Day 1 Anywhere → or → Yinchuan ★ Meeting day in Yinchuan
All day
Go to the meeting hotel by yourself and report "China-TravelNote+name" to check in (a text message will be sent 3 days before the trip, please check it).
Today, all tourists will come from all over the country to Yinchuan, the ancient capital of Western Xia. They can choose the mode of transportation according to their own wishes and rest in the hotel after arrival. If they have time, they can also choose to visit the city of Yinchuan.
Recommended places to visit: Ningxia Museum, Chengtian Temple Pagoda, Drum Tower, Jade Emperor Pavilion, Haibao Pagoda, Phoenix Monument, Zhenbeibao Western Film City, etc.
Recommended dishes: mutton offal, ramen, hand-pulled lamb, spicy lamb, stir-fried meat, and red fruit spicy porridge.
The rings of history and diverse cultures have accumulated here, and various civilizations have blended together here. The strong Hui hometown customs, the majestic desert scenery, the beautiful water color of the frontier, the ancient Yellow River civilization, and the mysterious Xixia culture have built colorful Yinchuan.
Day 2 Yinchuan → Western Xia Tombs → → Tengger Five Lakes → Alxa Left Banner
·morning
After breakfast today, we'll head to the Western Xia Tombs to explore this mysterious period of history. The Western Xia territory stretched from the Yellow River in the east to Yumen in the west, bordered by Xiaoguan Pass in the south, and controlled the desert in the north, spanning over 10,000 miles. It was described as "occupying one-third of the empire and dominating the northwest for two hundred years." We'll enter the ruins of the Western Xia Tombs, hailed as a "mysterious wonder" and the "Pyramid of the East." This is one of the largest and most intact existing imperial mausoleums in China, incorporating the strengths of imperial tombs dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties and influenced by Buddhist architecture, resulting in a unique style of Chinese mausoleum architecture. Get up close and personal with the mysteries of Western Xia civilization, bringing this distant and mysterious kingdom to life.
·afternoon
After lunch, we will cross the Helan Mountains and enter the Tengger Desert. At the edge of the desert, we will transfer to an off-road vehicle and scuba dive into the heart of the Tengger Desert to explore five desert lakes of various colors and shapes.
Today we will be using a drone for our desert crossing! (In case of rain, aerial photography may not be possible).
[Tengger Desert Five Lakes]: Pass by the pink heart of the desert, Wulan Lake, Zhangjia Lake (Hailiuqi Lake), Luotuo Lake, Jita Lake, and Danhuang Lake. Enjoy a feast of lakes in a variety of oases in the desert.
We stayed in Alxa Left Banner at night.
Special reminder: The off-road vehicle used to cross the desert in the Tengger Five Lakes is quite exciting;
Day 3 Alxa Left Banner → Heicheng Ruoshui Poplar Scenic Area (Strange Forest) → Ejin Banner
All day
After breakfast, we'll travel west across the desert highway to Ejin Banner. In the afternoon, we'll enter the Heicheng Ruoshui Poplar Scenic Area. We'll explore the ancient city of Heishui and admire the magnificent natural scenery along the Ruoshui River, including the Ruoshui River itself. Next, we'll journey to the Strange Forest to watch the sunset and discover fascinating sights such as the Eagle Spreads its Wings and the Strange Shadow Forest. Within the Strange Forest, a collection of dead yet immortal poplar trees, their fangs and claws bared in the sunset, creating a bizarre and heartbreaking scene. After our enjoyable visit, we'll transfer to Dalaihub Town, the capital of Ejin Banner, for overnight stay.
Day 4 Ejina Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Area
All day
After breakfast, we'll enter the Ejina Populus euphratica Forest, China's most beautiful poplar forest. From Erdao Bridge to Badao Bridge, we'll admire the magnificent golden poplars and capture their myriad forms. The poplars, known for their ability to "live for a thousand years, stand for a thousand years after death, and remain undying for a thousand years after falling," will spend the day wandering through the Ejina Populus euphratica forest, marveling at the miracle of life. We'll also have a chance to experience Badao Bridge and the Badain Jaran Desert. After enjoying the Ejina Populus euphratica forest, we'll return to our hotel for the day.
Day 5 Ejin Banner → Juyan Lake → Western Fantasy Grand Canyon → Aolunbulage Town/Dengkou County
All day
Get up early this day and drive to Juyan Lake to admire the sunrise and the surrounding reed marshes. The sunlight casts a golden hue on the reeds, making them perfect for backlit portraits. A must-see for beauty-conscious tourists.
Then we reluctantly said goodbye to Ejina Banner and headed east along the Beijing-Xinjiang Expressway G7. This is a highway that crosses the desert, driving across the desolate northwest. In autumn, the scenery in the frontier is unique.
In the afternoon, we arrived at the Western Fantasy Grand Canyon, known by herders as the "Seven-Colored Sacred Mountain." Its vibrant colors, red, yellow, gray, and white, shimmer like a seven-colored Hada. The canyon, composed of deep red sandstone and spanning 5 kilometers, has endured thousands of years of wind, rain, and flooding, leaving it with a magnificent and splendid landscape. The winding paths and twists, each step a different scene, a different world, feel like stepping into a dream world.
Stay in Aolunbulage Town/Dengkou County that night.
Day 6 Aolunbulage Town/Dengkou County → Wuhai Lake → Yinchuan ★ Disbandment Day in Yinchuan
All day
After breakfast, we'll depart for Wuhai Lake, located in Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia. Formed by the Haibowan Hydropower Project on the Yellow River, the lake, along with the Ulan Buh Desert and the Gander Mountains, forms the unique "Sand and Water Mountain" landscape. Half desert, half sea, the "Desert Thousand Island Lake" aptly describes this area. We'll take a speedboat deep into the heart of the desert, experiencing its vastness and mystery.
Then drive back to Yinchuan.
We first arranged to send you to the airport and then to the train station to end your pleasant trip to Yinchuan Ejina.
Tourists can travel to Lanzhou by bus and enjoy its delicious food and scenic views. There are more flights connecting Lanzhou to various destinations. Everyone can depart from Northwest China according to their flight or train schedule, concluding their enjoyable trip. We've forged deep friendships over the past few days, and it's a heartwarming goodbye with a tearful kiss! Remember to turn in your homework when you return to earn points!
Kind tips:
1. If you plan to arrive at the airport at 16:30 on the same day, it is recommended to book a flight after 18:30.
2. If you are expected to arrive at Yinchuan Station at 17:30 on the same day, it is recommended to book a train after 18:00;
