Best Places to Visit in Qinghai

Qinghai, located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is famous for the country's largest inland saltwater lake - Qinghai Lake. TopChinaTravel would like to introduce some of the Best Places to visit in Qinghai, to help you find your way to explore the unspoiled beauty of this attractive area. Where to visit in Qinghai? Travel with us, just let us to be your guide and accompany with you to discover the charms between lakes and gorges.

Qinghai Lake (Xining)
As the largest saline lake in China, Qinghai Lake, historically known as Koko Nor or Kuku Nor, is situated in the Qinghai Province. Twenty-three rivers and streams empty into Qinghai Lake, most of them seasonal. Five permanent streams provide 80% of total influx.



The lake has a number of attractions that draw travellers in this region in. Ornithologists, campers, hikers, botanists, swimmers, sailors, fishermen, loners and nomads all find areas of interest around the lake. The beauty here lies in its salty vastness and the remote peace that it instills. The colours that can be found around the lake are of purity and contrasts, from the deep yellows of oil seed rape against the cold blues of the lake to the dark greens of distant mountains against the fluffy white of bilious clouds.

Sun & Moon Mountain (Xining)
The average sea level of this mountain is about 4,000 meters. Sun and Moon Mountain is a natural boundary in China. It is the boundary of the Loess Plateau and Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the agricultural area and the grassland farming area, monsoon area and non-monsoon area.

On the east side of Sun and Moon Mountain, farmlands form a poetic picture in frontier place. And on the west side, the vast grassland and groups of sheep and caw form a nomadic picture. It is rarely to see the great difference between the two sides of this mountain.From June to September Sun & Moon Mountain is particularly beautiful as the grass is lush and wildflowers grow in abundance.

Kanbula National Forest Park (Xining)
The Kanbula area is famous for its unique Danxia landform. Here, the mountain is tall and straight, forceful and magnificent, full of the masculinity, giving out a strong natural scenery charm; which is believed to be the national most. This area is also the birthplace of the Houhong period of Tibetan Buddhism with rich cultural connotation.



It has simple and unsophisticated folk customs. Since ancient times, Tibetan people who had rich ethnic customs had lived here. In the existing scenic area, there are seven Tibetan villages. The Tibetan people farm and propagate here from generations, forming their unique habits of life and production. It has rare birds and beasts like blue sheep, argali, lark, blackbird, cuckoo; and high valuable flowers and plants.

Lijia Gorge (Xining)
The Lijia Gorge is the third stage large water power station in the project of Longyang Gorge to Qingtong Gorge in the upstream of Yellow River. This power station is another important energy base in the upper reaches of the Yellow River in China.



This hydropower station has vast water level and good water quality. The dam reservoir area along with the forest park, form a comprehensive large sightseeing district. The artificial lake in the reservoir area covers an area of 32 square kilometers. The lake water is dark green, which is an ideal location to develop aquaculture industry. During summer and spring, tourists can white water rafting and angle for fish in the lake. While in winter and spring, tourists have the chance to enjoy the sight of snowscape on the plateau, which adds a proper highland human landscape to the beautiful and old Kanbula Scenic Area.

Taer Monastery (Xining)
Ta’er Monastery (also called Kumbum Mosque) which is a typical religious building with a history more than 400 years. Ta’er Monastery is a wonderful architectural complex contains 9,300 structures, including Buddha halls, scripture halls, Buddhist pagodas and lamas residences.



This monastery incorporates both Tibetan and Han architectural styles. The magnificent temples and halls are, in architecture, a perfect combination of the Han's style of palace buildings with upturned roof-eaves with Tibetan style under-eave walls and decorations. The spectacular Lamasery is scattered with tall ancient trees and Buddhist pagodas.

Chaka Salt Lake (Haixi)
Chaka Salt Lake, situated in Chaka Town, Ulan County, Haixi in Qinghai Province, is regarded as ‘Mirror of the Sky’ by tourists for the scenery while the pure white lake bed and azure blue water against the clear blue sky. Chaka Salt Lake is a natural crystallized saline lake and it is also one of the four major salt lakes in Qaidam Basin which has the longest history of exploitation for almost 3000 years.



Chaka Salt Lake has been more and more popular these years for its picturesque view. The best time to visit Chaka Salt Lake is from July to August, especially on sunny days. And you’d better not miss the sunrise and sunset since you can enjoy the most beautiful sceneries during that time.