玉树藏族自治州

Why this place

Yushu is a Tibetan prefecture in southern Qinghai and one of the most culturally Tibetan places outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, with a dense concentration of monasteries and a strong literary and artistic tradition. It is also where the Yangtze, Yellow and Mekong all have their headwaters.

What to see

• The Jiegu monastery and the Mani stones at Xinzhai — vast piles of carved prayer stones
• The Tibetan monasteries of the prefecture, many of them large and active
• The source region of the three rivers, on the high plateau south
• Yushu's horse festival, held in summer

What to eat

• Tibetan food: yak, barley, butter tea and the local yogurt
• Yushu is known for its 'zang' cooking and its wild herbs

Best time

June–September