Qinghai Province is a cold, inhospitable region of poverty, barren plateaus and deserts. Located in the far northwest of China, this huge area, around 720,000 square kilometers, is about one hundred times the size of the Municipality of Shanghai, with only one third of its population. The province is notable for the prison and labour camps that hold some of China's most hardened criminals and political prisoners. Qinghai inmates, on some estimates, number as much as 10% of a total population of about 4.5 million.

In ancient times the province was known as Amdo, and it was considered Tibetan up until the eighteenth century, when it was formally incorporated into the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD) Empire. It still remains strongly Tibetan influenced, and many of the religious complexes here are of the most famous outside of the Himalayan region. These were to foster many of Tibetan Buddhism's notorious figures, including the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, born in Dek Ser, Ping'an County, some 30 kilometers south of the Kumbum Monastery. There is also a strong minority presence in Qinghai, with Tibetans among 30% of the population, and with other minorities including the Mongols, the Kazaks and the Muslim Hui & Salar. The incorporation of China into the province, however, means that now over 60% of the population are of Han descent.

Much of the province is dominated by the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau that rises from around 2,500 to over 3,500 meters above sea level. The plateau is home to the sources of three of China's most famous rivers, the Yangtze, the Yellow and the Mekong - rivers that are considered the cradles of the Chinese civilisation. Economy in the province is mainly concentrated in agriculture, mining for minerals & oil, salt production, and tourism, however unemployment remains rife. The laogais (prison factories) are also still churning out goods, and these can, if you are lucky, be visited in Xining.

Travellers to the province are mainly on their way either to or from Tibet, via Golmud in the far southwest. This is one of the roughest and most stunning of journeys, through the Tangula Mountain Pass.  The biggest highlights within the province, the Kumbum Monastery and the vast Qinghai Lake, are most alluring to hikers, campers, ornithologists and those interested in Buddhism.

Qinghai belongs to a climate that is characterized by fairly warm summers and freezing winters. Days in spring and autumn, albeit not so cold, are frequently dominated by strong winds that make hiking and camping a hardy pursuit. Throughout the year, especially upon the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau, nights are always cold, making warm weather gear an essential packing item. The province is probably best visited in summer, when not only is this the time when the climate is most hospitable but also it is when the road to Tibet, via Golmud, is open.

The climates of the province's three main attractions, the capital Xining, the cold, salty Qinghai Lake and the remote outpost Golmud, are all fairly similar, although Xining is a little less inhospitable, located as it is upon the edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, is the starting point of your Qinghai tour thanks to its relatively convenient transport. The most likely other starting point is for those coming in from Tibet, and in this case you will first arrive in Golmud. From here you can just hop on a train or bus to Xining. Most people who are to be found in Qinghai are usually fast on their way to other regions, and the only people who seem to stay here are those eager to exploit the region's possibly rich resources, or those in prison.

Day One: In the morning, check in at one of the hotels. Then from the railway station, take bus No.11 to North Mountain Temple, one of the few Taoist complexes in Qinghai Province, and sneak a view of the entire city from the 5-storey Ningshou Pagoda. Have your first mouthful of Qinghai specialties at one of the local restaurants in town. In the afternoon,  take bus No.1, 2 or 23 in the city center and get off at the Dongguan stop. Nearby is the Great Mosque, one of the most important Muslim religious centers in northwest China. In the evening head to the Water Well Alley Night Market (see Xining Dining) to eat.

Day Two: In the morning, take a minibus from the west entrance of the Xining City Gymnasium (Xining tiyuguan) and go to the Ta'er Monastery. You can spend the rest of the day in the Buddhist complex. In the late afternoon, take a bus back to town. Return to your hotel.

The rest of the itinerary is dependant upon whether you are into hiking, camping or the desolate beauty that is the Qinghai Lake. If time is of the essence it is often easier to take one of the one or two day tours from Xining (see tours section of the Qinghai Lake Transport Overview). The following is for those who wish to stay a little longer.

Day Three: Catch a bus before 9am for the Tibetan town Heimahe. From here you will need to hitch on to the main lake entrance, that is close to the Lake Tent Hotel. Eat at a local restaurant, or in the hotel, and then head off to wherever takes your fancy. Later on head back to the hotel to spend the night or set up camp anywhere along the river banks.

Day Four & Five: Decisions are up to you. It is worth spending a day at the Bird Island, but apart from this there is a variety of activities that you may try over these two days (including a boat trip around the islands, fishing, boating, horse riding etc.) Much of the lakeside activities can be done at the southern shore's tourist site, but you may wish to just head off on your own to enjoy a little "Wild China".

Day Six: Head back to Heimahe in the early morning, and then head on to the Chaka Salt Lakes for a day trip. On arrival ensure return transport routes to Xining for the late afternoon. Head off to see the sights returning to Xining by early evening. Book into a Xining hotel.

(Additional Days: There is no special reason to be heading on to Golmud, unless you are looking to continue on into Tibet. If this is the case then catch the train [or bus] in the morning from Xining [see Coming into Golmud from the east in the Golmud Transport Overview].)

The Province of Qinghai is one of China's least accessible and roughest regions to get about in. Beyond the capital Xining, that has fairly convenient transport, and the rail line from here on to Golmud, following the old southern silk road, your transport options may be a little limited to the tourist trails that head either to the massive Qinghai Lake, or on into Tibet.

By air: Although a seriously backward province, Qinghai still boasts two airports, one in Xining, the capital city and another in Golmud, a small city to the west of the capital. Thanks to its growing popularity among Chinese and foreign backpackers and adventurers, it is now possible to access the capital from almost all the major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xi'an. Golmud Airport is far less accessible, and frequently flights here are postponed or cancelled subject to demand. Flights from here have access to Xining and Xi'an.

By train: In the past, by far the most frequently used way to come to the province was by rail, despite the long hours that these journeys often took. The monotony of the long stretches are somewhat offset by the grand views of the rough plateau scenery en route.

With the recent rise of train speed, it now takes just 33 and 44 hours to Xining from Beijing and Shanghai, respectively. Train also remains the most comfortable way to reach Golmud, in the far west.

By bus: Although it is not recommendable to take a bus from most provincial destinations, except possibly from nearby cities in Sichuan and Gansu, intra-province transport still remains a popular form of transport, and is usually the cheapest. Bus is the best way to visit the Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er si), Qinghai Lake, and the only way to head on from Golmud into Tibet.