Rigama Lake Rigama Lake is located 30 kilometers from the county town, covering an area of approximately 10 square kilometers. It is picturesque and serene, sometimes shrouded in mist, other times reflecting the surrounding mountains and water. Watch the fish play in the water and birds chase through the sky — it's like a fairyland. …
White Jade Temple is located in Baiyu Township, southwest of the county town. It sits against a rocky mountain covered with shrubs and faces the clear and tranquil Eke River. At an altitude of 3,600 meters, the area enjoys abundant rainfall, a warm climate, open and flat terrain, and lush flowers and grasses. Thirty kilometers north of the temple lies the famous Nianbao Sacred Mountain Scenic Area, and along the way you will pass by the largest Gelug monastery in southeastern Guoluo — Longge Monastery — making this one of the best tourist destinations in the Jiuzhi region. White Jade Temple is a branch of the Baiyu Monastery in Sichuan Province, and it gets its name “Baiyu” from its mother monastery. Built in 1857, it has a history of over 140 years and is a large-scale Nyingma sect monastery with wide influence in the border areas of Qinghai, Sichuan, and Gansu. After reconstruction, the temple complex includes thousands of structures such as the main scripture hall, stupa hall, preaching courtyard, meditation rooms, and monks’ quarters, covering nearly a thousand acres. The preaching courtyard houses two sets of the Kangyur and Tengyur Tibetan Buddhist canon, printed in the United States and donated by Tibetan expatriates residing in America — both are exquisitely printed. The stupa hall contains two stupas of eminent monks, adorned with gold and silver leaf, among which the larger stupa enshrines a sacred tooth relic, considered extremely precious and treated as a treasure of the temple. The temple also houses nearly ten thousand Buddha statues and figures made of gold, silver, and other materials. The stupa hall further displays a stone footprint of the previous incarnation of Baiyu Lazi, regarded as a rare gem by the monastery. Additionally, a magnificent Fai Hall has been newly constructed. As a result, the temple was designated as a prefectural-level cultural relics protection unit in 1994. Major annual Buddhist events at the temple include the “Three Bodies of the Tathagata” meditation retreat held from the eighth day of the first lunar month to the eighth day of the second lunar month, and the 45-day "Summer Retreat" held in the eighth month, attracting tens of thousands of monks and devotees who come to worship the Buddha statues and offer hada scarves — creating a truly spectacular scene.
White Jade Hot Springs White Jade Hot Springs is located in the southern part of Baiyu Township, upstream of the Makhe River. There are numerous springs, numbering over 30 in total, with water temperatures averaging around 70 degrees Celsius. The springs are rich in mineral sulfides. Visitors drawn to the site often pile up stones to create their own hot spring pools, where they can soak for hours. It is said to help treat conditions such as arthritis, back pain, and skin diseases. Some springs reach temperatures of over 80 degrees Celsius and are referred to as "boiling springs." Local herders place raw meat and eggs in these springs, which cook in just a short while.
The Yellow River Charm of MenTang The 40-kilometer stretch of road from Nianbao to MenTang is stunningly beautiful. Along this route, the Heihe River has significant elevation drops as it surges toward the Yellow River. The riverbanks are dotted with herds of sturdy cattle and sheep, like stars scattered across the grassland, while colorful tents add splashes of vibrancy to the natural scenery. The MenTang Yellow River Bridge spans...
The mysterious Banma Rentuo Mountain is located in Ganglong Township in the southeastern part of Gadê County, just 1 kilometer from the renowned Gelug sect Tibetan Buddhist monastery, Xiarihu Temple. Its main peak stands at an elevation of 4,896 meters. The upper part of the mountain is composed of rock and is regarded as a sacred mountain by local people. At the foot of the mountain, there are nearly 100 meters of painted rock carvings and legendary hoof prints left by King Gesar’s horse as he rode past, as well as footprints of meditating monks, arrow marks from archery trials on the rocks, and meditation caves where monks practiced and cultivated themselves. It is one of the well-known Buddhist meditation sites in the Tibetan region, and monks still come here to practice. Banma Rentuo Mountain is widely known for its towering peaks and herds of argali sheep.
Located in the southeastern part of Gande County, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, accessible via the Xining–Jiuzhi Highway and about 70 kilometers from the prefectural capital Dawu Town, it is a historical and cultural humanistic scenic tourism site. The temple is situated on an earthen platform, backed by mountains and facing a river, in a spacious and sunny area, covering approximately 130,000 square meters. It is the largest Nyingma sect monastery in Gande County...
Nianbao Fairy Lake (Tibetan: "Ximu Cuo Lake"). Located on the northern side of the main peak of Nianbao Mountain, the lake consists of a large lake and a small lake, covering an area of approximately 17 square kilometers. Formed by the erosional action of massive glaciers, this glacial lake is 47 kilometers from the county town and 4 kilometers from the Xijiu Highway, which has now been extended to the Fairy Lake scenic area. The lake…
Dehelong Temple is located by the Majiu Highway in Dehelong Valley, Kangsai Township, about 6 kilometers east of the county town. It follows the Nyingma sect. Established in the Year of the Ox during the 14th Rabjung cycle, it was originally a tent monastery that combined the Gelug, Nyingma, and Jonang traditions. In 1939, after the Gelug branch monastery was relocated, the Nyingma and Jonang sects continued to share the same temple. In the 1950s, following the division of the Kangsai tribe into the two townships of Kangsai and Mentang, the temple also split into two.
Longge Monastery is located on the shady side of Longge Valley in Baiyu Township, southwest of the county seat, 175 kilometers from the county town and 25 kilometers from the township government. Below the monastery lies the Nyenbo Yurtse Mountain Range, to its right is the renowned Wencuo Lake Scenic Area in southern Qinghai, and 25 kilometers to its left and southwest is the Baiyu Monastery, the largest Nyingma sect monastery in the Golog region. The area offers excellent tourism potential...
Alajia Jamo Mountain Alajia Jamo Mountain is located on the side of the Xijiu Highway, 10 kilometers east of Kecu Town in Gande County. "Jia Jia Mo" means Han man and Han woman. At an altitude of 4,438 meters, the mountain top has two large rocks. Legend has it that long ago, a Han couple came to this area to teach the skills of weaving yak wool fabric...
Guancang Gorge is located in Ganglong Township in the southeastern part of Gadê County, about 3 kilometers from Bama Rento Mountain. The valley floor sits at an altitude of 3,400 to 3,600 meters, and the gorge stretches approximately 4 kilometers in length. With significant elevation drops and fast-flowing water, the gorge features steep cliffs on both sides and multiple waterfalls of varying sizes, creating a truly spectacular sight. The banks of the gorge are lush with water plants and greenery...
Tashi Qulong Monastery is located at the mouth of the Tashi Qulong Valley in Xiazangke Township, northeastern Gadê County, approximately 75 kilometers from the county seat. It belongs to the Jonang school of Tibetan Buddhism. Its mother monastery is Zhanmuthang Monastery in Rangtang County, Sichuan Province. Legend has it that 100 years ago, upon the suggestion of Qialongwa Qielan Anmuga from Zhanmuthang Monastery, Axigenghe established a tent monastery in the Zangke tribe...
Longshijia Temple is located in Xiagongma Township, about 40 kilometers from the county seat, and belongs to the Jonang school of Tibetan Buddhism. Its mother monastery is Zhanmutang Monastery in Rangtang County, Sichuan Province today. It is said that around the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, Jia-O'ang Renqingsangwu founded the temple, which initially was a tent monastery. In 1983, it became a permanent earthen-walled monastery and was opened to the public. The site includes 150 monk quarters, 4 resident monks, one scripture hall…
Xiarihu Temple Xiarihu Temple is the only Gelug sect monastery in the Gande region. It is located at the mouth of Longmuqie Valley on the western bank of the Yellow River in Ganglong Township, Gande County, 70 kilometers from the county seat. The temple was first established in 1804 by Geshe Ge’er Sengbo of Jiecuang, making it 203 years old to date and the earliest monastery built within Gande County. …
DongjituoKa Temple, known in Tibetan as "Dongjituo Ka Dan Ni Da Jin Lin," is located on Sairi Beach in Kequ Town, Gandê County, 12 kilometers from the county seat. In 1837, it was initially established as a tent monastery by Jamyang Khyentse Dorje of the Nyingma sect—Gabguan Angqian Jierjibuoduoje—and has since gone through five generations. DongjituoKa Temple is a shared monastery of the Nyingma and Gelug sects...
Qiaquna Temple is located in Qiaquna Valley, Jiangqian Township, 82 kilometers from the county seat, and belongs to the Nyingma sect. The temple was established in 1930, approved for public worship in 1984, and by 1995 had 35 monk quarters, one scripture hall, three circumambulation rooms, one Buddha hall, three stupas, one kitchen, one lama, two khenpos, and 43 monks...
Qiaoyi Temple, also known as Qiaoyi Temple, is located at the entrance of Qiaoyi Valley in Qingzhen Township, 62 kilometers from the county seat. Also referred to as "Maidenthree Zhilang," it belongs to the Jonang school. The temple was built in 1891, reopened in 1989, and currently has 160 monk quarters, one scripture hall, four prayer wheel rooms, two Buddha halls, and one kitchen. In 1995, it had one [monk], three khenpos, …
Waying Temple is located in Shanggongma Township, approximately 43 kilometers from the county seat. It is a Nyingma sect monastery that became a religious activity site in 1994 and was officially approved for opening by the county government in 2001. It currently has -2 [Note: likely a placeholder or typo] and 42 monks. …
Zhigeer Monastery is located in Zhigexiuma Valley, Qingzhen Township, 98 kilometers from the county seat. Established in 1835 by Zangwa Oang Qudong Jiancuo, the monastery has been led over the years by eight successive abbots: Zangwa Oang Qudong Jiancuo, Yunla-Tonglan, Yunla-Caire, Duola-Jiayang Nima, Gabu-Renqing Sangwu, Ashiga-Renzeng Jiancuo, Long…
The "Goddess Peak" of the Guoluo Grassland, locally known as "Jiamaduo." In Tibetan, "Jiam" means "Han girl," and "Duo" means "stone." Jiamaduo is located on a lush, carpet-like grassy mountain about ten li east of Gad County in the Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. There are two massive rocks together, each over the height of a house. From a distance, the slightly lower one…