[Dunhuang, Yueyangquan] Is there anyone who rides a camel when it's minus 15 degrees?

　Dunhuang World Geopark, Moonflower Spring, has been a desert oasis for over 2000 years, and the water has never dried up, making it a place of healing for many travelers. I had planned to go there in September and October to be healed, but both were postponed due to the effects of COVID-19. I made my third attempt at the end of January, knowing that it would be a bit of a stretch, but it was the coldest time of the year, so the maximum temperature was minus 15 degrees, and I was healed by the snowy scenery.
　Camel tours are a staple of the desert, but is it okay to do them in such cold weather? Maybe they don't even do them in the first place?
　Don't worry, camel tours are open as usual, 100 NTD per person, and groups of five camels are tied to a rope, with the guide at the front holding the reins. The camels were very docile (are Bactrian camels docile?) and I was able to ride with peace of mind. The only times they shook a lot were when they stood up and sat down. After that, I was swayed to the camel's pace and walked 4km round trip to the middle of the sand dune for about 30 minutes. Your guide will take photos for you along the way, for 20 RMB per person.
Afterwards, we visited Yueyang Spring, which was completely frozen (which is to be expected at -15 degrees). The building itself is recent but has a lot of charm, and the ridge of the sand dune next to the spring is very beautiful.
There was a slightly higher sand dune on the other side, so we decided to climb it, but as it is a sand mountain, for every step forward you also have half a step back, so it was quite difficult to climb. We were quite tired, but the view from the top was exceptional, so it was definitely worth the climb.
Even if you arrive on an evening flight, Dunhuang is in the western region, so the sun sets about two hours later than in Beijing, Shanghai, etc., so you can enjoy sightseeing until late into the night.
16km 30 minutes from Dunhuang Airport, 6km 15 minutes from the city
(I thought it would be quite far from the city when I heard it was a "desert", but we arrived quickly)

Visit date: January 26, 2023
Time spent: 16:00-18:30
(Because it is in the Western Regions, the sun sets about 2 hours later)

#Dunhuang #Sand dunes #Desert #Yueyaquan #Global Geopark #Dunhuang #Camel #Camel ride #Snow scenery #Oasis #Silk road

Post by kuuusuke | Feb 22, 2023