Why go
Kumbum Monastery, birthplace of the founder of the Gelug school, cascades down a hillside of white walls and golden roofs an hour from downtown. The highlight is the eighth Bodhi stupa and the debate courtyard; allow half a day and go with a guide who can decode the iconography.
In the city, the Dongguan Grand Mosque blends Chinese roofs with Islamic arches, and the streets around it run on lamb skewers, hand-pulled noodles and yogurt served with sugar. Qinghai Lake — a three-hour round trip — is worth the drive in July when the shoreline rapeseed fields bloom yellow against the blue.
- Kumbum (Ta'er) Monastery — one of Tibetan Buddhism's six great monasteries
- Qinghai Lake day trip — China's largest lake
- The Lhasa railway — 20 hours across the plateau
- Dongguan Grand Mosque's mixed-architecture courtyard
Where to go
Day one: Kumbum morning, mosque quarter and street food afternoon. Day two: Qinghai Lake loop or board the Lhasa train.
What to eat
Grilled lamb, daoxiao noodles, sweet fermented rice yogurt and honeydew melons in late summer. The Tibetan-run teahouses serve butter tea and thukpa.
Getting there
- Xining is the Qinghai rail hub; Lhasa train tickets sell out — book early
- Role
- Capital of Qinghai province
- Altitude
- 2,275 m
- Lhasa railway
- Scenic 20h ride, book days ahead
