Things to do in  Xining

One of China’s biggest lakes, Qinghai Lake (Lake Kokonor) is impressively surrounded by white-capped mountains, with horses, yaks, and Tibetan, Mongolian, and Muslim culture all around you. People make the journey to enjoy the natural beauty, ride horses, cycle, and hike. The area is also known for birdwatching, so bring some binoculars, and make sure your cameras are ready for action.

Despite its name, the Tibetan Medicine Culture Museum doesn’t focus solely on medical items: it covers astronomy, science, art, and has some impressive artifacts, too. It’s best known for housing the world’s longest thangka scroll, which charts Tibetan history and took four years to complete, with 400 artists contributing.