Top 20 Best Things to Do in Xining

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羊猫树

The Thangka paintings were truly breathtaking, especially because of their length. There seemed to be very few staff members; there wasn't a single person at the service desk. I really wished I could hire a guide. Otherwise, I was completely confused. Hopefully, more guided tours will be available in the future.

大 牛

Kumbum Monastery is famous for two main reasons. First, its location is close to Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, only 28 kilometers away, making it easily accessible to travelers with excellent service. Second, it is the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, for whom a large silver stupa was built. Later, a monastery was built around the stupa, which was then directly named Kumbum Monastery. It's a vast complex, built against the mountainside, very majestic. Walking among it, experiencing Tibetan Buddhism, and watching the Tibetan people prostrating themselves in devout worship, you'll feel somewhat mesmerized. 😂

M53***28

There were very few people during the off-season; our small group only had four people. The driver called in the morning to confirm our location and then picked us up. The departure time was slightly adjusted according to the season; in winter, the sunrise is later, so we set off at 6:30 am. Our itinerary was Lajishan Mountain → Riyue Mountain → Qinghai Lake. We spent about an hour at the first two attractions and a little over two hours at Qinghai Lake. Before coming, I read many posts online saying that there wasn't much to see in Xining at this time of year, but in reality, we still had a very satisfying day. The high plateau in winter has a unique charm; the scenery along the way was breathtaking. After the greenery faded, the vast, white-brown peaks unique to high-altitude regions were revealed—a world that was desolate yet expansive, peaceful yet blissful. Our driver, Ma Jie, was a very kind person. He gave us tips on avoiding tourist pitfalls in Xining, reminded us to bargain with locals if we wanted to take photos with lambs, and suggested stopping halfway to photograph yaks and marmots. He even had a power bank with him if our phones ran out of battery. The road from Daotanghe Highway to Qinghai Lake is a wide, winding mountain road. We connected to the driver's car Bluetooth to play music. The weather was fantastic, and my mood was wonderful. It made me want to come back to Xining again in the summer to experience the lush, high-altitude scenery once more. We returned to the city around 5:30 or 6:00 PM, and the driver still picked us up and dropped us off. There were no hidden costs during the trip; it was a very comfortable and relaxing journey. If you don't want to spend over four hours driving from Chaka Salt Lake and not get back to the city until late at night, coming here to watch the sunrise is also a great option. 😚

SDDSDD

The park exhibits over 180 species and more than 3,000 wild animals, making it the world's only zoo that integrates captive-bred populations of snow leopards, Himalayan vultures, and Pallas's cats. Guests can see rare animals unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, such as snow leopards, Tibetan antelopes, and wild yaks, as well as introduced species like hippos and giraffes.

沫沫然_

The Qinghai-Tibet border landscape is breathtaking, the fluttering prayer flags create a wonderful atmosphere, and the legend of Princess Wencheng adds to the charm! A must-see for anyone passing through, the scenery is magnificent, the Tibetan culture is rich, and the price is great!

Anonymous user

The location is convenient, the atmosphere is warm, and the facilities are clean and comfortable. It is an ideal choice for backpackers and young travelers. It is cost-effective. The owner cleans the place very quickly and cleanly. I recommend it to everyone!

_We***53

Also known as "Puning Pearl", it was built with the aid of Shanghai Pudong New Area, and is named after Pudong and Xining. Puning Pearl is a multifunctional sightseeing tower integrating radio and television transmission, urban planning exhibition, and tourism. It is located on the top of Xishan Mountain. From the tower, you can overlook the night view of the entire Xining City.

无敌酷炸毛的喵酱

A worthwhile museum offers a window into Qinghai's history and culture. To explore Qinghai and the plateau, start at the Qinghai Provincial Museum. The museum displays artifacts from across the province, including brocades, silks, gold, silver, and bronze artifacts unearthed from the Reshui Tombs in Dulan, painted pottery from the Liuwan Tombs, 4,000-year-old Lajia noodle containers and noodles, the first bronze mirror and tile end from the Guinan grasslands, Panxiu from the Rainbow Homeland, row lanterns from the ancient city of Danger, and Qutan artifacts from the imperial monasteries. The exquisite craftsmanship is breathtaking and unforgettable.

_co***29

The Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining City is a rare and solemn building. The nine gold-plated regular script characters "Xining Budongguan Grand Mosque" are inscribed on the middle door lintel, and the inside and outside of the other door lintels are inscribed with gold-plated Arabic classic quotations. The "Hundred-Character Praise" inscribed by Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, for mosques across the country is preserved in the temple and is embedded in the wall of the middle door, which is worth seeing.

盛夏的清凉

The ancient city of Danggar is located on the road from Xining to Qinghai Lake, making it a worthwhile stop. It's small and has been beautifully restored. Besides shops, it houses a Confucian temple, a memorial hall for local poets, and a church. Because it's relatively unknown, it doesn't attract many visitors.