茶卡盐湖景区 — Attraction in Qinghai

It is very hit or miss depending on when you go. I went in October and the water was too high to be able to walk out into the lake to achieve the mirror effect you see in all of the promotional photos. It was also pretty crowded. The entrance has a cool observation tower. You take a scenic train from the visitor's center that makes four stops. Only the first one and the last one are worth exploring when the water is high. The first stop has some cool giant salt sculptures and Tibetan prayer flag stupas. The last stop has a lot of nice boardwalks. Even though the water was too high to really explore, I still enjoyed...

Off season travel is the best in this area. Clearly the area is set up like Disney to accommodate thousands of people. If you are in this region of China, this place is definitely worth a visit. I recommend using the transfer car, but do not use the train unless your are unable to walk much. Hotels in the area lack a lot of amenities, pre prepared. The further end of the walk way lends itself for better photos. Allow about 4 to 5 hours here if you decide to walk. This place is over a 3000 m, so pace yourself accordingly. Some food inside only during peak season. Bathroom...

We arrived here pretty close to closing time of the day, and I felt lucky that we squeezed in. The train ride to the middle of the vast salt lake stopped so I walked entire trail to the end and back, 10km in total. Missed the daylight for photos but it was probably nice to have missed the crowds too. Came out of the park in total darkness and cold (even in July) - This is the Tibetan Plateau so that is expected. So, be prepared to bundle up if you visit this area.

By the way, 茶卡 is the local language for "salt lake", and 盐湖 is Chinese for...