阿拉善盟

Why this place

Alxa is almost all desert — the Tengger and Badain Jaran, two of China's largest — with a narrow strip of grassland and a river. It holds the tallest fixed dunes in the world, a desert poplar forest that turns gold in October, and a ruined city that the desert swallowed.

What to see

• Badain Jaran's megadunes, some 400 metres high, with lakes between them
• Ejina's desert poplar forest — golden in October, and the reason photographers come
• Khara-Khoto (Heicheng) — the Tangut city abandoned in the 1370s and half-buried in sand

What to eat

• Mongolian mutton and camel meat
• Ejina melons and desert jujubes

How to plan

Ejina in October needs booking months ahead — the poplar season is short and crowded.

Best time

Late September–October for the poplars; April–May otherwise; summer is extremely hot

Practical tips

• The desert is genuinely remote; go with a guide and a real vehicle, not a sedan