Haibei

Every July, the valleys around Menyuan Hui Autonomous County erupt in a sea of golden yellow as over 600 km² of rapeseed flowers burst into bloom. This is the largest contiguous rapeseed flower area in China and possibly the world. Set against a backdrop of snow-capped Qilian peaks, the fields create one of the most photographed landscapes in all of northwestern China. The bloom typically lasts from late June through mid-August, with mid-July being peak season.

The best viewing spots are along the Daban Mountain Pass (达坂山) on G227 highway, where you can gaze down over endless fields stretching to the horizon, and from the Yuanbao Mountain (圆山观花台) viewing platform. Early morning and golden hour provide the most dramatic light. During the bloom season, Menyuan hosts a rapeseed flower festival with cultural performances, photography contests, and local food markets.

Best time: Late June to mid-August (peak: mid-July)
Admission: Free (viewing platforms ¥30–60)

Known in Tibetan as "Zongmu Mayuma" (Beautiful Red Queen), Zhuoer Mountain rises above Qilian County's Babao town and is one of the most iconic viewpoints in the Qilian Mountains. The mountain features striking red sandstone and conglomerate formations — a rare danxia landscape at high altitude — covered with alpine meadows and forests. From the summit, you can take in a panoramic view of the snow-draped Ami Dongso (牛心山, Ox Heart Mountain) across the Babao River, the rolling grasslands below, and the Qilian range stretching to the horizon.

Key sights within the scenic area include the Western Xia beacon tower ruins at the highest point, the Unity and Harmony Stupa, Lover's Cliff, and the Heaven's Eye viewpoint. The area holds deep spiritual significance for local Tibetans, who come to burn juniper offerings on the first and fifteenth of each lunar month. The contrast of red rocks, green meadows, and white peaks — often with wildflowers in summer — makes this one of the most photogenic spots on the entire Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Hours: 8:00–18:00 (summer), 8:30–17:00 (winter)
Admission: ¥60 (shuttle bus ¥20)

Rising 4,667 meters just 2 km southeast of Qilian County town, Ami Dongso — "Mountain of All Gods" in Tibetan — is the sacred guardian peak of the Qilian region. The mountain displays remarkable vertical biodiversity: wheat fields at its base, dense forests on its middle slopes, and permanent snow at its summit. Locals call it "Four Seasons in One Mountain" for this dramatic range of ecosystems.

The Ami Dongso Scenic Area (阿咪东索景区) was upgraded to China's highest tourism rating (5A) in 2020. Within its 113 km² area, visitors can explore alpine pastures, wildflower meadows, Pingshi Bay rock formations, and the dramatic Wanfo Cliffs (Ten Thousand Buddha Cliffs). The summit remains snow-covered year-round, while the lower slopes offer excellent hiking, horseback riding, and camping opportunities. According to legend, the mountain's mineral wealth gave rise to the famous "Qilian Eight Treasures."

Hours: 8:00–18:00
Admission: ¥120 (peak season)

Named one of China's Six Most Beautiful Grasslands by Chinese National Geographic in 2005, the Qilian Mountain Grassland stretches across the southern slopes of the Qilian range in Qilian County. At elevations of 3,000–4,000 meters, these rolling alpine meadows are carpeted with wildflowers in summer — edelweiss, gentians, wolfbane, and fireweed painting the hillsides in purple, yellow, and white. Flocks of sheep and yak herds drift across the green expanse, backed by jagged snow peaks.

The grassland is best experienced by driving or cycling through the Babao River valley. Several Tibetan nomad camps offer the chance to stay in a yurt (蒙古包), ride horses, eat traditional yak meat dishes, and experience the genuine nomadic lifestyle. In late summer, locals celebrate the Nadam Festival with horse racing, wrestling, and archery competitions. The raw scale and beauty of this landscape — often called "the Alps of the East" — is hard to overstate.

Best time: June to September
Admission: Free (yurt stays ¥100–300/person)

On the Jinyintan (金银滩) grassland in Haiyan County lies Atomic City — the birthplace of China's nuclear weapons program. From 1958 to 1987, this was the top-secret Factory 221 (二二一厂), where over 10,000 scientists and engineers developed China's first atomic bomb (detonated October 16, 1964) and first hydrogen bomb (June 17, 1967). The base was decommissioned in 1995 and opened to the public as a national patriotism education base.

The Atomic City Memorial Hall features eight exhibition halls covering the full history of China's nuclear program, with original equipment, documents, and photographs. Outside, you can visit the detonation test field, the underground command center, the monument (16.15 meters tall, symbolizing the exact time of the first atomic blast), and the Shangxing Station — the railway platform from which the first atomic bomb was shipped out. The surrounding Jinyintan grassland, made famous by the song "In That Distant Place" (在那遥远的地方) written by composer Wang Luobin, is equally beautiful and worth exploring.

Hours: 8:30–18:00
Admission: Memorial Hall free, combined pass ¥160

The highest peak of the eastern Qilian Mountains at 5,254.5 meters, Gangshika Snow Peak is called "Aani Gangshika" in Tibetan — meaning "Lord of the Snow Mountains." It is the paramount sacred mountain of the Huaré Tibetan people, one of the Thirteen Great Mountains of the Huaré region. Below the permanent snowline, alpine meadows give way to dramatic ice formations, including a stunning 10-meter waterfall formed by geothermal springs at the mountain's base.

Gangshika has become a significant outdoor destination, offering trekking to base camp (accessible to most visitors), ice climbing in winter, and mountaineering expeditions to the summit. The peak received over 300,000 visitors in 2024 and was selected as one of China's first high-quality outdoor sports destinations. The Seven-Color Waterfall (七彩瀑布) at the foot of the mountain — where mineral-rich water creates colorful ice cascades in winter — is a highlight even for non-climbers. The mountain is located along G227, about 36 km from Menyuan county town.

Best time: June to October (trekking), December to March (ice climbing)
Admission: Free (guide/permit required for climbing above base camp)

Located on the northern shore of Qinghai Lake in Gangcha County, Fairy Bay is one of the most atmospheric spots along the lake. The bay's wetlands are part of the Qinghai Lake ecosystem — listed as an internationally important wetland under the Ramsar Convention since 1992. A 999-meter prayer wheel corridor with 108 wheels leads to a ceremonial platform extending into the lake, where Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies and lake offerings (祭海) have been held for centuries.

The bay is particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset, when the light turns the lake and distant mountains gold and rose. Migratory birds — including bar-headed geese, cormorants, and brown-headed gulls — gather here in large numbers from April to October. The 37-meter-high "Three Animals Laca" (三牲拉则), the tallest of its kind in all Tibetan regions, was erected in 1652 during the Fifth Dalai Lama's passage through this area. Fairy Bay offers a more serene and spiritual Qinghai Lake experience compared to the busier Erlangjian Scenic Area on the southern shore.

Hours: 8:30–19:00
Admission: ¥60 (peak), ¥30 (off-season)

Once one of Qinghai Lake's most famous attractions, Bird Island (鸟岛) sits on the lake's northwestern shore and was renowned as one of the world's most important bird sanctuaries. At its peak, over 160,000 migratory birds — including bar-headed geese, brown-headed gulls, cormorants, and black-necked cranes — nested here each summer. The area became a designated nature reserve in 1975.

In August 2017, the government closed Bird Island to all tourism activities to protect the fragile ecosystem. Since then, bird populations have rebounded significantly — by 2025, the lake supported 282 bird species with over 600,000 waterbirds. While visitors can no longer enter the island itself, the surrounding Qinghai Lake shoreline offers excellent birdwatching opportunities. The closure represents China's growing commitment to ecological protection over tourism revenue.

Status: Closed to tourism since 2017
Alternative: Fairy Bay (15 km east) offers similar wetland birdwatching

Stretching 866 kilometers through the Qilian Mountains, the Heihe (Black River) Grand Canyon is one of China's most spectacular and least-visited natural wonders. The river — China's second-largest inland waterway — originates from the Bayi Glacier and carved this dramatic gorge over millennia, with vertical drops exceeding 1,000 meters in places. The canyon spans over 300 km² with an average elevation above 4,200 meters.

Only about 70 km of the canyon has road access; the rest remains true wilderness with 800 documented glaciers. The terrain varies dramatically: narrow passages with roaring whitewater and sheer cliffs alternate with wide valleys and gentle meadows. Wildlife includes blue sheep, marmots, and occasionally snow leopards. The local government is developing rafting and adventure tourism, but for now, this remains a destination for serious outdoor enthusiasts. Hiring a local guide is essential.

Best time: June to September
Access: From Qilian County; 4WD vehicle and guide required

The Daban Mountain Pass (达坂山, "Daban" means "pass" in Mongolian) sits at 3,940 meters on the border between Datong County and Menyuan County along the G227 highway. This dramatic mountain crossing offers one of the most famous views in all of Qinghai — a sweeping panorama over the Menyuan rapeseed flower fields with the snow-capped Gangshika Peak rising behind.

The pass is particularly stunning during the July flower season, when the golden valley floor contrasts with white peaks and deep blue sky. A viewing platform and parking area accommodate the many photographers who stop here. In winter and early spring, the pass can be hazardous due to snow and ice — the tunnel below (completed in 1998 at 3,792 m, once Asia's highest road tunnel) provides a safer alternative. The pass is also the watershed between the Huangshui and Datong River systems.

Elevation: 3,940 meters (pass), 4,354 meters (peak)
Best time: July for flowers; clear days year-round for views

The Babao River (八宝河, "Eight Treasures River") flows 108 km from the Jingyang Pass in the eastern Qilian Mountains westward through the heart of Qilian County. The river valley creates a stunning green corridor flanked by snow peaks, alpine meadows, and forests. Along its course, it passes the famous Zhuoer Mountain, the sacred Ami Dongso, and eventually joins the Heihe River at Baopinghe.

Driving the G227 through this valley is one of the most scenic road trips in Qinghai. The landscape shifts from high-altitude grassland near the source to forested gorges near Qilian town. Several Tibetan nomad communities live along the river, and you may spot yaks, horses, and eagles. A hiking trail follows the river near Qilian town, offering a gentler way to experience the scenery. The river's water quality has improved from Class III to Class II thanks to recent ecological restoration efforts.

Length: 108 km
Best experience: Drive G227 from Menyuan to Qilian; hike near Qilian town