Nanbaxian

Located in the uninhabited area of the Qaidam Basin, the Yadan landform of such a large scale is quite spectacular. It is still a wild scenic spot and is currently unmanaged. We caught up with the sandstorm again, which added luster to the label of the Devil City. I didn't see a single car that day. I followed the dirt road pressed by the predecessors into the core of the Yadan. There was no one, only the strange sound of the wind whistling in my ears. It is said that the rocks here are rich in iron and the geomagnetism is strong, which often causes the disk to malfunction and it is difficult to distinguish the direction, so it is called the Devil City.

Nanbaxian is very wide, just on both sides of the G315 highway. It rained a little last night, and because of the rain, the sand next door showed a layered feeling of different shades, which was much more beautiful than a yellow patch.

When you first enter Nanbaxian, the mounds of Yadan style are sparse and the shape is relatively plain. You don't necessarily need an off-road vehicle or four-wheel drive to get here, but there is a risk of bottoming out if the chassis is low.

I found that in such an open space, the scenery ahead always seems better. People are always attracted by the scenery ahead, but in fact, the difference between far and near may not be that big.

Standing on the railway and looking at the Nanbaxian Yadan from afar, I was really stunned by its appearance. An extreme feeling of joy surged from the bottom of my heart. Small mounds appeared densely on the barren ground, and the scale was so grand that it was unimaginable.

On the side of the highway, there is a fork in the road that extends into the Yadan group. The road surface is hardened by vehicles but not flat. There are deep ruts and pits of varying sizes. Outside is relatively soft saline-alkali land.

Going deep into the Yadan Group, there are almost no birds in the sky and no animals on the ground. All you can see are loess hills and salt-alkali crusts. There is not a drop of water and not a blade of grass. There is no mobile phone signal and even the wind is not howling.

We climbed up a relatively tall earthen mound and looked into the distance. Thousands and thousands of yardangs, big and small, were widely distributed in the boundless wilderness. The shock this scene brought to my heart is difficult to express in words and I can only feel it slowly in my heart.

The various forms of the Yadan forests made me dazzled and I could not see enough. I could not believe it in my heart. Was this the lake bottom billions of years ago? Was this the landform created by the strong wind? "The sea has changed so much", how insignificant are humans under the great power of nature.

The weather is very, very good today. The usual howling winds and dusty scenes are nowhere to be seen. The sky is bluer than gems, the sun is warm on my body, the air is very clear, and I can see very far away, but I just can't see the end of Yadan, it is really too big.

Nanbaxian Yadan is one of the largest and most typical Yadan landscapes in the world, with a distribution area of more than 1,000 square kilometers. It is a landform combination of long strips of earth mounds extending intermittently and intermittently with depressions and grooves.



Nanbaxian Yadan is still in the early stages of development, with few visitors, no entrance fee, and no fences. You can stop your car at will and start the tour. There are rental projects such as desert motorcycles in the scenic area. Listening to the joyful shouts of boys and girls and uncles and aunts, I feel that this project should be very exciting, but I still choose to hurry to the place with obvious landforms while there are few people.

Staring at the various hills, I imagined a ghost town in the dark. Emm... I might be scared to death.

When the wind and sand fight, it really makes people doubt life.

Lying on the stone wall, the sand and stones kept sliding down, as if I was taking pictures with my life.

Traffic police kept driving away vehicles on the roadside. As the number of tourists decreased, we did not dare to go any further (it would be a pity if we got lost), so we ran back to the roadside to find our driver and continue on our way.

As the population gradually disappeared, this place returned to its mysterious state.

The car drove into the no-man's land, and there was no mobile phone signal during the more than one-hour drive. Gradually, the scenery on both sides of the road began to change, and various Yadan landforms appeared one after another, like a mysterious castle, more like the surface of an alien planet.

What is Yardang landform? Yardang landform is a typical wind erosion landform. "Yardang" means "small hill with steep walls" in Uyghur. It is found in all continents except Oceania and Antarctica. It is mainly distributed in arid areas with little rainfall, sparse vegetation, strong wind erosion and the edge of deserts in extremely arid areas. According to some research reports, similar Yardang landforms are also distributed on extraterrestrial planets.

The desert winds have carved the endless Gobi Desert and the scattered rock dunes into all kinds of strange shapes. Due to the peculiar terrain, the sound of the wind is also mysterious and terrifying, and the strong geomagnetic field often makes the compass malfunction. The Yadan landform is also called the "Devil City".

This time we went to the largest Yadan landform group in China - Nanbaxian Yadan, with an average altitude of 3,260 meters. Nanbaxian, this place name has a tragic story. In the 1950s, when the People's Republic of China was just established, eight female geologists from the south encountered a severe sandstorm during their oil exploration. Their heroic souls rested here, so it was named Nanbaxian.

Walking along the undulating terrain and onto a mound at random, the Yadan under the blue sky and scorching sun fully displays its grandeur and magnificence, showing its various styles. Such scenery will bring people endless reverie and make us shocked by the uncanny workmanship of nature.

This is a place that even locals dare not enter at will. The master told us that tourists often get lost. There is no signal and no direction. It is so scary that it is no wonder it is called the Devil City. But I still can't resist its beauty, which is comparable to [Route 66 in the United States]. I realized the charm of highway photos.

As soon as I got off the bus, I felt the devil's malice. It was cold even with a down jacket, so I wrapped my coat tightly to take pictures. The strong wind almost blew me away, and I saw a young lady wearing a skirt with her legs exposed.

As we walked along, the landscape became more and more different. We stopped and walked along the way.

The scenery along the way. Just stop and take pictures if you like! It's really beautiful! It feels like walking into an uninhabited area. It's a private tour again!

This kind of landform has to admire the power of nature

The roads here are all straight. It is very comfortable to drive.

Among the Nanbaxian Yadans, the Wusute Water Yadan has various shapes and is scattered all over the lake. It is the earliest water Yadan landscape discovered in the world and is said to be the only water Yadan landscape in the world. The small islands on these lakes have various shapes, some look like animals, and some look like ships. From a distance, they look like thousands of horses galloping or thousands of ships sailing to the sea.

However, this tranquil and picturesque scenery is facing the fate of gradual extinction. The annual precipitation is less than 30 mm, and the high temperature in summer causes the upper soil of the Yadan to dry and crack. The strong wind erodes the cracks and gradually collapses. After the Yadan in the lake is soaked, the mudstone gradually decomposes and sinks to the bottom of the lake.

There is no service, just natural scenery. No charge. Unless you want to take an ATV. If there is wind, it will be very fun. The kids love it. We also love it.

Nanbaxian is located on the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is a landform combination of long strips of earth mounds and depressions, which is called Yadan landform by geologists. The total area of Yadan forest here is about 21,000 square kilometers, with an average altitude of 3,260 meters. It is the largest wind-eroded soil forest group discovered in China so far.

The most widely circulated story about the place name "Nan Baxian" is that in the year my father was born, eight female exploration team members entered the maze-like Yadan landform but never walked out of this ancient wasteland. However, recently, I saw a record of this place name before this incident. There were also eight geologists who came to survey, but there was no such epic story. Instead, they just jokingly described themselves as eight immortals crossing the sea. In any case, the place name "Nan Baxian" is definitely a tribute to the geologists who sacrificed their lives and blood to develop Qaidam.

This stretch of road is so magical, it is called the Southern Eight Immortals Devil City, and the popular U-shaped highway is also near this place, and this place is an uninhabited area, and there is no signal for mobile phones here. If something happens, there is really no one to ask for help. Therefore, friends who come here to visit and play must pay attention to safety, do not park your car on the roadside at will, find an open place to park, and then go to the side of the road to enjoy the scenery, and never stand in the middle of the road, there are also many large trucks passing here, and the speed is also very fast.

I have always been confused about the origin of the name "Nan Baxian". After checking the information, I found out that it is said that Nan Baxian was named after eight female geologists from the south who encountered sandstorms and lost their way while exploring for oil. They died here. In memory of them, they were named "Nan Baxian". Nan Baxian Ghost City is located in Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai, on the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin. It was selected into the list of "100 Most Beautiful Scenic Spots" in Qinghai by "National Geographic China". The area with Yadan landform in northwest my country is commonly known as "Devil City", but when you see more of the Devil City, you will find that this is the place that is least like the surface of the earth.

The most beautiful section of Nanbaxian Road should be the one just entering from south to north, which is also the core part. It is surrounded by railings and is not allowed to enter. This is the section with the most densely populated Yadan landform and the largest area. There is no obvious sign of entry of people and vehicles, and the sand is very pure.



I guess this is indeed a big maze, and it is difficult to find the direction once you enter, so a fence is set up. Don't enter rashly, just take pictures along the roadside.

Nanbaxian is a free scenic spot with typical Yadan landform. It is very large, so it is free. There are small mounds of high and low earth everywhere, and there is almost no green. The land is very dry, surrounded by wind erosion landforms, wind erosion mounds and wind erosion depressions. It feels very desolate here, like on the surface of the moon.

Origin of the name of Nanbaxian: There are rich underground resources in the area along the Nanbaxian route. In the 1950s, mining teams came here to conduct geological surveys. During the survey, eight geologists lost their way in the yellow sand and were buried here forever. These were eight girls from the south, and later people named this place after them. There is always no shortage of stories in the Northwest region. The rich landforms and resources here have attracted many people to spend their youth and passion here. It is these stories that make the Northwest even more magical.

Nanbaxian is located on the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is a landform composed of a series of intermittently extending long strips of earth mounds and intermittently distributed depressions and grooves, which is called Yadan landform by geologists.

A landform on the Lengwu Line, a Yadan landform of wind-eroded hills. It is very interesting to find a high place to stand and watch. It is worth a visit. Someone has already built a beach buggy in the middle. It is estimated that the chances of developing it into a tourist attraction and charging admission are not high in the near future.

The Nanbaxian Yadan landform group is very spectacular and requires self-driving. There are many viewing points along the way.

Do you know the story of the Nanbaxian? I think those eight female explorers are amazing~~~ The Yadan landform is amazing! However, please note⚠️ remind everyone not to litter! Don’t litter! Don’t litter! Protect the environment!

The Yadan landform group is definitely worth seeing. It is far beyond my expectations. It seems that I am the only one in the world who can feel the endless desolation.

Weather is very important. Good weather can take distinctive photos.

Nanbaxian is located on the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin on the Qingzang Plateau. Its name is to commemorate the eight female geological prospectors who died here in the early days of liberation. Walking into Nanbaxian, you feel like you are on Mars. You can stop and watch at any time. There are not many people and even fewer cars, and it is free. But don't go too far into the hinterland, otherwise you may get lost or get stuck in the sand. It is very large, and almost 30 kilometers of the 100 kilometers along the way are beautifully shaped Yadan mounds.

The area where large areas of Yadan landforms are concentrated is sparsely populated, very desolate, and has great scenery.

Standing on the hill, you can see the wind-eroded soil forests as far as the eye can see. This is the ancient Qinghai Seabed. You can imagine that in ancient times, it was a boundless sea with rippling blue waves. Now the sea has turned into a desert. It is really a sea that has dried up and the rocks have crumbled.

Nanbaxian Yadan, a wild Yadan on the roadside

We didn't go to the real Nanbaxian, but just stopped by the road.

This section of the Nanbaxian Highway is very empty, and is a favorite spot for tourists to take photos.

It was a scene straight out of a geography book! But it had rained the night before we went there, so the ground was a bit muddy.

I admire the uncanny workmanship of nature, the Northwest, and feel the vastness of China.

When visiting here, it is recommended to park your car on the roadside instead of driving inside. The road is not easy to drive on. If the car gets stuck or scratches the body, it will be very troublesome in the no-man's land. However, in the scenic area, you will feel like you are leaving the surface of the earth in a minute.

It is named in memory of 8 geological surveyors who got lost in the Devil City. Only 3 bodies were found, and the other 5 bodies have not been found yet. It is free and the scenery is still spectacular.

Nanbaxian is a wild scenic spot that does not charge admission and has relatively few people. The Yadan landforms are in patches. You can climb up any slope you like to see the panoramic view of the Yadan, and the view is very magnificent. Compared with the Yadan Devil City in Dunhuang, the cost performance is very high. Finally, I have to remind you... When you go to the Yadan landform and the water Yadan, remember to wear a pair of worn shoes... Whether you are climbing a slope or walking normally, your feet are all yellow soil... Wearing new shoes will definitely make you feel sad and want to cry...

This should be the undeveloped Yadan landform. I have never seen it before in the plains. The bumps of different sizes and the ground as hard as stone make me marvel at the handicraft of nature.

There is almost no sign of life here. Because of the high iron content and unstable magnetic field, the compass often does not work when entering the Yadan landform, especially in the dead of night when the wind blows, the sound is like the howling of ghosts and wolves, which is extremely eerie and terrifying, so it is called the "Devil City". The Devil City we are going to talk about today is one of the largest and most typical Yadan landscapes in the world, the Nanbaxian Yadan Devil City.

Origin of the name of Nanbaxian In 1955, eight female geologists from the south came here to search for oil resources. Once, they were trekking and measuring. On their way back, the desert was covered with yellow sand. They lost their way here, and the only signs were buried. Thirst and hunger attacked them. On the third day, when the team members who were looking for them found them, they were sleeping forever in this ancient wasteland. The place was named after the people. In order to commemorate the eight glorious female geologists, the place where they died was called "Nanbaxian".

It is recommended to park your car on the side of the road and not walk or drive too far inside, because it is very large and everything looks similar, it is really easy to get lost!

Go along the Qaidam Basin Highway, travel 120 kilometers from Emerald Lake to the Nanbaxian Yadan landform.



Recommended visiting time: 2-3 hours

Ticket information: Free



There are several Yadan landforms in the Qaidam Basin, including the Nanbaxian Yadan, Qinghai Lenghu Yadan and Dunhuang Yadan Devil City. The differences and recommendations are as follows.



Dunhuang Yadan Ghost City

Tickets: 120 RMB/person (only for the northern route) 400 RMB for car rental (for the southern route)

There are 4 viewing platforms in total. There are buses in the scenic area. It takes about 10 minutes to take photos on the platform (this information comes from China-TravelNote Travel Notes)



Qinghai Lenghu Yadan

Admission: Free.

The characteristic is the combination of Yadan landform and lake. If you want to visit Lenghu Yadan, you need to spend an extra day to go back and forth from Dachaidan.



Nanbaxian Yadan

Tickets: Free

The route is relatively convenient. There is no viewing platform, but you can climb to the top of the slope of the Yadan Group.



You can rent quad bikes and off-road vehicles (150 RMB for quad bikes and 200 RMB for off-road vehicles), which will take you about 2.5 kilometers deep into the Yadan Group. Avoid the crowds near the road. Further in is a real no-man's land, which is not allowed to enter.

The Yadan landform in Nanbaxian is really huge, with bumps on the ground. Walking on it feels like walking on a massage mat.

Standing on the hill and looking out, the vast expanse is endless, and I feel like I am just a small one. I have to sigh, it is really magical

This is the beautiful view of the Yadan on the water in Haixi on the way back to the hotel after sunset

I learned about this place in geography class when I was in school, but I never thought that one day I would stand here and see this magical land with my own eyes. Photos cannot capture how stunning it is. When you climb up a small mound and look into the distance, this feeling is the meaning of travel.

Thanks to the driver for driving a long way to find us a particularly good hilltop, although my shoes were full of mud after going up and down. This place is really very big, it should be the largest Yadan landform group in China. Is it because of the continuous rain? The soil under my feet seems to be looser, and I climbed to the top of the hillside carefully (I suggest you climb it too, only when you climb high can you see the vastness from afar).

Nanbaxian is actually the Yadan landform. There are similar scenes along National Highway 315. If you see something beautiful, just get off the car and take pictures.

If the sun is out, this place is a Yadan landform, which is really spectacular and no tickets are required.

We came from far away to see the wild beauty of the world.

Wear brightly colored clothes. We think the simpler the clothes look, the better the photos will turn out.

Share with you the Eight Immortals on a rainy day

Imagine a clear sky in your mind hahahaha

Nanbaxian Yadan is the largest Yadan landform area discovered in China. The mounds formed by westerly erosion stretch for thousands of kilometers. Challenging the highest mound, I encountered a terrifying moment. Climbing from the steep side, the slope became steeper and steeper as I climbed up. Finally, I was stuck to the clay. The soil in my hands loosened and slid off. My legs also began to lose strength. Looking at the steep slope tens of meters high behind me, I felt fear and despair. Fortunately, someone pulled me up and I escaped without any danger.

The cold wind, the desolate and bleak landscape, without a single soul in sight, resembled the landscape of Mars.

The driver said that this place is called "Nan Baxian" because eight geologists died during the investigation here. In memory of them, this place is called "Nan Baxian". The driver found a place with few people to drop us off to take pictures. We can clearly see the traces of wind erosion. When I saw this land from the car, I was amazed. When I got off the car and stepped into this place, I was shocked again. It was magnificent and a little scary. If there was no one to lead me, I was afraid that I would really get lost if I went further. Looking around, they were really similar!

It is said that the nights here are really scary. Once you go in, you will really get lost because of the occasional sandstorm. In addition, there is a big temperature difference between day and night, so please pay attention to safety.

The topography here is indeed not seen in other places. Few cars stopped, but we kept walking a lot inside, feeling a little nervous and excited.

The Yadan landforms appeared before our eyes. We went inside to take pictures. My daughter, who studied surveying, told me that if you stand in the Yadan landform without a reference, it is easy to get lost. You can't tell east, south, west, north, and south. All four sides are the same. You must be able to see the road and the parking place. Don't walk too far, otherwise it is easy to get stuck. I saw it was true. So when you enter the Yadan landform, you must be able to see the road. Don't try to drive in along the ruts unless you have a guide. The Yadan landform is really shocking.

I got up at 5 am and hurried on my way. I left Yuka Toll Station and took the G315 National Highway. I had entered the Nanbaxian Yadan area before dawn. Under the moonlight, the night sky was blue. The Yadan landforms on the roadside were strange and bizarre. It was quiet, very quiet. There was only the whistling wind on the whole road. The road was boundless. I drove forward on a bicycle. After driving for a long time, the landforms were still the same. The Yadan under the moonlight became more and more strange. Suddenly, I felt terrified and deeply felt the mystery of nature.

The Yadans in Nanbaxian are mainly square mountain-shaped Yadans and whale-back-shaped Yadans. If you drive an off-road vehicle, you can go a little deeper into the area, which will be more spectacular.

Nanbaxian is named in memory of eight female geological prospectors. You can drive into Yadan Devil City along the wheel tracks. Try not to go your own way here. The soil in some places is soft and your pioneering and innovative spirit will make the car stuck in it. Don't go too deep. After all, the Devil City has countless strange theories due to its bizarre landforms and erratic and mysterious wind sounds. In addition, the local rocks are rich in iron and the geomagnetism is strong, which often makes the compass fail and lose the direction. The maze is another nickname for it. It is risky to go too deep...

Facing this boundless wasteland, it is only then that we realize how small and fragile human beings are. All words become pale and powerless. What we want to do most is to quietly gaze into the distance. Over the ages, rolling sands have whistled by. The heroes of the past have gone, but the Devil City is still a visual feast in this lonely wasteland. The majestic atmosphere is filled with desolation and loneliness...

Yadan landform, a breathtaking desolate beauty! Mainly because of the great weather! No tickets are required for the Nanbaxian Yadan landform.

When I first saw the Nanbaxian Yadan, I thought it was so ugly and would not look good in photos. But when we set foot on this land and saw the whole picture, we were really shocked. This land has its own unique temperament and beauty.

In fact, it is a Yadan landform, which should be the same as the Yadan on the water and the Yadan Devil City. You can climb up and down on the top of the mountain. A fellow traveler likes it very much, but it's just so-so for me.

One of the attractions in the seven-day Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop Tour, the Yadan landform, is a good place to take blockbuster photos... If you go there, take a good set of blockbuster photos...

Leaving Daxiadan, the endless Gobi Desert meets the blue sky and white clouds and the boundless vision, the speeding cars, the gentle sunshine, and before you know it, the most beautiful road has appeared before your eyes.

I walked towards a mound and looked out at a strange and bizarre primitive secret realm, with rows and rows of mounds extending to the horizon. In this devil city regarded by the world as a maze, the erratic winds and peculiar terrain created strangeness, and the strong geomagnetic force made the compass malfunction and it was impossible to tell the direction. If I were the only one here, I would definitely be a little scared. Fortunately, there is such a road that can go back and forth, which comforts many self-driving drivers who love natural scenery. The weather is not very good, but the road is still easy to walk on. There are many hills in Nanbaxian but they are not high.

Seeing such a hundreds of kilometers of Yadan landform is really beyond description. You can only experience it when you are there. The car passed through it, and the Yadan receded from behind.

Nanbaxian

Located on the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

It is a landform composed of a series of intermittently extending long strips of earth mounds and intermittently distributed depressions and grooves.

It is called Yadan landform by geologists.

It is one of the largest and most typical Yadan landscapes in the world.

The Gobi desert is full of yellow sand. On the way to the water Yadan, we passed by

Nanbaxian is one of the largest and most typical Yadan landscapes in the world, with an area of more than 1,000 square kilometers. It is endless, undulating and quite unique, like a row of earthen lumps arranged on the land. The rocks are relatively flat, and look like waves from a distance. This is also an undeveloped area. When we went there, we couldn't see any other people except us. Each small mound has been eroded by wind for thousands of years, and has different shapes and characteristics, which reminds people of the ancient battlefields and the magnificent scenes of thousands of troops galloping and confronting each other.

Yadan is a typical wind-eroded landform, which means "small hill with steep walls" in Uyghur. It is very vivid. Don't walk too far when taking pictures inside, don't get lost, and pay attention to safety.

The origin of the term Nanbaxian is said to be that in the 1950s and 1960s, eight female geologists from the south were conducting geological surveys in this area. They encountered a sandstorm and got lost and eventually died. In memory of these eight female geologists, the name was given. Qinghai Yadan Ghost City is located in Nanbaxian, about 100 kilometers away from Dachaidan. Tickets, no!

Follow the navigation (AutoNavi Map) and when you arrive, don't doubt that you have taken the wrong road. Just drive a little further and you will see it.

When we went there, there were only a few people there. It was really spectacular and at the same time gave people a feeling of awe. People were afraid to offend him, but you could find a hill to climb up and shout at the top of your voice.

When you get to Nanbaxian, you can drive along the wheel tracks on the ground. It is best not to drive randomly to avoid getting stuck. Especially after rain. Some four-wheel drive vehicles can drive deep inside, but please be careful. The story of Nanbaxian is not only sad but also a warning.

Speaking of the Devil City, the first thing that comes to my mind is the mysterious Devil City in "Snake Swamp Ghost City". There is no network or signal in this area, only the "devil" sound of the whistling wind. In this huge Yadan landform, individuals are very small, lonely and desolate.

This is my favorite spot! The sky is so beautiful~

Nanbaxian Yadanmao is a large area. It is located on both sides of the road on the way back. You can drive in if you see any tire tracks. We went back and forth several times and finally found a road to drive in. We are timid, and the road surface looks flat from the outside, but it is still very bumpy when driving in. At a place where we were reversing, the rear wheel drove out of the tire track and almost got stuck in the sand.

After all this, we didn't dare to drive in, so we just looked a little further inside the road. The key point was that the sky was gloomy and there was no good light for shooting. The photos of Nanbaxian looked like piles of dirt on a construction site.

Nanbaxian is a magical land. The name comes from eight female geologists from the south who came here to look for oil resources, but lost their way in the yellow sand and finally slept here, so it was named Nanbaxian.

We left Dachaidan Town and returned to the 215 highway we took yesterday. We took the 314 provincial highway near Yuka. It took about an hour to travel 105 kilometers. We first arrived at Nanbaxian. This road was not wide and was newly built. There were few cars and it was easy to travel.

. We drove the car to the downhill part of the road and drove for a while into the Yadan landform group. There was no road at the bottom of the slope, but only ruts made by tourists driving, which were bumpy. After getting off the car, we stepped onto the earthen platform to take a few photos. We were a little disappointed to see that there was no special scenery nearby. In the distance, there were piles of earth connected to each other, which was a good view. They were connected into a piece and there was no end in sight. We didn't dare to drive in rashly, for fear of getting lost. When we continued to drive forward along Provincial Highway 210. The scenery along the way amazed us. There were several private cars parked on the side of the road, and several groups of people stood on the sand dunes to take pictures and play. It turned out that this was the continuous earthen pile scenery we saw in the distance just now. This is the real Nanbaxian. The place we just arrived at is only the edge of Nanbaxian.

The beauty of Nanbaxian is not the beauty we usually see. It has no vegetation or grass. It is just a landform of bare earth and sand. But these earth piles have been carved by the climate, wind and sand for thousands of years, forming various shapes. When the wind blows, it makes strange and terrifying sounds due to the change of airflow. Especially at night, the terrifying sounds become more piercing. At night, the shadows of the earth piles printed on the ground are more like demons of various shapes. Jinyan has this kind of landform for dozens of kilometers. If people enter its hinterland, it is like a ghost wall. Without road signs and compasses, it is difficult to find the direction to turn out. Therefore, people figuratively call it the Devil City.

Eight female explorers entered the hinterland and lost their way. They died of hunger and thirst here before they could get out. To commemorate these eight female explorers, later generations called this area Nanbaxian. Now it is not a tourist area, but a paradise for self-driving people. But the road is newly built. It is said that it is likely to become a tourist area in the future, as its landform is so unique.

On the way here, I asked why this place is called Nanbaxian. I didn't expect there is a touching story. Yadan landform, such scenery can't be seen in the south. Plus, there is no entrance fee, so it is worth a visit. The photos taken here will be particularly beautiful if the color is slightly adjusted.

Nanbaxian is a vast area, not a scenic spot, so you may accidentally pass through it without knowing it while driving. But its dense Yadan group is impressive. Compared with the grand style of Yadan Ghost City and the exquisite tenderness of Yadan on the water, the Yadan landform in Nanbaxian is wilder. This is an uninhabited area, there is no signal on the road, and there are many unfinished signal towers. Thank you to the builders who work hard in the northwest!

The reason why this place was chosen is because of a story: This is a hero's name that is admired by future generations. In 1955, the footsteps of the geological team awakened this ancient desolate land and brought it to life. Eight female geological team members from the south entered here to find oil resources, showing their youthful demeanor. Once they trudged through the maze-like wind-eroded residual hills to measure, and on the way back, the desert was covered with overwhelming yellow sand. They lost their way in this terrain called the Devil City, and the only signs were buried. Thirst and hunger attacked them. On the third day, when the team members who were looking for them found them, they were sleeping forever in this ancient wasteland. The land was born with the name of a person. In order to commemorate the eight glorious female geological team members, the place where they died was called "Southern Eight Immortals".

As a wind-eroded landform, Yadan develops on the lacustrine plain in arid areas. As the lake dries up, the clay soil shrinks and cracks. The strong wind blows along the cracks, which gradually expand and transform the originally flat ground into many irregular piers and grooves. The Qaidam Basin is the largest distribution area of Yadan landforms in China. The Yadan landforms in Lenghu are very obvious and not too severely eroded. The section that the driver took us to was Nanbaxian, where the wind erosion was not too severe. It was farther away from the Yadan area where most tourists go, and there were not many people coming here, only a few cars.

Nanbaxian is located on the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is a landform composed of a series of intermittently extending long strips of earth mounds and intermittently distributed depressions and grooves, which is called Yadan landform by geologists.



I heard that there is a most beautiful road in Nanbaxian, Qinghai.



Endless journey, majestic sand dunes, rugged wilderness, unexpectedly, we actually passed through the heaviest winds and rains in Qinghai.



The earth is unrestrained and our happiness is limitless, so let's just do whatever we want here!

Nanbaxian Yadan is the only free one among the three major Yadan landforms on the Qinghai-Gansu loop. It is located next to the sound channel S315 (old G315 road), a gift from nature!

Three major Yadans: Nanbaxian Yadan, also known as Qinghai Yadan, Water Yadan, and Dunhuang Devil City Yadan

We decided to go to Nanbaxian for a visit. Later, it turned out that our decision was a wise one, as the Yadan landform was really spectacular.

The Nanbaxian Road is actually a round trip of about 100 kilometers.

The place was named after the people, and in memory of the eight glorious female geologists, the place where they died was called "Nan Baxian". Standing in Nan Baxian, the rolling Yadan group spreads to the sky, as if walking into an alien planet.

Climb to the top of the mountain, overlooking the entire Yadan, feeling the strong wind blowing, everything is messy and unstable. The wind in the Yadan landform is really strong. People who are too light may be blown down by the wind.

It is said that it is called Yadan Nanbadan because at that time there were 8 female geological scientists who went to explore for oil resources and got lost in the desert loess. When the rescue workers looked for them, they were found to have died. In order to commemorate these eight brave female scientists, the place where they died was called "Nanbaxian".

The Yadan landform is vast and unique. It is a wind-eroded landform. "Yadang" means "a small hill with steep walls" in Uyghur.

The vast sky and earth, the unity of color, and the composition and framing method of "leaving blank space" can create different shapes, but the dim color tone feels more suitable for the artistic conception of turning all into black and white in the later stage (due to the time problem, we can only choose Nanbaxian Yadan. If we can stay in Dachaidan for one more day, we can detour to Shuishang Yadan)