Altun Shan National Nature Reserve, Nature reserve in Ruoqiang County, China

Altun Shan National Nature Reserve is an elongated triangular area between the southern slopes of the Altun Shan range and the northern slopes of the Kulun range, surrounding the endorheic Kumkol Basin. It measures about 800 km east–west and 200 km north–south, with an arid plateau at 4,500 m in its eastern third. Three saline lakes lie in the basin: Ayakum, Aqqikkal and Jingyu.

The area was designated as a protected zone in 1983 to safeguard the natural ecosystems found in this remote Tibetan plateau region. This decision established a foundation for long-term environmental conservation efforts.

The name Altun Shan means "golden mountain" in Uyghur, and the Chinese form 阿尔金山 is read as a rendering of "O You Golden Mountain". From 1989, gold prospectors from Qinghai, Gansu and Xinjiang entered the reserve; in 1990 alone about 35,000 illegal miners dug vegetation for fuel and hunted wildlife for food. A protection station stands at Dayixieke Pati in Qimantag Township.

Visiting requires official permits and substantial planning due to remote location and extreme weather conditions throughout the year. Travelers should be prepared for isolation, temperature swings, and considerable distances between points of interest.

Three salt lakes within the reserve serve as vital stopover points for migratory water birds during their long journeys. These lakes provide essential rest and feeding grounds during the birds' annual migration cycles.