10 Days in Haidong
Ten days run the valley and the high country — pottery and temple, folk street, the Tu homeland, northern forests, the Salar south and Lajia — plus honest rail days at Kumbum and the Xining markets.
Quick Answer
Is 10 days enough for Haidong?
10 days lets you go beyond Haidong's core into neighborhoods, food markets, and one or two day trips at a relaxed pace.
Source: NihaoVisit Haidong guide
10-day Haidong itinerary at a glance
Use our full Haidong travel guide as the base and adapt it to 10 days. Keep the city's three signature attractions as the backbone; fill the rest with neighborhood walks, food markets, and an easy day trip.
Arrival, Liuwan Pottery and Qutan Temple
More than 1,700 tombs and tens of thousands of painted vessels in Ledu; Qutan's imperial plaque dates to 1392, visits factual.
- haidong liuwan pottery site
- haidong qutan temple
Ping'an Folk Street
Courtyards, noodles and yogurt around Ping'an's market loop — the valley's food at walking pace.
- haidong pinganyi
- haidong city markets
Huzhu Tu Homeland Park
About an hour north — wheel-swing performances, courtyard museums, highland-barley liquor; a national 5A area.
- haidong huzhu tu homeland park
Beishan Forest Park
Spruce and birch gorges, waterfalls and air between 2,000 and 3,000 m in Huzhu's northeast; stay the night in the park villages.
- haidong beishan forest park
Xunhua Salar Homeland
About two hours south to China's only Salar autonomous county; the camel-spring courtyard tells the settlement legend plainly.
- haidong xunhua salar homeland
- haidong luotuo spring
The Grand Mosque and Mengda Lake
A hand-copied Quran of some 700 years at the Jiezi mosque — visits factual and modest — then Mengda's 20-hectare lake at about 2,500 m.
- haidong jiezi grand mosque
- haidong mengda tianchi
Jishi Gorge on the Yellow River
Where the Yellow River leaves Xunhua through a narrow gorge of brown water and red cliffs; valley roads and viewpoints without the crowds.
- haidong jishi gorge
Lajia Site
In Minhe County, a settlement destroyed about 4,000 years ago — the noodle-like strands recovered in 2002 are often called the world's oldest.
- haidong lajia site
Kumbum Monastery Rail Day
An honest neighbor day — Kumbum belongs to Xining, under an hour west by road or rail. Founded in 1577 on the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, its halls are visited factually and modestly; back to the valley by evening.
- xining kumbum monastery
Xining Markets and Departure
Another honest neighbor day — a morning among Xining's market stalls for yogurt and noodles, then the HSR east along the valley from the Haidong stations.
- xining city markets
Budget for 10 days in Haidong
| Tier | Per day | 10 days total |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | USD $50–$80 | USD $500–$800 |
| Mid-range | USD $100–$200 | USD $1,000–$2,000 |
| Luxury | USD $300+ | USD $3,000+ |
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Frequently asked questions
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See also: Haidong travel guide, China visa 2026, China trip cost.