| Places Introduction |
|
Huzhu Tu Autonomous County
The majority of the people in Huzhu county is called Tu nationality. They are famed of their Anzhao dance, Lunziqiu performance and “Huaer” folk songs.
Living mainly in the eastern part of Qinghai Province, the Tu ethnic group has a population of 190,000. The Tu people generally use their own spoken language and the Han Chinese script. |
|
For the details of Tu people, please click:
http://www.e56.com.cn/minzu_eng/tuzu.asp
http://gzmp.dayoo.com/gb/content/2004-09/16/content_1742935.htm |
| |
|
Tongren
Lying in the southeast of Qinghai Province, Tongren County was a place for nomadic ethnic minorities in history, and it was also the birthplace of the Regong Art which mainly reflects Tibetan Buddhist culture.
Tongren is also a famous historical and cultural city of China, whose venerated history is borne out by a host of places of cultural interest, including the Longwu Monastery, the unusual scenes and sights of Maixiu, and the art of Regong. |
| |
|
Xunhua Salar Autonomous County
Xunhua is the sole Sala autonomous county in China, which is located in the east of Qinghai with a population of 113013, including 14 nationalities such as Sala, Han, Tibetan, Hui, Dongxiang, Tu, Man and etc. Sala nationality accounts for 60.3% of the whole county population, forms Sala autonomous county – a national needy county.
 The Salas have their own national spoken language, but no written language. Their ancestors were a branch of the Saruks who lived in the 13th century, belonging to the west Turki Oguz tribe in Samarkand. A chieftain named Kharmang led the clan men believing in Islam eastwards to Xunhua, Qinghai, and settled down there and lived and intermarried with the local Tibetans and Hans and multiplied, and becoming an ethnic group. The Salas are mainly engaged in farming and take animal husbandry and gardening as sideline industries. They have preserved much beautiful folklore. Duiwina (camel game), a traditional game showing how their ancestors came to Xunhua from Central Asia, is very popular among the Salas.
Please visit:
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_24059.htm |
 |
 |
| Mongda Heavenly Pond |
Xunhua Scenery |
|
| |
|
| Huangyuan |
Huangyuan Gorge |
| Huangyuan was called “the throat of Tibet”, for it is an important gateway to Tibet and Xinjiang. Tibetan and Han Chinese people have been linked in trade for over a thousand years. The main items of trade were tea and horses which were transported through Ancient Road of Tea and Horses. Businessmen from Shanxi, Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hubei and other places swarmed here with tea and dealed in animals, fur & leather, meat and medicines with herdsmen from grassland. Therefore, it became an important market of “tea and horse”. There are also some symbolic buildings such as Chenghuangmiao Temple and Huozuge built hundreds of years ago. |
 |
| |
|
| Sun & Moon Mountain |
 |
| Located in Huangyuan County, it is the boundary between the agricultural area and the vast grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau. Because of its red earth, it was once called Chiling Range. It became the gateway to Tibet during the Tang Dynasty. In 1984, two pavilions, Sun & Moon, were built to commemorate this ancient road. Colorful frescoes describing Princess Wen Cheng entering Tibet for marriage and peace are exhibited in these pavilions. green fields, grassland and beautiful Qinghai Lake can be seen from here. |
| |
|
| Qinghai Lake |
 |
| Qinghai Lake is the biggest interior salt water lake in China, with a total area of 4300 Sq.km, perimeter 360km and depth 30m, 150 km away from Xining. |
 |
| Qinghai Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in China, is a well-known scenic spot, around which you can see blue sky, colorful flowers and faraway mountains. The scenery differs from one season to another. Bird Island , which bears the title of "Kingdom of birds", is the paradise for about ten-thousand birds and an attractive place for visitors from home and abroad.
Qinghai Lake is not only a national nature reserve, but a 4A level scenic spot and one of the mainly preserved scenic spots approved by the State Council. It enjoys unique natuanl landscape and important ecological position. |
| |
|
| Bird Island |
 |
| The Bird Island, called "the Kingdom of Birds", famous for hundreds of thousand migratory birds on the western tip of Qinghai Lake. |
| |
|
Xihaizhen
On the north bank of Qinghai Lake , there is a famous place named Jinyintan (Golden and Silver Meadow), with vast grassland, flocks of yaks and sheep and beautiful scenery. On the beach, there are some sand sculptures carved by famous artists.
The song entitled “In That Remote Place” created by late Wang Luobin in the 40s’ of last century reminds Chinese people of the magnificent Qinghai Lake , the grasslands, the mountains and the beautiful Tibetan girl.
The first atomic base in our country, which is entitled “the cradle of Chinese A-bombs”,is located beside Qinghai Lake on the Golden and Silver Meadow. It is called “atomic city” and has become a scenic spot in Qinghai, attracting a great number of tourists each year.
Shadao, the most beautiful sand beach in the northeast of Qinghai, 36km from east to west and 3km from south to north, is composed of seashell sand and two small moon-like lakes. Some sports activities like sliding on sand, motorcycling on sand, boat pedaling etc.attract many tourists for amusement. The scenery along this route is different from that of the last few stages. The riders pass a picturesque national forest park near the road. |
| |
|
| Guide |
 |
Close to the Yellow River , Guide County enjoys a pleasant weather. The scenery is beautiful, with countless fruit trees and much green. The famous Danxia Landform will attract your eyes with its unique beauty.
Yellow River, the mother river of the Chinese nation, nurtured the Chinese civilization for 5,000 years. The unique architectures of Ming and Qing Dynasties, Tibetan Buddhist temples and frescos, represented by Yuhuangge and Cultrual Temple, together with a number of hot springs, attract many tourists to visit this remote place for a visit.
A number of hot springs in Guide County draw great attention of people from Sichuan, Gansu and other provinces to come and take a bath in the warm water, which has some therapeutic functions.
Guide enjoys unique climate and geographic priorities near the Yellow River. Therefore, traveling programmes such as “Yellow River Sightseeing”, “Yellow River Stones Exhibition”, “Yellow River Aquatic Amusement Park”, “Yellow River Hydro-power Industry”, Danxia Landform and others are developed one after another. |
| |
|
Minhe
Minhe is in the eastern agricultural area of Qinghai Province , named Haidong Region. The altitude will be much lower than in the last few stages. This route is supposed to be some relief from the mountains, but with undulating hills. At 208 km it will be the longest stage of the tour, and the chance of a break away will be always there. The first 50km will take place on a smooth freeway as soon as the riders leave a 10km neutral section (parade riding) through the city of Xining , and then riders will go on from country highway onto 109 National Highway to enter the downtown of Xining . |
| |
|
Datong
Datong County owns rich forest resources. The race passes by high and steep Laoye Mountain, on which limestone forms high peak, grottos and canyon. The Chahanhe and Yaozigou national forest parks feature odd mountain forms and bright-colored wild flowers.
This is the most difficult stage since the beginning of the tour because of the Daban Mountain (altitude: 3792m ), the highest point of the whole race. It is not only high, but also precipitous. |
| |
|
Menyuan
The golden world of Menyuan County is famous for its vast green fields and yellow rapeseeds flowers. Xianmi National Forest Park is full of green. The 12-Curves are pretty difficult to cross over, which makes it a real challenge for riders.
Seventy kilometers north of Huzhu county seat is the Beishan National Forest Park, which boasts a 113,000-hectare forest, the largest in Qinghai Province. |
| |
|
| Xining |
 |
| Well-known as “summer city”, Xining, the capital city of Qinghai Province, is the political, economic and cultural center of the province, with a history of 2100 years. The city used to be the only gateway of Tangbo Ancient Road and Silk Road. With an altitude of 2261m, neither too cold in winter nor too hot in summer, Xining is recognized to be an ideal summer resort. Some big events like China Tulip Festival, China Tibetan Carpet Exibition, Tour of Qinghai Lake and Qinghai Investment & Trade Forum make the city become one of the western tourist cities. |
 |
 |
| Xining owns some famous scenic spots, such as 600-year-old Great Dongguan Mosque, Beichan Ancient Taoist Temple with 18 grottos, and some public parks, such as Hutai Relics, the ex-warlord’s residence Xinlu, Cultural Park, Nanshan (South Mountain) Park, Xishan (West Mountain) Botanical Garden, Phoenix Park and Provincial Museum. |
| |
|
| Taer (Kumbum) Monastery |
 |
| Please click: http://www.tdql.cn/english/qinghai/sight/sight_kumbum.asp |
| |
|
|
|
| Stage
Map&Profile |
| |
Prologue(ITT) |
| 1st |
Xining-Ping'an-Zhaba-Tongren |
| 2nd |
Tongren-Bao'an-Xunhua |
| 3rd |
Xunhua-Zhaba-Ping'an-Xining |
| 4th |
Xining(DuobaBase)-Qinghai Lake |
| 5th |
Qinghai Lake-Bird Island |
| 6th |
Bird Island-Xihaizhen |
| 7th |
Xihaizhen-Menyuan |
| 8th |
Menyuan-Huzhu |
| 9th |
XN Circuit Race |
| Route
Map |
|
|
| |
|
|
