The county town of Zoigê (མཛོད་དགེ་རྫོང་།)is located in the Amdo Tibetan region of Sichuan. Known for its Tibetan Nomads, Flower Lake, the Hequ horse, and more, this is a popular place for travellers wishing to see the Tibetan Plateau.Ruoergai (若尔盖) in Chinese.
Things to Visit Around Ruoergai
Flower Lake
Located a half hour drive north of Ruoergai, one can find the Ruoergai Wetland National Nature Reserve. Commonly known in Chinese as Hua Hu, the literal translation is Flower Lake. This marshland is known for the flower shape of the lake (although it does flower in summer), it’s wildlife, and the view of the reeds poking up through the lake. The wildlife includes several endangered species, and is officially the homeland of the black-necked crane.
Yellow River’s First Bend
Affectionately known as the Mother River of China, the Yellow River is the second largest river in the PRC. Located on the border between the Sichuan and Gansu provinces, the first turn in the Yellow River is a well traversed scenic spot located to the west of the town.
Flower lake in Ruoergai
Daza Temple
Officially know as Daza Temple of the Propitious & Goodness, this temple is located in the Northeast of Ruoergai town. Founded during the Qing Dynasty, today this temple belongs to the Gelugpa Sect with travellers coming to marvel at the architecture and cultural relics. Tours are available in Chinese and English for visitors.
Teiwu Valley
This valley is not as well known as some of the other scenic spots in Ruoergai County, but this is simply because it has yet to be discovered by mainstream tourism. Known as being the “Homeland of Deer”, this valley is a tranquil place to visit.
Daza Monastery in Ruoergai
Langmu Monasteries
Located on the border of the Sichuan and Gansu provinces, the Kirit Gompa belongs to the county of Ruoergai, while the Girti monastery belongs to Gansu. While this town is small, with almost a third of the population coming from the resident monks at the monastery alone, if you find yourself in Ruoergai, it is well worth the visit.
Getting There
When visiting Ruoergai, there are busses running to the area daily, with a bus from Chengdu (a gateway city to the Tibetan regions) taking approximately 12 hours. If you are not starting in Ruoergai, but rather it is simply a stop on your journey, bus or private vehicles are fairly easy to arrange from place to place.
On the other hand, if you choose to fly, there are airports located in Shaqu, Jiuzhaigou, or Hong Yuan, from which travelling by vehicle is not too difficult. (Depending on which airport you travel to will determine if a taxi or private vehicle hire is more economical).
Ruoergai Grassland