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Yushu (玉树; Yùshù; also known as Gyêgu) is a town in Qinghai Province.

[edit] Understand

Yushu is in the traditional Amdo Area. It is a multi-ethnic town. The inhabitants are mostly Tibetan while most merchants are Han Chinese. The area has a population of over 250,000. Yushu is in fact in Kham, not Amdo. Although it is outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, it is clearly Tibetan, albeit increasingly flooded with Chinese incomers.

[edit] Get in

A few buses depart daily from Xining and Ganzi to Yushu.

[edit] Get around

Walking is the easiest way around town, you can walk up the hill to the Jiegu Monastery. A taxi to the Mani Stones should cost around Y50.But it's convenience to take bus no.1 or 2(Y1). A taxi to the Temple of Princess Wencheng cost around Y50. Try to negotiate with a driver to see both sites as they are both outside of town in different directions.

[edit][add listing] See

• Jyekundo Dondrubling Monastery.  edit
• Jorang Monastery.  edit

• Qiulindo Monastery.  edit

• Zomda Monastery.  edit

• Temple of Princess Wencheng, (Just outside town ;20 km,Y50 by taxi). Worth a visit.  edit

• Mani Temple(Manishicheng), (Just outside town; 3 km, around Y50 by taxi or take bus no.1 or no.2 Y1). Worth a visit.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• Horse Fair. July. Local townspeople and nomads from far and wide come. Exciting displays of horsemanship, and traditional Tibetan singing and dancing. The Horse Fair is forbidden this year by the goverment. You have to wait for next year. ¥40-50 in tax.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

Do not bother to have a sheepskin jacket made up unless you are prepared to leave it behind;it will start to stink once you bring it back to low altitude. However, leather cowboy hats are fine, also fox fur brocade hat. Apart from malas (tibetan rosary beads), prayer flags and other religious acoutrements, there is not a lot to buy although there are some beautiful rugs to be found on the market. However, it is almost impossible to persuade the merchant to part with one, as for reasons never fathomed, they are sold in pairs. You can also buy Caterpillar fungus in Yak Square during the summer, a famous traditional medicine.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Decent food can be got at a large number of places on all of the town's three main streets, and also at the market square at night. Sheeps head for the not too squeamish is recommended. Yak milk yoghurt sold by the nomad women on the corner of Yak Square is very strong but very creamy. Steer clear of yak butter; it always tastes rancid even when fresh.

• Ya Restaurant (Ya Fanguan), (Turn right at the top of the T-Junction and the restaurant is on the left hand side, a yellow sign with two yak is above the restaurant, but can be hard to see at night). Traditional Muslim noodle cuisine. The ganban, similar to spaghetti and just as delicious, is especially recommended. However, one traveller experienced food poisening from this restaurant.  edit

• Yak Restaurant, (Walk from Ya Restaurant back to the T-junction, turn left and walk past the Yak statue to find the restaurant). The best restaurant in town. The most expensive restaurant in town.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

You can buy very fizzy lager (yen;3 a bottle in 2005) in many shops around town, and also in many restaurants. Also, some kind of clear spirit with foul taste.

There are a few drinking establishments, but do not expect pub atmosphere. There are also a couple of night clubs, which are worth going to just to experience young people in a disco all lining up and doing traditional dances which they all seem to know. There is also often traditional Tibetan folk singing in these clubs which is also worth seeing.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

[edit] Mid-range

• sleep name="Yushu Hotel" alt="Yushu Binguan" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Off-season (winter) expect to pay yen;180RMB for a room with a (soft!) queen-size bed">By far the nicest hotel in town with the flushing toilets and 24 hour hot showers. The old Yushu Binguan sits in front of this brand new hotel, and there are no longer dorm rooms available. The staff are helpful, although only a few speak some English - a friendly female manager has the best fluency. By Chinese government standards the hotel is 3 star, but by Western standards it could possibly be 4 star. Avoid the complimentary breakfast.</sleep>

• YHA Yushu Youth Hostel, (In a pink cube-shaped building on Hongwei Rd. the outskirts of town as you head in from Ganzi).  edit

[edit] Get out

There are four daily buses to Xining, two seated and two sleepers. The trip can take anywhere from 14 to 20 hours (the seated bus is faster than the sleeper). The sleepers are bad due to the puke on the coverings they give you. The seated bus is heated the sleeper bus is not. An advantage in the sleeper bus is that it is eaiser to play cards, the locals love to play cards. On the route to Xining there are fantastic views of plains so vast they disappear into the horizon.

There is also a sleeper bus a few times a week to Chengdu, which takes 32-36 hours. On the route to Chengdu the scenery is fantastically dramatic with vast mountains and river gorges. Be prepared for delays due to small avalanches temporarily blocking the roads on the way to Chengdu.