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Home → China Tours → Silk Road Tours → Xining Travel Guide

Xining Travel Guide

Location: Xining is located in the eastern part of Qinghai province and lies on the Huang River.

Population: 2,177,900

Area: 350 sq km

Nationalities: Han, Hui, Tibet, Tu, Mongolia, and Sala

History: Xining has a history of over 2100 years[1] and was a chief commercial hub on the Hexi Corridor caravan route to Tibet, handling especially timber, wool and salt in ancient times. The trade along the Hexi Corridor was part of a larger trade corridor along the Northern Silk Road, whose use was intensified in the first century BC after efforts by the Han Dynasty to control this route.

Climate: Xining is cool in summer with an average temperature is 17-19℃. Its annual average temperature is 7.6 ℃ with the highest temperature of 34.6℃ and the lowest that of -18.9℃.

Transportation: Xining Caojiabu Airport serves the area with regularly scheduled passenger flights to major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Since 1959 Xining has been connected by rail to the main Chinese system at Lanzhou; this railway extends into the Qaidam area via Haiyan near Qinghai Lake to Golmud.
China National Highway 214 passes through the area.

Local Specialties: aweto, colorful stones, muskiness

Local Food: Liangfen (bean jelly), Niangpi, Zasui Soup, Mutton eaten with fingers

Major Attractions:
Qinghai Provincial Museum - The Qinghai Provincial Museum, located at Xining City, is a provincial-level comprehensive museum of China. The Museum building used to be residence of Ma Bufang, a local warlord of Qinghai. At present the Museum, covering an area of 30,000 square meters with a floor space of 6,000 square meters, is one of the historical sites under the protection of the province.



Beishan Si – Beishan Si (North Mountain Temple) is located north of the Huangshui River, on the outskirts of Xining. This Taoist temple is over 1,700 years old and there were hundreds of steps that led along a series of walkways and bridges connecting caves decorated with Taoist designs.



Shuijing Xiang Market - Xining's largest market occupies several streets and an enjoyable place to browse and watch the crows. There are a lot of snacks. It extends east from the West Gate.

Ta’er Monastery - The Ta'er Lamasery, a famous Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Qinghai Province, was recently renovated, restoring it to its former glory. Hoping to be the first worshippers to the lamasery after its renovation, pilgrims of different ethnic groups came from near and far. Some of them, in ethnic clothes and ornaments, carried abundant packages of offerings; some rotated a prayer wheel in their hands while chanting; and some lay flat or knelt on the ground, praying for the happiness and well-being of their families.





Qinghai Lake - Qinghai means green lake in Chinese and this is the largest inland saltwater lake in China. Lying in the northeast of Qinghai Province, approximately 150km (193 miles) from Xining at 3,200 meters (10,500ft) above sea level, the lake stretches endlessly into the horizon. It has an area of 4,635 sq km and is more than 360km (220 miles) in circumference. The lake has an abundant supply of fish, which in turn attracts large flocks of birds including many migratory breeds. Major sights on or around the lake are: Bird Island, Haixin Hill, Haixi Hill, Sankuaishi (Three Stones), and Sand Island.



Travel Tips:
1. Near Ta’er Temple, some badmen gather together to force tourists to buy their knives. Do not stand to view and do not show any interesting. It is safer to buy you needs in the shops.
2. For its dry weather, it is unadvisable to eat mutton excessively
3. Please respect the custom of locals

Questions & Answers: