Spots:Free Program

Welcome to Xining! You will be picked up by local tour guide at the airport hall or train station, and then be escorted to your hotel in Xining city in a private vehicle.

Situated on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, this lively and hugely diverse provincial capital makes a good base from which to dive into the surrounding sights and on to the more remote regions of Qinghai and beyond. There's superb food and a scattering of tempting cafes as well as an outstanding museum of Tibetan culture, some beautiful temples and mosques, plus the remains of the old city wall.

Spots:Riyue Mountain, Qinghai Lake

After breakfast, drive about 2.5 hours to see the picturesque Qinghai Lake from Xining via Huangyuan, the biggest inland lake and biggest salt-water lake in China. On the way, you will visit the Riyue Mountains , and the Ri Pagoda and Yue Pagoda. Both pagodas were built in Tang Dynasty to commemorate the intermarriage of marrying Princess Wencheng of Tang to Tubo. At the foot of Riyue Mountains, you will be amazed by the unique Daotang River which flows from east to west.

Qinghai lake is surrounded by high mountainst, at the foot of mountains are the endless beautiful grasslands. So you can enjoy the great views by walking, riding or biking.

Then bus to Chaka, and overnight stay there.

Spots:Chaka Salt Lake, Qilian Mountain

Head to Chaka Salt Lake in the morning, a stunning salt field and salt production factory with over 3000 years’ history. The lake filled with high salinity resembles a gigantic mirror, reflecting the blue sky and fluffy clouds above the air.  You may also see the small shuttle trains near the lake, used for carrying salt.In the afternoon, travel a long way to Qilian County.

Spots:Zhuo'er Mountain

Visit Zhou’er Mountain in Qilian County in the morning. It’s a must-see attraction in Qilian County. The bare rock face features red-colored sandstone and it forms a sharp contrast with the vibrant yellow grassland and stunning rapeseed flowers. Each year, plenty of photographers and painters, and other artists will come to here for the picturesque landscape. June would be the best season to come when Qinghai Lake and Zhou’er Mountain will be surrounded by rapeseed flowers in full blossom.

Back to Xining in the afternoon.

Spots:Kanbula National Park

Transfer around 2H to visit Kanbula National forest park. Kanbla National Forest, a remote landscape of red sandstone peaks and meandering yellow rivers; and in the Nanzong Valley, locked in between danxia peaks and dense forest lines. Nestled in the valley, Nanzong Buddhist Nunnery and Temple are the only religious Buddhist places with monks and nuns coexist with each other in Qinghai Province China. 

Spots:Ta'er Monastery, Qinghai Museum, Dongguan Grand Mosque

Whole day’s city tour in Xining, visit the famous Taer Monastery in the morning, the birthplace of the Tibetan Buddhism master - Tsongkhapa who was the founder of Gelug sect. The monastery is also famous as one of "six monasteries of Gelug", and a very important institute to learn Buddhism, Astronomy and Medicine. You must not miss the "three treasures of the monastery": mural, barbola and butter sculptures. Every year, there are many Buddhist ceremonies organized here.

In the afternoon, drive back to Xining to visit Qinghai Museum and Dongguan Grand Mosque, Qinghai Museum features in three exhibition centers: Qinghai Protoculture, Qinghai Ethnic Collections and Tibetan Buddhism Arts.  As for Dongguan Grand Mosque, it has been a Muslim cummunity for centuries. The mosque is one of "Four Greatest Mosques in China", other three are Xian Huajue Moque, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque and Kashgar Id Kah Mosque, also an important institution of Islamic study. It was built in 1380, Ming Dynasty.

Spots:Free program

Today is free for you until your tour guide transfer you to the airport in time for your flight or drop you off at Xining train station. You can freely visit Dongguan Mosque, one of the biggest mosques in northern China or just hang out to visit some local souvenirs and products shop like Tibetan and ethnic handicrafts, carpets, medicinal herbs, Tibetan knives and ornaments.