Gansu Province, 256km (159 miles) SW of Lanzhou, 72km (45 miles) W of Hezuo
The delightful monastery town of Xia He is nestled north of the banks of the Da Xia He (Sang Qu) at an elevation of 2,900m (9,500 ft.). Not surprisingly, it gets very cold in winter, dipping to -4°F (-20°C); even in August, the average temperature is a cool 59°F (15°C). The town is divided into two sections. Primarily Hui and Han at its ever-expanding eastern end, it changes abruptly to Tibetan as you approach the monastery in the west.
