Huangyuan Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Apr)

Riyue Mountain as frozen Winter Dreamland

Most posts show Qinghai province during summer but also the late winter creates a beautiful countryside. While the lakes are frozen, you can enjoy still the monasteries, temples and mountains partially covered in snow. Riyue Mountain is beautiful during late winter days with a mixture of snow and awakening nature. Almost no tourists will come this way but you can do small hiking tour from top to top of each grass hill. Put your warm clothes on and don’t forget sun protection then you will be ready to spend some good time there without having many other people there. #winter #mountaintop #mountainhike

Sun and Moon Mountain-Nyima Dawa La (Tibetan)

1. Riyue Mountain Address - Huangyuan County, Xining, Qinghai Provinve, China Highlights - Princess Wencheng statue , Temple, Museum Rating - 4star The legendary story behind this geographic travel spot is the relationship between Han-Chinese princess Wencheng and Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo from 7th century. On her way to marry the king, the queen looked into a magic mirror with a sun-moon design to see her future family. But unfortunately, she only sees herself in the mirror. Out of agony, she breaks the mirror and the Daotang River flowing in unusual east to west direction, originates from her tears. #thisischina

The Christmas Eve platter performance in Xining is here!

Time: Sunday, 2023/12/24 20:00 Venue: Qinghai Grand Theatre - Art Lecture Hall Who says there's no Christmas atmosphere in the great Northwest? Here it comes, the Xining Spring Wave Island, Gua, and Mimi Dream Band concert! Besides watching the performance on Christmas, take advantage of the weekend to check out the local attractions in Xining! 1. Ta'er Monastery Ta'er Monastery is located in Huangzhong County, Xining, with a history of over 400 years. It is one of the important monasteries of the Gelug school (Yellow Sect) of Tibetan Buddhism and the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Yellow Sect. The monastery's architecture is magnificent, its treasures are abundant, and it offers a strong religious atmosphere, making it one of the more popular tourist destinations in Xining. 2. Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum The Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum is a comprehensive museum with a theme of Tibetan medicine and culture. It houses 16 exhibition halls, including the Silk Road and Qinghai-Tibetan Civilization, Panorama of Chinese Tibetan Art Paintings, History of Tibetan Medicine, etc. It treasures the Guinness World Record-holding Thangka masterpiece - 'Panorama of Chinese Tibetan Art Paintings', which is 618 meters long. Planned by the renowned Thangka master Zongzhe Lajie, it was completed by 400 painters over 4 years. The content encompasses the Tibetan understanding of the universe, the formation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, history, religion, medicine, culture, art, and folklore. The painting is detailed and colorful, a grand spectacle, and is known as a 'contemporary national treasure' and an encyclopedia of Tibetan culture. 3. Riyue Mountain Riyue Mountain is located on the way from Huangyuan to Qinghai Lake and is also a necessary route to Tibet. Legend has it that when Princess Wencheng entered Tibet, she broke the stone mirror that could not reflect her hometown into two pieces, the sun and the moon, hence the name Riyue Mountain. On both sides of the Riyue Mountain pass, there is a small peak with the Sun Pavilion and the Moon Pavilion, two iconic buildings.

Qinghai Travel Guide: 5 Days 4 Nights, take you on a whirlwind tour of Qinghai!

Qinghai Five-Day Tour Guide🎈is here The scenery is really too beautiful!! Day1️⃣ Arrive in Xining—Mo Street/Xin Qian Night Market Day2️⃣ Riyue Mountain (🎫Ticket 40💰) 8:00-17:00—Qinghai Lake (Erlang Sword Scenic Area🎫Ticket 90💰) 8:00-18:00 Day3️⃣ Chaka Salt Lake (🎫Ticket 60💰) 7:00-19:00—Zhuoer Mountain 7:00-20:00 (🎫Ticket 60💰) Day4️⃣ Qilian Mountain Grassland—Zhangye Danxia National Geopark (🎫Ticket 75💰) 6:30-18:00 Day5️⃣ Menyuan Rapeseed Flowers 📌Important Notes: 1. Qinghai is at a high altitude, you may experience mild altitude sickness upon arrival, avoid strenuous exercise 2. Take sun protection measures, the ultraviolet rays are strong 3. There is a big temperature difference between morning and evening, remember to bring warm clothes 4. Make sure to book hotels and homestays in advance during peak season 🤩Qinghai is really too beautiful, girls let's go!

Biggest salt water lake in China

Qinghai Lake, nestled in China's Qinghai Province, is the largest saltwater lake in East Asia, covering approximately 4,600 square kilometers. Its beauty lies in its serene, azure waters and the surrounding Tibetan Plateau's majestic landscapes. At an elevation of 3,205 meters, the lake is a vital ecological hotspot, home to diverse avian species and unique aquatic life. The lake holds cultural significance for Tibetans and the local Tibetan-Qiang people. It's a site for various religious ceremonies and festivals. However, environmental concerns, like shrinking water levels due to climate change and pollution, pose significant challenges to its preservation. Conservation efforts are underway to safeguard this remarkable natural treasure. #timetotravel #China #nature

Turquoise Eye of Qinghai Province

Tibetan plateau AKA "Roof of the World" is the highest in the world and Qinghai lake (青海湖) is the largest saltwater lake in China. 🌊Have you noticed that we're speaking in superlatives? It's not a coincidence. Qinghai lake (青海湖) definitely deserves to be be called the sea of the West due to its size, vastness, and the fact that it resembles a sea in certain aspects. It's a saline waters boasts incredible variety of wildlife at an altitude of 3205m. "On the plateau's crest, a jewel so grand, Qinghai Lake's waters stretch across the land. Azure skies embrace its tranquil face, A mirror of nature's serene embrace." 😍 Tips and tricks: If you want to visit Qinghai lake without any tour operators or rental cars you can easily get there from the Xining bus station (西宁汽车客运中心站). Several buses go to Qinghaihu (hu = lake) every day starting from 8AM. 🚌The drop off location is called 青海湖国家重点风景名胜区. That's the closest scenic area to the Xining city. One way ticket costs 60RMB. 💸The bus will wait for the passengers at the scenic area's parking lot for around 3 hours before heading back to the Xining bus station. To make sure you have a seat you can buy round way tickets at the Xining bus station. Total cost will be 120RMB per person. 🙃 #summerbreak #SpinTheWorld #qinghailake #xining #summervacation

Qinghai lake - the biggest in China

Only taking into consideration that it's the biggest, it's worth visiting. Yet I think Scenic area tickets are overpriced. There's not much to do in the area apart from taking pictures, riding a boat (3 types, start from 100yuan) and feeding seagulls. Still it's worth visiting, though it feels much much better if you drive a car in Qinghai (we took a shared taxi from Xining to Qinghai lake) and overall had pretty much headache with transportation in this province. Almost all the wild areas around are privately owned and you need to pay to enter (or, say, ride a horse, 200yuan per 3km round-trip to the lake🙄). This numerous fences and herds of tourists made it difficult for me to fully enjoy the beauty of the lake and surrounding landscapes (I just ran into the mountains 😂) . Also it was pretty hard to find a hotel accommodating foreigners (beginning of August). Only Chinese food (quite pricey) Still it was a great trip, I'd like to come back driving a car😁 #qinghai #qinghailake

The Beautiful Qinghai Lake

We couldn’t believe our eyes when we first saw Qinghai Lake. We were cycling down from the main road, through fields of grass and bright yellow rapeseed flowers when we first caught a glimpse of the blue water. For a split second, we forgot where we were and thought we had somehow made it to the sea! #mytripvlog

Qinghai Small Loop

🚗🚗🚗Travel Route: Day1: Caojiabao Airport→Ta'er Monastery→Riyue Mountain Day2: Qinghai Lake Erlang Sword Scenic Area→Chaka Salt Lake→Gangcha Fan Domain Tibetan City Linka Hotel Day3: Binggou Forest Sea→Zhuoer Mountain Day4: Qilian Grassland→Gangshika Snow Peak→Gangshika Rainbow Icefall→Caojiabao Airport Transportation: 4 days to walk the small loop is enough, we see the scenery during the day, rush the road from 7-11 pm, the road conditions in Qinghai are quite good, but most of them are two-way two-lane, many large vehicles, sometimes need to overtake. After dark, 80% of the road sections have no street lights, all rely on car headlights for lighting. Fortunately, both of our cars have a driving age of over 15 years, and we have some experience in off-road and night driving. It is not recommended for babies with a driving age of less than 10 years. In addition, it is recommended to use turbocharged vehicles in the plateau area, because the oxygen is thin, the naturally aspirated engine will be underpowered, and the performance of climbing and overtaking is not good. Mid-September weather: around 4-15, the daytime temperature is around 12, the temperature is similar to the early winter in Shenzhen, storm jacket, knitwear, and thin down jacket, jeans, storm pants Environment: The average altitude of Qinghai Province is above 3000, and the altitude of the passing points is Ta'er Monastery 2600-Riyue Mountain 3520-Qinghai Lake 3200-Chaka Salt Lake 3061-Zhuoer Mountain 3100-Gangshika Rainbow Ice Glacier Waterfall 4100-Qilian Grassland 3200, you must do what you can when you are active on the plateau, do not do vigorous exercise, do not run and jump, if you have chest tightness, headache, you must speak up in time. Religion: Qinghai is the main settlement of Tibetans, Mongolians, and Hui people. All temples can be photographed outside, but not inside. Some exhibition halls can, pay attention to on-site prompts. Tibetan compatriots can peek at the long heads, do not stare or confront, and the prayer wheels are pushed in a clockwise direction. In short, maintain national unity, full of courtesy, I have the world haha. Travel is the experience of life, not the punch card of sightseeing. Come, let me show you the highlights of each scenic spot. Ta'er Monastery: One person, three unique, eight towers One person (the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism), three unique (butter flowers, murals, pile embroidery), eight towers (record the important events of Buddha's life). Riyue Mountain: Princess, mirror, dividing line Princess (the last stop of Princess Wencheng's marriage to Tibet in the Tang Dynasty), mirror (the origin of Riyue Mountain, the mirror in Princess Wencheng's arms was broken into two pieces), dividing line (it is the dividing line between the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the dividing line between farming and nomadic). Qinghai Lake: Saltwater lake, Huang fish, Cangyang Gyatso Saltwater lake (the largest inland saltwater lake), Huang fish (the Huang fish of Qinghai Lake from June to October every year, desperately return to the freshwater river to spawn), Cangyang Gyatso (the end point of the sixth Dalai Lama in the world, one version is 23 years old He died of illness by Qinghai Lake, and another version disappeared by Qinghai Lake and died in his hometown at the age of 62). Chaka Salt Lake: The smallest, salt sculpture, mirror of the sky The smallest (Chaka Salt Lake is the smallest of the four major salt lakes in the Qaidam Basin), salt sculpture (there are large outdoor salt sculptures next to the salt lake, which is very shocking), the mirror of the sky (because the white salt is the bottom and the water surface is the mirror, it can perfectly reflect the snow mountain white cloud). Zhuoer Mountain: Queen, lover Queen (because the mountain is a Danxia landform showing bright red, Zhuoer Mountain is also called the Red Queen), lover (the Qilian Mountain Mountain God Ami Dongso-Niu Xinshan across the river from Zhuoer Mountain, it is said to be the original form of the Dragon God Princess of Zhuoer Mountain Lover, because of parental opposition, the princess finally turned into Zhuoer Mountain to wait for her lover). Gangshika Snow Peak: Icefall, Snow Peak Icefall (After snowing, icefalls will form on the slope. Due to the different colors of the gravel on the mountain, different colors will be presented. Unfortunately, it cannot be seen in September, probably after November), Snow Peak (It is said to be one of the filming locations of 'The Climber', at an altitude of 3806 meters. You can clearly see the looming snow cap).

The ice ditch forest sea is very close to where I live. Although it is bright and sunny, the air is cool and pleasant, the original jungle is lush, without any artificial traces. The sliced Qinghai pine and shrub grass surround the Binggou River/ Hh/forest shades the sun, clear springs, if you like quiet, the ice ditch forest is the perfect place to escape the crowd ice gully turbulence, the forest is strange. The ice ditch scenic area is like a piece of emerald, embedded in the mountains.

Qinghai Small Loop

🚗🚗🚗Travel Route: Day1: Caojiabao Airport→Ta'er Monastery→Riyue Mountain Day2: Qinghai Lake Erlang Sword Scenic Area→Chaka Salt Lake→Gangcha Fan Domain Tibetan City Linka Hotel Day3: Binggou Forest Sea→Zhuoer Mountain Day4: Qilian Grassland→Gangshika Snow Peak→Gangshika Rainbow Icefall→Caojiabao Airport Transportation: 4 days to walk the small loop is enough, we see the scenery during the day, rush the road from 7-11 pm, the road conditions in Qinghai are quite good, but most of them are two-way two-lane, many large vehicles, sometimes need to overtake. After dark, 80% of the road sections have no street lights, all rely on car headlights for lighting. Fortunately, both of our cars have a driving age of over 15 years, and we have some experience in off-road and night driving. It is not recommended for babies with a driving age of less than 10 years. In addition, it is recommended to use turbocharged vehicles in the plateau area, because the oxygen is thin, the naturally aspirated engine will be underpowered, and the performance of climbing and overtaking is not good. Mid-September weather: around 4-15, the daytime temperature is around 12, the temperature is similar to the early winter in Shenzhen, storm jacket, knitwear, and thin down jacket, jeans, storm pants Environment: The average altitude of Qinghai Province is above 3000, and the altitude of the passing points is Ta'er Monastery 2600-Riyue Mountain 3520-Qinghai Lake 3200-Chaka Salt Lake 3061-Zhuoer Mountain 3100-Gangshika Rainbow Ice Glacier Waterfall 4100-Qilian Grassland 3200, you must do what you can when you are active on the plateau, do not do vigorous exercise, do not run and jump, if you have chest tightness, headache, you must speak up in time. Religion: Qinghai is the main settlement of Tibetans, Mongolians, and Hui people. All temples can be photographed outside, but not inside. Some exhibition halls can, pay attention to on-site prompts. Tibetan compatriots can peek at the long heads, do not stare or confront, and the prayer wheels are pushed in a clockwise direction. In short, maintain national unity, full of courtesy, I have the world haha. Travel is the experience of life, not the punch card of sightseeing. Come, let me show you the highlights of each scenic spot. Ta'er Monastery: One person, three unique, eight towers One person (the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism), three unique (butter flowers, murals, pile embroidery), eight towers (record the important events of Buddha's life). Riyue Mountain: Princess, mirror, dividing line Princess (the last stop of Princess Wencheng's marriage to Tibet in the Tang Dynasty), mirror (the origin of Riyue Mountain, the mirror in Princess Wencheng's arms was broken into two pieces), dividing line (it is the dividing line between the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the dividing line between farming and nomadic). Qinghai Lake: Saltwater lake, Huang fish, Cangyang Gyatso Saltwater lake (the largest inland saltwater lake), Huang fish (the Huang fish of Qinghai Lake from June to October every year, desperately return to the freshwater river to spawn), Cangyang Gyatso (the end point of the sixth Dalai Lama in the world, one version is 23 years old He died of illness by Qinghai Lake, and another version disappeared by Qinghai Lake and died in his hometown at the age of 62). Chaka Salt Lake: The smallest, salt sculpture, mirror of the sky The smallest (Chaka Salt Lake is the smallest of the four major salt lakes in the Qaidam Basin), salt sculpture (there are large outdoor salt sculptures next to the salt lake, which is very shocking), the mirror of the sky (because the white salt is the bottom and the water surface is the mirror, it can perfectly reflect the snow mountain white cloud). Zhuoer Mountain: Queen, lover Queen (because the mountain is a Danxia landform showing bright red, Zhuoer Mountain is also called the Red Queen), lover (the Qilian Mountain Mountain God Ami Dongso-Niu Xinshan across the river from Zhuoer Mountain, it is said to be the original form of the Dragon God Princess of Zhuoer Mountain Lover, because of parental opposition, the princess finally turned into Zhuoer Mountain to wait for her lover). Gangshika Snow Peak: Icefall, Snow Peak Icefall (After snowing, icefalls will form on the slope. Due to the different colors of the gravel on the mountain, different colors will be presented. Unfortunately, it cannot be seen in September, probably after November), Snow Peak (It is said to be one of the filming locations of 'The Climber', at an altitude of 3806 meters. You can clearly see the looming snow cap).

Do you think these check-in photos at Kumbum Monastery are good?

Walking in the Kumbum Monastery with more than 600 years of history, touching the scattered temples on the Lotus Mountain, appreciating the art of ancient architecture, and feeling the peace in the strong light and shadow. The lifelike butter flowers, vivid murals and colorful embroidery make up the 'Three Wonders of Kumbum Monastery Art', which are amazing and stoppable. Kumbum Monastery has a history of more than 600 years and covers an area of more than 600 acres. The temple buildings are distributed on the slopes of Lotus Mountain, with the temples scattered high and low, reflecting each other. The Dajinwa Temple in the center of the temple, with green walls and golden tiles, is brilliant and is the main building of the temple. The Buddha statues in the temple are vivid and beautiful, and they are sacred. The lifelike butter flowers, colorful murals and colorful embroidery are known as the 'Three Wonders of Kumbum Monastery Art'. The temple also contains many Buddhist scriptures and academic classics in history, literature, philosophy, medicine, and legislation. Travel tips: 1. Kumbum Monastery is located in Xining, you can take bus 306 directly, open from 08:00-17:30. 2. Pay attention to dress requirements, you must wear long gowns and long skirts to enter. 3. There are many places in the temple where photography is prohibited, pay attention to the warning signs. 4. Try not to take pictures of local people or monks who are prostrating or turning scriptures. Recommended check-in locations: 1. The city gate at the ticket check-in. 2. The 'Kumbum Monastery' sign in front of the right hand side of the white tower when you come in, as well as the turning cylinder and three towers further down the slope. 3. There are many pigeons here, you need to compose the picture in advance and wait for the pigeons to fly over, which really requires some luck and patience. 4. After entering along the main road, there are many red walls, white walls and stacked ancient buildings, which are very photogenic under the light and shadow.

Visiting Kumbum Monastery

#mytripvlog An incredible tour of Qinghai Province began at Xining’s Kumbum Monastery!

Kumbum Monastery

The monastery in Xining is swarming with worshipping monks, amongst beautiful temples, full of colour and life! The surrounding town is quiet and peaceful, and the entry into the monastery is quick and easy. You can spend hours wondering around this beautiful site, it really feels like you're in another country. I would always highly recommend visiting this amazing place, to see a direct contrast between Chinese ans Tibetan inspired architecture. Arrive early to ensure a quiet experience. You can see the gold guilded temple, colourful flags, amongst countless statues of religious figures. It really is a remarkable place. #culturalattractions

Welcome to Qinghai, China’s fourth largest province and home to towering mountains, stunning waterscapes and a variety of folk cultures.⠀ ⠀ We started our adventure in Xining (西宁), the capital city of the province on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau - and a city that played a key role in trade and cultural exchange after opening the Silk Road. And one of the most famous historical places to visit near Xining is Ta’er Monastery (otherwise known as Kumbum Monastery).⠀ ⠀ With 400 years of history, this monastery is a religious activity center that still houses practising monks within the complex that comprises of Buddhist halls, large courtyards, multiple stupas and more. ⠀ ⠀ 📍Kumbum Monastery, near Xining, Qinghai Province, China #leaveyourmark