Closed to sightseeing at the time of research, these lakes are the widely accepted source of the Yellow River, and most Chinese tourists drive or hire a vehicle to take them to níutóubēi (牛头碑), an engraved stone tablet that marks the 'source'. There’s nowhere to stay or eat, so most people visit as a day trip from Maduo. SUVs or minivans will take you to the lake and back for ¥800 to ¥1000 per vehicle (four to five hours return).
Zhaling Lake (the Chinese name) is known as Gyaring Lake to Tibetans, while Eling Lake is known as Ngoring Lake. When the lake area is open to sightseers (it was closed in 2019 to allow for ecological regeneration as the region had suffered from overtourism), it's possible to camp here in the summer, but you’ll need to be completely self-sufficient. You'll find drivers through your hotel or hanging around the main T-intersection in Maduo. If you want to get to the very-hard-to-find true source of the Yellow River you’ll need a two-day round trip from Maduo (sleeping in the 4WD or camping) that includes some hiking, and will cost around ¥3000 per vehicle, assuming you can find a driver willing to take you. You can also get here via an itinerary organised by one of the tour agencies in Xining or Yushu. At the time of writing there was no date for the reopening of the lakes, so check with tourist offices and tour operators in Xining before venturing up to Maduo and the lake area.