10 Days in Alxa

Yinchuan sits about two hours east over the Helan Mountains; walk the Qing-era garrison walls and the prince's mansion, then let the league museum set up the desert days ahead.

1. alxa dingyuan camp
2. alxa league museum

A 4WD transfer crosses the dune belt to the lake; walk the shoreline, climb a crest for the view and stay for the evening colors before the ride back.

1. alxa tengger moon lake

The league's largest lama temple fills a forested Helan valley — plank paths, pavilions and prayer flags, pleasantly cool even at midday.

1. alxa guangzong temple

Cross into neighboring Ningxia, where the Tengger dunes run down to the Yellow River at Shapotou; the grassland edge at Tonghu, just back inside Alxa, makes a softer second stop.

1. shapotou
2. alxa tonghu grassland

The transfer to Alxa Right Banner takes most of a day; break it at Mandela Mountain, where thousands of petroglyphs cover the dark rock faces, then overnight in banner town.

1. alxa mandela rock art

Charter a local 4WD for a full circuit of the lake-and-dune country around Bilutu, counted among the world's tallest stationary dunes; start early, the tracks are long.

1. alxa badain jaran desert

A long transfer day up to Dalaihub town — by road, or the regional hop back through Bayan Hot; with golden hour to spare, take a first walk among the river poplars.

1. alxa ejina poplar forest

The golden window runs from late September to mid-October; enter at first light and work the river bridges — fourth bridge for reflections, eighth bridge with the dunes behind.

1. alxa ejina poplar forest

The Xixia-era walls 25 km southeast fill the afternoon, and the dead grove beside them is at its most photogenic as the sun drops.

1. alxa khara khoto
2. alxa strange tree forest

Leave before dawn for the lake about 60 km north, where reed beds meet migrating waterbirds, then catch the morning bus toward Jiuquan or Jiayuguan for rail connections.

1. alxa juyan lake