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Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake, the largest lake in China, lies within an endorheic basin in Qinghai Province, from which it takes its name. Classified as an alkaline salt lake, it has experienced notable fluctuations in size-shrinking through much of the 20th century but expanding again since 2004. In 2008, the lake covered an area of 4,317 km², with an average depth of 21 m and a maximum depth of 25.5 m.
Qinghai Lake, located about 100 kilometers west of Xining, rests in a basin of the Tibetan Plateau at an elevation of 3,205 meters. It lies between the Haibei and Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures in northeastern Qinghai, Northwest China. Over time, the lake has experienced significant fluctuations in size—shrinking for much of the 20th century but expanding again since 2004. In 2008, it covered an area of 4,317 square meters, with an average depth of 21 meters and a maximum depth of 25.5 meters. A total of 23 rivers and streams flow into the Lake, most of them seasonal. Five permanent rivers supply around 80% of its water. Both salinity and alkalinity have risen since the early Holocene.
Qinghai Lake Map
The lake is situated in Gangcha County, lying between the Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
Formation of Qinghai Lake
Geological studies indicate that Qinghai Lake was formed around 210,000 years ago. In its early stages, it existed as an exorheic freshwater lake connected to the Yellow River. However, about 150,000 years ago, the dramatic uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau severed this connection, leaving Qinghai Lake isolated from the Yellow River system.
If its water level were to rise by about 50 meters, it would reconnect with the Yellow River through a low pass to the east. Around 18,000 years ago, shortly after the Last Glacial Maximum, the lake’s conditions and extent began to shift significantly. On the western shore of the lake lie Cormorant Island and Egg Island, collectively referred to as the Bird Islands.
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About 18,000 years ago, just after the Last Glacial Maximum, the water level of Lake stood roughly 30 meters below its present height. Between 15,600 and 10,700 years ago, the lake gradually rose to about 10 meters below current levels, before declining slightly around 9,200 years ago. After this dip, levels began rising again, reaching a peak about 5,900 years ago when the lake stood several meters higher than today. A period of regional cooling and drying then caused levels to fall, dropping to less than 10 meters below modern averages about 1,400 years ago. From that point onward, the lake rose steadily to reach its present elevation.
UNESCO World Heritage site
The Qinghai Lake is a UNESCO World Heritage site that lies in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It is not only the largest lake in the world’s largest, highest, and youngest plateau, but also the largest lake in China. Numerous rivers traverse the surrounding grasslands, creating a landscape rich in water resources, lush vegetation, and tranquil scenery. Encircling the lake are four towering mountain ranges, rising between 3,600 and 5,000 meters: Datong Mountain to the north, Riyue Mountain to the east, Qinghai Nanshan Mountain to the south, and Xiangpi Mountain to the west. Together, these natural barriers form a majestic embrace around Qinghai Lake.
The waters of the Lake were once connected to the Yellow River system. Around 210,000 years ago, however, the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau transformed the lake into an endorheic basin. As a result, its salinity gradually increased, altering both the ecosystem and ecological processes, and leading to its transition from a freshwater to a saline lake.
Tour of Qinghai Lake
The Tour of Qinghai Lake is an annual professional road cycling stage race held in Qinghai Province, China, since 2002. Named after Lake, the event is sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as part of the UCI Asia Tour, classified as a 2.HC race. It was scheduled to join the newly established UCI ProSeries in 2020, but that year’s edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 and 2022 races were downgraded to class 2.2 and featured only domestic teams because of international travel restrictions. In 2023, the race successfully returned to the UCI ProSeries.
How to Reach Qinghai Lake
To reach Qinghai Lake, most travelers begin by flying into Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, located about 100 kilometers east of the lake. From Xining, you can rent a car, hire a driver, or join an organized tour to make the journey westward. The route typically leads to the northeastern shores of the Lake, with the drive often continuing through scenic areas and passing the town of Chaka.
