# Chaka Salt Lake Scenic Area (茶卡盐湖景区)

Xining, Qinghai Province · Northwest, China · Guidebook rating: 5/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chaka-salt-lake-scenic-area
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** ¥60 (May–October), ¥30 (November–April of the following year); single-trip small train ¥50, single-trip boat ¥90, observation tower ¥20
- **Opening hours:** 7：30—21：00
- **Time needed:** 2–4 hours
- **Getting there:** Shuttle buses run from Xining Bus Station (Xining Passenger Transport Center, 西宁汽车客运中心站) to Chaka Town, a trip of about 4 hours. The fare is about ¥83.
- **Good for:** Photography, Nature

## About Chaka Salt Lake Scenic Area

Chaka Salt Lake (茶卡盐湖) lies in Chaka Town, Ulan County, in the eastern Qaidam Basin. It was an important stop on the ancient Silk Road and a必经 gateway to Xinjiang and Tibet. The lake's shimmering waters and vivid scenery are especially striking at sunrise and sunset, when water and sky merge in a blaze of light. At night, the lake offers some of the most beautiful starry skies, clean and pure, where you can feel the vastness of the universe.

## Tips from the guidebook

- Best season: Chaka Salt Lake depends heavily on the weather. To see the famous “sky mirror” effect, visit in summer. In winter, fog is heavy and you may see very little.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 710. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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