American World Traveler Summer 2017 Issue

42
Qinghai province is located south
of the Republic of Mongolia, east
of Xinjiang, and north of Tibet in
the far northern reaches of the massive
Tibetan Plateau. UNESCO has placed the
Quinghai Lake in the Qinghai Hoh Xil
National Natural Reserve on their list. It has
become a bird watcher’s paradise and the
ecological environment and biodiversity
offers a great deal for visitors, naturalists,
scientists and nature lovers. It is a huge
inland saline lake watershed and the surrounding
streams and rivers have created
the unique plateau wetland ecosystem
which makes an ideal habitat for many wild
animals, including the Tibetan Antelope
and the endangered Przewalski's gazelle
(Procapra przewalskii).
A second UNESCO listing is the majestic
Yardangs landscape clusters in the arid and
desert regions. Dozens of meters high,
these ridge-shaped Yardangs are imposing
and some even look like a large fleet of
ships in a vast sea. The most typical ones
are shaped like towers or columns, but
there are some that appear in animal
shapes like eagles, horses and turtles. It is
very surreal and visiting it is like visiting
Mars!
There are many interesting areas to visit in
this province, and Qinghaihu National Park
is an amazing stop. The park contains the
Qinghai
largest lake in China, and the Bird Island
National Park, one of the world’s most
important wetlands, is under the protection
of the International Wetland Protection
Treaty. Bird lovers know that this park is one
of the best bird refuges in the world, but it
can be equally beautiful for regular tourists!
As well, the annual Tour of Qinghai Lake is
a professional road bicycle racing race held
since 2002. The race is sanctioned by the
International Cycling Union (UCI) as a 2HC
race as part of the UCI Asia Tour. Camping
is also an option, with lakeside lots and
sunrises so spectacular that you will never
want it to end.
Another park, the HuZhu BeiShan National
Forest Park, is a beautiful forest park with
mountains, valleys and lakes with stunning
waterfalls as well. The mountains and valleys
are beautiful, and the drive there was
spectacular. On the Langshidang side of
the park there are hotels and tourist welcoming
centres. The Zhalonggou side is a
little more remote and quiet. The Zha Long
Temple, a small Buddhist temple, is the only
sight other than lots of small farms with
cows and other animals, and as you get to
the Park there is waterfall near the parking
area!
Huangzhong is the home of the famous
Kumbum Monastery, a fascinating place
that offers visitors a glimpse at a real, working
monastery with monks at their prayers
to the Buddha. Here you can see the monks
working the prayer wheels and going about
their day’s labours. The tour offers a trip to
the Dalai Lama’s residence, which was simple,
quiet and peaceful – just as you would
imagine!
In Golmud, the second largest city in
Qinghai, we find the start of the Qinghai-
Tibet Railway. Taking the train allows
tourists to travel through the province’s
amazing Chaerhan Salt Lake. More than
160 kilometers long and 30 wide, it is surrounded
by endless desert. It is a sight to
behold, as on days with lots of sun, the surface
of the lake looks like a huge mirror or
a boundless sea. A must see!
American World Traveler Summer 2017