Geographical and Basic Overview

Hala Lake, which means "Black Sea" in Mongolian, is located at the junction of Delingha City and Tianjun County in the Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province. Nestled deep in the hinterland of the Qilian Mountains, it shines as a bright pearl on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Surrounded by towering snow-capped mountains, the lake forms a natural closed basin, presenting a magnificent scenery like a "celestial lake" and being hailed as "one of the last pure tears on Earth".

 Primitive Ecosystem: A Treasure Trove of Plateau Biodiversity

Hala Lake and its surrounding areas constitute one of the most intact and primitive wetland ecosystems preserved in northern China. Known as the "fifth largest uninhabited area in China", the region has remained almost in its primitive state. It boasts rich biodiversity: there are more than 400 species of higher plants, and the lake area is dominated by plateau meadow vegetation such as Achnatherum splendens, Artemisia scoparia and Stipa krylovii, covering 77 species belonging to 44 genera of 21 families. Additionally, the area is home to over 500 species of invertebrates and 339 species of vertebrates. Among the vertebrates, there are 242 species of birds (including 7 national first-class protected bird species and 35 national second-class protected bird species) and 30 species of mammals, such as rare animals like wild yaks, Tibetan wild asses, white-lipped deer, argalis, Tibetan gazelles, brown bears and snow leopards.

Historical and Cultural Imprints: Mysteries Spanning Thousands of Years

More than a natural wonder, Hala Lake carries a profound historical and cultural heritage and serves as a hidden node on the southern route of the Silk Road. According to Records of Xining Prefecture, this place once served as the summer pasture for the royal clan of the ancient Tuyuhun Kingdom, witnessing the rise and fall of nomadic civilization. Xuanzang, a renowned monk in the Tang Dynasty, passed through here during his pilgrimage to India for Buddhist scriptures and left the timeless description of "the lonely smoke rising over the vast desert and the moon reflecting on the celestial lake" in his work Records of the Western Regions.

A Paradise for Adventurers: A Haven for the Brave

Thanks to its primitive and harsh natural environment, Hala Lake has become a coveted destination for numerous outdoor adventure enthusiasts and is praised as "the ultimate challenge for self-driving and off-roading". The northern route, which starts and ends in Delingha, is the most developed and safest route. Stretching about 180 kilometers, it requires hardcore four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles. The specific route is Delingha City → Cypress Mountain → along the river valley of Hala Lake → Hala Lake. The eastern route, starting and ending in Tianjun, has relatively good road conditions. Covering approximately 200 kilometers with some paved sections, it allows a round trip in one day.

Protection and Future: Safeguarding the Plateau Pure Land

Hala Lake has been designated as a provincial-level scenic area in Qinghai and placed under strict protection. Local governments conduct regular lake patrols and law enforcement, adopting a combination of vehicle patrols and foot patrols to crack down on illegal activities such as illegal hunting, illegal quarrying and sand mining. Multiple forces have joined hands in the garbage cleaning work around the lake, implementing zoned inspections and centralized transportation and disposal to protect this pure land.