Chaka Salt Lake

Chinese name: 茶卡盐湖（Cha Ka Yan Hu）
Location: Chaka town, Wulan county, Hainan Tibetan Prefecture, Qinghai Province,  about 300km from Xining.
Ticket: Entrance ticket CNY60.00 during 01May to 31Oct, CNY30.00 during 01Nov to 30Apr. Mini train CNY50.00, electric cart CNY10.00.
Estimated tour time:2-3 hours
Recommended time to visit: May-Oct
Nearby attractions: Qinghai Lake, Zhuo’er Mountain,  Keluke Lake-Tuosu Lake Nature Reserve, Dachandan Lake, etc.

Situated in Chaka Town, the Chaka Salt Lake (Caka Salt Lake) is298 kilometers (85 miles) from Xining, capital of Qinghai. This natural crystallized saline lake is regarded as the eastern gateway to Qaidam Basin, which reserves the largest salt mine in the world. Lying at an altitude of 3,059 meters (10,036 feet), the lake is oval shape and covers an area of 105 square kilometers (40 square miles), ten times larger than the West Lake of Hangzhou.

However, it is the smallest among the several salt lakes in Qaidam area, but different from others for its coexistence of both solid and liquid salt. The snow-white lake bed and the crystal blue water against the azure sky win it the reputation of ‘Mirror of the Sky.’ Travel to such a beautiful world of salt embedded in the snowy mountains and verdant meadows, tourists would inevitably feel like they are in a fairyland.

The beautiful sunrise and sunset sceneries are highly recommended. The best time to visit would be from July to August. It is believed that with the summer breeze, inhaling the humid air with its salt content is especially good for the lung.  Its pureness, white and blue make it like a dreamland. It is rated as “one of the 55 places people must go” by Chinese National Geographic.

If you plan to visit the salt lake, you must take a train to get to the inner part of the lake. The caves and the endless salt lake are very special! It will take about 20 minutes to get to the center of the lake. There are a few visitors in the center of the lake. So you can take more beautiful pictures here.

The best time to view the scenery of Chaka Salt Lake is in summer and autumn, especially on a sunny day. If it is sunny for several days, the lake water is of a high degree of crystallinity. And the white lake surface is covered with a thin layer of brine. You can see the most clear and pure scenery and reflections. In spring, you can visit the salt mining processes. In winter, you can enjoy the spectacular snow scenery.