Qinghai: When The Meadow Touches The Sky

#naturalbeauty Qinghai, located in northwest China between Xinjiang, Tibet, Gansu and Sichuan, is one of the largest but most sparsely populated provinces in China. Most of Qinghai is historically part of Tibet, and as such, there is a lot of Tibetan culture in the province, perhaps this is the maximum that a traveler can get to know without obtaining permission to visit the Tibetan Autonomous Region. In fact, many cultures can be observed here: Han Chinese, Tibetans, Hui, Tu and Salars make up this melting pot of the province. Outside the cities of Xining and Golmud, Qinghai is scattered through small villages inhabited by nomads, labor camps, prisons and nuclear test sites. Enjoy the abundance of natural attractions, and Qinghai may become your favorite place in China. Qinghai is mostly cold, dry and located at a high altitude, which means that, like in Tibet, the cuisine here is based on meat, dairy products and barley, not vegetables. Qinghai cuisine is influenced by all its ethnic groups, and popular dishes include mutton, black pudding and Hui dumplings, which are usually stuffed with carrots, potatoes and pieces of meat heavily seasoned with spices. The best time to visit Qinghai is considered to be the period from May to October. In spring, the grass turns green, and migratory birds flock to Qinghai Lake. The winter months in these parts can be very cold. Even in summer, travelers should take warm clothes with them. Most often, it is recommended to visit Qinghai in the summer months, because in addition to the comfortable weather, many festivals of the peoples inhabiting these lands are also held during this period. Meadows inhabited by nomadic peoples are an excellent alternative to the more visited areas of Inner and Outer Mongolia. The alpine Meadows of Qinghai Province are an enchanting, mesmerizing sight. The feeling of freedom, when there are no restrictions, is simply not possible to convey in words, you just need to feel it.