Qilian Mountain Grassland [Haibei]

Qilian Mountain Grassland in Qinghai Province and Gansu Province: The beauty of blending

About 570 million years ago, tremendous changes took place in northwest China. When the sea subsided, the Qilian Mountain Grassland arose. ''Qilian'' is a term ancient nomadic Hun living in north China used to refer to the ''heavenly mountain''. Today, the Uygur people, the descendents of the Hun, still call Qialian the ''heavenly mountain''.

The grassland at the foot of the mountain has plenty of water and pasture. In ancient times, it was a grazing ground for the Hun chieftains and Mongolian nobles. Its distinct climate and good weather gained it the name of ''golden lotus prairie'' in the Tibetan epic KING GESAR, and the Uygur and the Mongols call it ''golden pasture''.

To the east of this golden pasture is the Damaying Grassland at the foot of Mount Nianzhi. The slopes of the mountain are covered with dense forests and white caragana. Further to the stretch the Xizhang and Dongzhang grasslands in the Sunnan Uygur Autonomous County. When the yellow caragana flourishes in summer, the entire land puts on the color of sunshine, and the Uygur herdsmen rove about in this ''golden sea'' with their white and black yurts and their flocks of cattle.

Best time to go
Summer especially June, July and August. In summer, an average annual temperature is 68.5F.

Distance
Beijing (2092 km) Xining City (500 km) Qilian Mountain Grassland

Around Landscape
Great-wall Relics in Shandan County, Mati Temple Grottoes, etc.

Local Snacks and Specialties
Qilian Fungus. Red Orpin, Ginseng Fruit, Lotus Flower, Snow Lingzhi, Saffron, Muskiness, Ghee Flower etc.

Travel Tips
Be sure to respect local customs and traditions.
Qinghai Province is still poverty so please buy enough necessity in big cities before traveling.
It is the best way that you rent 4 Wheel off-road Vehicles in Xining City.

Favoring Telephone
International SOS alarm centers in China: 86-10-64629100, 64629199
Complaint Telephone Numbers in China National Tourism Administration: 86-10-65275315
Complaint Telephone Numbers in Qinghai Province: 86-9711-6159841, 6110110
Complaint Telephone Numbers in Xining City: 86-971-8227110

By Airplane:
Beijing—Xining City—Beijing THREE FLIGHTS DAILY
FULL PRICE(economy class): RMB 1450+ RMB 150 (tax)
DISCOUNT: Depend on tourist season
FLIGHT TIME: 2 hours and 35 minutes one way
By Train:
Beijing—Xining City—Beijing
Train No: T151 (14:20—14:39) / T152 (11:29—12:15)
Run Time: 24 hour 19 minutes one way
Price: lower berth (RMB 430) coach lower berth (RMB 658)
Train No: T27 (21:30—18:14) / T28(09:29—07:34)
Run Time: 20 hour 44 minutes one way
Price: lower berth (RMB 430) co