Inner Mongolia Dahongshan Pitfall Avoidance Guide｜Personally Tested and Painstakingly Compiled, with Divine Photo Spots

Ladies! I just came back from "surviving" Dahongshan and wrote this guide overnight! 💔 After an 8-hour self-drive that almost cost me my life on the Gobi Desert, I put together this life-saving pitfall avoidance guide. I recommend saving it before you go!

1. Navigation Trap: Don’t trust navigation to directly search for Dahongshan!

🚗 Real operation:

- First, navigate to "Naomugeng Sumu" (Naomugeng Township, Siziwang Banner, Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia). After arriving at the township, open the Aowei Interactive Map and enter the coordinates (42.5°N, 112.3°E), then follow the tire tracks.
- Key point! ⚠️ Turn right when you see the utility pole labeled "B-27"—this is the crucial intersection! (I circled here three times before realizing it.)
- Use offline maps when there’s no phone signal; download Gaode/Baidu map packages in advance.

2. Photo Pitfalls: All the popular photo spots are traps!

📸 Correct approach:

1. Never go to the cliff edge! There was a fatal landslide last year, and now it’s fenced off with wire mesh.
2. Recommended two divine photo spots:
- Summit platform: 360° panoramic shots with no blind spots; wearing a white dress for backlit silhouettes is amazing!
- East side of the cliff: shoot the sunset after 5 PM; the mountain glows red like flowing lava. Use a wide-angle lens to capture the "Earth’s lifeblood" masterpiece.
3. Outfit suggestions: bright-colored windbreakers/long skirts (red, orange, yellow are best), wear a wide-brimmed hat for sun protection and great photos.

3. Supplies Trap: You can really starve on the Gobi Desert!

🛒 Must-bring list:

- Food: self-heating rice, bread, chocolate (at least enough for 3 days)
- Water: 2L per person per day; water loss is rapid under summer sun
- Fuel: fill up in Siziwang Banner; no gas stations in the Gobi!
- Cash: cash is needed for buying mutton from herders and horse riding; poor signal means QR code payments often fail.

4. Accommodation Trap: Don’t stay in tents! Don’t stay in tents!

🏨 Accommodation suggestions:

- First choice: Siziwang Banner county town: Grassland Pearl Hotel (standard room 180 RMB/night, breakfast included)
- Second choice: Naomugeng Sumu herders’ homes: contact by phone in advance (138xxxx5678), Mongolian yurt 80 RMB/person, can experience milking cows
- Camping caution: July daytime temperatures exceed 30°C, but nights drop sharply to 10°C. News of tents being blown away by level 6 winds is no joke.

5. Road Condition Trap: Don’t force a sedan through!

🚙 Vehicle choice:

- Must be a 4WD SUV!!! The last 20 km is gravel and sand; sedans will scrape their chassis to tears.
- Stuck vehicle rescue: contact Naomugeng Sumu herders, 200-300 RMB per rescue; don’t dig sand yourself.

6. Hidden Easter Eggs: Filming location for "Goodbye Lover 4"!

🌟 Real Easter eggs:

1. On the west side of the mountain is a "Mars Base" ruin, with rusty iron gates and red rock layers—perfect for sci-fi shots!
2. On the way, visit Ulan Lake (Earth’s Heart); the water is as red as a heart, drone shots are stunning!
3. On the return trip, stop by a herder’s home, spend 150 RMB to buy a freshly slaughtered lamb, have the owner roast a whole lamb—half the price of scenic area restaurants!

7. Ultimate Life-Saving Guide:

⚠️ Must-read reminders:

- Bring a satellite phone! Mobile/Telecom signals are intermittent; it can save your life if you encounter wild wolves or get stuck.
- Don’t touch the rocks! Dahongshan is a geological protection zone; fines start at 5,000 RMB for digging stones.
- Don’t provoke wildlife: keep 50 meters distance when wild sheep pass by, don’t feed them!

Suggested itinerary (2 days 1 night):

Day 1:
06:00 Depart Beijing → Siziwang Banner (6-hour drive)
12:00 Lunch: Siziwang Banner Mongolian restaurant (must order hand-grabbed meat)
14:00 Buy supplies + fill up fuel
15:30 Depart for Dahongshan (2.5-hour drive)
18:00 Sunset shooting at the summit
20:00 Return to Siziwang Banner for accommodation

Day 2:
06:00 Early rise for sunrise shooting
09:00 Explore Mars ruins
12:00 Return → Ulan Lake (1-hour drive)
15:00 Return to Beijing

One last word: Dahongshan is really worth visiting! But you must prepare well! Check the weather 3 days before departure; never go after heavy rain! Save this guide and wish you take photos that blow up your social media! ❤️