Ami Dongsuo Scenic Area is located in Qilian County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, 9 kilometers away from the county seat of Qilian. The altitude is between 2,800 and 3,500 meters. The scenic area covers an area of 112.97 square kilometers and is a national 5A-level tourist scenic area. The scenic area is mainly composed of viewing spots such as the Plateau Pasture, Grassland Flower Sea Experience Base, Forest Sea Camping Experience Base, Penjing Bay, Wanfo Cliff, and Prayer Flag Prayer Platform. The scenery here is pleasant and the climate is cool, with gurgling streams, misty clouds, lush cypresses, green meadows, a large number of wild animals and plants, and the original ecology is well-preserved. It is a resort for experiencing the original ecological plateau valley and a typical highland ecological tourism destination.
History and Culture
Ami Dongsuo is in Tibetan, meaning a sentry post with a thousand soldiers. It is commonly known as Niuxin Mountain. In Mongolian, it is called "Naiman Erdeni", meaning the Mountain of Eight Treasures. According to the locals, the terrain around Ami Dongsuo is in the shape of the Auspicious Eight Treasures. The Tibetan, Mongolian, Yugur and other ethnic groups who believe in Tibetan Buddhism in the Qilian area respect Ami Dongsuo as the King of the Mountains in Qilian. Qilian County, where the scenic area is located, has a profound historical and cultural heritage. Various ethnic groups have blended and gathered here, forming unique folk customs and cultural traditions.
Main Attractions
Plateau Pasture
Since ancient times, it has the reputation of "Good Pasture under Qilian Mountains". In summer, the grass is green, and groups of cattle and sheep graze leisurely, presenting a vibrant grassland pasture scenery. Tourists can experience the strong atmosphere of grassland nomadic life here.
Grassland Flower Sea Experience Base
From June to October every year, wildflowers on the grassland are in full bloom. The colorful flower sea and the vast grassland set each other off, forming a picturesque scenery. It is a paradise for photography enthusiasts and an excellent place for tourists to stroll, admire and feel the charm of nature.
Forest Sea Camping Experience Base
The base is located beside the dense forest, surrounded by lush cypresses. Here, tourists can not only enjoy the fun of camping and experience the feeling of being in close contact with nature, but also listen to the chirping of insects and birds at night, and be awakened by the sunlight and fresh air in the morning, feeling the tranquility and beauty brought by the forest.
Penjing Bay
Penjing Bay has a unique Danxia landform, and its shape is as exquisite as a painting, as if it were a bonsai carefully carved by nature. The red rocks, together with the surrounding green trees, blue sky and white clouds, form a colorful picture, which is very suitable for shooting the magnificent scenery of the Danxia landform.
Wanfo Cliff
Wanfo Cliff is a clever combination of the uncanny workmanship of nature and Buddhist culture. The textures and shapes on the cliff wall seem to be a gathering of thousands of Buddhas, solemn and majestic. Here, tourists can feel the unique charm of the combination of natural and cultural landscapes, and it is an ideal place for shooting pictures that integrate cultural and natural landscapes.
Prayer Flag Prayer Platform
The prayer flags flutter in the wind, carrying people's beautiful wishes. When tourists come here, they can learn about the local religious culture and folk traditions, feel the power of faith, and also participate in activities such as hanging prayer flags in person to pray for themselves and their families.
Cuisine
Hand-Grabbed Mutton
This is a unique way for herdsmen on the Qinghai Plateau to eat mutton. A plate of hand-grabbed mutton has red meat and white fat, is fat but not greasy, and has an attractive color. When eating, cut it directly with a knife. Although it will make your mouth and hands oily, after careful tasting, you will find it refreshing but not greasy, oily and crispy, tender and soft, with an extraordinary taste. People of all ethnic groups in Qinghai often use hand-grabbed mutton as a good food to entertain guests.
Roasted Mutton
With the addition of seasonings such as soy sauce, refined salt, ginger powder, chili powder and pepper powder, the roasted mutton is tender, flavorful and nutritious. Now the types of roasted mutton have developed to include roasted tendon and roasted kidney. The roasted mutton in Qilian is truly unique and is deeply loved by tourists.
Sheep Offal Soup
People in Qilian like to drink sheep offal soup in the morning. It is made by boiling the cooked head meat, stomach, heart, lungs, intestines, liver and other offal (commonly known as "entrails") of cattle and sheep. The dried scallions in the soup are green with a golden color, and the aroma is strong. It can not only nourish the body, satisfy hunger, but also resist the cold. Drinking a bowl in the long cold winter, you can feel the ultimate taste from your lips to your stomach. It is fragrant, delicious and fresh.
Tuyo Hot Pot
The climate on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is cold, and cattle and sheep are abundant. The "pot bottom" of the tuyo hot pot is generally made of mutton clear soup with a little pickled cabbage. The taste is mainly spicy, without adding chili oil and too many seasonings. The soup is clear and the taste is naturally mellow. When served, the ingredients are neatly arranged in the pot, with a proper combination of meat and vegetables, and the fresh aroma is in the air. Taking a bite, the freshness of the mutton and the crispness of the pickled cabbage are perfectly combined, leaving a fragrant taste in your mouth and without any greasy feeling.
Ga Mianpian
As a home-style noodle dish in Qinghai, Ga Mianpian is small and delicate. The noodles are both thin and small, and the quantity is carefully considered. People in Qilian love noodles, and there are many ways to make Ga Mianpian alone. There are plain noodles decorated with green vegetables and scallions, beef and mutton noodles with a thick and fragrant soup, mixed vegetable pot-fried noodles without soup, which are stir-fried with meat, vermicelli, chili peppers, etc., and stewed noodles with less soup, which are mixed with fried bean sauce. Each bowl carries the homesickness of Qilian people who are away from home.
Dishes Made of Yellow Mushrooms
Yellow mushrooms are one of the "Eight Treasures" of Qilian. They are large, thick, with little water, fine in texture, tender in taste, fragrant and beautiful in color. They are known as the "Fairy Mushrooms on the Grassland" and are a well-known local delicacy in the area. In 2008, they were approved as a Chinese geographical indication certification trademark. Exquisite dishes such as stir-fried yellow mushrooms with meat and stir-fried yellow mushrooms plain are well received by tourists.
Beef Jerky
As a characteristic product of Qilian County, beef jerky is deeply loved by tourists. Its meat is firm, the taste is rich, and it is easy to carry. It is a good product for replenishing energy during the journey and giving as a gift to relatives and friends.
Tsamba
Tsamba is made from roasted, ground and unsifted highland barley flour. After mixing it with butter tea, the original fragrance of highland barley and the rich fragrance of tea are perfectly combined. The kneaded Tsamba is sweet and delicious. Because it is easy to carry and rich in nutrition, Tsamba has become the staple food of plateau nomadic people.
Dog Peeing Oil Cake
Dog Peeing Oil Cake, also known as "Gou Jiaoniao Oil Cake" by people in Qilian, is a kind of thin cake fried with rapeseed oil popular in Qinghai. Its name is unique, and its taste is crisp, with a unique flavor.
Niangpi
Niangpi is a traditional snack with a strong local flavor in Qinghai. It tastes spicy, cool, flexible and has a long-lasting taste. It is a favorite food of both locals and tourists.
Butter Tea
Butter tea is a daily necessary drink for people in Qilian. It can not only help resist the cold on the plateau, but also has a strong national characteristic.
Yogurt
Locals in Qilian make yogurt with small bowls of cooked milk and deliberately drip a few drops of rapeseed oil on the mouth of the bowl. The surface milk skin is golden yellow, with spots of oil stains. The yogurt is as white as fat, with a rich milk fragrance, tender texture, a cool and slightly sour taste. Adding a spoonful of white sugar makes it sweet and sour, and more refreshing and delicious.
Admission Tickets
Full price: 60 yuan, Half price: 30 yuan
Sightseeing bus ticket: 30 yuan
The scenic area plans to adjust the ticket price and transportation service price of the scenic area in May 2025. The specific charging standards and implementation time shall be subject to the final approval of relevant departments. Seniors, children, students and military personnel can enjoy free admission or half-price discounts with valid certificates. You can search for the official WeChat public account "Qilian Ami Dongsuo Scenic Area" to check the latest ticket prices or make purchases.
Opening Hours
The scenic area has been open daily from 08:30 to 18:00 since March 1, 2025. The opening hours will be adjusted according to the seasons in the future. Please refer to the official notice.
Recommended Itinerary
After entering the scenic area, drive along the main road. You can first admire the towering coniferous forests and meadows on both sides and overlook the snow-capped mountains. After reaching the fork in the road, if you continue to drive forward along the main road, you can successively reach Wanfo Cliff and the viewing platform. Going further up is the highest point of the scenic area, the Yako Pass. Crossing the Yako Pass, you can reach Dadongshu Snow Mountain and Binggou Forest Sea; if you choose the other road, you can reach the Alpine Pasture. It is recommended to spend 2 to 3 hours visiting. If you want to enjoy the scenery under the best light conditions, you can choose to visit before sunset.
Transportation
- By plane: Arrive at Xining Caojiabao Airport by plane, and then you can choose to rent a car, charter a car or take public transportation to the scenic area.
- By train: Take a train to Xining Station or Menyuan Station, and then transfer to a car to Qilian County, and then arrive at the scenic area.
- By self-driving:
- Pass through Huangyuan County and Haiyan County. There is a Provincial Highway 204 leading to Qilian among National Highway 315 in Gangca and Haiyan. It is 200 kilometers from this intersection to Qilian.
- Starting from Xining, passing through Datong County and Qingshizui Town in Menyuan County, and arriving at Qilian County. Compared with the first route, this route is shorter, but you need to cross Daban Mountain.
- By public transportation: Take a bus to Qilian County at Xining Passenger Transport Center, which takes about 5 to 6 hours. After arriving in Qilian County, transfer to local transportation to the scenic area.
Must-See Attractions
- Grassland Flower Sea Experience Base: Wildflowers are in full bloom from June to October. The colorful flower sea and the grassland set each other off, which is an excellent place for shooting the scenery of the flower sea and the grassland, and the scenery is breathtaking.
- Wanfo Cliff: The unique cliff landscape created by nature is perfectly integrated with Buddhist culture. The textures of the cliff wall seem to be a gathering of thousands of Buddhas, solemn and majestic. It is suitable for shooting pictures that integrate cultural and natural landscapes, making people feel awed.
- Forest Sea Camping Experience Base: Surrounded by dense forests, camping here can fully experience the feeling of being in close contact with nature, enjoy the tranquility and beauty brought by the forest, and wake up in the morning surrounded by the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers, feeling a different kind of comfort.
Travel Tips
- The temperature difference between day and night in the scenic area is relatively large. It is recommended to bring a warm coat to prevent catching a cold. Even in summer, it is better to prepare a thick coat.
- If you want to take beautiful photos, you can learn about the weather and light conditions in advance. The scenery in summer and autumn is the most pleasant, which is the best time to visit. In summer, the light is soft in the early morning and evening, which is suitable for shooting the scenery of the grassland and the flower sea; in autumn, the mountains and forests are colorful, and you can take pictures with a strong sense of hierarchy.
- You can participate in some experience activities in the scenic area, such as experiencing the grazing life in the Plateau Pasture and hanging prayer flags to pray at the Prayer Flag Prayer Platform, and deeply feel the local folk culture.
- When tasting local cuisine, pay attention to choosing an appropriate amount. Some foods may be relatively greasy or have a strong taste, so avoid gastrointestinal discomfort. If you are allergic to dairy products, be careful when tasting foods such as yogurt.
- If you choose to drive into the scenic area, pay attention to controlling the speed. The roads in the scenic area are winding, and the road conditions in some sections are complex. Drive carefully to ensure safety. Non-self-driving tourists can take the scenic area shuttle bus and get on and off at the designated stops.
Notes
- Respect the local religious beliefs and customs. In religious places such as the Prayer Flag Prayer Platform, do not make loud noises, abide by relevant regulations, and do not touch or damage religious facilities at will.
- Take good care of the environment in the scenic area, do not litter, and keep the scenic area clean. In areas such as grasslands and forests, do not trample on flowers, plants and trees at will, and do not damage the ecological environment.
- The ultraviolet rays in the plateau area are relatively strong. Take good sun protection measures, and carry sun protection products such as sunscreen, sunglasses and sun hats to avoid sunburn.
- If you want to camp at the Forest Sea Camping Experience Base, you need to understand the camping regulations and precautions in advance, set up the tent in the designated area, pay attention to fire safety, and take away all the garbage when leaving.
- When communicating with local residents, be polite and modest, and show good manners. If you have questions about local cultural customs, you can politely consult the locals.
- There may be poor signals in some areas of the scenic area. Inform your family or friends of your itinerary in advance so that you can get in touch in time if necessary.
- If you have altitude sickness, don't panic. You can take a proper rest and reduce strenuous exercise. If the symptoms are severe, you should seek medical treatment in time or go to a low-altitude area. Prepare some anti-altitude sickness drugs in advance, such as Rhodiola rosea, as well as common drugs, such as cold medicine, antifebrile medicine, anti-inflammatory medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, etc.