Datong Exploration

Datong is Hui Minority People's Autonomous County in Xining, Qinghai Province, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Xining downtown. The county owns many historical sites and natural spots including mountains and forests.
 The best time to visit Datong is in July and August when different kinds of wild flowers blossom and the green vegetation fill the field. You will feel being combined with the natural beauty.
 The famous Laoye Mountain, also called Yuanshuo Mountain is one of the grandest mountains with exquisite scenery near Xining. It locates in Qiaotou town of Datong. 

On the mountain, there are ruins of countless historical buildings concerning Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism; you can also see unique natural sites, especially on its southern slope, like caves, grotesque peaks, and canyons. The unmissable sites include Huoshaotai, the Tiger Cave, the Ancient cloisters, cliff, and barranca, which can be seen after you climb to the summit. It usually takes 3 hours to climb from the mountain foot to its summit. In addition, due to the peculiar mist and strange sounds echoing in the valley, which sounds like the roaring of tigers, the mountain was listed by ancient people as one of Datong’s 8 major scenic sites. 

Laoye Mountain

Tips:
1. The climate on the plateau is dramatic; you may experience sudden heavy clouds or rain, so it is better to bring raingear with you.

2. On every lunar Jun 6th, Hua'er Vocal Concert and Chaoshan Pilgrimage Meeting are held near Laoye Mountain, when thousands of visitors and local people are attracted there for sightseeing and celebrating. Then, the whole Qiaotou town is immersed in the joy of the festival.
 Guanghui Temple is a good place to learn about religious temple culture. Once as one of the 5 major Gelug temples in Qinghai and as famous as Kumbum Monastery, Guanghui Temple has more than 300 years’ history. The main buildings are two 8.9-meter-high (29.2 feet) pagodas of different shapes: one is square, and the other is circular.

Guanghui Temple

Monks

Strolling around the Temple, you can appreciate surrounding hills and dense forests. The hills present different shapes, with steep cliffs as sharp as like cut through by a knife. While, its gentle slope is also attracting, on which wild flowers and lush grass radiates vigor.
 Just sitting on the opposite of Guanghui Temple, the 1,633-hectares-large (2,035 acres) Yaozigou National Forest Park will satisfy your imagination about virgin forest, where you will experience the ecological scenic spots and have a close observation of the natural landscape. The park got its name for its mountain range looking like an eagle flying over the ground. Taking a walk in the valley and appreciating spruce, birch, poplar, and pine will be a life-long memory. They are either long or short, thick or thin, swaying in the cool wind going through the forests. Also, you will be surprised by the cute plants and nuts in the park, such as mushrooms, ferns, cockscomb, seaweed, deer antler, and strawberries. 

Yaozigou National Forest Park

 Niangniang Mountain is on the opposite of Laoye Mountain. You can have also an enjoyable view of this mountain standing on the top of the Laoye Mountain. On the Mountain, there is Niangniang Temple famous among local people.
 You can stroll around the Dongxia Folk-custom Village to experience the local customs there.
 Laoye Mountain (4 hours) – Guanghui Temple (1 hour) - Youzigou National Forest Park (2 hours)
 The public transportation in Datong is undeveloped, so we recommend to charter a car in Xining to travel here. The fee of chartering a car a day ranges from CNY600 to 1,000.