The official source of the Yellow River is marked at a spot called Mojia Ou (Nagqu'or) in a marshy plateau valley north and west of Maduo, accessible by a very rough track and practically requiring a local guide and a sturdy vehicle. The broader "source area" — the region of high plateau streams and glacial melt that collectively feeds the river — is centred on the Ngoring and Kyaring lakes district, and most visitors treat a visit to those lakes as equivalent to visiting the source.
A modest monument marks the hydrological source point, surrounded by uninhabited plateau grassland at around 4,800 metres. The Tibetan communities in the area have their own traditions about the river's sacred origins, and small cairns and prayer flags mark the landscape. For travellers with a strong interest in the Yellow River — which drains 800,000 square kilometres, fed eight thousand years of Chinese civilisation, and currently supports a significant fraction of humanity — standing at its source is one of those geographical experiences that requires commitment but repays it. Hiring a local guide from Maduo is essential.