Qinghai Tibet Highway: Xining to Lhasa Overland

Among all the five highways to Lhasa, Qinghai Tibet Highway, from Xining to Lhasa, is the shortest road to Tibet with the best road condition. Opened in 1954, Qinghai Tibet Highway is 1937 kilometers long and at an average altitude over 4000 meters. Driving from Xining to Lhasa along the Qinghai Tibet Highway, you can enjoy the landscape of Qinghai Tibet Plateau from North to South, crossing Mount Kunlun (4600 meters), Mount Fenghuosha (5010 meters), and Mount Tanggula (5320meters) and through the Chuma’er River , Qushui Ribver, Tongtian River and Tuotuo River. You will pass through the Kekexili region and the vast Qiangtang Grassland during your overland tour to Tibet from Xining.

Route Map of Sichuan Tibet Highway

Going west from Xining city to Golmud, the highway passes through the southern side of Qinghai Lake. From Golmud to Lhasa, the Qinghai Tibet highway is mostly following the direction of Qinghai Tibet Railway.

Before entering Tibet, Qinghai Tibet highway crosses over the Mount Kunlun Pass, Mount Fenghuoshan Pass and passes through Machu’er River Bridge and Tuotuohe River Bridge. Passing through the east side of Kekexili area, the highway from Xining stretches through the Mount Tanggula Pass and enters Tibet.

From Mount Tanggula to Nagqu, the highway to Lhasa from Xining is crossing through the Qiangtang grassland. You can enjoy the plateau landscape with vast grassland and hills around.

From Nagqu to Lhasa, the highway from Xining to Lhasa follows the Qinghai Tibet railway. You can driving through Damxiong and witness the great Nyanchentanglha Mountains from a little distance by the side of the highway.

Qinghai Tibet Highway Map

Road Condition of Qinghai Tibet Highway

Qinghai Tibet highway is the best tar road to Tibet with the maximum driving speed of 60 kilometers per hour. The road bed width is 10 meters and the slope of Qinghai Tibet Highway is less than 7%. However, you still need to drive carefully, for the high altitude sickness may be occurred when overland from Xining to Lhasa.

Attractions along Qinghai Tibet Highway

Ta’er Monastery (2,696 meters)

Ta’er Monastery, with over 400 years of history, is located 25 kilometers away from Xining. While visiting Ta’er Monastery, you can appreciate the fine buildings in a combination of both Han and Tibetan style and the fascinating arts, like the butter sculptures, the barbolas, and the murals. Furthermore, you can experience authentic Tibetan culture and religions here, since Ta’er Monastery is one of the two most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries outside Tibet.

Ta'er Monastery is about 25 km away from Xining near the Qinghai Tibet Highway.

Qinghai Lake (3,205 meters)

When you take an overland tour from Xining to Lhasa, Qinghai Lake is the main attraction you will not miss in Qinghai province. Located 100 kilometers away from Xining city, Qinghai Lake is the largest saltwater lake in China. To the south of Qinghai Lake is the Qinghai Tibet highway, and to the north of Qinghai Lake is Qinghai Tibet Railway. While driving from Xining to Lhasa, you can spend one day at Qinghai Lake to enjoy the marvelous landscape of Qinghai Lake. April is the best time for bird-watching at Bird Island in Qinghai Lake.

During your overland tour from Xining to Lhasa, you can visit the famous Qinghai Lake en route.

Chaka Salt Lake (3,059meters)

Located 298 kilometers from Xining city, Chaka Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in China. At an altitude of 3,059 meters above the sea level, Chaka Salt Lake covers an area of 105 square kilometers. There are halite sculptures formed by the deposit of salts and brine along the lakeside. And it is a wonderful place to take photos in a sunny day.

Don't miss the chance to visit Chaka Salt Lake in Qinghai province during your Xinghai-Lhasa overland tour.

Kekexili (4,800 meters)

Kekexili, or Hoh Xil, at an average elevatin of 4,800 meters above sea level, is an isolated region in the northwestern part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. To the west of Qinghai Tibet Highway, the region of Kekexili covers 83,000 square kilometers between the Tanggula and Kunlun mountain chains. As the world’s third-lest populated area, Kekexili is home to more than 2,300 species of wild animals, such as the wild yak, wild donkey, Tibetan antelope, white-lip deer, etc.

You may have the chance to see the wild animals in Kekexili when you take the overland tour via Qinghai Tibet highway.

Tanggula Mountain Pass (Over 5,000 meters)

Mount Tanggula, located in the central part of Tibetan Plateau, is the baundery between Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province. The Tonggula Pass, over 5,000 meters above the sea level, is used by the Qinghai Tibet highway and Qinghai Tibet Railway to cross the Tanggula Mountain. The pass for Qinghai-Tibet Highway through Tanggula Pass is at 5,231 meters above the sea level, while the pass for Qinghai-Tibet railway is at the altitude of 5,072 meters. When driving through the Tanggula Pass, you can see the magnificent Nyainqentanglha Mountains

On your way to Lhasa from Xining, you will climb over the Tanggula Mountain Pass.

Qiangtang Grassland (4,500 meters)

Lying north to Nyainqentanglha Mountains, the Qiangtang Prairie is 99 kilometers north to Lhasa city. Qiangtng Grassland, with 250,000 square kilometers of natural areas, covers one third of Tibet. Since most of Qinagtang Grassland is uninhabited, it is the paradise for wild animals. You can see yaks dotted in the grassland and even wild Tibetan donkeys and bharals while you driving through the Qingtang prairie.

The best time to visit the Qiangtang Grassland in northern Tibet is from June to September.

Namtso Lake (4,718 meters)

Namtso Lake, one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, is located at the north of Nyainqentanglha Mountains, like bright jasper on the Qiangtang plateau. At 4,718 meters above the sea level, Lake Namtso is the second largest saltwater lake after Qinghai Lake. You can appreciate the turquoise blue lake with strings of prayer flags and snow-capped mountain peaks. It is suggested to stay one night at the lake side and enjoy the stunning view of the amazing sunset and sunrise over the lake.

The best time to visit the Qiangtang Grassland in northern Tibet is from June to September.

Related Trips

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  11-Day Xining to Lhasa Overland Tour via Qinghai Tibet Highway

  11 Days & 10 Nights
  Xining(1N) - Qinghai Lake (1N) - Chaka (1N) - Golmud (1N) - Tuotuoheyan (1N) - Nagqu (1N) - Namtso Lake (1N) - Lhasa (3N)

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