Motorbike Ride from Xining to Qinghai Lake

From Xining we drive on the highway to Qinghai Lake - the largest saltwater lake in China, located in the west of Xining city in Qinghai in a depression of the Tibetan Plateau. It is famous for its fauna, especially its abundance of birds and fish. The lake is located at the crossroads of several bird migration routes across Asia. Many species use Qinghai as an intermediate stop during migration. At its northeast end are the "Bird Islands" (Cormorant Island and Egg Island), which have been bird sanctuaries of the Qinghai Lake Natural Protection Zone since 1997. Qinghai Lake is 5,694 km², or 2,278 square miles large, and 360 km (220 miles) in circumference. Twenty-three rivers and streams empty into it.

On the way we will pass the mountain of “Moon and Sun” (or Riyue Shan in Chinese) and drive along Amdo nomad grasslands to the north side of the lake. In the afternoon we ride up to the mountains at an altitude of approximately 3'700 meters to get a breath-taking view of the whole lake and finally reach Chabcha (or Gonghe in Chinese), where we will stay overnight.