Mangnai City

Qinghai's westernmost city, where yardang landforms, Aiken Spring and the Lenghu stargazing camps feel like Mars.

Mangnai City lies in the northwest of Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, on the western edge of the Qaidam Basin, bordering Xinjiang and Gansu. It is vast and sparsely populated, and known for its oil industry. The area has large expanses of yardang landforms, Aiken Spring, known as the "Eye of the Earth," emerald-colored lakes around Huatugou Town, and the Mars camps and astronomical observation bases around Lenghu, whose desolate landscapes have a unique appeal. Summer and autumn suit self-drive trips. The gateway is Huatugou Airport, and you can also drive along National Highway G315.

Destinations

• Mangnai & Huatugou
• Lenghu

Itineraries

• Western Qaidam Wilderness Crossing – A one-way journey from Xining to Dunhuang, passing through Hoh Xil, Water Yadan, Mangya, Eboliang, and Lenghu.
• Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop Classic Route – A closed-loop route starting from Xining, circling Qinghai Lake, Qaidam, Dunhuang, the Hexi Corridor, and the Qilian Mo…
• Dunhuang, Guazhou and the Lenghu Desert – A day loop to Guazhou's Yulin Caves on top of the Dunhuang east and west routes, then across Dangjin Pass to Lenghu to…