Maqên

The capital of Golog Prefecture and the starting point for the pilgrimage circuit around Amnye Machen, one of the four great sacred mountains of Tibet, with Lajia Monastery beside the Yellow River gorge and magnificent snow peaks and glaciers.

Maqin County lies in southeastern Qinghai and is the seat of Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The county town, Dawu, sits at about 3,700 m, roughly 450 km from Xining — about 6 hours' drive on the Gonghe–Yushu Expressway, or reachable by long-distance bus from Xining or by flying into Golog Maqin Airport. This is the home of Amnye Machen, one of the four great sacred mountains of Tibet, whose main peak, Machen Kangri, rises to about 6,282 m. Sightseeing falls into three areas: to the northwest, Xueshan Township is the starting point of the Amnye Machen kora, with views of the main peak and access to Halong Glacier; to the northeast, Lajia Town has Lajia Monastery, a major Gelug monastery on the banks of the Yellow River, and the Yellow River gorge; around the county town are Gesar Square and the Dawutan grasslands. The plateau climate is cold, and Jul–Sep is the best time to visit; summer afternoons often bring thunderstorms, and winters are severe, with some mountain roads closed. Allow 3–4 days, plus about a week if you plan to hike the kora. The whole area is at high altitude, so rest and acclimatize on arrival; roads to the snow mountain and glacier are mostly gravel, so hiring a local 4x4 is recommended. Respect Tibetan Buddhist customs: walk the kora and circle monasteries clockwise, and don't photograph monks or pilgrims without permission.

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