Chinatodo
At 7am on Mingsha Mountain, the sand whispers underfoot, your footprints the only marks on the dunes. Mogao Cave guides linger an extra ten minutes, letting you trace the fluttering ribbons of celestial apsaras. By noon at Yang Pass, the wind drowns all other voices - standing beside the beacon tower, you suddenly understand that ancient lament of "no old friends beyond the frontier". Reeds by Crescent Spring turn gold in afternoon light, camel caravans cresting dunes so slowly their bells echo across emptiness. When sunset gilds the Sanwei Mountains,…
"The Northwest wind blows wild and free - no roses grow here, but damn if this place isn't romantic in its own way." Yinchuan ain't some dead wasteland. It's got that epic "lone smoke over endless desert" vibe that'll knock your socks off. Seriously, if you're looking for a trip that's anything but basic, Yinchuan's got you covered.
On the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains, amidst the vast Gobi Desert, stands an astonishing complex of pyramid-like mausoleums—known as the "Eastern Pyramids." These are the enigmatic Western Xia Tombs, remnants of a lost kingdom shrouded in mystery. In 1038 AD, a multi-ethnic empire dominated by the Tangut people, along with Han Chinese, Uyghurs, and Tibetans, rose to power here. They established the "Great Xia" dynasty (Western Xia), which flourished alongside the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties for nearly two centuries. The Western Xia developed their own unique script…