Helan Mountain National Forest Park
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.…
Helan Mountain National Forest Park, Yinchuan · AI illustration for China Trip
Key facts
- Admission
- ¥80 (admission plus round-trip shuttle bus)
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Getting there
- Yinchuan Bus Station runs buses toward Helan Mountain. Alternatively, take Tour Bus Route 2 and get off at Helan Mountain Rock Art (贺兰山岩画).
- Guidebook rating
- 5 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 798. Open in Google Maps
About Helan Mountain National Forest Park
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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Helan Mountain National Forest Park cost?
Admission to Helan Mountain National Forest Park is ¥80 (admission plus round-trip shuttle bus), as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
How do I get to Helan Mountain National Forest Park?
Yinchuan Bus Station runs buses toward Helan Mountain. Alternatively, take Tour Bus Route 2 and get off at Helan Mountain Rock Art (贺兰山岩画).
How long should I spend at Helan Mountain National Forest Park?
Plan on 2–3 hours for Helan Mountain National Forest Park.
Where is Helan Mountain National Forest Park?
Helan Mountain National Forest Park is in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, in the Northwest of China.
More places in Yinchuan
Shuidonggou Archaeological Site
One of the richest Late Paleolithic sites discovered in China to date. Excavations show that humans were living here as early as over 30,000 years ago. Within the scenic area are two lakes, Hongshan Lake and Yuanyang Lake, both of which let visitors boat past the Great Wall. According to Ningxia cultural relics and archaeology experts, the site is a garrison fortress of the Ming Great Wall, and it is the most intact three-dimensional military defense complex of the ancient Great Wall discovered in Ningxia.
¥60 · 3–4 days
Western Xia Imperial Tombs National Archaeological Site Park
Known as the “Pyramids of the East,” the site sits on the eastern foot of the Helan Mountains on Yinchuan's western outskirts and is the burial ground of the emperors of the Western Xia dynasty. The necropolis measures 10 km north to south and 4 km east to west, and contains nine imperial mausoleums and more than 140 tombs of princes and officials with sacrificial burials. The surviving mausoleum platforms stand more than 20 m tall, huge earthen-yellow structures shaped like steamed buns (窝头). Tomb passages more than 40 m long dive underground like a dragon's spine. Mongol troops burned the timber eaves atop the platforms, and the passage of time has buried the tomb roads. All that remains are solitary mounds scattered across the vast land, quietly desolate at the foot of the Helan Mountains.
¥68; round-trip shuttle bus ¥20 · 2–4 hours
Zhenbeibu Western Film Studio
Zhenbeibu Western Film Studio is just 2 km from Huaxia Zhenqi Art City (华夏珍奇艺术城). It was originally an abandoned Ming-dynasty fortress in the western desert, and the surrounding area is rich in scenic and historic sites. The studio has hosted the filming of nearly 100 film and TV productions, including *Red Sorghum*, *Ashes of Time*, *A Chinese Odyssey* and *New Dragon Gate Inn*. It enjoys the reputation of being “where Chinese cinema went out into the world.”
¥80 · 3–4 hours
Shahu Lake, Ningxia
Shahu Lake lies 56 km north of Yinchuan. Covering 7.32 square kilometers, it is Ningxia's largest freshwater lake, roughly one and a half times the size of West Lake. Shahu is one of China's 35 flagship attractions, with well-equipped facilities for sand sliding, water slides, all kinds of pleasure boats and speedboats, and bathing. You can first take a boat out to the sandbar to play, then catch any boat heading back to the main gate. If you're in the mood, you can also camp and barbecue here; on a moonlit night, the blue-green waters around the sandbar are something special. Shahu is also rich in fish, and the aquarium on the south shore displays dozens of rare species. Around the western side of the lake you'll find sand sliding, camel and horse riding, swimming, fishing, paragliding, beach volleyball and football, as well as scenic sightseeing flights.
¥150 for admission plus speedboat ride · 1 day
Mingcui Lake National Wetland Park
Mingcui Lake is one of the best-preserved natural wetland reserves in Ningxia and is celebrated as one of China's Six Most Beautiful Wetland Parks. It is a scenic area that combines science education, leisure and holidays, water and land adventure activities, health and wellness, wild angling, winter skiing and wedding photography.
¥40 in peak season, ¥20 in off-season · 2–3 hours
Nanguan Grand Mosque
First built in the late Ming dynasty, the present Nanguan Grand Mosque was rebuilt in 1981. It features Arabic-style architecture and is one of the larger mosques in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The main prayer hall can accommodate 1,300 worshippers at once. To promote Islamic culture, the mosque is open to the public.
Free