9 Days Qinghai Exploration Tour from Xining to Golmud

Today your flight will touch down in Xining, the capital city of Qinghai. When you arrive at Xining you can meet your driver at the Airport, and then your driver will take you to visit Ta'er monastery (Kumbum Monastery), the most populous monks outside of Tibet. You will stay at Thangka Sunning Terrace that is one of a good place to view the monastery and surrounding scenery. Inside the monastery, apart from magnificent Buddha stupas and wall paintings, prayer wheels are also the must-see spot. The whole monastery is surrounded by wheels, walk along the corridor, rotate the wheels and pray for chasing away the troubles.

Departure early around 07:00, we will drive 3hrs to Qinghai Lake with the stunning view along the way. You will be amazed by the scenery of this highland lake, it is also interesting to see the grazing animals - sheep, goats, duos, horses.You can ride a bike or cruise around the lake to taking in the wonderful landscape here. Then drive to Chaka for overnight stay.

Spend the morning to exploring Chaka Salt Lake, it is the largest saline in Qinghai Province, Chaka Salt Lake means "the sea of salt"  in Mongolian. It lies in the centre of Qaidam Basin, which was nominated by the national tourist geography magazine as one of the 55 places to go. Thereafter, we will drive back to Xining for overnight stay.

Morning after delighted breakfast, we will drive to Xinghai county, visit Saizong Temple located abount 60 kms in the south-west of Xinghai County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, at the foot of saizong mountain. Saizong mountain is located in the central part of Xinghai County. It is one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in Amdo Tibetan area. From a distance, it looks like a giant drinking water elephant with its trunk hanging down in the Qimo ditch in front of the temple. Mountain ravines, caves everywhere, pines and cypresses, verdant and beautiful.

Depart from the hotel, we will drive to Yushu. Passing by the upper reaches of the Yellow River, enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way, and you may have a chance to visit wild animals. Arrive in Yushu, take you to the hotel and have a rest.

This morning we will visit the Princess Wencheng Temple, a historical and cultural relic left by the Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) on her way to Tibet in the year of 641. In the hall, there is the earliest large scale relief Buddha groups on cliff in Qinghai. Gyanak (Jiana) Mani Wall, is a large praying stone pile with more than two billion praying stone engraved with Buddha sculptures and pictures. It can be regarded as the largest in Tibetan areas. Then continue the tour to Yushu Earthquake Relief Memorial Hall, located behind the Yushu Earthquake Memorial, this poignant museum is dedicated to the relief operation that ensued after the 2010 earthquake that killed almost 2700 people. Jyekundo Dondrubling Monastery, the monastery has since been rebuilt and it’s dramatically located on a ridge perched above town. Hike up north into the hills above the temple to follow the clockwise kora through a huge encampment of prayer flags.

drive to next stop Qumalai, on the way, you will have a far view to Black-necked Crane Nature Reserve, above 4,000 meters above sea level, the weather is cold here. It is not only the hometown of black-necked cranes, but it also lives in spotted geese, brown-headed gulls, geese, chervil, and kinsha. Ducks, snow chickens and more than 10 kinds of bird

This morning we will drive to Golmud, pay a visit to Three Rivers Source (Sanjiangyuan) National Natural Reserve, The Three-River Source National Nature Reserve (Three-River Headwaters or Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve) is the largest nature reserve in China and the most concentrated interest of living creatures in high altitude localities. and enjoy the far view of Kunlun Mountain Glacier, Kunlun Spring Water, Dragon and Phoenix Red Taoist Temple

Today we will drive to Dachaidan town, passing by Chaerhan Salt Lakeand, is the largest salt lake in China and one of the most famous inland salt lakes in the world. As soon as you enter, you will first see a Salt Lake Museum, which shows the formation history and mining process of the Qarhan Salt Lake. Then take you to visit the Jinai lake of Dongtai, Water Yadan, long periods of wind erosion carve the Yardangs into beautiful statues with different postures. Seen from a distance, the Yardangs take on an endless variety of fantastic shapes. Jade Lake compared with chaka salt lake, this jade lake is better place for photo lover. It is located in the salt lake mining area of the former Dachaidan Chemical Plant in Haixi Mongolian Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. After visiting, drive back to the hotel and have a rest.

Today our journey comes to a halt after a good breakfast. You will be transferred to the airport or train station based on your schedule.