there are two lakes, "Koruk Lake" and "Tosu Lake", one salty and one fresh, which are connected by the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. But Ruk Lake is a freshwater lake with clear water and calm surface, while Tosu Lake is an inland saltwater lake on the plateau with few aquatic plants and animals and is surrounded by Gobi. 【Alien Ruins】 On the south bank of Lake Tosu, the yellow-gray cliff is 60 meters high and looks like a pyramid. In the triangular cave in front of the mountain, more than ten iron pipes pass through the mountain. The pipe walls are completely consistent with the rocks, and the pipes seem to be directly inserted into the rocks. But from the perspective of the geological time scale, the Tertiary Period is 23 million years ago, while local human activities are only 30,000 years old. 30,000 years ago, it was impossible for humans to produce iron pipes. This mystery has not been answered yet, so the theory of alien ruins came into being. When I set foot on this land, I understood the meaning of this trip. This is a place that people yearn for and believe in.

In fact, the so-called alien base is the remains of carbonized wood, and CCTV China Geography also has a special introduction. Due to the sparse population, driving on the semi-circular lake road is very comfortable and the scenery is also nice, with blue sky, blue lake and yellow sand.

Tosu Lake and the northern Kruk Lake are a pair of twin lakes, which are called 'Lover's Lake' or 'Dalan Lake'. The characteristics of these two lakes are that one is a freshwater lake and the other is a saltwater lake, which is quite magical. The color of Tosu Lake is also different, giving people a special aesthetic. Because Tosu Lake has not been developed, tourists can enjoy the original natural scenery and feel the mystery and beauty of nature. The altitude here is moderate, the light is sufficient, and it is one of the best places to watch the starry sky in summer. For tourists who like adventure and pursue the original natural scenery, Tosu Lake is a hidden gem that cannot be missed.

Located in Huaitoutala Town, Delingha City, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province, Tuosu Lake boasts a vast expanse and unobstructed shoreline. When the weather is calm, the lake's vast expanse, with the sky and water blending into one, is a breathtaking spectacle. When the weather is stormy, the lake surges, with splashing waves and the sound of waves crashing against the shore, a truly breathtaking sight.

Legend has it that a man named Tossin fell in love with a daughter of a prince, Krok. Wang said that Toshisu had to go to the far side of Qaidam to bring a bag of salt back. Tossin was back in the Gobi. Krok was also worried about going to the Gobi, but when he found Tossin in the desert, Crook was exhausted. The two clasped their hands and died in the desert. Later, Crook's long-sleeved place formed a clear green, small and exquisite freshwater lake. The place where the Tosu rested formed a vast lagoon, which was said to have formed due to the salt-dissolving of the Tusu back. Today, they are all together. Beautiful and legendary. Like the huge mirrors shining on both sides, it is set between the vast Gobi and the vast grasslands.