Chaidan Town & Starry Sky Camp
柴旦镇·星空营地
An overnight town on the Great Loop, where restaurants and hotels are concentrated. The Starry Sky Camp on the outskirts is a stopover for stargazing and camping in the Qaidam Basin.
Chaidam Town is the seat of the Da Qaidam Administrative Committee, at an altitude of about 3,150 m. It has a small population but is the most common overnight stop on the Qinghai-Gansu Great Loop between Dunhuang and Chaka. Restaurants and hotels are concentrated along the Emerald Walking Street area. Local dishes include kanguo lamb (stewed in a pot), and beef tendon, typical of northwest China. On the town's outskirts is a national 4C-level self-driving camp, the Starry Sky Camp, which offers tent camping and spaces for RVs. Light pollution is minimal at night, and the air is dry, making it one of the best spots in the Qaidam Basin for viewing the Milky Way. During peak season (July and August), accommodation is scarce and prices rise, so book early. Nights are cold, so bring a warm jacket for stargazing.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Da Qaidam Snow Mountain Hot Spring
- Emerald Lake, Da Qaidam
- Da Qaidam Lake
- Hongya Mars Landform Area
- Xiao Qaidam Lake
- G315 U-shaped Road
- East Taijinar Lake
- Wusute Water Yardang