Парк Наньшань

Nanshan Park — "South Mountain Park" — is a large public park on the ridge of South Mountain above central Xining, and one of the best panoramic viewpoints over the Qinghai capital. For centuries the mountain has been the city's natural backdrop and its main recreational green space; today, a network of trails, pavilions, lookouts, religious sites, and landscaped gardens covers the slope between the southern edge of the city center and the summit ridge.

The park is built across multiple elevation bands. The lower slopes are laid out as formal Chinese-style gardens, with flower beds, rockeries, water features, and small pavilions connected by paved paths — popular with local families for weekend strolls and with retirees for morning exercise. Further up, the landscaping gives way to denser forest — primarily Chinese pine, poplar, and ornamental species adapted to the highland climate — with steeper walking trails leading to viewpoints, Daoist shrines, and the ridgeline itself.

The summit ridge is the main draw. From the upper terraces, the whole Xining basin opens out below: the dense grid of the central districts, the Huangshui River winding east-west, the minarets of the city's many mosques, and the mountain ranges of the Qilian foothills framing the valley on every side. The view extends for many kilometers on a clear day, and at sunset the light over the basin is particularly photogenic. The 188-meter-tall "Pearl of the Plateau" TV tower sits on the same ridge, and the two attractions are typically visited together.

For active travelers, Nanshan Park is also the main hiking destination within the city limits. A network of footpaths and stepped trails climbs from various points along the southern edge of the city to the summit, with options ranging from short, paved family walks to longer, steeper routes. The higher trails pass small Buddhist and Daoist shrines, prayer-flag sites, and quieter forest sections away from the main tourist flows.

For independent travelers, Nanshan is best visited either at sunrise (for clear morning light and quiet trails) or in the late afternoon and evening (for the sunset panorama over the city). Allow two to four hours depending on the trails chosen. Bring a warm layer — even in summer the wind on the ridge is noticeably colder than at street level — and comfortable walking shoes for the steeper sections.