Thorn Tree travel forum

xiahe, open or closed?

on the 1 of july we tried to get to Xiahe from Linxia. The day before we took a bus from Lanzhou to Linxia, because foreigners are not allowed on busses from Lanzhou direct to Xiahe. In Linxia we started the day very early to try to get a bus to Linxia ( 7 am). But no, no foreigners on busses from Linxia to Xiahe. Finaly we took a taxi (170 RMB one way) to Linxia. We passed the first police checkpoint without stopping, but at the second checkpoint (around 20 km before Xiahe), the police stopped our car and we werent allowed to go further, so the driver had to turn around (and he had to pay some money to the police, but we don't know if that was because of us or because he didn't had the right papers). The driver dropped us at a petrol station where we waited and try to find a car to take us (we wanted to try one more time, because if you are lucky the polici doesn't stop your car). Finaly a bus took us and (probably because it was lunch time) there was no police checkpoint anymore before Ziahe. By entering Xiahe there was one more checkpoint, but only the bus driver had to get out the bus to show his papers.

So we finaly reached Xiahe, around 2 PM. We visited the monastry and had a nice guide to show us around the monastry, which we really enjoyed! In the evening we tried to find a hotel, but there was no hotel who allowed us in and there were many police cars on the street. So there was no other option for us (because there was no hotel to stay) then to go back to Linxia that night. Unfortunately it was too late to take a bus, so we had to take a taxi ( 150 RMB) to Linxia.