ONCE A LITTLE-KNOWN REGION, NINGXIA IN CHINA IS FAST BECOMING ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S TOP ATTRACTIONS.
Before the departure, all that I had learned was that Ningxia was synonymous with desert dust storms, sour milk and poverty, and was only a 5th tier Hui autonomous region with hardly any tourist attraction. If there was any, it must have been the Tengger Desert where one could lie down and stare at the countless stars above.
Fortunately, Xiaohongshu offered me some clue as to what the place had to offer: You will regret it if you give Ningxia a miss!

As a trendsetter in the travel industry, Apple Vacations took the lead in opening up a cultural travel route to explore Ningxia in great depths. Although Ningxia is not a well-known holiday destination, it does have many hidden gems waiting to be discovered by adventurous travellers!
You might not be aware that there are some 1,862,500 ethnic Huis, or about 18% of China’s total, living in Ningxia. Our tour guide Wang Yan said: Of the ten Ma-surnamed residents here, nine are Huis!

As a matter of fact, the Huis and the Hans have been living peacefully here for centuries despite their many differences. Inter-marriages are pretty common here, too. While having our dinner at a Muslim restaurant in Ningxia, we could see many Han customers enjoying hand-grasped mutton here.
A city of mountains, the Yellow River, sand dunes, mausoleums and fortresses
Ningxia is known for its three mountains and one river (Helan Shan, Liupan Shan, Luo Shan, and the Yellow River); two dunes and one mausoleum (Shahu Lake, Shapotou and Western Xia Mausoleum); two fortresses and one wall (Jiangtaibao, Zhenbeibao and the Ancient Great Wall), presenting a strong cultural and unique natural vista.

The Qin Dynasty Great Wall measuring hundreds of kilometres and the site of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall lying in the wilderness have been dubbed “China’s Great Wall Museums” by historians.
Yinchuan, the city on the verge of desert
Our night flight cruised above the 2,100-year-old city of Yinchuan with its many dazzling lights and modern highrise towers. The city of Yinchuan lies a mere 15 kilometres from the desert, but thanks to the authorities’ efficient desert control efforts over the last two decades, the city has managed to free itself from perennial dust storms that could last up to 300 days a year in the past.
Notably, Yinchuan’s eight tree-lined thoroughfares crisscross the entire city, facilitating the movements of the city’s residents. On both sides of these thoroughfares are flowering shrubs, lotus ponds, wetland parks and pedestrian walkways. This definitely doesn’t look like any 5th tier city that I know! With a population of three million, the city’s streets and buildings are all spotlessly clean!
Discovering the beauty of Helan Shan
The 270-kilometre Helan Shan is one of very few north-south mountain ranges in China, with an east-west width of 20 to 60 kilometres. Oboo is the highest peak at 3,556 metres above sea level.
Helan Shan forms a natural geographical border in China’s Northwest: Alashan Plateau and Tengger Desert to its northwest, and the Yinchuan Plain and Ordos Plateau to its east. Helan Shan also forms a climatic border between monsoon and non-monsoon climates. It is surrounded by three deserts — Mu Us, Ulaanbuh and Tengger, and as such, the moist oceanic currents have very limited influence over Helan Shan, while the area is frequently affected by the Siberian cold front. As a result, Helan Shan is very dry, with distinct seasonal changes and intense sunlight throughout the year.
We rode on one of the world’s only three massive cross-country SUVs through the rough terrain to discover the hidden beauty of Helan Shan.
As a matter of fact, Helan Shan is also known for its colourful history, including the renowned Western Xia Mausoleums, rock paintings, Gunzhongkou scenic area, the Twin Pagodas of Baisikou, and Sanguankou Ancient Great Wall, among many other historical relics.

Wineries
At the eastern foothills of Helan Shan lies a vine corridor stretching over a hundred kilometres from Ganchengzi in the south to Shizuishan in the north. This is the biggest and most concentrated wine-producing area in China, with over 500,000 acres of land under grape cultivation.
There are more than 200 wineries littered around Helan Shan producing internationally acclaimed Helan Shan red wines. As a matter of fact, the soil at the eastern foothills of Helan Shan is perfect for grape cultivation.
Three decades ago, this whole area was still barren land but today, it has been transformed into a sea of green by the rapidly growing wine industry.
These wineries boast unique styles, while new wineries are being developed. Each of these wineries has its own unique wine varieties, cultures and services, offering their visitors enriched travel experiences.
Desert Star Hotel
Located in the middle of the Tengger Desert in Zhongwei City, Desert Star Hotel is the brightest shining star in an otherwise barren desert where one can even see millions of stars reflected on the water



It is not difficult to understand why Ningxia has been called the Hometown of Stars, with Tengger Desert a particularly marvellous spot for star-gazing. Desert Star Hotel in Shapotou district is a major tourist development project in Zhongwei City, and is the most luxurious desert resort in all of China.
Desert Star Hotel is located in the heart of the desert at 37° N and an altitude of 1,430 metres above sea level. The area boasts more than 300 days of clear sky every year. Owing to its remote location far from any human settlement, the area around the hotel is free from light pollution and is a perfect location for star-gazing.
More about Ningxia
For centuries Ningxia has been known as the “Jiangnan North of the Great Wall” bordering Shaanxi Province to its east, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the west and north, and Gansu Province to the south.
Ningxia is also the only Chinese provincial-level region located entirely within the Yellow River Basin that straddles 397 kilometres across Ningxia. Irrigation facilities from the dams constructed across the Yellow River have transformed the barren desert lands of Ningxia into vast grasslands dotted with lakes and farms. Because of this, travelling across Ningxia is like walking into a microcosm of China’s varied ecosystems, from sand dunes into bustling cities teeming with greenery, completely out of your wildest imagination!
As if that is not enough, Ningxia is also known for its clear blue sky, pristine rivers, and prosperous cities.
Conclusion
Generally speaking, Ningxia is often seen in the same light as desert, and what is really shocking is that in just twenty to thirty years, this minority autonomous region has been completely overhauled, to become the most sought-after holiday destination for millions of Chinese people, all because it is a perfect blend of nature and humanistic art.

