A Slow First Day in Xining: Noodles, City Streets and Kumbum
Leave room to arrive, eat and find your bearings in Xining before spending an unhurried afternoon at Kumbum Monastery.
Province guide
Qinghai
A high plateau province of vast lakes, grasslands, monasteries and mountain country.
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Cities in Qinghai
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Qinghai guides
Seven Days Around Qinghai and Gansu: A Road Loop from Xining
A day-by-day road route from Xining through Qinghai Lake, Chaka, the Qaidam Basin, Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Zhangye and Qilian, with seasonal and altitude planning notes.
A First Stop in Xining: Museums, Monasteries and Market Food
Spend time in Xining before heading across Qinghai: the provincial museum, Beichan Temple, Kumbum Monastery, Dongguan Mosque and local food around Mojia Street and Shuijing Lane.
Driving the Qinghai–Dunhuang Loop: Private Car or Shared Ride?
How to plan the Qinghai–Dunhuang circuit from Xining: lakes, the Qaidam Basin and Silk Road sights, with practical ways to compare private cars, shared rides and transport costs.
What to Eat in Qinghai: Noodles, Breads and Xining Food Streets
A practical guide to Qinghai's everyday noodles, breads, yogurt and lamb, plus two central Xining food streets worth planning a day around.
Qinghai Lake and the Hexi Corridor: A Loop Guide
A route through Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, the Qaidam Basin, Dunhuang and Zhangye, with notes on altitude, seasons and local etiquette.
Qinghai Lake in Two to Four Days: A Loop Through Monasteries, Salt Flats and Mountains
Plan a two- to four-day road loop from Xining around Qinghai Lake, with Ta'er Monastery, Chaka Salt Lake, Qilian's mountains and Zhangye Danxia.
Qilian Mountains: Grassland, Red Rock and Silk Road Remains in Qinghai
A practical guide to the Qinghai side of the Qilian Mountains, including Zhuor'er Mountain, Qilian County, E'bao's Silk Road walls, driving notes and the closure of Bayi Glacier.
Qinghai and Qilian in Summer: A Cool-Weather Travel Guide
How summer works on the Qinghai plateau, from Xining and Qinghai Lake to Chaka and Qilian, with layering advice, warnings about snow on high passes and two- and three-day route ideas.