The desert scenery outside of Tóngrén comes to a pinnacle in this national park where flaming red mountains meet the turquoise waters of a reservoir created by the damming of the Yellow River. A nervous-sweat inducing road snakes up through the park’s peaks, past sleepy Tibetan villages and colourful prayer flags waving high on the wind.
It’s best to hire a private driver to bring you here from either Tóngrén (¥300 per day) or Xīníng (¥700 per day) to fully experience the park, including plenty of photo stops and a chance to explore the villages. The drive from Xīníng also passes over dusky 3980m peaks.
