Yushu travel guide

Yushu, China

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Yushu

Before you go

Yushu sits in the traditional Kham region and, though it lies outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, it is unmistakably Tibetan in character. The town is multi-ethnic: most residents are Tibetan, while most of the merchants you will encounter are Han Chinese, and Chinese incomers have become an increasingly visible presence. Keep this mix in mind as you plan, since it shapes the languages you will hear and the food and goods you will find.

The town is still marked by the earthquake that struck on the morning of 14 April 2010, a magnitude 7.1 event that killed around 2,000 people. Expect to see evidence of that history and of the rebuilding that followed, and approach the area with the sensitivity it deserves.

Getting there

Yushu is reached by bus or by air. A few buses run daily between Xining and Yushu; the bus station for these services sits about 2 km south of the T-junction and central square. On arrival, walk west for roughly 300 m to reach the main street, then head north to get to the central square. Buses heading further south in Qinghai, to places such as Zadoi or Nangqen, pass through Yushu Town on their way. From Ganzi, buses operate in summer only, and the station is said to be at the midpoint between the Xining bus station and town, around 5 km outside the latter on the G214.

Yushu Batang Airport (YUS) lies 18 km south of Yushu. There are few daily flights from Xining, Chengdu and Lhasa, and fares vary with the season. A bus runs into town, and taxis are available with negotiable fares.

Getting around

Walking is the easiest way to get around town. The centre is compact enough to cover on foot, and if you base yourself near the central square, most everyday errands and sightseeing in town are within comfortable walking range. You can even walk up the hill to the Jiegu Monastery.

For places a bit beyond a comfortable walk, the city bus routes are the cheapest option: bus no. 1 and bus no. 2 are the convenient choices, so keep small change handy. Taxis are the practical way to reach the sites outside town, since these lie in different directions and are not well served by the city buses. A taxi to the Mani Stones and a taxi to the Temple of Princess Wencheng each cost around ¥50; because the two are outside town in different directions, it is worth negotiating with a driver to see both in one trip rather than paying separately for each, and you should agree on the fare before you set out.

Where to stay

Yushu’s accommodation is still shaped by the earthquake, and much of the budget stock consists of temporary corrugated-iron boxes. Some are unexpectedly dirty and bitterly cold in winter, and you may find yourself in a room without electricity. A cluster of these places sits on the G214 east of the T junction. A greener option is the L-shaped budget hotel about 250 metres east of the T junction, which survived the earthquake: beds in double rooms come with electric blankets but no heating, toilets are outside the building, and the wide windows of the common area make it surprisingly warm in winter. Reception is in a tent, so ask at the nearby restaurants to point you towards it.

For more comfort, the Yushu Hotel (Yushu Binguan) is by far the nicest place in town, with flushing toilets and 24-hour hot showers. The old Yushu Binguan stands in front of the new building, and dorm rooms are no longer available. Staff are helpful, though only a few speak some English, with a friendly female manager the most fluent. The complimentary breakfast is best avoided. Also in the centre of the city is the Gesar Hotel (Wangfuuidian), one of the best hotels in town, while the YHA Yushu Youth Hostel occupies a pink cube-shaped building on Hongwei Road on the outskirts as you head in from Ganzi.

Food & drink

You can eat well at a large number of places along all three of the town's main streets, and at the market square in the evening. For the not too squeamish, sheep's head is recommended. Nomad women sell yak milk yoghurt on the corner of Yak Square — it is very strong but very creamy. Steer clear of yak butter, which always tastes rancid even when fresh.

Ya Restaurant (Ya Fanguan) serves traditional Muslim noodle cuisine; find it by turning right at the top of the T-junction, where it sits on the left-hand side under a yellow sign with two yak (hard to see at night). The ganban, similar to spaghetti, is especially recommended, though one traveller reported food poisoning here. Yak Restaurant, reached by walking back to the T-junction, turning left and passing the Yak statue, is described as the best restaurant in town — and the most expensive.

Many shops and restaurants around town sell several types of lager, including Budweiser and Corona, as well as baijiu, a rice wine with a very strong taste. A few drinking establishments are referred to as "Tea Houses", but do not expect a pub atmosphere. There are also a couple of nightclubs worth visiting to see young people in a disco all lining up to perform traditional dances they all seem to know, and often traditional Tibetan folk singing. The custom is to reward a singer with a silk scarf, called a Khata, and many people approach during the song to place one around the singer's neck.

What to see and do

Yushu is a monastery town at heart, and the places to see cluster around that. In town you can visit Jyekundo Dondrubling Monastery, Jorang Monastery, Qiulindo Monastery and Zomda Monastery. Just outside town, Mani Temple (Manishicheng) sits about three kilometres away and is worth a visit; you can get there by taxi or on bus no. 1 or no. 2. Further out, roughly twenty kilometres from the end of Yushu's main street, the Temple of Princess Wencheng is also worth a visit. The road there is empty, so hitching a ride is easy. If you wander around the monastery to the left of the temple, you may come across an English-speaking monk who lives there and is happy to welcome visitors and show them around.

If your timing allows, plan around the Horse Fair in July, when local townspeople and nomads come from far and wide. You can expect exciting displays of horsemanship alongside traditional Tibetan singing and dancing.

Three days in Yushu

Day one: Arrive at Yushu Batang Airport (YUS), which has services from Xining, Chengdu and Lhasa, or come overland by bus from Ganzi or Xining in Qinghai. Settle into Yushu Town, where the Yushu Hotel and Yushu Binguan are the main places to stay; staff at reception generally speak little English, so have your destination written down. Spend the afternoon walking in town and getting your bearings, and keep the first day easy to adjust to the altitude.

Day two: Give the day to Jiegu Monastery, the heart of Yushu Town, and take your time over its temples and the Mani Stones nearby. Taxis are the easy way to get around. The town is Tibetan in character, with Han Chinese and other Chinese residents alongside, and the monastery is the centre of local religious life. If you are interested in the Princess Wencheng story associated with this part of Kham, ask locally and build it into your day.

Day three: Use the last day to look beyond Yushu Town, with Zadoi and Nangqen as the other counties of the prefecture worth considering if you have time and transport. Otherwise, revisit Jiegu Monastery in the morning and leave the afternoon for the town before your onward bus or flight. Expect cold, thin air at this altitude, and keep April in mind as a month when travel here becomes more practical.

About this place