Yushu is one of the most remote areas in Tibet

Yushu Tibet Autonomous Prefecture is located in southern Qinghai province on the northern Tibetan Plateau. Yushu has a population of 280,000 people and is over 95% Tibetan. Yushu is one of the most remote areas in Tibet being over 500 miles (800km) from Xining (capital of Qinghai) and over 750 miles (1200km) from both Lhasa and Chengdu. Yushu is not connected by air or by train. The only way to get there is by sleeper bus.

Yushu Tibet Autonomous Prefecture is famous across Tibet for containing the headwaters of three of Asia's greatest rivers. The Mekong (Lancang Jiang in Chinese), Yellow River and Yangtze all start in Yushu.

Living conditions are harsh as winters are long and cold. Snow can fall in these counties well into summer. These areas average over 270 freezing days per year. Due to the high altitude and freezing temperatures little can grow in this area. Farmers, with the aid of insulated greenhouses, are able to grow a few crops such as barley and potatoes.

Yushu is one of the best regions of Tibet to see real authentic Tibetan culture. Because Yushu is so remote, the long bus ride and poor conditions keep most travelers away. The Tibetans of Yushu are also famous for their dancing and for their annual horse festivals held each summer, one of the largest in Tibet. More