Altun Mountain

Altun Mountain

The Altun Mountain Nature Reserve is China’s largest nature reserve, located in the southern part of the Altun Mountains and the northern part of the eastern Kunlun Mountains. It stretches from the boundary line between Ruoqiang and Qiemo counties in the west to the border between Xinjiang and Qinghai provinces in the east, and extends from the Qiman Tagh Mountains in the southern Altun Mountains in the north to the eastern Kunlun Mountains that mark the boundary between Xinjiang and Tibet in the south. It is 360 kilometers long from east to west and 190 kilometers wide from north to south, covering a total area of 44,940 square kilometers. The Altun Mountain Reserve is surrounded by high mountains. The highest peak, Muztagh Ata, stands at an elevation of 6,973 meters. The area features modern glaciers, plateau lakes, and plateaus, as well as diverse wildlife including Tibetan wild asses, Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks, wild camels, black-necked cranes, Tibetan snowcocks, white-winged buzzards, and Pallas's sea eagles, alongside 241 species of wild plants—creating a spectacular highland landscape.

Deserts and a variety of wildlife such as Tibetan wild asses, Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks, wild camels, black-necked cranes, Tibetan snowcocks, white-winged buzzards, and Pallas's sea eagles, along with 241 species of wild plants, form a remarkable highland spectacle. Rivers, Lakes, and Springs in Altun Mountain The Altun Mountain Reserve mainly consists of eight rivers and numerous seasonal streams that form the “arteries” of the plateau basin, nourishing the vast alpine grasslands. The drainage basins of these eight major rivers cover an area of 20,000 square kilometers. The water supply for the rivers primarily comes from two sources: glacial meltwater and spring outflows. The rivers in the reserve vary in form—some flow directly into lake basins; others periodically sink underground and then resurface, slowly converging into the low-lying basins; some have crystal-clear water, while others have a mineralization level as high as 71.5 grams per liter. The Sulubeltikelike River is the largest river in the reserve, originating from the northern slope of the Xin-Qing Peak, flowing into Ayakekum Lake, with a total length of 280 kilometers and a drainage area of 6,250 square kilometers. The reserve is dotted with lakes, covering a total area of 1,200 square kilometers, accounting for 2.7% of the reserve’s area, and playing an important role in regulating the local climate. Ayakekum Lake, located in the northern part of the reserve, covers an area of 536 square kilometers and is the largest lake in the reserve. Aqikekule Lake is situated in the western part of the reserve, with an area of 352 square kilometers and a mineralization level of 81.6 grams per liter. Two small islands stand in the lake, resembling warships plowing through waves from a distance. These islands host large bird populations. Jingyu Lake, located in the southern part of the reserve, is named for its whale-like shape. Kum Lake and Keke Kum Lake, known in Uyghur as “Sand Lake” and “Little Sand Lake,” are located on the Kumukuli Sand Mountain. Their waters are replenished by sand mountain condensation water and bedrock fissure water, resulting in good water quality with a low mineralization level of 0.3 grams per liter. Yiqianbadɑ Lake, also called “Yixiekepɑti Lake,” is the only freshwater lake in the reserve with both inflow and outflow. Covering an area of 11.8 square kilometers and shaped like a gourd, the lake has relatively good water quality and is home to various aquatic organisms such as hook shrimp. The surrounding area is lush with vegetation, making it the only place in the reserve where herders live and also a “bird paradise.” In the desert divided by chains of sand dunes at an altitude of 4,900 meters, the Jisha Tan Small Lake Group features 145 crescent-shaped small lakes. The reserve also contains multiple glacial end-moraine lakes left over from the Ice Age. Due to the influence of structural fractures and fault-controlled water flow, as well as fault water blockage, there is a significant difference in groundwater volume between the northern and southern sides of the reserve. Along the fracture zones to the south, there are multiple fault springs. In limestone strata, there are springs that serve as valuable underground water resources. In the northeastern part of the reserve, at the foot of the northern slope of the Kumukuli Sand Mountain, the Mingbulake (meaning “Thousand Springs”) features nearly a thousand springs scattered along the edge of a depression. This area, rich in water and grass, is an excellent foraging ground for animals. Its volcanic activity zone also holds several yet-to-be-explored high-mountain hot springs. 3. Karst Landforms Within the Altun Mountain Nature Reserve, in the Arge Mountain area, lies an ancient karst landform. Stretching 350 kilometers from east to west—from Bukadaban Peak in the east to Aqikekule Lake in the west—and 20–30 kilometers wide, this area covers approximately 10,000 square kilometers, hidden deep within the towering mountains at elevations of 4,400–5,000 meters. This ancient limestone mountain range, shaped by centuries of wind and rain, dissolution, and weathering, exhibits a myriad of peculiar forms. Towering stone peaks rise from the ground, piercing the blue sky. Some resemble camels, elephants, dragons, crouching tigers, pen holders, sky bridges, temples, military command platforms, cacti, flagpoles, and horse tethering posts—strikingly lifelike. There are also diverse karren fields, stone buds, passages, and corridors. The karst landforms of Altun Mountain, influenced by Quaternary glaciers in certain areas, have formed horn peaks that “rise abruptly, standing stark against the green sky.” The karst landforms of the reserve overlap with glacial landforms, featuring steep cliffs and hanging glaciers, creating a spectacular scene. Upon entering the Altun Mountain Nature Reserve, the first sight is the ice-capped peaks and snow mountains surrounding the plateau basin. Their majestic presence adds boundless charm to the reserve. The high mountains around the plateau basin host modern glaciers. From the Qiman Tagh Mountain ridgeline in the north to the Muztagh Ata Peak to the Xinjiang side in the south, there are 388 glaciers covering an area of 878.3 square kilometers, with a total glacier storage volume of 67.82 billion cubic meters flowing into the reserve. Muztagh Ata Peak and Xin Qing Peak are areas with concentrated modern glacier development, accounting for 77.5% of the total glacier area in the reserve, with thicknesses exceeding 100 meters. The glaciers here are of various types, including hanging glaciers, cirque glaciers, valley glaciers, slope glaciers, and flat-topped glaciers. Some resemble frozen waves, others look like flocks of resting sheep, some display jagged backbones and overlapping arches like glazed tile ridges, while others hang high on the mountains like wisps of white clouds swirling around the peaks. The natural ice and snow wonders are dazzling. Muztagh Ata Peak and Xin Qing Peak not only enhance the reserve’s beauty with their icy world but are also sought-after climbing destinations for mountaineers from around the world.