Qinghai Lake, often known by its Mongol name, Koko Nor, or Tibetan, mTsho sngon po, meaning “the blue lake”, is located in Qaidam Basin northeast of Qinghai Province. Shaped like a pear, Qinhai Lake stretches about 105 kilometres in length and 63 kilometres in width, with a surface area of over 30,000 square kilometres. It is the largest inland salt water lake in China, and also the highest one, with an altitude of 3, 196 metres. Qinghai Lake, as a National Nature Reserve and a National Park, is rich in rare species of birds and fishes. It has been added by the United Nations to The Ramsar Convention Manual and to The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat.

There are many famous scenic spots in Qinghai Lake, and Haixin Shan (Hill of the Sea Heart) is one of them. Haixin Shan is an isle shaped like a spiral shell located in the middle south of the lake, covering an area of 1 square kilometre. The body of the isle is made up of ivory white granite and gneiss. With the coverage of green vegetation over 50%, the isle is a good place for horse-raising. What’s more, temples and other subsidiary buildings well suit the lake and the hill, and on the peak of the hill the panorama of the Qinghai Lake can be overlooked.

Niaodao, or Bird Island, where thousands of birds inhabit, lies in the northwest corner of Qinghai Lake. It is a heaven of the reproduction of Asian birds, and the top among the eight bird reserves in China. Every May and June, the best time of bird watching, migratory birds fly from faraway mountains and deserts to breed here. It is quite a spectacle of thousands of birds flying over the sky, with their nests thickly dotted and colorful eggs interspersed all over the island. Besides, Haixi Shan, Shadao(Sand Island), Sankuaishi (Three Rocks), Erlang Sword Peninsula, and Qinghai Lake Fishery are scenic spots in Qinghai Lake that are worth visiting.

It is no exaggeration to say that the magnificent Qinghai Lake is a gem endowed by nature to Qinghai-Tibet Altiplano. The climate surrounding the lake is very cool even in the middle of the summer, which is the reason why it is often selected as an ideal summer resort. Autumn is the most glamorous time of Qinghai Lake. The mountains and grassland wear a green blanket and the water of the lake is so limpid that the green mountains are reflected in the deep like a mirror; furthermore, the color changes with time and varies in different depth of the lake, which produces a sense of mystery and beauty. Tourists could experience the herdsmen’s life in Tibet by riding on the pastures and tasting various local specialties like highland barley wine, yogurt, and hand-grabbed boiled mutton.