A guide to Qinghai Lake: a must-see scenery that is so beautiful that you will feel short of breath!
🌟【Written in front】
Qinghai Lake is a plateau sapphire💎, an oil painting in summer and a fairyland in winter! Cycling, admiring the sea of flowers, chasing the sunrise and the stars... This nanny-level guide will take you to have fun at Qinghai Lake and take great photos while avoiding the crowds! (Attached with camera location + guide to avoid pitfalls)
🚗【Traffic Guide】
(1) Self-driving: It takes 2.5 hours to get there from Xining, and the journey around the lake is about 360 kilometers. You can stop at any time along the way to take photos of the road! (2) Bus: Xining Bus Station → Erlangjian Scenic Area 💰 60 yuan/person (few buses, it is recommended to go early) (3) Charter/carpool: 4 to 6 people small group free travel, the driver and tour guide will take you to the secret place🚙
📅【Best Season】
✅ June to August: The rapeseed flowers are golden and the lake is blue, giving it a cartoon-like feel! ✅ September to October: Few people, clear scenery, autumn colors dye the grassland, photography lovers go!
📸【Must-visit attractions】
(1) Erlangjian Scenic Area (main scenic area) 📍Address: Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 💡Highlights: Get close to the lake, ride a horse/yak to take photos 💰20 yuan, water activities are a bit expensive and can be passed ⚠️Avoid pitfalls: Be careful when buying from vendors at the entrance, prices in the scenic area are high, bring your own snacks!
(2) West Ring Road (free secret area!) 🌟Recommendation: From Heimahe to Shinaihai, there are few people and the scenery is wild! Yak herds + prayer flags + unobstructed lake view, you can fly your drone as you like!
(3) Cliff (new internet celebrity camera position) 📍Navigation: Daxiumulabzai, turn left after passing through the iron gate 🔥Tips: The cliff camera position is super stunning, with Tibetan prayer flags as the foreground, and wearing a white dress will make the photo more effective!
(4) Rapeseed Flower Sea (July only) 🌼Location: Junction of Huanhu East Road and South Road 💰Tickets: 10 to 20 yuan per person for herders’ own flower fields, bargaining is available!
🚴♀️【Experience Project】
(1) Cycling around the lake: The Erlangjian → Jiangxigou section is super easy, rent a bike for 50 yuan per day, and wear a hat when the wind is strong by the lake! (2) Riding a horse and wearing Tibetan clothes: Experience at a herdsman’s home 💰100 yuan/hour, with a red shawl and braided hair, you can instantly become a Tibetan girl. (3) Chasing the sunrise/starry sky: Heimahe is the top 1 for sunrise viewing. For the starry sky, it is recommended to stay in a lakeside homestay. The Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye at 3 a.m.!
🍴【Food Recommendation】
🔥Kangguo Lamb: Potato + Lamb, the aroma is so delicious! Recommend "Ge Sang Tibetan Restaurant" 🔥 Yak yogurt: the surface is golden milk skin, sour to frown but super addictive! 🔥Dog Urine Pancake: A Qinghai specialty pancake, crispy and slightly sweet!
🏠【Accommodation Guide】
🌊 Lakeside B&B: Heimahe/Huanhu West Road, open the window to see the lake (peak season 💰500+, book in advance!) 💰 High cost performance: stay in Gangcha County or Gonghe County, standard room 💰200+, drive 15 minutes to the lake
❗️【Tips for avoiding pitfalls】
⚠️It is easy to get altitude sickness at an altitude of 3,200 meters, so don’t wash your hair or take a shower in the first two days! ⚠️Ultraviolet rays are super strong! Sunglasses + sunscreen + hat three-piece set to save your life ⚠️The temperature difference between day and night is large, so bring a jacket/thin down jacket in July ⚠️ to protect the ecology! Don't step on the nomads' camps, take the garbage with you
📷【Outfit suggestions】Solid color long skirt + ethnic style shawl + Martin boots, paired with blue sky and lake water, it’s beyond the photo! (white/red/navy blue yyds)
✨Qinghai Lake is a place worth visiting many times, please leave a comment of Qinghai Lake in your phone💬