Qaidam Basin Crossing Route (Salt Lake String)

Qaidam Basin Crossing Route (Salt Lake String)

The Qaidam Basin is an important region of salt lakes and yardang in China. Numerous salt lakes, Gobi, and yardang string into a stunning "salt lake journey" — a distinctive route on the Qinghai-Gansu loop.

This guide covers the crossing route.

🏜️ About the Qaidam Basin

• Location: western Qinghai, one of China's three great inland basins
• Features: many salt lakes, Gobi desert, yardang
• Sights: Chaka Salt Lake, Dachaidan Emerald Lake, Chaerhan Salt Lake, Water Yardang
• Position: the "treasure bowl," rich in salt-lake resources

🗺️ Salt Lake String Route

Classic crossing (from Xining):

• Xining → Chaka Salt Lake → Delingha → Dachaidan → Emerald Lake → Chaerhan Salt Lake (Golmud)
• Or the Qinghai-Gansu loop: Qinghai Lake → Chaka → Dachaidan → Water Yardang → Mangya

Core salt lakes/sights:

1. Chaka Salt Lake: Mirror of the Sky
2. Dachaidan Emerald Lake: multicolored salt lake
3. Chaerhan Salt Lake: Ten-Thousand-Meter Salt Bridge
4. Water Yardang: yardang in a salt lake
5. Mangya Emerald Lake, Aiken Spring

🛣️ Roads & Driving

• Overall good, mostly paved
• Some sights (Water Yardang, Mangya) are far and remote
• Gobi winds; mind crosswinds and fatigue
• Few supply points; stock fuel, water, food

📅 Suggested Itinerary

• The Qaidam salt lake string: allow 3–5 days, combined with the Qinghai-Gansu loop
• Stay at Delingha, Dachaidan, Golmud along the way

📌 Practical Tips

1. Salt lakes glare; wear sunglasses, sunscreen
2. On salt lakes, protect from alkali; waterproof shoes, be careful
3. Gobi sections have few supplies; prepare ahead
4. Remote sights: travel together, avoid getting lost
5. Protect the salt-lake ecology; don't destroy

The Qaidam Basin is the "kingdom of salt lakes." A string of salt lakes and yardang forms a grand route. Cross the Qaidam and see western Qinghai-Gansu's most "sci-fi" scenery.