2 Days Qinghai Tour

Day 1: Xining – Kumbum Monastery - Dzongkar Latse - Qinghai Lake (KokoNor Lake) [3200m]

Driving from Xining towards west about 25km to reach Kumbum Monastery in Huangzhong County. Kumbum Monastery is the largest monastery in Qinghai and the birthplace of Lama Tsongkhapa. Tsongkhapa is the founder of Gelukpa tradition in Tibetan Buddhism. After visiting Kumbum, we will take a small scenic road and ascend about 800m to reach the first stop called Dongkar Latse.

This is an unique sights originally a place where local Tibetans to make offering to the mountains god or protector to ask for his protection and help in a new journey or bless for the family in the coming year. Besides offering Sang which is made of barley flour, locals also hanging Tarchok/ colorful prayer flags, and throw Longta/ wind horse print on the paper in the air. Now this sight is rebuilt and a huge Latse which is made of big and long arrows stick together on the building, represents the home of mountain god or protector. Afterwards, continue drive west through some nomadic area, we will reach Qinghai lake, Qinghai Lake is the largest Lake on the Tibetan plateau and largest salt Lake in China. You can take a boat in the lake or riding a horse on the shore, in the month of July and August, the shore is covered the yellow rape seeds flowers. Afterwards, driving along the lake to the Tanakma town or also called Heimahe. This area is best place to view the sun rise and sunset of the lake. If you are lucky, black necked cranes also spotted in this area recent years. We will spend the night here in a quiet place where you may get a lake view room.

Day 2: Qinghai Lake - Chaka Salt Lake –Chabcha/ Gonghe - Xining [2270m]

In the morning, walk over the lake to watch sunrise in the horizon, then after breakfast, we drive up to a mountain pass which rises at 3900m. You can see yaks and sheep scattering on the mountain along the way . Once you go over the pass, you start descend to some farming villages in the less greenish land. After driving 1.5 -2 hours, the famous Chaka Salt Lake is appeared. Chaka Lake is a salt lake in Ulan County, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai province. The oval-shaped lake is located near the eastern end of Qaidam Basin. The name “Chaka” means “salt land” in Tibetan. Chaka Lake is the largest salt producing factory in China. Today, the Chaka Salt Lake is a major tourist destination and a key salt mine in Qinghai. In 2018, it received more than 3 million visitors. The lake is famous for its crystal-blue water and reflective lake bed, and is popularly known as “Mirror of the Sky”. One thing to note about this place is that during the summer season of July and August, it is packed by Chinese tourists. Anyway, any famous places in China have face the same issue. After few hours at the Lake we will start to drive back to Xining via Chabcha / Gonghe. Our guide an driver will drop you off at your hotel and tour ends.