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Yushu Plateau: 96 Hours in Qinghai's Tibetan Prefecture

96 Hours on the World's Highest Plateau

Destination:ChinaProvince:TibetCity:Lhasa

China travel video

96 Hours on the World's Highest Plateau. This China travel video was filmed by The China Adventure. Watch the full journey and explore the filming details and destinations on this page.

Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, whose capital is Yushu City, is one of Qinghai's eight prefecture-level administrative regions. It is the first Ethnic Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province and the second one in China. Yushu means "historical site" in Tibetan, and there are indeed many historical sites.

Bordering Tibet in the south, with an altitude of 4493.4 m, Yushu has a unique plateau natural landscape and Tibetan folk customs. Besides, it is where the Yangtze River, Yellow River, and Lancang River, three of the most important rivers in China, originate. The special geographic environment endows Yushu with rich plant resources and makes it the habitat of many rare animals. It is really an unforgettable experience to see the scenery and animals in person.

--- The China Adventure
November 15, 2024, Autumn in China

Travel Guides & Tips in this video

Li's 96-hour journey through Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai includes high-altitude landscapes, rivers and cultural visits. The itinerary begins in Nanan County and visits a salt field with more than 1,000 years of history and Ganden Temple on a rock face. At Longbao Nature Reserve, Li looks for black-necked cranes and encounters a Tibetan fox. The trip also includes collecting yak dung with local people, visiting Gadang Temple, seeing prehistoric rock art and drinking mineral water from a cave beside the Yangtze. Village time, yak milking and mountain drives round out the experience.

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More about the current video:(Published on 2024-11-15)

96 Hours on the World's Highest Plateau

Salt fields, temples, and wildlife

Li's 96-hour journey in Yushu, Qinghai, begins in Nanan County, where large birds circle above a high plateau landscape. He visits a salt field whose history spans more than a thousand years and takes in the scale and clarity of the surrounding scenery. At Ganden Temple, set against a rock face, Li sees architecture that offers a view into Tibetan culture. He reflects on the temple's beauty and significance compared with other places he has visited in China.

The video also draws attention to water in Yushu. It visits the area associated with the origins of the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Mekong River, and Li shares a local dinner that includes yak meat. At Longbao Nature Reserve, he explores a wetland that protects the black-necked crane. A Tibetan fox appears during the wildlife visit, adding an unexpected moment to the journey.

Village life and ancient art

Li takes part in collecting yak dung, which local people use for heating and cooking. In a village, he makes bracelets with local women, plays games with men, and joins a dance around a bonfire. The visit highlights the welcome he receives and the connections made through these shared activities. He later watches yak milking and travels through the mountain countryside.

The route continues to Gadang Temple, where Li sees prayer wheels and ancient frescoes, then to a small hill with prehistoric rock art. These stops add cultural and historical details to the journey through Yushu. Li's 96 hours bring together plateau scenery, a salt field, a monastery, a wetland, a local village, temples, and rock art. His experience is one of awe at the landscape and gratitude for the people he meets, and the video closes by recommending a visit to Yushu for its scenery and hospitality.

The plateau setting is part of the experience throughout the trip. Li describes the landscape as vast and notes how clearly it can be seen in the high-altitude air. The salt field and cliffside monastery show different parts of the region, while the wetland visit shifts the focus to wildlife. At dinner, yak meat gives Li a taste of local food, and in the village he spends time with people through shared activities rather than only passing through. The journey closes with cultural and historical stops, from Gadang's prayer wheels and frescoes to the carvings on the hillside.

FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)

Q: Which wildlife appears in the Yushu trip?
A: Li visits Longbao Nature Reserve to look for black-necked cranes and has an unexpected encounter with a Tibetan fox.
Q: How do local people use yak dung?
A: They use it for practical purposes including heating and cooking, and Li takes part in collecting it.
Q: What rivers are connected with the area?
A: The video identifies the Yellow River, Yangtze and Mekong as three major rivers whose origins are in the area.

Previous travel video:

Yushu Plateau: 96 Hours in Qinghai's Tibetan Prefecture

Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, whose capital is Yushu City, is one of Qinghai's eight prefecture-level administrative regions. It is the first Ethnic Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province and the second one in China. Yushu means "historical site" in Tibetan, and there are indeed many...

Yushu Plateau: Rivers, Culture & Wildlife

Explore the breathtaking Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, nestled on the world's highest plateau at 4493.4 meters. Discover the confluence of three mighty rivers—the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang—and witness the unique plateau landscape and rich Tibetan culture. This 96-hour adventure promises an unforgettable journey through history and nature, encountering rare animals and stunning scenery.

Attractions in this video: Ganden Temple, Longbao Nature Reserve, Gadang Temple