A winding river resembling a dark green ribbon surges through remote mountain valleys dotted with widespread glaciers, jagged rock outcrops, lush trees and thriving grasslands — this is Heihe Grand Canyon, tucked deep in the Qilian Mountains in Qilian County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

Stretching over 800 kilometers in total with an average altitude above 4,200 meters, a 70-kilometer section of the canyon is uninhabited. There are 800 glaciers distributed across more than 300 square kilometers within the valley. The Heihe River cutting through the canyon is China’s second-largest inland river, flowing through Qinghai, Gansu and Inner Mongolia, and hailed as the "Mother River of the Hexi Corridor". Endowed with unique geography and climate, the canyon teems with plateau flora and fauna, making it perfect for adventure tourism.

Jinyintan Grassland is located in Haiyan County, Qinghai Province. To its west, Tongbao Mountain borders Qinghai Lake; towering steep mountains enclose its northern and eastern sides, while its southern boundary meets Sanjiao Town of Haiyan County (home to the ruins of Xihai Jun built during Wang Mang’s reign in the Western Han Dynasty). Two rivers, the Mapi River and Halijin River, traverse the 1,100-square-kilometer grassland, widely renowned as the Golden and Silver Beach Grassland across Qinghai.

Tibetan herdsmen have lived on this fertile land for generations, raising over 300,000 head of cattle and sheep in this typical pastoral zone. July, August and September form the peak travel season, when wild flowers bloom, hundreds of birds soar, and melodious lark songs fill the air.

The inaugural Qinghai Lake Sand Island International Sand Sculpture Art Festival is held at Sand Island Scenic Area from July 8 to 14. Visitors can appreciate a variety of sand sculpture works themed "Man and Nature" and "Welcome the Olympic Games".

The Qilian Mountain Grassland is listed among China’s Six Most Beautiful Grasslands. Provincial highways run along the northern foot of Lenglong Ridge in the Qilian Mountains, covering a total area of 2,192 square kilometers. The terrain here is flat and expansive, with fertile soil, luxuriant grass and thriving livestock. It has served as a vital horse-breeding and garrison base since the second year of Yuanshou reign in the Western Han Dynasty, and houses Shandan Military Horse Ranch — the world’s second-largest and Asia’s largest horse ranch.

The adjacent Qilian Mountains are capped with year-round unmelted snow, presenting a silvery white landscape. Vast stretches of golden rapeseed flowers carpet the grasslands; when breezes sweep across, the blossoms surge in rolling waves like the Qiantang River tide or galloping thousands of horses. Herds of horses, cattle and sheep scattered beneath blue skies and white clouds create an ethereal, pristine natural paradise. Surrounded by mountains, West Dahe Reservoir mirrors the snow-capped peaks like a polished silver mirror embedded in emerald grasslands; boating on the water brings immense peace and relaxation.