5.1 What should I prepare for a self-guided tour of Qinghai Lake? How to play? Experts enter!!
Qinghai Lake is about 200km away from Xining and has an altitude of 3197 meters. With a circumference of 360km and an area of 4583 square kilometers, it is the largest saltwater lake in my country. In the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Qinghai Lake is like a blue mirror embedded in the snow-capped mountains and grasslands. When the summer in the mainland is unbearably hot, the climate here is cool and pleasant. The vast blue lake surface, herds of cattle and sheep on the shore dot the grassland, the golden rapeseed flowers are like a tapestry, and thousands of birds gather in the Bird Island Wetland. The beauty of Qinghai Lake is amazing.
The route around the lake passes through Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Hainan Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. They are all high-grade highways with excellent road conditions (similar to Chang'an Avenue in Beijing). Traveling in this area is altitude sickness-free.
Qinghai Lake is a holy lake in Tibetan areas. It is best to follow the clockwise direction around the lake to respect the local customs. There are basically barbed wire fences erected by the government along the way to block the road from the lake area pastures, but there are still many places where there are no barbed wire fences or are easy to climb over, so you can get close to Qinghai Lake.
After arriving in Xining, you can choose to continue taking the train and enjoy the scenery of Qinghai Lake along the way, or you can choose to take a car to circle around the beautiful Qinghai Lake and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Qinghai Lake.
The main townships (villages) and accommodation points around the lake are: 151 Zhangfang Hotel, Jiangxigou, Heima River, Shi Naihai, Bird Island Town, Shatuo Temple Railway Station, Quanji, Gangcha, and Xihai Town, Hudong sheep farm, Qinghai Lake fishery. The section from Quanji to Xihai Town runs through the boundaries of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and is relatively densely populated.
In terms of food, pasta (Ga noodles, ramen, etc.) and beef and mutton are the main dishes. Qinghai’s specialty stuffed skin and yogurt can also be eaten, and the consumption is low, and the pasta is less than 10 yuan. Qinghai Lake yellow fish is a nationally prohibited species. To protect the species, please do not eat it!
You can drink boiled tea everywhere. It is brewed with Fucha from Hunan. The color is similar to black tea, with only salt in it. If you drink this kind of tea at a herdsman's home, milk or ghee will be added.
The main ethnic minorities in the Qinghai Lake area are Tibetans, followed by Hui and Mongolians. The people here are simple and hospitable, and the locals can basically communicate with you in Qing Mandarin.
The main attractions around the lake and surrounding areas are Riyue Mountain, Daotang River, Hulimugou Rock Paintings, Rubber Mountain, Chaka Salt Lake, Chaka Temple, Fuai Ancient City, Bird Island, Haixin Mountain, Beixiangyang Ancient City, Shebji Rock Paintings, Gahai Ancient City, Jinyintan Grassland, Atomic City Xihai Town, Shadao, Xihai County Triangle City.
The famous rapeseed flowers by Qinghai Lake are now rare due to the conversion of farmland to grassland. In addition, due to climate reasons, the flowers faded early, so I was unable to make this trip (August 25th to August 30th). I saw vast fields of golden rapeseed flowers, but only small patches along the side of National Road 105 around Hubei.
The best time to travel depends on whether you are bird watching or lake watching. The time to go to Bird Island to see birds is from the end of April to the beginning of July, with May being the best month when the temperature is low and the wind is strong. The best time to view the lake is July and August, when the water and grass are luxuriant and the climate is suitable.
Recommend the most scenic road around the lake
Jiangxigou-Heima River-Shinaihai, Bird Island Town-Shatuo Temple, these two parts can see Qinghai Lake, The scenery is mainly of the lake area and prairie pastures.
From Gangcha to Xihai Town, this section of the road is far away from Qinghai Lake and you cannot see the blue sea. The scenery in most areas is mediocre, but you will pass by the most beautiful mountain pasture around the lake and you can see the snow-capped mountains.
Qinghai Lake Township - Hudong Sheep Farm, you can see Qinghai Lake, which is a deserted section of the lake area. The sand dunes stretch all the way, and there are silvery white and yellow beaches beside the lake.
Precautions
Beware of dogs when approaching herdsmen, and beware of wolves when camping at night (according to Tibetans, there are wolves in the eastern part of the lake).
Some areas around the lake are wetlands and swamps. Do not take risks simply to get close to the lake.
Do not try to swim in the holy lake, respect Tibetan beliefs.
Don’t leave trash near the lake.
The temperature on the plateau is not high but the sunshine is strong. It is recommended to use professional-grade PA+++ sunscreen and skin care products.
There is a big temperature difference between morning and evening, so you need to add or remove clothes at any time. Check the weather forecast for the season before traveling.
Detailed itinerary:
1. Xining-Heima River
Buses from Xining Bus Station (south of the railway station) to Qinghai Lake are available throughout the day , the bus passing through Heima River is 7:30-17:30, the fare is 25.3 yuan, and the journey takes about 3 hours.
If you go to Chaka Salt Lake, you can also take a passing shuttle bus in Xining and get there directly.
2. Heima River - Chaka Salt Lake
The distance from Heima River to Chaka Town is 80km. There are many passing shuttle buses that can reach it. You can stop the bus directly on the roadside. The ticket price is 10 yuan and the journey takes about an hour.
There is a small bus station in the west of Chaka Town. The bus to Xining is from 8:30 to 23:30.
It is 4km from Chaka Town to Chaka Salt Lake, and there are obvious road signs. You can visit the Salt Lake Factory for 5 yuan from a seat in town.
Chaka Town developed based on the salt lake industry and is more prosperous than the towns around Qinghai Lake. There are hotels, post offices, department stores, bookstores, gas stations, etc. here, and the accommodation conditions are better than those in Heimahe.
At Qingyan Hotel in Chaka Town, standard rooms can be reduced to 50 yuan/room.
3. Heima River - Shi Naihai - Buha River - Bird Island Town - Bird Island
The distance from Heima River to Bird Island is 70km, of which the Heima River - Shi Naihai is 41km, Shi Naihai - Buha River is 12km, Buha River - Niaodao Town is 1km, Niaodao Town - Niaodao is 16km.
You can hike the Heima River-Shinaihai section (my Tibetan brother drove me a motorcycle on this section), and then find a small noodle car for 20 yuan to Niaodao Town.
The ancient city is on the road to Tiebujia Village, Shinaihai Township. Not far to the north of Shi Naihai, you can see the Tiebojia 50km road sign. From there, turn west about 4km and you will see the ruins crawling on the grassland. The ancient city has basically been weathered and damaged, and most of it is buried in the ground. You can barely see the outline of the city, so it’s okay not to go there.
After crossing the Buha River Bridge, you will find Bird Island Town. Guoqiao Road Nanniao Island Yuqing Restaurant, accommodation in a triple room (due to the off-season, I live alone) plus a private shower for 20 yuan/bed.
Bird Island is open from 8:30 to 17:30.
There is a bus station in the north of Niaodao Town. There is a bus from here to Xining through the northern and eastern sections of Qinghai Hubei at around 8 o'clock every morning. The mileage and fare are as follows:
Note: The fare is the intersection of the horizontal and vertical coordinates, and the mileage is the number above the corresponding intersection. For example, the distance from Sha Railway Station to Gangcha is 40km, and the fare is 5.5 yuan; the distance from Quanji to Gangcha is 27km, and the fare is 4 yuan. It should be noted that the mileage from Bird Island as the starting point to each station should be subtracted by 11km from this table, because these 11 kilometers are the mileage from the departure point to Bird Island Bus Station and should be ignored.
4. Niaodao Town - Shatuo Temple Railway Station (i.e. Shatuo Temple Railway Station in the table above)
It is about 21km from Niaodao Town along the highway to Shatuo Temple Railway Station. (The road signs on the West Huanhu Road are from 55km to 75km). I walked a little slowly with a heavy load, and it took me 6 hours to take photos, see the lake, and rest along the way.
There are two local trains passing through Shatuo Temple Railway Station every day. The train from Golmud to Xining arrives at Shatuo Temple at 11:30, and the train from Xining to Golmud arrives at 17:30.
5. Shatuo Temple Railway Station-Quanji-Ikwulan-Gangcha-Xihai Town
Quanji is also called Qieji and belongs to Xinji Township. It is about 20 kilometers from Shatuo Temple to Quanji, and about 20 kilometers from Quanji to Shaliuhe Town in Gangcha County.
This section of the road is a national highway, so it is more convenient to hitchhike along the way. There are many people along the way. From Quanji to Shaliu River in Gangcha County, you will pass through two or three small villages. Food and accommodation are not a problem.
I took a Shunfeng motorcycle from Shatuo Temple and arrived at the bus station in Gangcha County in less than an hour, just in time to catch the bus at around 16:00. It took 1.5 hours from Gangcha to Xihai Town and cost 12 yuan.
Xihai Town was the former Atomic City (the place where the first atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb were developed) and today is the capital of Haibei Autonomous Prefecture. It is a neat and quiet small town. The urban construction is quite large-scale, the streets are clean and there are few pedestrians, there are many government agencies on both sides, and there is a beautiful central square. Xihai Town is surrounded by Jinyintan grassland. It was here that Wang Luobin met the girl Zhuoma and wrote "In That Distant Place". To the south of Xihai Town is Haiyan County, where there are unearthed cultural relics such as the ruins of the ancient city of Xihai County (also known as the "Triangle City") and the Tiger Talisman Stone Chamber. The main purpose of coming here is to visit the atomic bomb base, the ancient city of Xihai County and the Jinyintan Grassland.
The best place to stay in Xihai Town is Haibei Hotel. I stayed at the Xihai Hotel: 70 yuan for a standard room, 20 yuan/bed for an ordinary double room, 15 yuan/bed for a triple room, with private shower available. However, don’t expect to have good hot water for bathing. Since Xihai Town has a unified supply of hot water, the boiling time is very short during the day when heating is not available in winter, and the water temperature is half warm but not cold. Every hotel is like this. In this case, the small hotel simply cannot take a shower.
There are taxis and motorcycles on the "Cross" Street in Xihai Town. I rented a Xiali from here and went to Jinyintan first and then to Hudong Sheep Farm for 65 yuan.
In Xihai Town there is the Atomic Bomb Memorial and the Base Exhibition Hall. Tickets for the base exhibition hall are 20 yuan. First watch the video and then visit the pictures and objects. It mainly introduces the construction process and achievements of my country's first atomic bomb base. If you pay attention to the history of Japan and China, go and see it.
There is a shuttle bus from the bus station in Xihai Town, which costs 2 yuan to Haiyan County. There is Xihai County Triangle City in Yintan Township 1km northwest of Haiyan County. The Tiger Talisman Stone Chamber is in the county cultural center. Haiyan is small. These are easy to find. Triangle City has been partially destroyed due to the reconstruction of national highways, and the Tiger Talisman Stone Chamber has been placed in a cultural center overgrown with grass and no one cares about it. To see these, you must first do your homework and understand their historical and cultural value, otherwise it will be boring and meaningless.
From Xihai Town to Haiyan County, the surrounding grasslands are all called Jinyintan. The origin of the name Jinyintan is said to be because the Jintan grassland is full of golden flowers, and the Silvertan grassland is full of white flowers, so it is named Jinyintan.
Another saying is that on the grassland under the setting sun, the coat of yaks is golden and the coat of sheep is bright white. The two colors complement each other and add beauty to the twilight of the grassland, hence the name Jinyintan. The grassland where Wang Luobin met Zhuoma is 7km northwest of Xihai Town. This place was originally the location of the fifth factory of Atomic City (also known as Factory 221). Now it has been built as an "accounting room hotel" for tourists to live in. There is a statue of Zhuoma and a stone carving with the words "Gold and Silver Beach" here. However, due to serious tourism development, large areas of loess are exposed and no beautiful grassland can be seen. There is actually a sign saying "Protect the Lawn" on the ground. The grasslands and pastures around Qinghai Lake are very different, so it’s okay not to go there.
6. Xihai Town - Qinghai Lake Township - Hudong Sheep Farm
There are buses to Xining from 7:00 to 17:30 at the Xihai Town Bus Station all day long. The bus station will be closed at this point. There is only one bus passing by Huanhu East Road at 8:20 every morning, which is bound for Hainan Autonomous Prefecture. To go to the Hudong Sheep Farm, you can only take this bus or take a taxi. It is 15km from Xihai Town to Qinghai Lake Township. The distance from Xihai to Hudong Sheep Farm is 43km, and the shuttle bus fare is 5.5 yuan. There are also buses to Huangzhong, Huangyuan and other places.
Hudong Sheep Farm is a small town where sheep were once herded. Now there are many Hui people living here. Since there is little communication with the outside world, the locals will be curious about you, but they are extremely friendly (the folk customs in most villages and towns around Qinghai Lake are It’s so rare!)
If you don’t live in a resident’s house, the only place to stay here is the “Sheep Farm Guest House”. This is a clean place that looks like a military compound. The greenery is very cool and the words “Qinghai Lake Sheep Breeding Farm” are hung on the door. ” and “Qinghai University College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Practice Base” signboards. The waitress at the guest house is nicknamed "Ima". She is a cute Tibetan girl with long black and thick hair. An ordinary double room here costs 30 yuan per bed, but in fact there are very few guests, so you are the only one staying.
7. Hudong Sheep Breeding Farm - National Highway 109 - Xining
The only shuttle bus passing through Hudong Sheep Breeding Farm is from Xihai Town to Hainan once a day, about 9 o'clock Come here or so, come out early and wait on the roadside.
It is 15km from Hudong Sheep Farm to National Highway 109. I started hiking at 9 o'clock and arrived at National Highway 109 at 12:30. There are many buses to Xining from here, and it is very convenient to stop them, but the long-distance buses will not stop. I took the Ulan-Xining shuttle bus, which took 1 hour and 50 minutes to Xining "Xiaoqiao" (located in the northwest of Xining City). The fare was 15 yuan.
In addition, I once wanted to take a bus from National Highway 109 to Huangyuan County, and then transfer to Huangzhong and go straight to Kumbum Monastery, which would save time. But after consultation and looking at the map, it was found that it was not feasible - there is no road from Huangyuan to Huangzhong, and there is only a road connection from Xining to Huangzhong. To go to Kumbum Monastery, you have to return to Xining first.
At this point, the tour around the lake has ended.
The best way to see the Holy Lake is to go around the lake. It is impossible to experience the essence of Qinghai Lake on a one-day trip from a travel agency. You can rent a car from Xining (there is a new concept in Xining) and drive around the lake, or you can cycle, hike, or hitchhike around the lake. It usually takes about 10 days for Tibetans to hike around the lake and only eat one dinner a day.
Going to Qinghai Lake is not like other outdoor activities, which are full of donkeys competing for equipment and physical strength. We only need a pious heart and persistence in beauty. What you will experience along the way is not only the beautiful scenery, but also the simple folk customs and devout religious beliefs that will infect you.