Major city · China
Maqu玛曲
Go for 1–2 nights if you want a remote Tibetan grassland experience and the Yellow River bend; skip if you have fewer than 3 days in Gannan or need reliable transport.
Maqu is a small county town in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southern Gansu, sitting at 3,500 m on the Yellow River. It is not a sightseeing destination with ticketed attractions — the draw is the vast grassland, the river bend, and the sense of being in one of China's most remote inhabited areas. Most travellers come for one night as part of a loop from Xiahe or Hezuo, then leave the next day. Two nights allow a full day to explore the grasslands by hired car.
More
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- CNY
- Best months
- Jun–Aug
- avoid Nov–Mar (cold, some buses suspended)
- Airports
- Gannan Xiahe (GXH) · Lanzhou Zhongchuan (LHW)
- Nights
- 1
Not a trip line yet
Rules in force · 7
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
- China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
- China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
- China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
- China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Maqu110 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Maqu, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 (≈ US$30) carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones…China-wide
- SIM or eSIMA roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.China-wide
- Tap waterNot for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5 (≈ under US$1), and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms.China-wide
- TippingRestaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.China-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/C/I. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): fits. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.China-wide
- SafetyMaqu is safe for tourists.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsPublic toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls.China-wide
- Emergency numbers110 police · 119 fire · 120 ambulance (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany museums and palaces close on Mondays; the Forbidden City too (outside holidays).China-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckGXH Gannan Xiahe Airport (Nearest airport, about 3–4 h by road via Hezuo; daily flights from Lanzhou and other cities, schedules vary — check).
- Getting aroundThe town is walkable (about 1 km (0.6 mi) from the bus station to the river).The town is walkable (about 0.6 mi (1 km) from the bus station to the river).
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealNoodle bowl (Muslim or Sichuan)¥10–20 (≈ US$2–3)
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Taxi within town¥5–10 (≈ US$1–2)
- Budget bedDorm bed in Chinese-style hostel, a night, per personCN¥20 (≈ US$3)
- Mid-range bedDouble room in a hotel, a night, per roomCN¥150 (≈ US$25)
- High-end bedDouble room in a hotel, a night, per roomCN¥200 (≈ US$30)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget CN¥100 (≈ US$14) · Mid CN¥250 (≈ US$35) · High CN¥500 (≈ US$70)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- GXH Gannan Xiahe Airport (Nearest airport, about 3–4 h by road via Hezuo; daily flights from Lanzhou and other cities, schedules vary — check) · LHW Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport (Long-haul entry point; bus or train to Lanzhou then a daily bus to Maqu, roughly 8–10 h total — check)
Map of Maqu
Where it is, and the guides within about 120 km.
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
Feb
Avoid
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
Mar
Avoid
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Apr
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
May
not flagged
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Jun
Best
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Jul
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Aug
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Sep
not flagged
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Oct
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Nov
Avoid
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
Dec
Avoid
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
Best: Jun–Aug. Avoid: Nov–Mar. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)), coolest Jan (−14°C (7°F)7°F (−14°C) low), wettest Jul (14 rain days), driest Dec (2). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Maqu: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
−14°C (7°F)7°F (−14°C)
3 rd
Feb
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
−11°C (12°F)12°F (−11°C)
4 rd
Mar
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
−6°C (21°F)21°F (−6°C)
6 rd
Apr
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
8 rd
May
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
10 rd
Jun
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
13 rd
Jul
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
14 rd
Aug
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
12 rd
Sep
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
11 rd
Oct
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
8 rd
Nov
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
−8°C (18°F)18°F (−8°C)
4 rd
Dec
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
−13°C (9°F)9°F (−13°C)
2 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The town is walkable (about 1 km from the bus station to the river). To reach the grasslands or the Yellow River bend, hire a private car or taxi for the day. Daily buses also head south to remote villages of Maqu County.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Yellow River first bend
goDoor to door: About 1 h round trip
Hire a car or taxi from town, about 20 min drive
The main sight; go in late afternoon for good light.
Grasslands south of Maqu
goDoor to door: Half to full day
Hired car or daily bus heading south
Endless rolling grasslands with Tibetan nomads; no specific landmark.
Xiahe (Labrang Monastery)
goDoor to door: About 4 h
Daily bus, about 3–4 h
The most common next stop; buses leave Maqu in the morning.
Langmusi
goDoor to door: About 3 h
Mini-bus, about 2–3 h
Tibetan monastery town on the Sichuan border.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Town centre
A few larger hotels (doubles ¥100–200) and cheaper Chinese-style hostels (dorms from ¥20/person). Most are within walking distance of the bus station.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ¥100–200 (≈ US$14–30) excl. bed
- Mid
- ¥200–400 (≈ US$30–60) excl. bed
- High
- ¥400 (≈ US$60)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Double room in a hotel1 × 1 night × CN¥150 | CN¥150 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × CN¥250 | CN¥500 |
| Hired car for a day (grasslands + river bend)1 × CN¥300 · check | CN¥300 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | CN¥95 |
| Trip total≈ CN¥523 per person per day, bed included | CN¥1,045≈ US$150 |
2026 estimate in yuan; transport to/from Maqu excluded.
Prices of common things
| Noodle bowl (Muslim or Sichuan) | ¥10–20 (≈ US$2–3) |
| Bottled water (500 ml) | ¥2–3 (≈ under US$1) |
| Bus Maqu → Xiahecheck | ¥50–70 (≈ US$7–10) |
| Taxi within town | ¥5–10 (≈ US$1–2) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Altitude above 3,500 m: take it easy the first day, drink water, avoid alcohol.
- Sun is intense at this altitude: bring sunscreen and a hat.
- Bus schedules vary and tickets are bought just before departure — no advance booking.
- No ATMs may accept foreign cards; bring enough cash from Lanzhou or Xiahe.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 110
- Fire
- 119
- Ambulance
- 120
Pocket card
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Maqu玛曲
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
请带我去这个地方Take me to this address, please
Emergency
- Police110
- Fire119
- Ambulance120
Embassy
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Bus Maqu → Xiahe: about ¥50–70 (≈ US$7–10), 3–4 h (check)
- Hired car for a day: ¥200–500 (≈ US$30–70) depending on distance
Say or show
- 你好 — Hello (nǐ hǎo)
- 谢谢 — Thank you (xiè xiè)
- 多少钱？ — How much? (duō shao qián)
- 我不懂 — I don't understand (wǒ bù dǒng)
- 汽车站在哪里？ — Where is the bus station? (qì chē zhàn zài nǎ lǐ)
English is almost non-existent; have your destination written in Chinese.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Maqu. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun–Aug · avoid Nov–Mar (cold, some buses suspended) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 1 area to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
- Walking clusters with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Field-verified times and fares
Sources
Ask about Maqu
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