Explore Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai, one of China’s most underrated yet most enchanting destinations.
Qinghai is a true haven for wildlife lovers. This sacred land is home to one of the world’s highest snow leopard densities. Guided by our local specialists featured in National Geographic and Frozen Planet, you’ll have the chance to look for snow leopards, Tibetan antelopes, Pallas’s cats, blue sheep, white-lipped deer, wild yaks, Tibetan foxes, wolves, and bearded vultures.
Part of Qinghai belongs to the cultural region of Kham Tibet, where Tibetan traditions and Buddhism are preserved in their most authentic form. At Xinzhai Mani Stone Pile, the largest mani stone pile on earth, you can carve your own mani stone and place it among millions of prayers. Share a day with nomadic herders, join them in their homes, and experience a way of life shaped by resilience, faith, and the vastness of the plateau.
The region is also blessed with some of the most striking salt lakes on the planet. Step into the emerald Chaka Salt Lake and the turquoise Qarhan Salt Lake, where the colours look as if they were poured from a divine palette.
Join Eastogo’s small-group tours, private journeys, or self-guided routes, and explore Qinghai in your own way.
HIGHLIGHTS Of Qinghai
BEST EXPERIENCES
Wildlife Tracking & Photography
Guided by our wildlife experts, explore Qinghai’s high-altitude wilderness to track snow leopards, Pallas’s cats, lynx, Tibetan foxes, blue sheep, wild yaks, and more. Journey into Hoh Xil, the world’s third-largest uninhabited area, where the graceful Tibetan antelope roams across the open plateau.
Carve Your Own Mani Stone at the World’s Largest Mani Stone Pile
At Xinzhai Mani Stone Mound in Yushu, the largest in the world. Carve the sacred Six-Syllable Mantra onto your own mani stone and place it among millions of prayers. Experience the profound spiritual devotion that defines this land.
A Day in the Life of Tibetan Nomads
Experience a day with Tibetan nomads in Qinghai’s grasslands—ride horses, help herd yaks, and learn to make traditional foods like butter tea and tsampa. Try your hand at udo, the traditional slingshot used for herding, and discover the skills and rhythms that define nomadic life.
Visit the Sky Burial Site
Led by our cultural guide, visit the largest sky burial site in Qinghai and gain insight into the Tibetan belief of life returning to nature, a profound perspective on the cycle of life and death.
Xining Muslim Street Food Tour
Join our local guide for a night-market food tour along Xining’s famous Muslim Snack Street. Try juicy lamb skewers, traditional fermented yoghurt, sweet rice wine, and more, flavours so good you’ll wish you had two stomachs.
Step Into China’s Most Beautiful Salt Lakes
Explore one of the world’s most stunning and unique salt lake regions, the apple-green Qarhan Salt Lake and the mirror-like Chaka Salt Lake, where the colours and reflections feel almost otherworldly.
Explore Qinghai with a small group of like-minded travellers (fewer than 10 pax). Take part in authentic local experiences accompanied by our professional English-speaking guide and our knowledgeable local guide.Qinghai Small Group Tours
SIGNATURE TRIP
Group Tour
China Snow Leopard Expedition
Guided by our local specialists featured in National Geographic and Frozen Planet, you will find snow leopards, Pallas’s cats, blue sheep, white-lipped deer, wild yaks, Tibetan foxes, Tibetan antelopes, wolves, and bearded vultures.
Beyond the wildlife, the region is also rich in Tibetan culture, immerse yourself in one of the best-preserved Tibetan cultural regions in the country.
8 days from €2996 euros
SIGNATURE TRIP
Group Tour
China Ultimate Snow Leopard Expedition
Guided by our local wildlife experts featured in National Geographic and Frozen Planet.
This 12-day snow leopard expedition maximises your chances of seeing wild snow leopards in China, while also giving you the opportunity to encounter nearly all the key species of the Tibetan Plateau and immerse yourself in one of the best-preserved Tibetan cultural regions in the country.
12 days from €4288 euros
SIGNATURE TRIP
Group Tour
Where Snow Leopards Meet the Purest Tibetan Culture
Guided by our local wildlife and cultural experts, this 13-day journey through China’s culture and wildlife offers far more than the chance to see the elusive snow leopard.
You’ll encounter many of the Tibetan Plateau’s iconic high-altitude species while exploring some of the best-preserved Tibetan cultural regions in the country.
13 days from €4038 euros
Explore Qinghai in your own way. Speak with our local experts to craft the journey that fits you best—whether it’s a private tour or one of our carefully designed self-guided routes.Qinghai Private & Self-guided Tours
Please speak to our travel planner to receive a sample itinerary.
Best time to visit
Qinghai offers something beautiful in every season. For wildlife enthusiasts, the best time to observe snow leopards is from October to April. Species such as Pallas’s cats, lynx, and other high-altitude specialists can be seen year-round, though winter on the Qinghai Plateau can be extremely cold, with temperatures dropping to –15°C.
For landscape lovers, the salt lakes are at their most stunning from April to October. The rapeseed fields around Qinghai Lake reach peak bloom in July and August, covering the hillsides in vibrant yellow.
Tibetan culture can be experienced at any time of year, with meaningful encounters and traditions accessible across all seasons.
Snow leopard season: October–April
Regular season: May–October
Best Months
Temperature
–15°C to 29°C
Weather
Cloudy to Sunny
Top Places to Visit in Qinghai
Yushu
Yushu lies at the core of Kham Tibet, home to some of the most authentically preserved Tibetan culture and Buddhist traditions. It is also one of the world’s finest places to observe snow leopards and other high-altitude wildlife, a region where many say the power of faith feels even stronger than in central Tibet.
In these vast grasslands and valleys, you may encounter snow leopards, Pallas’s cats, lynx, Tibetan foxes, gazelles, and a wide range of raptors, making Yushu an extraordinary destination for both cultural immersion and wildlife exploration.
Cha’erhan salt lake
Located in the lowest and most central part of the Qaidam Basin, Cha’erhan Salt Lake is the world’s second-largest and China’s largest salt lake, where solid and liquid salt coexist. What surprises most visitors is the colour: an astonishing, fluorescent green. The water glows like spilled apple-green dye, creating a surreal landscape where shimmering salt flats meet luminous jade-coloured lakes. It is one of Qinghai’s most striking and otherworldly natural wonders.
Xining
Located in northwest China, Xining is the capital of Qinghai Province and a vibrant crossroads where Han, Tibetan, Hui, Mongolian, and other cultures come together. The Dongguan Mosque, blending traditional Chinese architectural forms with Islamic design, stands as one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. In Xia’nanguan Street, you can taste some of the region’s best night-market snacks. Just outside the city lies Ta’er Monastery—one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and the birthplace of its founder, Tsongkhapa.
