Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve

The Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve spans 360,000 square kilometers of alpine meadows, wetlands, and mountains across the Tibetan Plateau.

The Chinese government established this protected area in 2000 to safeguard the sources of three major Asian rivers: the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang.

Tibetan communities maintain traditional herding practices within designated zones of the reserve, preserving their connection to this sacred landscape across generations.

Visitors require special permits and must travel with authorized guides to access the reserve, where temperatures range from -30°C in winter to 15°C in summer.

The reserve contains 2,000 snow-capped peaks, 5,000 square kilometers of glaciers, and 188 lakes larger than half a square kilometer.

GPS coordinates: 34.00917,96.20667

Latest update: May 13, 2025 00:34