Best Time to Travel in Qinghai

Qinghai is actually very large. As a plateau region, its climate is quite special and varies greatly from place to place. Therefore, if you’re planning to travel, choosing a good season and time is ideal. So it needs to be chosen based on the region. Here’s a breakdown of the best time to travel in Qinghai.

Actually, you can come here in any season, but autumn is the best.

After autumn, I left Taiyuan and went to Qinghai. Ten days, just wandering around.

1. Menyuan

Menyuan is located in the northwest of Xining, in the middle reaches of the Haomen River. It is situated in the eastern part of the Qilian Mountain Range. The Qilian Mountain and the Dabanshan Mountain both extend from northwest to southeast, and the Haomen River also flows through them from northwest to southeast. The catchment area on both sides of the river is large, and numerous gullies have developed. The gullies crisscross each other, with grasslands and farmland flourishing side by side. Glaciers and canyons compete for glory. The river valley is like a giant palette, where patches of golden and green dominate the vivid and beautiful colors of the fertile fields under the blue sky and snow-capped mountains, forming the most beautiful and moving scenery of Menyuan County.

It takes 4 hours to travel from Xining to Menyuan by train. After getting off the train, we took Master Ma’s car to the middle of the Dabanshan Mountain. We looked out at the entire Haomen River valley. At this time, most of the rapeseed flowers had already bloomed and only the withered stalks remained. The rapeseed fields and barley fields were interplanted, with yellow and green intermingling. Although the yellow at this time couldn’t compare to the brilliance of the rapeseed flowers in bloom, the vast expanse of color was still beautiful. Further away, the grayish-blue Qilian Mountains stood under the blue sky and white clouds. The colorful fields, the undulating terrain, the soft lines, the high and low levels, the warm and cold hues, all come together to create a breathtaking view.

We then headed towards the Gangshka Snow Peak. The Gangshka Snow Peak, at 5254.5 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in the eastern part of the Qilian Mountain Range. The peak is perpetually covered in snow, glistening with silver light. It is the highest mountain in Menyuan and the first of the thirteen sacred mountains in the Hua’er Tibetan region. It is the source of countless waters, the king of the snow mountains, and its mystery is woven into folk worship, myths and legends.

We arrived at the foot of the Gangshka Snow Peak, beside a waterfall about 10 meters high and 200 meters wide. Due to the presence of various minerals in the spring water, over time, the flowing water has formed colorful deposits wherever it has passed. Therefore, it is known as the Seven-Colored Waterfall, a magnificent spectacle.

Returning to Qingshizuizhen, the road was flat all the way, with lush pastures on both sides. As we went deeper, we saw the occasional dead and weathered horse and sheep skeletons. My husband picked up a complete sheep skull as a souvenir. Master Ma was very hospitable and took us to the edge of the fenced-off pasture to pick herbs. One kind with small purple fruits is called Maxiaozi (phonetic), which is good for warming the stomach. Another with small yellow flowers is Chaihud, used for treating colds. There was also another one with white fuzzy balls like dandelion, but I forgot its name. It’s used for gynecological conditions.

They also produce cordyceps and snow lotus here. Master Ma said that if we needed any, we could contact him for shipping.

2. Qilian

The Qilian Mountain Range, located on the border of Qinghai and Gansu provinces, is one of China’s major mountain ranges. Grasslands, streams, snow peaks, and countless cattle and sheep intertwine to create a beautiful tapestry.

The straight road from Menyuan to Qilian Babao Town stretches all the way to the horizon.

On both sides, the scenery is picturesque, with lush grasslands, verdant flowers and plants. The sheep flocks are also becoming more numerous, like thousands of white pearls scattered on an endless expanse of green silk.

Yaks are scattered across the grasslands, lazily swishing their tails, contentedly grazing.

The grassland stretches as far as the eye can see, seemingly without beginning or end. As we approached Qilian County, mountains began to appear, along with pine forests. The setting sun illuminated the red mountain peaks, and their shadows mingled with the trees below, creating a more three-dimensional and vibrant scene.

We stayed at a homestay at the foot of the Zhuoer Mountain. The building is four stories high, with Zhuoer Mountain right outside the window. Opposite it is the Niuxin Mountain. Every morning and evening, watching the clouds swirl over the mountain peaks, the mist swirling around the mountains, is a great enjoyment.

3. Black River

The Black River, China’s second-largest inland river, originates from the Bayi Glacier in Qilian. We stayed for a day in the section of the river below the Bayi Glacier, picking up stones on the riverbank.

At high altitudes, the sun is not hot but it’s glare is strong. People feel like they are about to melt. Looking up, there is only the vast grassland and the river valley, only the sound of the wind and the flow of water. The river is shallow, gurgling towards the distance. One can see the Bayi Glacier and the snow-capped peaks of the Qilian Mountains in the distance.

In the scenery before me, there are no buildings, no tables and chairs, no inscriptions on stones, no signposts, not even a trace of humanity. There are no associations, no distractions. The mountains are simply mountains, the water is simply water. Blue sky, white clouds, snow-capped mountains, grasslands, riverbanks, pure and clean nature.

I picked up some stones by the water for a while, sat for a while, looked at the mountains and the water. When I reached the end of the water, I watched the clouds rise. The complexities of the world are all far away. It’s like forgetting the whole world.

This mountain view is pretty awesome, isn’t it? Full of character.

I opened QQ Music and played a piece of music from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, “Eternal Vow”. The scene before me, coupled with the pure and long music, created a sense of silence and wordlessness. In my heart, I folded my hands and thanked this pure and peaceful time.

4. Picking Stones

Because my husband loves stones, and Qilian is full of stones, this trip out became a stone-picking journey.

Whether in Babao Town, Ladong Gorge, or the source of the Black River, the moment we saw stones, we couldn’t continue on our way. We picked and picked, encountering one heart-pounding stone after another. It’s not just about finding jade. We just picked stones with interesting patterns, colors, and significance.

Qilian produces inkstone, green jade, and emerald, which are low-grade jade. In natural light, they generally have a marble-like appearance, with a white base containing black, dark green, and dark blue stripes. I feel that it’s easy to find some stones with a touch of jade here, especially on the riverbed at the source of the Black River. The good jade has already been sifted out by excavators, but it’s still easy to find stones with beautiful shapes.

We weren’t just looking for jade. We thought it was better to find stones with interesting patterns, colors, and significance. My husband went down to the river and couldn’t put down many of the stones he picked up. He wanted to bring them all back. It’s a shame we weren’t driving, we could have brought them all back.

Before I even reached the riverbank, I found a petrified tree. Two hours later, we had collected a huge pile of stones. After much deliberation, we brought back 100 kg of stones. Upon returning to Babao Town, we went straight to the freight station. The shipping cost was 300 yuan to ship them home.

People’s tastes are very different. Others might think it’s just a piece of junk, but in the eyes of those who like it, it’s a treasure. They take it home and look at it from time to time. Sometimes they see it as dynamic, with life. Sometimes they see it as static, a work of art. Stones don’t speak, but they convey the message of life, and they have moving stories and beauty.

It’s been a week since we got home, and I’m a little worried. I’m not sure if these stones will make it back.

A stone, in the wild, you pick it up and bring it home. Stone and man, meet each other by chance.