Welcome to Qīnghǎi
Big, bold and beautifully barren, Qīnghǎi (青海), larger than any country in the EU, occupies a vast swath of the northeastern chunk of the Tibetan Plateau. As far as Tibetans are concerned, this is Amdo, one of old Tibet’s three traditional provinces. Much of what you’ll experience here will feel more Tibetan than Chinese; there are monasteries galore, yaks by the thousands and nomads camped out across high-altitude... Read More
Top experiences in Qīnghǎi
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Qīnghǎi activities
Qinghai Lake Day Tour
Pickup at hotel at 9:00am by driver and car. Drive to Qinghai Lake, also known as Lake Kokonor. Visit the largest salt-water lake in China and a sacred historical place for Tibetans. See the surrounding shores that are dotted with Tibetan nomadic family tents. Explore the highlands of the Tibetan Plateau. Take great photos from a nearby vista point. Ride on a horse or yak (own expense) for an authentic Tibetan nomad experience. Hike the Shala-Pass (own expense), if interested. Trek up to 2.3m (3700m), which usually takes 1 to 2-hours. Enjoy panoramic views of the lake.Have lunch in a picnic area by the lake. Spend time with local Tibetan nomads and learning first-hand about life in their community. Head back to your hotel in the early evening following the tour.
12-Day Tibet Nomad Adventure
Day 1: Arrive in XiningUpon your arrive in Xining Airport or Train Station, you will be transferred to Lete Youth Hostel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Day 2: Drive to RebgongDrive to Rebkong; Morning visits at Upper and Lower Sanggeshong Monasteries where you will see some of the most well-known thangka paintings and Tibetan traditional arts. In the afternoon, visit Gomar Stupa and Rongwu Gonchen Monastery. It is the mother monastery of 35 other monasteries in the region. Overnight: Homestay in Rebgong.Day 3: Drive to LabrangIn the morning, you will drive 93 miles (150 kilometers) to Sanggchu (Xia’he) to visit Labrang Monastery. You can walk in the streets of Labrang and enjoy Tibetan market. Overnight: Baoma Hotel.Day 4: Drive to Taktsang LhamuDrive 4 hours to Taktsang Lhamu (Lang'mu'si). Overnight: Medium Hotel.Day 5: HikeA day of hiking in Langmusi both by foot and horse. (experience horseback riding). Overnight: Medium Hotel.Day 6: Drive to Shetso LakeDrive to Shetso Lake via Machu County and camp by the Shore of Shetso Lake. Meet the Yaks and Nomad Crew to prepare Nyenpo Yurtse trek. You could also walk along the shore and wander into nearby mountains on your own. Shetso Lake is the most beautiful lake in the geo-park. The shores are carpeted with wild flowers unleashing intoxicating perfume aroma. You camp here for the first night. Overnight: Camp.Day 7: Nyenpo Yurtse Trek Day 1Average altitude for today is 13,255 ft (4,040 m). Walking distance is around 6 mi (9 km). Overnight: Camp.Day 8: Nyenpo Yurtse Trek Day 2Average altitude is 12,467 ft (3,800 m). Walking distance is around 6 mi (10 km). Overnight: Camp.Day 9: Nyenpo Yurtse Trek day 3Average altitude is 13,429 ft (4,093 m). Walking distance is around 9 mi (15 km). Drive to Jigdril or Machen County once the trekking ends around lunch time. Overnight: Medium HotelDay 10: Drive to Qinghai LakeDrive to south shore of the Qinghai Lake. Overnight: Nomad Tent Camp near the lakeDay 11: Drive Back to XiningBefore driving to Xining, you will hike on Shala-pass 12,467 ft (3,800 m) for 1 to 2 hours where you will have a panoramic view of the Qinghai Lake and great scenery with animals and camp sites of Tibetan nomad herders. Drop in Lete Youth Hostel at arrival in Xining. Overnight: Lete Youth Hostel Day 12: Transfer to Airport or Train StationYou will be transferred to the Airport or Train Station in Xining where the tour concludes.
5-Day Tour: Tibet Home-stay From Xining
Day 1: Qinghai Lake - Chabcha Town (Gong'he) In the morning, you will drive from Xining to Lake Kokonor, also known as Qinghai Lake, the largest salt water source in Asia at 10,499 feet (3200 meters) above sea level. Arriving nearby the lake in the afternoon and drive to Chabcha Town through Shala Pass where you will see panoramic and stunning view of the lake. You can also possibly hike one to two hours up the mountain to Shala-pass (12,467 ft./3800 m. above sea level). Local nomads are herding their animals on the grassland here in summer where flowers are blossoming in this peaceful place. You will be able to get fresh yak-milk yogurt from local nomads. After that, you drive to Chabcha Town. Overnight: at a local hotelDay 2: Mangzong County (Gui'nan) (B)Drive to Mangzong. En route, you will visit Atsok Monastery, a remote and old monastery, nearby the Yellow River where you can see the water flowing from the top into the valley. Cross the bridge over the Yellow River and continue driving to Kushug Village near Mangzong county. Overnight: Home-stay in a farm village.Day 3: Sogwo Grassland (B)After breakfast with the Tibetan farmer family, you will drive to Sogwo through amazing grasslands of Tsekog. Stay and camp with a Tibetan-Mongolian nomad family where you can learn how to herd and milking yaks, a hands-on experience of Amdo nomad lifestyle. Overnight: Camp near a Tibetan nomad familyDay 4: Rebgong (B)Today, you will drive to Rebgong (Tongren). Rebgong is an old Amdo town surrounding Longwo Monastery. It is also the prefecture of Huangnan. This place is rich in Tibetan culture and traditional arts, and it hosts a special Mountain God Festivals called ‘lurol’ in summer. Some of the villages and monasteries in this region are famous for their Tibetan thangka painting throughout Tibet. You will visit upper and lower Sengeshong Monastery to explore the arts of Tibetan thangka painting. Overnight: Home-stayDay 5: Xining (B)You will drive back to Xining from Rebgong and be transferred to Lete hostel where this five days adventure concludes.
Overnight Trip to Rebgong: Exploring Tibetan Thangka Arts
Day 1: Xining - Rebgong You will be picked up by your guide at 9am and drive 113 miles (181 Kilometers) to Rebgong (also known as Tong Ren) for Seng-ge Shong (Upper and Lower) Thangka painting monasteries which are also the most famous Thangka painting schools in Tibet. You may also explore Thangka painters’ houses to get more in-depth understanding of the makings and meanings of Tibetan traditional Thank painting. Lunch and dinner are at your cost but your tour guide will give you ideas and recommendations. Overnight accommodation: a Modern Tibetan Home-stay (to help you better understand Tibetan culture and people)Day 2: Rebgong Rongwu Monastery - Xining (B)After breakfast, you will visit Rongwu Gonchen Monastery, which is the mother monastery of 36 others in the region. Then, explore the town of Rebgong before returning to Xining in the evening where this tour concludes.
4-Hour Tibetan Medicine Culture Museum Tour with Hiking from Xining
Meet up with your driver and guide at 9am at your Xining hotel lobby and begin the tour by visiting the well-known Tibetan Medicine Culture Museum about 4 miles (6 km) away from the city center. Learn about Tibetan culture and medicine as you explore the museum. Admire the world's largest Tibetan Thangka painting which is over 2,000 feet (618 m) long and 8 feet (2.5 m) high. This world-renowned Thangka project was created over the course of 3 years by hundreds of artisans from Rebgong, a region known for producing Tibetan traditional arts. In the afternoon, visit the monastery that sits on the North Mountain and take a steep 40-minute hike in the mountains. At the conclusion of the tour, you will be transferred back to your Xining hotel around 1pm.
All Inclusive Private Day Tour of Xining including Kumbum Monastery, Dongguan Mosque plus Local Market
At 9:00am, your guide will meet you at your hotel lobby. Then, you will be driven to Kumbum Monastery which is 16 miles (25 kilometers) from Xining. Kumbum is one of the six biggest Tibetan Monasteries. The founder of Yellow Hat Sect, Tsongkhapa, was born and grew up here before he went to Lhasa. You will view the Stupas, Teaching Hall...etc. The amazing Butter sculpture exhibition in the monastery will definitely impress you. Afterwards you will be transferred to a local restaurant for lunch. Then, you will be transferred to Dongguan Mosque in Xining that is the biggest mosque in Xining with traditional Chinese architecture and very different from Arabic style. You guide will take you for a visit at a local market near the mosque where you can see farmers selling all kind of veggies, fruits, meat, etc. At the end, you will be transferred back to your hotel where the trip concludes.