How to Get to Hoh Xil

First and foremost, you must travel by high-performance jeep to enter Hoh Xil. This is a matter of life and death. An off-road pickup truck is the best choice, as it has ample space to carry supplies.

You can rent a vehicle in Xining, though the cost is quite high. Alternatively, take a coach bus to the prefectural government seat first and rent a car there for a lower price. However, the number of rental vehicles available is limited.

If you take the Qinghai-Tibet Route, travel to Golmud City first and rent a car locally, where vehicle rental services are much more convenient. You may also take long-distance coaches heading for Tibet from Golmud, but drivers usually refuse to make stops along the way, even for sightseeing and photography.

There are three major highways connecting Xining to Guoluo and Yushu. The first is the Xining-Jiuzhi Highway. It runs from Xining to Dari County, then turns southeast to Jiuzhi County. This is also the route to take for a visit to Mount Nyainboyuze.

The second is the Qinghai-Kangding Highway. As a major transportation artery comparable to the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, it stretches southwest from Xining to Jiegu Town in Yushu, and also serves as a passage leading into Xizang.

The third route starts from Qingshuihe in Chengduo County, heading west to Qumalai County, then south to Zhidoi (the seat of Zhidoi County), and finally east to Jiegu Town of Yushu. This road passes through four counties in Yushu. Many scenic spots lie alongside the route, and the road conditions are favorable.

Heading south along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway from Golmud and crossing the Kunlun Pass, you will enter the broader Hoh Xil region. To reach the remote hinterland of Hoh Xil, travelers generally start near Wudaoliang and drive west along the Chumaer River.

Except for the paved Qinghai-Tibet Highway, all other routes are rough unpaved tracks worn by vehicle wheels. Poor road conditions lead to much higher fuel consumption. Coupled with the high average altitude, fuel use here is 50% to 100% higher than on roads in plain areas. It is highly recommended to use your own vehicle, whether borrowed, rented or driven up from inland areas.

There are no road signs, and countless crisscrossing rough tracks make it extremely easy to get lost. Even with detailed maps — in fact, no fully reliable detailed maps of Hoh Xil exist — and satellite navigation devices, you cannot rule out the risk of getting disoriented. Therefore, you must hire a local herdsman or driver who knows the terrain well as your guide. Besides, you should fully prepare adequate supplies and stay mentally ready for possible disorientation, so that you can stay calm if trouble arises.

In areas inaccessible by motor vehicles, you will need to rent horses. Before hiring horses, make sure to confirm the travel distance and estimated travel time. The local herders accompanying the horses will act as your guide along the journey