Golmud Kunlun Tourism Area

Golmud Kunlun Tourism Area

The Golmud Kunlun Tourism Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Open a world map and draw a cross across the Asian continent, and you'll find that Golmud City in Qinghai Province sits right at the crossroads of Asia. Nestled against the Kunlun Mountains and located in the Qaidam Basin—a "treasure basin" rich in resources—the area centers around Golmud as a hub of Kunlun cultural tourism.

The Kunlun Mountains rise from the Pamir Plateau, descending majestically across thousands of miles from east to west. Vast and towering, they feature snow-capped peaks, sprawling glaciers, and an awe-inspiring grandeur. Since ancient times, the Kunlun Mountains have been a sacred place longed for by all ethnic groups in China. They hold a prominent status in the cultural history of the Chinese nation, revered as the "Ancestor of All Mountains." Ancient people called the Kunlun Mountains the "Veins of the Dragon’s Ancestors." Throughout history, countless sages, poets, warriors, and wanderers have gazed westward, pouring their admiration for the Kunlun into poetry and prose. Among them, Li Bai’s famous verse “Had I not seen the Jade Mountain, I’d have met her beneath the Moon on fairy towers” and Chairman Mao’s majestic line “Towering up, the boundless and majestic Kunlun” stand as iconic odes to the range. Many Chinese myths and legends originate from the Kunlun Mountains, such as Nüwa mending the sky with stones, Jingwei filling the sea, the Queen Mother of the West’s peach banquet, Lady White stealing the elixir of immortality, and Chang’e flying to the moon. Classic Chinese literary works like *Journey to the West*, *Investiture of the Gods*, and Jin Yong’s *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils* also mention the Kunlun Mountains.

Stretching 2,500 kilometers from east to west with an average elevation of 5,000 meters, the Kunlun Mountains consist of the western Karakoram Range (between the Tarim Basin and the northern Tibetan Plateau), the central Kunlun Range, and the southern Tanggula Range. The Kunlun Mountains are crisscrossed with valleys, hiding endless grandeur, mystery, and richness.

Major Attractions

The Yaochi Scenic Area features lake water as clear as a mirror, surrounded by green grass and white sand. Under the azure sky, the mountains, sunlight, and cloud shadows dance together in the lake, exuding an ethereal and mystical charm amid tranquility.

Standing at the Kunlun Pass, you can take in the full view of both the eastern and western Kunlun Mountains. To the east, amidst the timeless snowy wilderness, the Yuxu Peak rises solitary and majestic, dominating the surrounding peaks and creating a unique natural landscape of the ice and snow world. Legend has it that Yuxu Peak is the incarnation of Princess Yuxu, the daughter of the Queen Mother of the West. The peak stands towering and lofty, with its summit perpetually shrouded in clouds and covered in snow. The area is dotted with vividly shaped strange rocks and is often home to birds and beasts. At the foot of the mountain, uniquely shaped temples and palaces are scattered across the lush green meadows, forming a beautiful painting of a heavenly paradise. Not far away lies Yuzhu Peak, said to be the incarnation of another daughter of the Queen Mother of the West, Princess Yuzhu. Yuzhu Peak is perennially snow-covered, with glaciers crisscrossing and a majestic presence. There are over 20 snow-capped peaks above 5,400 meters surrounding the main peak. On the southern side of Yuzhu Peak, the icy terrain varies, with glacier termini forming ice organs over 10 meters high. The alpine meadow zone south of Yuzhu Peak is a paradise for wildlife, often frequented by herds of rare animals such as Tibetan antelopes, Tibetan gazelles, and wild yaks. Yuzhu Peak is an ideal destination for mountaineering enthusiasts to experience climbing and learn ice and snow techniques, serving as a perfect training ground for high-altitude alpine activities. Every year, it attracts mountaineering adventurers from around the world, making it a popular base for beginner-level climbers.

Training ground. Every year, it attracts mountaineering adventurers from around the world, making it a popular base for beginner-level climbers.

The Golmud Kunlun Cultural Tourism Area is a national 4A-level tourist attraction, located in the Qaidam Basin. Leveraging the profound cultural heritage of the Kunlun Mountains and the abundant resources of the Qaidam Basin, it has developed into a key western tourism hub, offering industrial tourism, root-seeking pilgrimages, mountaineering adventures, historical exploration, and cultural tourism. The area boasts extremely rich tourism resources: Chaka Salt Lake and the Ten-Thousand-Zhang Salt Bridge immerse visitors in a dreamlike salt world; the Nachi Sacred Spring, known as the "Glacial Nectar," still carries the legendary tale of Princess Wencheng and her entourage resting here during their journey to Tibet; the Mongolian community living in the Qaidam Basin has gradually developed a distinctive Qinghai-style Mongolian culture over centuries of life on the Qinghai Plateau; and the rare Yardang landforms in the northwestern Qaidam Basin are a marvel of the world. From a distance, the undulating small hills seem to dance like whales and dragons tumbling through the sea of sand. Up close, they resemble ancient castles, pyramids, animal shapes, and cylinders... Immersed in the landscape, it feels like entering a labyrinth. Such magnificent, intricately carved natural artworks are the result of nature’s extraordinary craftsmanship over vast geological time, holding significant value for both tourism and scientific research.

“The virtuous delight in mountains, the wise in water.” Through continuous climbing, we can witness the mountains, waters, clouds, and eternal snows of the Kunlun—this is the very charm of the Kunlun.

Air Travel

Golmud has an airport, but flights are limited. Currently, there is only one weekly flight every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 16:30 from Golmud to Xi’an, arriving at 19:45. The ticket price is 870 yuan, with a stopover in Xining at 17:50. The Xining-bound fare is 670 yuan.

The long-distance bus station and train station are located in the southern part of the city, with the West Station directly across the street.