Strange Tree Forest
Located about 20 km south of Dalaihubu Town, this area was primeval forest several decades ago. Due to water shortages and other natural causes, large numbers of poplars died.…
Strange Tree Forest, Alxa
Key facts
- Admission
- Combined ticket ¥120 (covers the Strange Tree Forest, Heishui Ancient City, Datong City and Red City scenic areas)
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Getting there
- Rent a car from the town to get there
- Guidebook rating
- 4 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 1919. Open in Google Maps
About Strange Tree Forest
Located about 20 km south of Dalaihubu Town, this area was primeval forest several decades ago. Due to water shortages and other natural causes, large numbers of poplars died. Today the dead trunks lie at every angle in varied shapes, which locals call the Strange Tree Forest. It is a 'treasure hunt' destination beloved by photography enthusiasts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Strange Tree Forest cost?
Admission to Strange Tree Forest is Combined ticket ¥120 (covers the Strange Tree Forest, Heishui Ancient City, Datong City and Red City scenic areas), as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
How do I get to Strange Tree Forest?
Rent a car from the town to get there
How long should I spend at Strange Tree Forest?
Plan on 1–2 hours for Strange Tree Forest.
Where is Strange Tree Forest?
Strange Tree Forest is in Alxa, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in the North China of China. About 28 km southwest of Dalaihubu Town
More places in Alxa
Divine Tree of the Populus Euphratica Forest
This populus euphratica tree is 880 years old, stands 23 metres tall, and has a main trunk 2.07 metres in diameter, so it takes six people holding hands to encircle it. It is the 'King of the Ejina poplars'. At the end of winter and the start of spring, herders come to pay their respects before this tree, and visitors touring the poplar forest make a point of coming to see its grandeur.
¥10 · 0.5–1 hour
Badain Jaran Desert
The desert covers 47,000 square kilometres, and about 10,000 square kilometres in its northwest remain untouched by human footprints. Its elevation ranges from 1,200 to 1,700 metres, and dunes rise more than 500 metres above the surrounding terrain, earning it the nickname 'the Everest of deserts'. The Badain Jaran Desert combines the splendour of the desert with towering, steep and dramatic dunes. Its 'Five Wonders' are its peaks, singing sands, lakes, sacred springs and ancient temples.
Free admission to the scenic area; Badain Lake ticket ¥65; Badain Jaran Desert Geopark ticket ¥220 · 1–2 days
Tengger Desert
China's fourth-largest desert. "Tengger" means "sky" in Mongolian. The desert contains more than 400 lake basins and over 190 lakes. Swan Lake and Moon Lake, about 35 km apart in the heart of the desert, one large and one small, are Tengger's most outstanding pair of "sister lakes."
3–4 hours
Ejina Desert Populus Euphratica Forest
Located 20 km east of Dalaihubu Town, this site combines the edge of the Badain Jaran Desert with a populus euphratica forest. The desert, the poplars, camel caravans and the setting sun make it a paradise for photographers.
1–2 days
Heishui Ancient City (Khara-Khoto)
Heishui Ancient City, also known as Khara-Khoto, was already famous in the Western Xia and Yuan dynasties. It is one of the best-preserved ancient city ruins along the Silk Road and has long been favoured by historians and archaeologists. Marco Polo is said to have followed this route into the 'Oriental paradise', and numerous legends add an air of mystery to the site. From more than ten li (about 5 km) away, the white pagoda rising above the city walls is visible and looks like a scene from a fairyland.
2–3 hours
Juyan Lake
Juyan Lake, once a vast body of water, has dried up several times and has now partly recovered. Whether you look at the restored water or the barren land still covered by salt-alkali deposits and yellow sand, it is impossible not to reflect deeply.
¥60; sightseeing shuttle ¥15 · 1–2 days