Hehuang Valley

A valley in eastern Qinghai nourished by the Yellow River and the Huangshui River, with Xining as its gateway, where Ta'er Monastery, Rebgong thangka and Xunhua's Salar culture blend, and the starting point for entering the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.

By Qinghai's tourism definition, the Hehuang Valley covers Xining City, Haidong City and the Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It is the agricultural region of eastern Qinghai through which the Yellow River and its tributary the Huangshui flow. Its elevation is relatively low, it has the most concentrated population and towns, and Han, Tibetan, Hui, Tu, Salar and other peoples live together here. A note on boundaries: part of the official Three-River-Source National Park extends into southern Huangnan Prefecture, but this scheme assigns by prefecture as a whole, so all of Huangnan is counted in the Hehuang Valley. Highlights: Xining is the capital of Qinghai and the gateway to and from the plateau. The Dongguan Mosque, the Qinghai Provincial Museum and the night-market food are worth a visit, and Ta'er Monastery in Huangzhong is one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. In Haidong, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County has the red Danshan cliffs and green waters of the Yellow River and Mengda Heavenly Lake, and Huzhu County is known for Tu culture and highland barley liquor. In Huangnan, Tongren is the home of Rebgong art, best represented by thangka, appliqué embroidery and Rongwo Monastery, and Kanbula in Jainca is known for its Danxia landforms and the Yellow River reservoir. Classic itinerary: one to two days in Xining and Ta'er Monastery, one day at Mengda Heavenly Lake in Xunhua, and one to two days in Tongren's Rebgong area, about four to five days for the whole region. It is often the start and end point of the Qinghai–Gansu Grand Loop together with Qinghai Lake and Chaka. Getting there: Xining Caojiabao Airport is located in Haidong, the Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway connects Lanzhou and Xining, and expressways run from Xining to Tongren and Xunhua. Season: summer and autumn are best. Some areas are above 2,000 m, so rest on arrival to guard against altitude sickness, and please respect religious customs when entering monasteries.

Destinations

• Xining
• Tongren (Rebgong)
• Xunhua

Itineraries

• Yellow River Valley: Guide, Rebgong & Xunhua – Follow the Yellow River Valley to explore Guide Danxia, Kanbula, Rebgong art villages, and the homeland of the Salar pe…
• Amdo Loop: Golog, Gannan & Rebgong – A classic Amdo loop starting from Xining, passing through Golog, Langmusi, Labrang Monastery, and Rebgong, before retur…
• Qinghai Lake & Chaka Salt Lake Classic Short Loop – A weekend route starting from Xining, connecting Kumbum Monastery, Erlangjian, the Heimahe sunrise, and Chaka Salt Lake.
• Xining and Qinghai Lake Clockwise Loop Drive – Acclimatize in Xining for a day, then drive clockwise around the lake: sunrise on the south shore, the West Lake Ring R…
• Menyuan, Qilian, Qinghai Lake & Chaka Loop – Head north to the Menyuan flower seas and Qilian grasslands, then loop around the north shore of Qinghai Lake to Chaka.
• Cycling Around Qinghai Lake – Start from Xihai Town and ride clockwise around the lake, about 360 km over four days, with rest days in Xining before…
• 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…
• Qinghai Lake Loop with Chaka and Guide – A leisurely loop of Qinghai Lake, with day trips to Chaka Salt Lake and the Yellow River at Guide.
• Golog, Yushu & Nangqian: 10-Day Deep Kham Itinerary – Head south from Xining via Guide, Maqên, and Madoi to Yushu and Nangqian, venturing deep into the Kham region of the Sa…