Amazing Road Trip Across Qinghai

🚗 Qinghai Road-Trip: Xining to Yushu

📍 Highlights
Drive from Xining across the Tibetan Plateau—vast salt lakes, deserts, grasslands, monasteries, and snow‑peaked passes

Iconic stops: Qinghai Lake, Chaka Lake (“Mirror of the Sky”), Chaerhan Salt Lake and Kekexili


🕒 Best Time to Visit
June to October: green grasslands and open roads
July is ideal: wildflowers, clear skies, minimal crowds


🔒 Travel Challenges
Many areas restrict foreign visitors; access rules change often

🧭 Sample Itinerary
1. Xining – explore mix of Tibetan, Hui, and Han culture; visit Dongguan & Nanguan mosques and night markets

2. Salt Lakes – Qinghai Lake, Chaka Lake, Chaerhan Lake for surreal landscapes

3. Golmud → Hoh Xil – cross Kunlun Mountains, spot Tibetan gazelles and antelopes

4. Qumalai → Yushu – visit Gongsa Monastery and the gigantic Mani‑Stone pile

💡 Tips for Road Trippers
Self-drive needs a Chinese or certified translated driving license, or book a driver via agency

Altitude up to 4,700 m: plan extra rest and carry oxygen if needed

Fuel wisely—stations may be hundreds of km apart

Use Amap (Gaode) for navigation with English support


🌄 Final Note
This is a wild, off‑grid adventure for those who crave alien landscapes and Tibetan culture. Not easy, but unforgettable.

#travel #featured #qinghai

Post by Fabio Nodari | Aug 3, 2025