Northwest

Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region travel guide

宁夏回族自治区 · 2 cities · 17 places

Helan Mountain National Forest Park — illustration

Helan Mountain National Forest Park, Yinchuan · AI illustration for China Trip

Cities and areas in Ningxia Hui

Yinchuan

Ningxia, one of the smaller provincial regions on China's map, is like a treasured jewel cradled in the arms of the motherland. The Yellow River tumbles out of the mountains of Gansu and pauses to rest here. Fertile loess lies in layered deposits, and plump carp and boundless rice paddies gave rise to the saying “the Yellow River makes Ningxia rich.” It is no wonder that nearly a thousand years ago, the once-mighty Western Xia Empire built its foundations here and expanded across a vast territory that stretched for thousands of kilometres.

Central and Southern Ningxia
Floating down the Yellow River on a traditional sheepskin raft is an experience you must not miss. Amid the rolling waters, a small raft drifts downstream, thrilling and a little hair-raising. Steep peaks and deep gorges line the banks, and as you travel downstream you pass ancient wharves, pottery-making sites, Yellow River water wheels, warlord-era villas and the picturesque countryside known as the “Southern Jiangnan of the Frontier”. The scenery changes with every bend, and there is so much to see.
6 places · 4 day itinerary

Overview

Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Islamic Culture Tour

Yinchuan City Proper

Religious Sites and Natural Scenery Tour

Chengtian Temple→Haibao Pagoda→Nanguan Mosque→Bell and Drum Towers→Nanxun Gate→Along Helan Mountain→Shahu Lake in Pingluo

Southern Route: Highlights of Ningxia Tour

108 Dagobas at Qingtongxia→Gaomiao Temple in Zhongwei→Shapotou→Tongxin Grand Mosque→Xumishan Grottoes in Guyuan→Liupan Mountain Scenic Area

Places in Ningxia Hui

Helan Mountain National Forest Park

Yinchuan · 2–3 hours

About 50 km west of Yinchuan lie the Helan Mountains, which run northeast to southwest. The range forms a boundary: Inner Mongolia lies to the west and Ningxia to the east. It stretches more than 200 km, 15–60 km wide, with its main peak, Aobao Gedaa, rising to 3,556 m, over 2,000 m above the Yinchuan Plain. The standard route includes the Western Xia Imperial Tombs, Helankou Rock Art, Suyukou Scenic Area and Zhenbeibu Western Film Studio. Because these sights all lie along the Helan Mountain corridor west of Yinchuan, they are usually combined into a basic full-day chartered-car itinerary and are a highlight of Yinchuan tourism. Helankou is one of the routes into the mountains for climbing the main peak. Locals say that deep in the mountains beyond this pass, rock carvings lie scattered. Within an area of 0.38 square kilometers there are hundreds of primitive petroglyphs; some look fierce, others strange and amusing, and their dates of carving still cannot be determined. The most representative is the Sun God figure on the mid-slope to the north.

Shapotou Scenic Area

Central and Southern Ningxia

One of Ningxia's most famous scenic areas, where the Yellow River and the Tengger Desert come together to create this stunning landscape. Shapotou Scenic Area is known above all for its desert adventures and Yellow River rafting. Sand sliding, camel riding and crossing the river on a hutuo (sheepskin raft) are all must-do activities. The area has two sections. One is Shapotou itself, famous for sand sliding, zip-lining across the Yellow River and sheepskin raft rides; climb the sand dune for a view of the Yellow River, desert and green oases all side by side. The other is the Tengger Desert Botanical Garden, where riding a camel or trekking across the dunes is most thrilling. In 2013, Shapotou was the filming location for the second episode of 'Dad, Where Are We Going?'.

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