The highest peak of the eastern Kunlun, Yuzhu rises to 6,178 metres immediately east of the road and railway south of Golmud. Snow-streaked and broad-shouldered, it is the dominant mountain on the long climb to Tibet and visible for hours from the train.
For mountaineers Yuzhu is one of the most accessible high peaks in China — base camp can be reached by jeep in a few hours from Golmud, and the standard route is technically straightforward, though the altitude makes acclimatisation essential. Permits are required and easier to obtain from the Qinghai Mountaineering Association in Xining than at the foot of the mountain itself.