Discover the tibetan Qinghai

Qinghai, a vast province at the heart of the Tibetan Plateau

Qinghai is a vast province located in the central-west of China. To give you an idea, its area is nearly one and a half times that of metropolitan France, yet it has only about 5.5 million inhabitants. Half of the population lives in Xining, the capital, while the rest of the territory, dotted with a few small towns, remains one of the most sparsely populated areas in the world.

Geographically, Qinghai is bordered by two major mountain ranges: to the north, the Qilian Mountains, which reach up to 6,000 meters, and to the south, the foothills of the Himalayas, which approach 7,000 meters. Between them stretches a high plateau, gentler but highly diverse: grasslands, deserts, deep valleys, sharp peaks… The average altitude exceeds 4,200 meters.

It is also here, in these austere and grandiose landscapes, that three of Asia’s largest rivers are born: the Yellow River, the Mekong, and the Yangtze. You can discover the early meanders of these mighty rivers while they are still modest — a striking contrast to their power further downstream.

Qinghai, a long Tibetan history

When people mention Tibet, they usually think of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), located south of Qinghai Province. But this association, although widespread, is historically and culturally a very limited view of what Tibet truly is.

In reality, traditional Tibet is not limited to this single administrative entity. It is part of a much larger area known as Greater Tibet. This encompasses three major historical regions: Ü-Tsang, Amdo, and Kham — each with its own distinct cultural, ethnic, and linguistic characteristics. The Tibetan languages spoken in these regions are sometimes mutually unintelligible, and local identities are strongly marked.

Therefore, answering the question “Where is Tibet?” requires specifying the perspective: geographical, political, ethnic, linguistic, historical, or religious. Depending on the viewpoint, the borders will differ.

Surprisingly, this reality of Greater Tibet remains largely unknown to the general public, even though it is well documented and recognized by experts. Many great Tibetan spiritual masters, including the Dalai Lama himself, were born outside the Tibet Autonomous Region — notably in Qinghai Province, which corresponds largely to the ancient Amdo region.

Qinghai is not an artifact of Tibet; it is Tibet unfiltered

So let’s be clear: Qinghai is not a “small Tibet” or a lesser version of Tibet. On the contrary. It’s time to dispel a common misconception: Qinghai is not a secondary version of Tibet. It’s neither a substitute nor a diluted version. It is a territory in its own right, at the very heart of the Tibetan world. And in many ways, it offers a far more authentic and freer experience.

Indeed, while the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is today deeply marked by mass tourism, Qinghai remains largely off the radar. Here, no lines of buses, no crowds at the foot of monasteries, no convoys of 4x4s. It’s a land where you can still travel away from it all, far from any tourist bustle.

But what strikes you the most is the relationship with the locals. In many villages, people have rarely seen tourists and have never even met foreigners. Their welcome is spontaneous, warm, and without any commercial expectations. They approach you out of curiosity, often with a kind of surprised kindness. Sometimes just a simple smile can lead to hugs or an invitation to share tea.

For photographers seeking genuine connections and truly authentic moments, Qinghai is a real paradise! It is a living, still-intact world, and I invite you to immerse yourself in one of the few places where you can still travel far from the usual tourism codes.

This is one of the most preserved and wildest regions of the world that I invite you to discover!

Two Vast Protected Nature Reserves

Qinghai is home to two of the largest and most spectacular nature parks in China, one of which, Kekexili (or Hoh Xil), is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This legendary land is considered one of the last wild strongholds of the Tibetan Plateau. It is crossed by only three main roads — and even then, none cuts entirely through it.

Kekexili alone covers 45,000 km², nine times the size of the Grand Canyon National Park in the United States. And that’s nothing compared to the immense Three Rivers Source National Park (Sanjiangyuan), which spans 316,000 km², larger than the whole of Italy. These parks are the ecological lungs of the plateau, where three of Asia’s great rivers are born: the Yangtze, the Yellow River, and the Mekong.

These are not “visitor parks”, but raw conservation areas. Some zones are entirely closed to human activity — except for a few nomadic families or scientists with special permits. Access to the true source of the Yangtze, for example, requires a rare and strictly limited authorization.

Kekexili, meanwhile, remains hard to reach, though it does not carry the same official restrictions: very few roads, extreme terrain, and a harsh climate. Each year, people get lost there and are never found again. It’s a harsh, silent land, feared even by locals.

But that doesn’t mean it’s forbidden to set foot there. On the contrary: we make occasional and measured incursions, always with deep respect for these protected areas. Where the trail ends, and the great herds of Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks, and elusive wolves appear. Where you can truly feel what it means to be alone in an endless space, in front of a still untamed wilderness.

Wild animals

It is indeed possible to safely venture into the outer fringes of these two immense parks. And it is precisely there, on the border between inhabited lands and vast protected wilderness, that the magic happens.

Secondary roads and remote tracks lead us into areas where nature reigns supreme. At altitudes of over 4,000, sometimes 5,000 meters, only a few exceptional animals have managed to adapt to such extreme environments:

• Wild yaks, massive and elusive
• Kiangs, the Tibetan wild asses
• Tibetan antelopes (chirus)
• Plateau gazelles
• And elusive predators: wolves, lynxes, Tibetan bears, and even the legendary snow leopard.
• The region is also a haven for many migratory bird species, such as the Black-necked Crane, which nest in high-altitude lakes and wetlands.

These species are endemic to the Tibetan Plateau. They live nowhere else. Their physiological adaptations are unique: they breathe thin air, endure freezing winds and dramatic temperature changes, and find food where almost nothing grows.

Here, no rangers will guide you along signposted trails to GPS-tagged animals. No organized tours, no custom-made “safaris.” Wildlife observation remains a rare privilege, subject to chance, patience, and attention. And this is precisely what makes it so rewarding. Every encounter becomes a precious moment—a gift.

To witness this wildlife in its natural habitat, with no fences, no watchtowers, and no staging, is to touch a part of the world that has nearly vanished elsewhere.