Tibetan Plateau Birding Tours, Qinghai, China

Przevalski’s Finch photographed in July 2024 in Qinghai, China, during a birding tour guided by Summer Wong — Przevalski’s Finch © Summer Wong

2026 July 10-13, Lhasa extension (4 days) cost: 1400 USD

2026 July 13-24, Tibetan Plateau (12 days) Leader : Summer Wong, scheduled tour, max group size: 10-12 pax, cost: 2900 USD Tour is full

2026 July 24-31, Snow Leopard extension (8 days) cost: 2800 USD tour link

2027 July 10-13, Lhasa extension (4 days) cost: 1400 USD

2027 July 13-24, Tibetan Plateau (12 days) Leader : Summer Wong & Kexin Peng, scheduled tour, max group size: 10-12 pax, cost: 2900 USD

2027 July 24-31, Snow Leopard extension (8 days) cost: 2800 USD tour link

2028 July 6-13, Snow Leopard extension (8 days), cost: 2800 USD tour link

2028 July 13-24, Tibetan Plateau (12 days) Leader : Summer Wong & Kexin Peng, scheduled tour, max group size: 10-12 pax, cost: 2900 USD

2028 July 24-27, Lhasa extension (4 days), group size: 4-10 pax, cost: 1400 USD

Besides our scheduled and private tours, we also offer budget-friendly birding tours. If you are an international birding company looking for a reliable ground operator in China, please feel free to contact us for rates and further details.

Deposit : USD 500 per person

Qinghai Tibetan Plateau Tour Single Room Supplement (11 nights): USD 450 per person

Lhasa Tour Single Room Supplement (3 nights): USD 175 per person

Tour Cost Includes:

All ground transportation by private car/van/coach
Accommodation in twin-share or single rooms
All meals (including daily bottled water, packed breakfasts, and lunches/dinners mostly at local restaurants)
All necessary entrance fees and nature reserve permits
Guide/driver’s meals, accommodation, and service fees

Tour Cost Excludes:

International and domestic flights
Travel insurance
Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
Tips for local staff

Scroll down to check out the itinerary, map, photos of hotels and food, plus birds, mammals, and stunning scenery

Detailed Daily Itinerary & Highlight Birds

Day 1 Arrival day – Xining airport pick up and transfer to the hotel.

Day 2 Morning birding at Dongxia forest park , drive to Gonghe, 185km, 3 hours drive, birding at Gonghe, night in Gonghe

Possible birds in Dongxia forest park : Gansu Leaf Warbler, Przevalski’s and Chinese Nuthatch, Crested Tit Warbler, Goldcrest, Siberian Rubythroat, Chinese White-browed and Common Rosefinches, Yellow-streaked Warbler, White-throated Redstart, Chinese Song Thrush, Elliot’s Laughingthrush, White-winged Grosbeak, Black-faced Bunting, Grey-headed Bullfinch

Possible birds near Gonghe : Mongolian Finch, Desert Finch, Lesser Whitethroat, Pine Bunting, Black-faced Bunting, Isabelline and Desert Wheatear, Rock Sparrow, Twite, White-rumped and Rufous-necked Snowfinches

Day 3 Birding at Longyangxia Valley and Mt.Ela then head to Maduo, 340km, 4 hours drive, night in Maduo

Main bird targets in Longyangxia Valley ( this is a new place found by Chinese birders for Pale Rosefinch during the covid ): Pale Rosefinch, Przevalski’s Partridge, Desert Finch, Mongolian Finch, Lesser Whitethroat

Main bird target birds in Mt.Ela : Roboroveski’s/Tibetan Rosefinch, Guldenstadt’s/White-winged Redstart, Tibetan Snowfinch, Brandt’s and Plain Mountain Finches

Main bird targets on the way from Gonghe to Maduo: Mongolian Lark, Przevalski’s Finch, Streaked Rosefinch, White-browed Tit, Black-winged Snowfinch, Guldenstadt’s/White-winged Redstart etc

Day 4 Drive from Maduo to Nangqian via Yushu, night at Nangqian, 500km, 7 hours drive, night in Nangqian

Target birds on the way from Maduo to Nangqian : Ibisbill, Upland Buzzard, Himalayan Griffon, Lammergeier, Saker Falcon, Daurian Jackdaw, Little Owl, Mongolian Lark, Ruddy Shelduck, Bar-headed Goose, Common Redshank, Brown-headed Gull, Common Tern, Pale Martin, Citrine Wagtail, Salim Ali’s Swift, Eurasian Crag Martin, Asian House Martin, White-rumped, Black-winged and Rufous-necked Snowfinches, Common Hoopoe, Kessler’s Thrush, Giant Grey Shrike, Brown Deeper, Black, Hodgson’s and Blue-fronted Redstart, Tickell’s/Alpine Leaf Warbler, Red-rumped Swallow, Streaked and Great Rosefinches

Mammals: Kiang, Tibetan Gazelle, Tibetan Fox, Kiang, Wolf

Day 5 Birding at Kanda Shan, night in Nangqian

Main target birds in Kanda Shan : Tibetan Bunting, Tibatan Snowcock, Tibetan Partridge, White-eared Pheasant, Szechenyi’s Monal-Partridge (Buff-throated Partridge), Tibetan Babax, Chinese Rubythroat, White-browed Tit, Sichuan Tit, White-browed Tit Warbler, other possible species: Wallcreeper, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Golden Eagle, Grandala, Chinese Beautiful, Red-fronted and Streaked Rosefinches, Snow Pigeon, White-capped Redstart, Plain Mountain Finch, White-winged Grosbeak

There is also good chances for Blue Sheep

Day 6 Birding at Baizha forest, night in Nangqian

Main target birds in Baizha forest : Szechenyi’s Monal-Partridge (Buff-throated Partridge), White-eared Pheasant, Tibetan Babax, other possible species: Elliot’s and Giant Laughingthrush, Three-banded, Pink-rumped and Common Rosefinches, Crested Tit Warbler, White-throated Dipper, Hodgson’s Treecreeper, Long-tailed Thrush, Black and Grey-headed Woodpecker, Himalayan Bluetail, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Rosy Pipit, Rufous-vented, Grey-crested and Sichuan Tit, Chinese Fulvetta, Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler, Rufous-breasted and Maroon-backed Accentors, Salim Ali’s Swift, Aberrant Bush Warbler, Sichuan Leaf Warbler

There is also good chances for Blue Sheep

Day 7 Drive from Nangqian to Qumalai, birding and mammal watching on the way, night at Qumalai, 400km, 5 hours drive, night in Qumalai

Possible birds on the way from Nangqian to Qumalai: Ibisbill, Black-necked Crane, Upland Buzzard, Himalayan Griffon, Lammergeier, Saker Falcon etc

Mammals : Kiang, Wolf, Tibetan Fox

Day 8 Drive from Qumalai to Golmud, 480 km, 6 hours drive, birding and mammal watching on the way, night at Golmud

Main target birds on the way from Qumalai to Golmud : Tibetan Sandgrouse, Tibetan Sand Plover, Saker Falcon, Upland Buzzard, Little Owl, Lesser Whitethroat etc

Mammals: Tibetan Antelope, Tibetan Gazelle, Tibetan Fox, Kiang, Wolf

Day 9 Drive from Golmud to Dulan via B, birding on the way, 350km, 4 hours drive , night in Dulan

Main target birds on the way from Golmud to Dulan: Henderson’s Ground Jay, Tarim Babbler ( a new place found by local Chinese birders during the covid ), Lesser Whitethroat, Asian Short-toed Lark, Isabelline Shrike, Bearded Reedling etc

Mammals: Goitered Gazelle

Day 10 Drive from Dulan to Chaka, birding on the way, night in Chaka

Main targets birds on the way from Dulan to Chaka: Przevalski’s Redstart, Przevalski’s Partridge, Daurian Partridge, Pine Bunting, Giant Grey Shrike, White-winged Grosbeak, Black Redstart etc

Day 11 Morning birding in Chaka area then head to Rubber mountain and Koko Nor lake / Qinghaihu lake, drive to Xining, night in Xining

Main target birds in Chaka area: Pallas’s Sandgrouse, Henderson’s Ground Jay, Mongolian Lark, Blanford’s/Plain-backed Snowfinch, Desert and Isabelline Wheatears

Main target birds in Rubber mountain: Przevalski’s Finch, White-browed Tit, White-rumped, Rufous-necked and Black-winged Snowfinch, Robin and Brown Accentor, Dusky Warbler, Tickell’s / Alpine Leaf Warbler

Main target birds in Koko Nor lake : Black-necked Crane, Bar-headed Goose, Brown-headed Gull, Ground Tit, Mongolian, Hume’s Short-toed and Tibetan Lark, Pere David’s Snowfinch, Pale Martin ect

Mammals: Przewalski’s Gazelle

Day 12 Optional morning birding around Xining (time permitting). We recommend booking your departure flight after 14:00.