Day 1 → Xining to Qinghai Lake
8:30am - Pick up in Xining, China (probably at your hotel or hostel).
9:30am - Drive 2.5 hours (150km) to Qinghai Lake. At 3260 meters in elevation, this is the largest saltwater lake in China. Stop along the drive to view the high grasslands and Tibetan Prayer flags overlooking the lake.
12:30pm- Enjoy the icy shores of the frozen high altitude lake.
2:00pm- Drive from the lake to day hike to get a view of the lake below.
4:30pm - Finish the hike
5:00pm - Early dinner near Qinghai Lake
6:00pm- Driver 2.5 hours back to Xining
8:30pm- Check into hotel in Xining, rest
Day 2 → Kanbula National Park and Homestay
8:30am - Eat breakfast at hotel in Xining
9:00am - Drive 2.5 hours to entrance of Kanbula National Park, a beautiful park filled with red rock canyons and dramatic cliffs
12:00 noon - Depart park entrance to drive through beautiful canyons and rugged mountains. Picnic lunch along the way in the park.
2:00pm - Arrive Namzong Nunnery, day hike on to a Buddhist hermitage for incredible views of the park and the Yellow River
5:30pm - In the afternoon, drive 30 minutes to a quaint homestay in Kanbula National Park
6:00pm - Arrive in Tibetan homestay, local dinner
8:00pm - Sleep in homestay in Kanbula National Park with an amazing view of the Red Rock formations
Day 3 → Kanbula National Park to Xining
9:00am - After a nice local breakfast in the homestay, spend the morning exploring the villages and hikes of Kanbula National Park
1:30pm - After lunch, depart park entrance to drive 3 hours back to Xining
4:30pm - Arrive Xining. Tour officially ends as we drop you off at your hotel or hostel for the night.
Please let us know if you would like us to schedule a local Tibetan dinner or if you would like to see the night markets of Xining. We can also help you arrange lodging in Xining.