Winter Wonderland, Migratory Bird Paradise

4 Days and 3 Nights into the "Sanctuary of Migratory Birds" on the Grasslands｜Dalinor Lake, understanding the migration of life through a silent vigil

Have you ever heard such sounds—
Morning mist still lingering over the lake,
Thousands of migratory birds take flight,
Swans calling, piercing the vast sky,
Wild geese flying in formation over the water,
As if an ancient symphony of life is playing between heaven and earth?

This is not a scene from "Animal World,"
This is a miracle that truly unfolds every spring and autumn at Dalinor Lake.
One of the most important migratory bird stopovers in northern China,
The second largest lake in Inner Mongolia,
Yet as low-key as a sapphire forgotten by the grasslands.

Here, there are no noisy crowds of tourists,
Only the whispers of wind, lake water, birds, and millennia-old rock paintings.
A trip to Dalinor
Is not about checking off a spot,
But about witnessing how life crosses thousands of mountains and rivers to return where it belongs.

"Dalinor Lake · Spring and Autumn Migratory Bird Protection Line"
📍 Meet at Jingpeng Town → Salausu Birdwatching Platform → Leisurely walk around Dalinor Lake → Explore Zhizi Mountain Rock Paintings → Observe Huazi Fish Migration Channel → Return
📅 4 days 3 nights｜⏰ Early May (spring migration + fish run) / Late September to early October (autumn migration)｜💰 Around 3600-5000 RMB per person (includes ecological guide + photography guidance)
🎯 Theme: No rushing, just watching; not disturbing, just listening

Why is this called "China’s Most Underrated Ecological Secret"?

Because it hides its natural wonders so deeply,
So deeply that even many Inner Mongolians have never truly understood it.

🦢 Day 2: Dalinor Lake · Migratory Bird Transit Station, The Library of the Sky
This plateau saline lake, covering about 238 square kilometers,
Is a key node on the East Asia–Australasia migratory bird route.

✅ Spring (April-May):
▫️ Tens of thousands of hooded cranes, swans, bar-headed geese, and ruddy shelducks stop here to rest and refuel
▫️ Stay overnight in an ecological lakeside cabin, depart at dawn to witness the moment when flocks take flight

✅ Autumn (September-October):
▫️ Wild geese return south, egrets gather, raptors circle the sky
▫️ In the lakeside reed beds, photographers find their dream silhouette compositions

A birdwatcher said: "I have seen the vastness of Poyang Lake, but the tranquility of Dalinor made me hear the homesickness in the birds’ calls."

🐟 Huazi Fish Migration · The "Life’s Upstream Journey" of the Grassland Lake
Every year from mid-May to early June,
A unique fish species found only here—the Wazi Yarrow fish (commonly called "Huazi Fish"),
Swims upstream from the lake into the inflowing rivers to spawn,
Covering just a few hundred meters, leaping over rocky ledges and avoiding water birds in a life-or-death struggle.

✔️ Observation points set at Haolai River and tributaries of Gongger River
✔️ Fish schools dense like a black tide, vigorously jumping over shallows
✔️ Guide explains: "They return to their birthplace only once in their lifetime, much like humans’ longing for home"

A netizen posted a video and commented:
"I thought only salmon migrated, but I didn’t expect such a heroic life ritual deep in China’s grasslands."

⛰️ Zhizi Mountain Rock Paintings · Human Gazes from Three Thousand Years Ago
Located on the northeast shore of the lake,
Nearly a hundred rock paintings from the Neolithic to Bronze Age are scattered here:
▫️ Horseback hunting, sun totems, mountain goats, vehicle patterns…
▫️ Carved by primitive tribes with stone tools, still clearly visible today

The leader said: "These paintings are not art, but letters from ancient people to the future—we once lived here, gazing at the same sky."

📸 Leisurely Walk Around the Lake · Not Visiting Attractions, But Embracing the Mood
We give up the bus tour around the lake and instead:
🔸 Combine off-road vehicles and hiking to explore non-tourist areas
🔸 Recommended photo spots:
West Gate Sunset: golden lake surface, silhouettes of birds returning to roost
South Shore Salt Marsh Reflection: mirror-like after rain, reflecting clouds and sky
East Shore Reed Maze: hiding waterbird nests, quiet and mysterious

Even more moving are those moments "only silence can reveal":

👉 At the morning birdwatching platform, a child softly asks their mother: "Aren’t they tired? Flying so far."
👉 At the foot of Zhizi Mountain, an elder gently touches the rock paintings and whispers: "People from three thousand years ago must have stood here watching the stars too."
👉 At the Huazi Fish migration point, a young person squatted watching for two hours, finally saying: "Persistence isn’t always about winning."

A netizen wrote:
"I was anxious about the meaning of ‘996’ in the city, but at Dalinor I understood—
Some journeys themselves are the answer."

Stop saying "It’s just an ordinary lake" or "Nothing special to see"

The truth is—
✅ We insist on small groups (max 6 people) + eco-friendly visits to avoid disturbing birds
✅ Provide professional binoculars + bird identification guides + photography coaching so you can see clearly, shoot well, and understand
✅ Arrange local herder guides + environmental education to learn about ecological challenges facing the lake (water level decline, grassland degradation)

And—
🔸 Accommodation is carefully selected lakeside eco-lodges or boutique hotels in Keshiketeng Banner, clean and comfortable
🔸 Full 4WD transfers, suitable for grassland dirt roads
🔸 Optional stargazing photography: the highland lake has no light pollution, the Milky Way reflects like a dream

For less than 5,000 RMB, you can witness a life spectacle crossing species,
This is not just travel; it’s a silent lesson for a restless era.

So, if you want to:
See a truly pristine migratory bird migration
Understand why a fish must "swim upstream"
Find a peaceful route perfect for family nature education, deep photography, and spiritual healing

I want to say:
Go to Dalinor Lake.
No need to wait until retirement, come this spring or autumn,
Stand by the lake, close your eyes,
Hear the wind through the reeds,
Hear bird calls breaking the morning mist,
Hear that little fish splashing in the shallow water, creating a huge echo.

You will finally understand—
Freedom is not going wherever you want,
But choosing to set out despite knowing the road ahead is hard.

Just like the girl who wrote in her diary at the migration point:
"I’m not here for the spectacle, I’m here to learn—
About courage, about homecoming, about the instinct to never give up."

This season, entrust yourself to Dalinor.
Let the lake wash away the noise, let the birds awaken memories,
Let that fish swimming upstream tell you:
You are never alone,
The whole natural world is cheering for you.