Tibet Autonomous Region

　　 Tibet Railway

Map Of Tibet

Tibet Photos

Construction

Route&Schedule

Train Station

Itinerary

Kunlun Mountain

The Kunlun mountain pass is 160 kilometers to the south of Golmud, and the altitude rises from 2,800 meters to 4,700 meters abruptly and the temperature and air pressure drop accordingly.

You will feel suddenly being transferred from a hot summer to a severe winter with the snow-white Kunlun surrounding you magnificently. Kunlun is not only famous for its grandeur but also the color jade it produces, and the jade is called Kunlun Jade. Among the snow and the grassland, rare animals are leaping and skipping, presenting a beautiful picture of nature.   


The Kunlun Mountains, extending about 2,500 km and with an average elevation of 5,000 meters, the greatest mountain rang along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, is regarded as the “Forefather of all Mountains”, where the Ancestral Hall of Taoism, Peak Yuxu, and Jade Fairy Pond are widely influential among Taoist followers.

The Kunlun Mountains’ Peak Yuzhu, 6,178 meters above sea level, features modern glacier landforms on both its northern and southern slopes. While its southern slope stretches with a gentle gradient, the northern is steep. The glacier end on the southern slope is about 5,100 meters above sea level, not a great challenge for most skilled mountaineers. The road conditions on the northern slope are relatively challenging, and all three glaciers on the slope lead to the summit, requiring good mountaineering skills. All these traits make Peak Yuzhu an optimal destination for both professional and amateur mountaineers.

With high elevation, meager oxygen, bitter cold, the Kunlun Pass has a unique eco-system of its own. It is the northern gateway to Hoh Xil where is China’s largest and the world’s third largest uninhabited area, at an average elevation of 4,600 meters. Hoh Xil means "beautiful girl" in Mongolian. It is one of the main sources of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River and encompasses an area of 83,000 square kilometers. Despite its adverse climate, it is a paradise for wildlife and inhabited by a number of valuable and rare species wild animals, such as Tibetan antelope, wild yak, wild ass and Tibetan gazelle. It has been zoned off as a national nature reserve since 1997.

In order not to block the necessary migratory passage of Tibetan antelopes, a 3-4 meter-high bridge has to be built here, leaving spacious room for the dear animals. Therefore the train runs on an elevated bridge for about 20 kilometers. While some of the passengers were wondering why there is no water or any sign of river beneath, an army of Tibetan antelopes went galloping through between the piers of the bridge. What a sensuous delight!