5-Days Qinghai Featured Tour

Chaka Salt Lake of Qinghai Province
The Sunset of Qinghai Lake
Standing on the salt crystals of Chaka Salt Lake
The Jinyintan Prairie in Qinghai Province
Night Scene of Taer Monastery

Tour Outline: 5 Days & 4 Nights
Xining (1 N) - Chaka Town (1N) - Xining (2N)

Overview
Itinerary
Service Inclusion
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Trip Overview

This is one of Qinghai featured tour itinerary. You will visit two salt lakes: Qinghai Lake and Chaka Salt Lake, Sun and Moon Mountains, Jinyintan Prairie and Huanghaqing in Guide.

Chaka Salt Lake is not far beyond Qinghai Lake and is located near Chaka Town in the eastern part of the Caidamu Basin. The Lake’s breadth is 9.2 kilometers and the length is 15 kilometers, with a total area of 105 square kilometers. The Lake was famous for its salt in ancient times, when almost everyone in the northwest and central plains of China knew of Qinghai salt. In addition, the scenery of Chaka Salt Lake is so beautiful that it was awarded as an important scenic spot by Qinghai Government. It is not only famous for producing Qinghai salt, but also for the unique landscapes in the area. You might have a good chance to see the sunrise on the salt lake that is the most marvelous and you will never forget.

[Qinghai Lake] See the biggest inland lake and biggest salt-water lake in China. It is also a good place for viewing by walking, riding and biking;
[Chaka Salt Lake] Walk on the visible crystals in the lake bed to see the sunrise on the salt lake that is the most marvelous and unforgettable;
[Riyue Mountains] Climb the Sun and Moon Mountains and visit the Ri Pagoda and Yue Pagoda for commemorating the intermarriage of Tang to Tubo;
[Jinyintan Prairie] Appreciate the beauty of highland grassland and know the ancient love story of Wang Luobin and the Tibetan girl;
[Guide Huangheqing] Enjoy the beautiful landscapes and take a boat on the Huangheqing, meaning “the Yellow River water is clear”.

Best Time to Visit

all year round
Physical Demands

Very leisure tour; zero physical demand

Day by Day Itinerary

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Day 1: Xining Arrival

Upon your arrival at the Xining Caojiabao Airport/ Train Station, our tour guide will meet and escort you to your hotel in Xining downtown. If time allows, we will go to visit the Dongguan Great Mosque, one of the "four great mosques in China" (others: Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, Nanguan Great Mosque in Yinchuan and Huajuexiang Mosque in Xian). Then have a good rest in your hotel.

Drive 38km from airport to downtown
Xining (2295m)
Xining business hotel
Meal: NO

Day 2: Xining - Riyue Mountains - Qinghai Lake - Chaka Town

Sun and Moon Mountains

Qinghai Lake in Rape Flower Season

After breakfast in your hotel, our tour guide and driver will pick you up, and then drive to visit the Riyue Mountains (Sun and Moon Mountains), and the Ri Pagoda and Yue Pagoda. Both pagodas were built in Tang Dynasty to commemorate the intermarriage of marrying Princess Wencheng of Tang to Tubo. At the foot of Riyue Mountains, you will be amazed by the unique Daotang River which flows from east to west.

Then transfer to the Erlangjian Scenic Spot of Qinghai Lake, which is the biggest island lake and biggest salt-water lake in China. The lake is the paradise for birds, where you can see more than ten thousand in the summer. It is surrounded by high mountains. At the foot of mountains are the endless beautiful grasslands. So you can enjoy the great views by walking, riding or biking. In the late afternoon, drive about 138km to Chaka Town and check in the local hotel.

Today drive about 285km
Qinghai Lake (3260m), Chaka (3090m)
Internet & Wifi
Chaka local hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Chaka Salt Lake - Jinyintan Prairie - Xining

Standing on the salt crystals of Chaka Salt Lake

Jinyintan Prairie of Qinghai Province

Today try to get up early in order to enjoy the marvelous sunrise of Chaka Salt Lake. The Lake is covered by salt plainly visible like crystals in the lake bed on which people can walk. It provides many tons of edible salt each year and is one of important industries in Qinghai province. Salt mining began as early as some 3000 years ago.

Then drive back to Xining. On the way, you will visit Jinyintan Prairie and appreciate the beauty of highland grassland. Jinyintan Prairie comprised of two prairies: Jin Tan and Yin Tan. These two prairies cover nearly 1,100 square kilometers. Jinyintan Prairie is the place in which the love story laid between the famous writer Wang Luobin and the Tibetan girl.

Today drive about 380km
Altitude: Xining (2295m)
Internet & Wifi
Xining business hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: Xining - Guide - Xining

Labrang Monastery in Xiahe

Guide Danxi Landform

Today you will drive to Guide which is a county in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province. Guide is known as “Petite Jiangnan on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau”.Jiangnan, literally meaning “the south of the Yangtze River” in Chinese, is known for its humid and mild climate, charming scenery and rich natural resources. Our car will drive along the gentle slopes of Laji Mountain, with an altitude of 3,858 meters above sea level. And then enter into a russet world with ranges of fantastic red rock formations all around, which is Danxia, a special type of landscape formed from red-colored sandstones and conglomerates mostly dating from the Cretaceous age.

After arriving at Guide, you will visit the Huangheqing Bridge and take a boat on the Yellow River for sightseeing. Then drive back to Xining and pay a visit to Guide National Geological Park where you can appreciate Danxia natural landscape. In the late afternoon, be transferred back to your hotel in Xining.

Today drive about 180km
Altitude: Guide (2000m)
Internet & Wifi
Xining business hotel
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Xining - Departure

Today you will be transferred to visit the famous Taer Monastery, the birthplace of the Tibetan Buddhism master - Tsongkhapa who was the founder of Gelug sect. The monastery is also famous as one of "six monasteries of Gelug", and a very important institute to learn Buddhism, Astronomy and Medicine. You must not miss the "three treasures of the monastery": mural, barbola and butter sculptures. Every year, there are many Buddhist ceremonies organized here.

Then be escorted to the airport/ train station for your next destination.

Today drive about 94km
Altitude: Taer Monastery (2696m)
Hotel: NO
Breakfast

Price Destals & Guide

Price Inclusions

Private transportation to the destinations and sites listed in the itinerary; ranging from 4WD land cruiser to bus depending on the group size and trip route; car gasoline, road toll and in-transport refreshments (free bottles of water, air pillow and headscarf) are included;
Lodging: three nights in Xining business hotel, one night in Chaka Town local hotel;
Private experienced English-speaking tour guide / trip leader;
Airport/railway station pick-up and send-off services at the beginning/end of the tour;
Entrance ticket fees for all the sight spots listed in the itinerary;
Meals listed in the itinerary (4 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches);
First aid kit;
A coverage of 300,000RMB Chartis travel insurance;

Price Exclusions

International and domestic flight/train to Xining (Note: we accept the domestic flight/train tickets booking to Xining from other cities in advance, check the updated ticket availability and cost with your travel consultant);
Meals that are not specified in the itinerary (Averagely a meal in the 3rdpole region cost 3~10USD per person);
Tips and gratuities for the trip leader and driver;
The expense of a personal nature like alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone call, etc;
Optional activities and excursions not specified in the itinerary;
China Entry visa fees;

Itinerary Alteration

Once we receive your tour deposit, which is followed by signing the contract, your reservation is secured with legitimacy. Our staff will reserve the accommodation, vehicle, site tickets, meals and more, and pay the deposit for our suppliers. So if you want to alter to another itinerary, you need to cover the deposit we've paid, while no service charge is needed if you make some changes on the itinerary you booked.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

If you cancel the tour beacuse of your personal issues, you will be liable to pay cancellation charges that are bounded by 3rdpoletour.com cancellation policy as follows:

1.) If you cancel the tour more than 30 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 10% of the total land cost per person;
2.) If you cancel the tour 15-30 days prior to your trip start date, 20% of your total land tour cost will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.
3.) If you cancel the tour 7-15 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 30% of land cost.
4.) If you cancel the tour 7 days prior to your tour start date, you will forfeit 50% of land cost.
5.) If you fail to show up or cancel at your scheduled arrival time without prior notice or later than that, you will forfeit 100% of the land cost.

If the tour has to be cancelled because of the natural disaster or the government restrictions that is beyond both parties control, we will charge only USD50 per person, this is just the service fee and larbor fee during the preparation. This is a rare occurrence!