Golmud & Qarhan Salt Lake

A hub city on the Qinghai–Tibet Highway and Railway, with the Qarhan Salt Lake's "Mirror of the Sky," the endless Salt Bridge, and the world's highest-elevation poplar forest.

Golmud sits on the southern edge of the Qaidam Basin in Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province, at about 2,800 m above sea level. It is Qinghai's second-largest city and the gateway to Tibet for both the Qinghai–Tibet Highway and the Qinghai–Tibet Railway, famous as a city where "the road came first, the city later." This destination is centered on the city and covers Qaidam Basin landscapes within roughly 80 km. To the north, Qarhan Salt Lake, China's largest salt lake, offers salt flowers and a brine-pool "Mirror of the Sky." You can drive along the Wanzhang Salt Bridge and look out over Dabuxun Lake, and the round trip takes half a day to a full day. In town, Jiangjunlou (General's Mansion) Park tells the story of General Mu Shengzhong and the building of the Qinghai–Tibet Highway. To the west, the Tolahai poplar forest, billed as the highest-elevation poplar forest in the world, is at its most beautiful in autumn. The route south over Kunlun Pass into Hoh Xil is covered under the separate "Kunlun Pass & Hoh Xil" destination. The best season is June–October: summers are cool, and the poplars turn golden from late September to mid-October; winters are bitterly cold and windy. Getting there: Golmud Airport has flights to Xining, Xi'an, Chengdu and other cities; by Qinghai–Tibet Railway, Xining–Golmud takes about 7–10 hours and Golmud–Lhasa about 14–15 hours; the G109, G215 and G315 highways all meet here. We suggest staying 1–2 days, which also lets you acclimatize before heading up onto the plateau. Notes: UV radiation and glare are extreme around the salt lake, so wear sunglasses and sunscreen; salt crystals are sharp, so bring sandals and fresh water if you plan to walk barefoot on the salt; do not enter the salt lake's industrial zones without permission.

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