Planning a Trip

Getting There

Yushu's often-talked-about plan for an airport is actually coming into being. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2005, and the project is scheduled for completion in 2009. It is expected that there will be weekly flights to both Xining and Lhasa. Check with CAAC in Xining for the latest details.

The normal bus trip from Xining should take around 17 hours, though if your bus breaks down, it could take double this! The road climbs steeply out of Xining, passing through Yueri Shan into vast grassland country. There are few towns along the way; take plenty of provisions. After Maduo, you enter an expanse of alpine lakes and gradually ascend to a pass at 5,082m (16,670 ft.). If you aren't overcome by altitude sickness, stop for fresh yogurt and perhaps some filling tsampa (roasted barley flour mixed with tea) in grasslands south of Qingshui He. The last major town, 48km (30 miles) before Yushu, is Xiewu, where a dirt road branches east to Shiqu (95km/60 miles) and Manigange in Sichuan. If several passengers for Sichuan disembark, a minibus can be arranged at the Xiewu crossroads.

The bus station is on Shengli Lu. Turning left (north) as you exit the station, you pass the post office on your left; it's a 10-minute walk from there to the main T-junction with Minzhu Lu, which runs left (west) toward the Yushu Hotel and Zhiduo, and east toward Xiwu and Xining. Jiegu Si commands a hill northeast of the T-junction.

Xining buses offer either separate hard seat (not recommended) or sleeper service. Hard-seat buses, ¥95 ($12/£6.20), depart throughout the day. There are four sleeper buses, ¥152 ($20/£9.90) per day. Book your ticket at least a couple of days in advance -- you don't want to be stuck at the back of the bus. A minivan to Shiqu can be negotiated for ¥300 ($39/£20), but most drivers are reluctant to go farther. The cheapest option is to get up early and hitch a lift on a truck to Shiqu (¥30/$3.90/£1.95) or Ganzi (¥70/$9.10/£4.55). The trucks depart from near the large yak statue, just west of the main T-junction.

Fast Facts

Banks, Foreign Exchange and ATMs -- None are available.

Internet Access -- Qingzang Wangba is two storefronts east of the Yushu Hotel (open 24 hr.; ¥3/40¢/20p) per hour). The Dongwangjiao Wangba, located next to the Jiegu Hotel, offers similar 24-hour service for the same rate. Dial-up is tel. 16300.

Post Office -- The main post office (tel. 0976/8825024; open Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat-Sun 11am-4pm) is just north of the bus station. Overseas calls can be made from the Dianxinju, west of Yushu Binguan on the south side of the street.