232km (144 miles) W of Lanzhou, 781km (484 miles) E of Golmud. Altitude: 2,300m (7,544 ft.)
Once a key trading post on the southern Silk Route, Xining is perched on the northern edge of the Tibetan plateau and boasts a sizable Muslim population. Tibetan and Mongol monks and pilgrims may still be spied, drawn by Kumbum (Ta'er Si) monastery to the south. A recent boom in the economy from the discovery of oil reserves and the city's attempt to market itself as a "summer resort" with its cooler than average temperatures has increased the supply of hotels and amenities the city has to offer. Still, there's little of interest in the city itself, but it's a useful base for exploring the Amdo and Kham regions to the south.
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