2025 Yushu Prefecture Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in May)

For the first two days, we went to the wildlife viewing areas around Yushu, setting off at 6 am. Today, we are going to the wildlife viewing area in Nangqian, setting off from Yushu County at 8:30 am. The show is about to begin. . 🕘Time: The third day of the trip, around 9 am, when the animals are active . Location: Batang Grassland . 🐺Findings: 6 herds of Tibetan antelopes, 9 wolves, a dead yak, a mixed flock of bearded vultures, vultures, and Himalayan vultures . 🕵️Crime scene inference In the dark night, under the faint moonlight, a pack of wolves sneaked up to the yaks and bit the tendons of a yak's hind leg, rendering it immobile. After cautiously ensuring the surrounding area was safe, the wolves began to eat. But the good times didn't last long. A local found that one of his yaks was missing and immediately came to look for it. After driving the wolves away, the local wrapped the dead yak in cloth with a human scent to prevent the wolves from continuing to eat. However, the birds of prey that feed on carrion also found the delicacy and gathered around, bringing us to this morning. We first found the dead yak and the flock of birds. We thought that was it, but Renqing immediately spotted the pack of wolves on the other side of the river, from 6 to 9. The wolves on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been fighting wits with the herders for hundreds of years. The wolves will first drive the cattle away from the road to a place that is more favorable for them to attack, and then launch an attack. The locals usually let the bulls graze freely on the grassland, but the cows and calves must return home every day. They know their yaks very well, so if a yak doesn't come home at night, they will immediately know and go to look for it. If they stay out overnight, the probability of survival is very low. ———————————————————— 💯Why choose Banma? 1. Strategic partner and licensed access provider of China's national parks 2. Provide global outdoor travel products and private customization 3. Provide domestic and international outdoor and nature field leader protection 4. Incentive travel & team building comprehensive solution provider Qinghai, China Nangqian, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture

💎✨ Today I want to reveal to you a hidden gem in China - Yushu, Qinghai! This place is praised as more mysterious than Tibet and more pristine than Xinjiang, and its sacredness and solemnity are no less than that of western Sichuan. But the most shocking thing is that it is the only place in the country where all scenic spots are permanently open to the public for free! 🚫🎫 💖🤝 Why is it free? The story behind it is heartwarming. In 2010, Yushu experienced a major earthquake, and people from all over the country extended a helping hand. In order to express gratitude for this great love, Yushu decided to open all scenic spots in the area to tourists free of charge permanently, so that everyone can enjoy the purity and beauty of this land. 🌍💕 🚀🛫 Transportation Guide: To Yushu, you can choose to fly to Yushu Batang Airport, or take a train to Xining and then depart for Yushu. 📅🌡️ Best time to travel: July to August, when the weather is pleasant and the scenery is most charming. 🏞️🌟🎈 Recommended attractions: - **🏞️ Hoh Xil**: A mysterious treasure of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the "roof of the roof of the world". Tibetan antelopes run freely on the vast grassland, and the majestic snow-capped mountains and blue lakes complement each other, forming an intoxicating natural picture. - **🏞️ Sanjiangyuan National Park**: China's first national park, where mountains and the Yellow River interweave into a natural painting, and rare wild animals such as Tibetan antelopes and Tibetan wild donkeys can be seen everywhere. - **🌊 Chumar River**: The river water under the sun is like "blood of the earth", strange and spectacular. - **🏯 Jiegu Temple**: The temple monks' quarters on a towering hill overlook the panoramic view of the town and feel the tranquility of the soul. - **🏰 Gar Monastery**: An ancient temple on a cliff. The prayer wheel at a high altitude is said to be the dowry of Princess Wencheng, full of historical atmosphere. - **🧂 Baizagu Salt Field**: A place with more history than Chaka Salt Lake, with infinite scenery and picturesque views in summer. - **🙏Xinzhai Mani Stone City**: A place for praying and making wishes at an altitude of more than 3,600 meters, shocking the soul. 🎉🎊 Recommended activities: Every year from July 25th to August 1st, the largest Tibetan carnival in Qinghai is held on the Zaxi Grassland. It is a cultural feast not to be missed! 📚🌿 Dear travelers, Yushu is not just a place, it is a precious book, every page of which is filled with the harmonious coexistence of nature and humanity. Here, you can feel the most primitive breath of nature and hear the longest echo of history. 🏞️🌬️ 🔍🧭 Yushu, this beautiful and mysterious place, is waiting for everyone who loves adventure. Let’s witness together the scenery that is more moving than words, and experience the spiritual journey that is more shocking than imagination. 🏔️🌅

In 2010, a major earthquake occurred in Yushu, causing many people to die. People from all over the country gave great help to Yushu. Therefore, to thank the aid from the compatriots across the country, Yushu decided that all scenic spots in the area would be free of charge, permanently. This place is more mysterious than Tibet, more primitive than Xinjiang, and as sacred as Sichuan. It is even a paradise for travelers, ranking among the top in China. It is Qinghai Yushu. 🚉Travel Guide: ✈️You can choose to fly to Yushu Batang Airport 🚅You can choose to take a bullet train to Xining, and then depart from Xining to Yushu Recommended attractions: Hoh Xil This is a sacred place to witness life and faith, a paradise for rare wild animals. On the way, you can see snow-capped mountains and grasslands, lakes and wetlands, and groups of wild animals. △The core area is prohibited to enter, only for distant viewing, please pay attention to safety! Sanjiangyuan China's first national park, where the mountains stand tall, on both sides of the Yellow River, presenting a fascinating picture. Coming here is like walking into a huge natural zoo: Tibetan antelopes, wild donkeys, and wild yaks can be seen everywhere Chumar River Under the sun, the Chumar River looks like rocks washed by water, and also like the 'blood of the earth', which is really amazing Jiegu Temple The temple and the monks' houses are well-arranged, towering above the hill. Standing here, you can see the whole town, which is very spectacular and vast Gaer Temple This is an ancient temple hanging on a cliff, with an altitude of more than 3700 meters. It is the largest temple in the White Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. You can visit the treasure of the temple, a pair of peculiar prayer wheels. It is said that this pair of prayer wheels was the dowry brought by Princess Wencheng when she married Songtsen Gampo, and was later placed in Gaer Temple Baizha Ancient Salt Field An ancient salt field with a longer history than Chaka Salt Lake, still using the ancient salt-making process. The scenery is pleasant in summer, with mountains, grasslands, wheat fields, and ancient villages, forming a picture Xinzha Mani Stone Scripture City At an altitude of more than 3600 meters, the Mani pile is magnificent and is known as 'the largest place in the world for making wishes'. Although these characters are mysterious and difficult to understand, they are as elegant as artworks Yushu Horse Racing Festival The largest Tibetan carnival in Qinghai, held on the Zaxi Grassland from July 25 to August 1 every year. Those who are going to play recently can pay attention The name 'Yushu' is translated from Tibetan, meaning 'ruins'. There are countless praises for this place: 'Ocean of Song and Dance', 'Hometown of Song and Dance', 'Ancestor of Famous Mountains', 'Source of Rivers', 'Land of Yaks', 'The Closest Place to the Sky in the World'.

🌟This is the only city in the country where admission is free. The name "Yushu" is a Tibetan transliteration, which means "ruins". The reputation of this place can be counted on one hand: "the ocean of singing and dancing", "the hometown of singing and dancing", "the ancestor of famous mountains", "the source of rivers", "the land of yak", "the world closest to the sky" … - 🌟Yushu occupies one-third of Qinghai’s area and one-third of Qinghai’s beauty. The average altitude is above 4,000 meters. Although it lacks oxygen, it does not lack faith. This is not Tibet, but you can feel the power of faith better than Tibet. ✅Four days and three nights travel guide 1⃣day 1 Yushu【Jiegu Temple】 You can fly directly to Yushu Batang Airport from Chengdu or Xining. The average altitude here is about 4,000. After arriving in the city, you can take a short rest and then visit the highest point in the city: Jiegu Temple Tourist Scenic Area, which is the highest temple in the city. The temple is built on the mountain, with halls and monks' houses scattered in an orderly manner. Accommodation: You can stay at the Gesar Palace Hotel, which should be one of the best hotels in the city. The accommodation conditions are not bad. - 2⃣day 2 Zhiduo County [First County on the Yangtze River] [Chumar River] In the morning, you can set off to Zhiduo County, which is two and a half hours' drive from Yushu city. You can see a lot of beautiful scenery along the way. "Zhiduo" means "the source of the Yangtze River" in Tibetan, and is also known as "the first county on the Yangtze River. It is known as the source of the Yangtze River, the animal kingdom, and the Chinese Water Tower. It is also the Sanjiangyuan National Park and the largest county in China. The first national park. In the afternoon, it takes about three and a half hours to set off from Zhiduo County to the Chumal River (Red River). The Chumal River belongs to the Yangtze River Source Nature Reserve, and the upstream area is the center of the Hoh Xil Reserve. The river here flows through the flat beaches, turning into colorful and ever-changing pictures. In an instant, you can take in the unspeakable beauty of nature and return to Zhiduo County to stay overnight. Accommodation: Queen Gesar Hotel, there are many restaurants nearby. - 3⃣day 3 Yushu [Xinzhai Mani Stone Pile] [Princess Wencheng Temple] Two and a half hours' drive back to Yushu from Zhiduo County, you can visit the Manidui, which are mostly piles of white stones used for praying, with Buddha statues or scriptures engraved on them. People in Tibetan areas here will circle around the Manidui, chanting words, calling the gods, and praying for God's gifts and blessings. In the afternoon, you can visit Princess Wencheng Temple. Near the airport, Princess Wencheng Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,300 years. It is one of the important cultural relics of the Tang-Tibet Ancient Road.

In our country, there is such a place, which is more mysterious than Lhasa and more primitive than Xinjiang! In addition, it is the only city in China with free admission. Curious friends may ask, where is this place? What different sceneries are there? With these questions and curiosity, let's talk about Yushu today. Yushu City, a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, is located in the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with an area of 15,700 square kilometers. 'Yushu' is a transliteration of Tibetan, meaning 'ruins'. In the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929), Yushu County was established, and the county government was located in Jiegu Town. In 1952, Yushu County was established according to the old system. In July 2013, with the approval of the State Council, Yushu County was abolished and Yushu City at the county level was established. The continuous snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands, various wild animals on the distant mountains... all the wild beauty of nature can be seen in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai. The river network in Yushu City is dense, the water source is abundant, the valley is deep and the flow is rapid, the terrain is high and low, and it has unique rafting resources.

This is the only city in China with free admission. The name "Yushu" is a Tibetan translation, meaning "ruins". The reputation here can't be counted with one hand: "Sea of Dance", "Hometown of Dance", "Ancestor of Famous Mountains", "Source of Rivers", "Land of Yaks", "The world closest to the sky"... -Yushu occupies one-third of Qinghai, and it also occupies one-third of the beauty of Qinghai. The average altitude is over 4000 meters. Although it lacks oxygen, it does not lack faith. It's not Tibet, but it feels the power of faith more than Tibet. The travel strategy is for four days and three nights 1️⃣day 1 Yushu You can fly directly to Yushu Batang Airport from Chengdu or Xining. I can fly from Chengdu to Yushu City in an hour and a half. Take a taxi to Yushu City for half an hour. The average altitude here is about 4000 pounds. After arriving in the city, you can rest for a while, and then visit the highest point in the city: Jiegu Temple tourist area. This is the highest temple in the city. The temple is built on the mountain, and the temple and the monks' houses are scattered together. Accommodation: You can stay at the Gesar Palace Hotel, which should be one of the best hotels in the city, and the accommodation conditions are also good. -2️⃣day 2 Zhiduo County You can set off to Zhiduo County in the morning, two and a half hours drive from Yushu City. You can see a lot of beautiful scenery along the way. In Tibetan, "Zhiduo" means "source of the Yangtze River", also known as "the first county of the Yangtze River". It is known as the source of the Yangtze River, the animal kingdom, and the water tower of China. It is also the Sanjiangyuan National Park, and China's first national park. In the afternoon, it takes about three and a half hours from Zhiduo County to Chumar River (Red River). The Chumar River belongs to the Yangtze River Source Nature Reserve, and the upstream area is the core area of the Kekexili Reserve. The rivers here flow through flat beaches, fantasizing about colorful and ever-changing gorgeous pictures. In an instant, nature cannot be captured in full view, and stay overnight in many counties. Accommodation: Ling·Gesar Queen's Hotel, there is more food around. -3️⃣day 3 Yushu It takes two and a half hours to drive back to Yushu from Zhiduo County. You can go to see the Mani pile, mainly the accumulation of white stones, used for prayer, carved with Buddha or scriptures. The Tibetans here will circle around the Mani pile, read words, call God, and pray for God's gifts and blessings. In the afternoon, you can visit the Princess Wencheng Temple. The Princess Wencheng Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty and has a history of more than 1300 years. It is one of the important cultural relics of the Tang Fan Ancient Road.

In Tibetan Buddhism, there are four mountain gods: Gang Rinpoche in Ali, Tibet, Meili Snow Mountain in Diqing, Yunnan, Armaniqing in Qinghai, and Yushu in Yushu. When I saw the temple behind the gods and realized the monks' knowledge, I realized the high cleanness above the pure land. I believe that enlightenment can really become a Buddha. Behind the fascination of Yu Duo, there is a Saikang Temple, which is the only way to turn the mountain. It is also the largest and most influential Gelugpa monastery in the county. There are more than 100 kinds of precious Buddha statues and antiquities in the Saikang Temple. This is also the light that touches the mountain. In the history, many monks and dads presented the treasures to the Saikang Temple when they realized the Shenshan Mountain. The Saikang Temple in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was one of the most treasured temples in the Tibetan area. The treasure of the town temple is the bronze statue of the Guanyin flesh left by the living Buddha. It is said that only those who have the Buddha's edge can go to worship, and see the three students fortunate. When I came, I also met the monks to discern. I have seen the Bible before, but usually it is a one-on-one form, one question, one answer. The differentiation of the Saikang Temple is still somewhat special, and a group of people identify it together. Under the sun, the red clothes of the monks are like a group of flames, and the bronzed skin exudes an inviolable sacred radiance. Listening to the turbulent sound of the debate, the distant singularity of the gods and the mountains of silence stand silently, and everyone who is fortunate enough to see this scene will be in a state of tide.

Regarding the location of the First Bay of the Yangtze River, it is actually controversial. Many people will say that it is in Lijiang. In fact, the first bay after the source of the Yangtze River is actually in Qumalai County of Yushu. Here she has another name, the Tongtian River in the Journey to the West. According to legend, Tang Yan returned from the Jingtian River. Because he forgot to entrust him, the old turtle took Tang Yan and his entourage down the river. After the men and women went ashore, they dried the wet scrolls on the spot. The words on the scrolls were printed on the stones. There are still handwritings here. The Wanli Yangtze River rushed down from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and came to Yushu. It walked through the deep valleys of the mountains and was blocked by the cliffs. It formed a big sharp turn here, which made people feel tidal. Such a spectacle is straightforward. The wide river surface slows down the rushing river, and it looks like a ribbon surrounded by blue mountains with beautiful curves and beautiful scenery.

Meet the Hoh Xil Qinghai Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve at an altitude of 5,000 meters in the west of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province, with a total area of 4.5 million hectares. It is a nature reserve with good preservation of the original ecological environment in the world at the beginning of the 21st century. It is also one of the largest nature reserves in China with the highest elevation and the most abundant wildlife resources. Qinghai Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve mainly protects rare wild animals, plants and their habitats such as Tibetan antelope, wild yak, Tibetan wild pheasant and Tibetan gazelle. Among them, the Sonam Dajie Conservation Station is our main stop. This is the place where the first station of the protection station has defended, and it is also to commemorate the protection station he named after fighting the illegal hunting elements.

Entering the uninhabited area of Hoh Xil to find Tibetan antelopes, driving for more than 4 hours, entering the depths of the uninhabited area of Hoh Xil, the antelopes of the Kunlun Mountains Snow Mountain Range are all here, the protective color of the Tibetan antelope and the ultra-fast running speed. The biggest obstacle to shooting, running up to 80km or more. Tibetan antelopes inhabit the desert meadow plateau and plateau grassland at an altitude of 4,600-6,000 meters, especially like the flat grass beach near the water source. The area where the Tibetan antelopes live is 1600 km from east to west, and seasonal migration is an important ecological feature. They will eat and eat sooner or later, and they will be able to see the elves on these plateaus with their rich experience and insightful insights.

Hoh Xil, the "beautiful girl" in the Mongolian language is not gentle, dry and cold, severely deprived of oxygen, windy winds, mixed with ice and snow on the meadow, and wants to get into every pore of your body. You can't help you with a little bit of sentiment, even the smoldering gas that you have accumulated in your body. In this high-altitude area, it has been squeezed away by the hot sun. 110KM south of Golmud City, Kunlunlun stands here, guarding the road to the Sanctuary, the largest unmanned area in China, covering an area of 45,000 square kilometers, bred wild yak, Tibetan antelope, Hey, snow leopard, swift eagle, sly wolf, this is the last large area of China where wild animals live.