Question 1

Is Xiahe worth visiting if I am not Buddhist?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. You do not need to be Buddhist to appreciate Labrang Monastery — the architecture, the history, the scale of the kora pilgrimage, and the grasslands landscape are compelling regardless of religious belief. What matters is a genuine interest in Tibetan culture. If that interests you, Xiahe is one of the best places in China to experience it. If you are indifferent to religious sites and mainly want scenery, skip Xiahe and go directly to the Sangke Grasslands or continue to Zoige.

Question 2

How do I get from Lanzhou to Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

The most common route is the bus from Lanzhou South Bus Station (兰州汽车南站). Buses run roughly every 40-60 minutes from 07:00 to 16:00, cost ¥75-80, and take 3.5-4 hours. A private car from Lanzhou costs ¥400-600 (3 hours) and is worth it for speed and comfort. There is no train to Xiahe. The nearest HSR station is Lanzhou West. In summer, confirm the bus schedule the day before — the afternoon buses sometimes sell out.

Question 3

How high is Xiahe, and will I get altitude sickness?

Accepted Answer

Xiahe is at 2,900 meters (9,500 feet). Most people experience mild symptoms — headache, shortness of breath, fatigue — that resolve in 24 hours. Serious altitude sickness (HACE/HAPE) is rare at this altitude but possible. Drink water constantly, avoid alcohol on arrival day, and do not plan strenuous activity the first day. If symptoms are severe (vomiting, confusion, loss of coordination), descend to Lanzhou (1,500m) immediately. The nearest hyperbaric chamber is in Lanzhou.

Question 4

What is the best time to visit Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

June through September offers the best weather (15-24°C daytime) and green grasslands. July and August are peak season with more tourists and higher hotel prices. October is the sweet spot — dry, crisp, autumn light, fewer visitors. Late January/early February for the Monlam Festival is remarkable but bitterly cold (-15°C to -20°C). Avoid November-March unless you are specifically seeking winter solitude and are prepared for extreme cold.

Question 5

Can I visit Labrang Monastery without a guide?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. The ¥40 ticket includes a monk-led group tour through the main halls, and this tour is effectively required to enter the hall interiors. The tour is in Mandarin. After the tour, you are free to wander the monastery grounds, the kora, and the outer areas independently. If you do not speak Mandarin, you will not understand the tour content but you will still see the hall interiors, which are the main attraction. Bring a guidebook or download information beforehand.

Question 6

Is photography allowed at Labrang Monastery?

Accepted Answer

Photography of the exterior buildings, the kora, and the monastery grounds is allowed and encouraged. Photography inside the assembly halls is strictly prohibited. Monks enforce this. Photography of monks and pilgrims requires permission — ask first, and respect a no. The golden roofs and the prayer wheel corridor at sunrise are the best photo opportunities, and both are outside with no restrictions.

Question 7

What is the kora and why is it important?

Accepted Answer

The kora (转经道, zhuǎn jīng dào) is the 3-kilometer pilgrimage circuit that circles the entire Labrang Monastery complex. It is lined with 1,174 prayer wheels — the longest such corridor in the world. Tibetan Buddhists walk the kora clockwise as a form of meditation and merit accumulation. Walking it at sunrise alongside elderly Tibetan pilgrims spinning prayer wheels and murmuring mantras is the single most memorable experience in Xiahe. It is free and open to all. Do it at dawn.

Question 8

What should I eat in Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

Yak momo (藏包, steamed yak dumplings, ¥20-30), yak noodle soup (牦牛肉面, ¥18-25), tsampa (糌粑, roasted barley dough), yak butter tea (酥油茶, salty and rich), and homemade yak yogurt (酸奶, ¥8-12) are the Tibetan staples. Lamb skewers (羊肉串, ¥3-5 each) and hand-pulled noodles (拉面) from Hui Muslim restaurants are the other main food group. Snowy Mountain Restaurant is the backpacker hub. Do not expect variety — after 3 days, the narrow menu gets repetitive.

Question 9

How many days do I need in Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

Two full days covers the essentials: Labrang Monastery, the kora at sunrise and sunset, the Gongtang Pagoda, the Tseway Nunnery, and a half-day visit to the Sangke Grasslands. Three days lets you add a car trip to Bajiao Fort Village and Dazong Lake, or a thangka workshop visit. One day is tight but possible as a transit stop — do the monastery tour in the morning and the kora at sunrise or sunset.

Question 10

What is the Monlam Festival?

Accepted Answer

The Monlam Great Prayer Festival (默朗大法会, Mòlǎng Dà Fǎhuì) is the most important annual event at Labrang Monastery, held in late January or early February (dates follow the Tibetan lunar calendar). Thousands of monks gather for days of chanting, ritual debates, and the dramatic unfurling of a giant Buddha thangka on the hillside above the monastery. The weather is extreme (-15°C to -20°C) but the spectacle is extraordinary. This is one of the most photogenic events in Tibetan Buddhism and draws almost no foreign tourists due to the season.

Question 11

Is Xiahe safe for solo travelers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Xiahe is small, walkable, and safe. Violent crime is extremely rare. The main risks are altitude sickness, traffic on the main road (watch for speeding vehicles), and winter cold. Solo female travelers report feeling comfortable here. The guesthouse culture is social and it is easy to meet other travelers. The only caution: the town is very dark at night — carry a phone flashlight if you walk the kora at sunrise or after sunset.

Question 12

Do I need a VPN in Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely. Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and all Western social media are blocked in China. Install and test a VPN (ExpressVPN, Astrill, Mullvad) before arriving. The internet in Xiahe is slow — slower than in larger cities — and troubleshooting a VPN connection on a weak connection is frustrating. China Mobile has the best mobile data coverage in Xiahe; China Unicom is spotty. A Chinese SIM card from Lanzhou airport is recommended.

Question 13

Can I use mobile payment in Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

Inconsistently. Hotels and larger restaurants accept Alipay and WeChat Pay, including foreign-linked cards. Small restaurants, street stalls, handicraft sellers, and the monastery ticket office often prefer or require cash. Bring ¥500-800 in cash for a 2-3 day visit, in small denominations. ATMs exist on the main street (ICBC, Agricultural Bank of China) but occasionally run out of cash, especially on weekends and holidays.

Question 14

How is Xiahe different from Lhasa?

Accepted Answer

Lhasa is the spiritual capital of Tibet, with the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, and the full weight of Tibetan history. It requires a Tibet Travel Permit (obtainable only through an organized tour) and you travel with a licensed guide, with some limits on where foreigners can go and what they can photograph. Xiahe is lower-key, smaller, less monumental — but also more relaxed to visit. You can walk freely, photograph freely (outside halls), and interact with monks and pilgrims without a guide beside you. Xiahe gives you a more unmediated Tibetan Buddhist experience, at the cost of grander sights. They complement each other well but are different trips.

Question 15

What should I pack for Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

Year-round: sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat (the UV at 2,900m is intense), a VPN pre-installed, a translation app with offline Chinese, and cash in small denominations. Summer (June-September): light layers for daytime, a warm jacket for evenings (temperatures drop to 5-10°C at night), rain jacket. Winter (November-March): the warmest coat you own, insulated boots, thermal underwear, gloves, scarf, hat, hand warmers. Temperatures of -15°C to -25°C are normal at night. Spring/Autumn: layers, warm jacket for nights, rain jacket for April-October.

Question 16

How do I get to the Sangke Grasslands from Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

The cheapest option is the shared minibus from the main street near the bus station (¥10-15 per person, 20 minutes), which drops you at the main tourist entrance (¥60 entry). A shared taxi is ¥100-150 split among 3-4 travelers and lets the driver drop you at quieter side entrances with no entry fee — ask your guesthouse to find other travelers going the same way. A private car for the day is ¥300-400 and lets you combine the grasslands with the Tseway Nunnery on the way back. All three options take 20-30 minutes one way.

Question 17

Is the Tseway Nunnery worth a visit?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you have half a day and are already in Xiahe. The nunnery (尼姑寺) sits on a hill south of the Daxia River, has far fewer visitors than Labrang, and offers the best reverse view of the monastery's golden roofs. The nuns are often willing to chat in Mandarin or Tibetan, the climb is steep but short, and admission is free. It is a quiet, contemplative counterpoint to the main monastery and works well as a late-afternoon stop after a morning kora walk.

Question 18

Is Bajiao Fort worth the drive from Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

Yes if you have a half-day and a tolerance for rough roads. Bajiao (八角城) is a 2,000-year-old Han-dynasty earthen fort with octagonal walls, 35 km from Xiahe, still inhabited by a Hui Muslim farming community. There is no public transport — you must hire a car (¥200-300 round trip) for the roughly 1-hour drive each way on a partly gravel road. The fort itself is impressive from a distance and atmospheric up close, but there are no interpretive signs. If you are interested in Han frontier history or quiet, undeveloped sites, it is one of the most atmospheric stops in Gansu.

Question 19

Can I watch the monk debates at Labrang as a tourist?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the afternoon debates (辩经, biàn jīng) are open to visitors and happen roughly 15:00-17:00 in the courtyards of each of the six colleges, with the College of Logic (Tsennyi Dratsang) being the most accessible. The schedule is not posted in any tourist language, so ask at your guesthouse or the monastery gate that morning. Stand at the edge of the courtyard, do not step over seated monks, do not use flash, and ask before photographing individual monks. The debates are real scholarship, not performance — treat them accordingly.

Question 20

Should I take altitude sickness medication before going to Xiahe?

Accepted Answer

Acetazolamide (Diamox) is available at pharmacies in Lanzhou but not reliably in Xiahe, so if you want it, buy it before leaving the city. At 2,900 meters, most healthy people adjust in 24 hours with mild symptoms (headache, shortness of breath) that respond to rest, water, and ibuprofen. Serious altitude sickness (HACE/HAPE) is rare at this altitude but possible — descend to Lanzhou (1,500m) immediately if you develop severe vomiting, confusion, or loss of coordination. Avoid alcohol on arrival day, drink water constantly, and do not plan strenuous activity on day one.

Xiahe (Labrang)