Set in stunning, barren, high-plateau scenery, these two lakes purportedly host the source of the Yellow River (黄河源头, Huánghé yuántóu), China’s most revered waterway. The scenery around the two lakes here, and en route, is awesome. While here you might spot includes fox, marmot, eagle, antelope and, of course, plenty of yaks.
Note, the widely accepted source of the Yellow River, which is marked by an engraved stone tablet, is actually just the most accessible of a number of sources. Locals refer to it as níutóubēi (牛头碑). If you want to get to the very-hard-to-find true source of the Yellow River you’ll need a two-day round trip from Mǎduō (玛多; sleeping in the 4WD) and it will cost around ¥3000 per vehicle, assuming you can find a driver willing to take you.
There’s nowhere to stay or eat, so most people visit the lake as a day trip from the two-street town of Mǎduō. From Mǎduō, SUVs take you to the lake and back (¥1000 per vehicle; three hours one way). It is possible to camp here in the summer but you’ll need to be completely self-sufficient.
Remember this area, including Mǎduō (4260m), is over 4000m high so altitude sickness is a real risk. Consider coming from Yùshù (3680m) rather than Xīníng (2275m) so you don’t have to ascend too much in one go.
