宁夏回族自治区
Where the desert is irrigated by the Yellow River — and Western Xia tombs
Why this place
Ningxia is small and mostly desert, but the Yellow River is channelled across it, which is why it grows rice, grapes and some of the best lamb in China. It was the heartland of the Western Xia, a Tangut empire that left pyramid-like tomb mounds and its own script.
What to see
- The Western Xia tombs in the desert, and the Ningxia Museum
- Shapotou, where the Tengger dunes fall into the Yellow River
- The Helan Mountains' rock carvings, and the Xumishan Grottoes
- The Tongxin Great Mosque, and the Hui country of the plain
What to eat
- Ningxia lamb — tan sheep, widely regarded as the best in China
- Hui cooking: beef noodles, lamb and the local 'wanwan' dishes
- Ningxia wine, from the gravel plain along the river
How to plan
Three days: Yinchuan two, Zhongwei one.
Best time
May–October
HSKHSK 3
Cities 5
银川市 Yinchuan石嘴山市 Shizuishan吴忠市 Wuzhong固原市 Guyuan中卫市 Zhongwei
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