Sand dunes kissed by the sun in Alxa League Photo: Wang Yuan


There are plenty of destination options for the upcoming Golden Week holiday in October. While many will take to the beach or explore cosmopolitan museums in far-off cities, others will opt for a destination that offers rugged, breathtaking landscapes, unimaginable natural wonders, and an experience that will be remembered for years to come. For the latter group, I recommend a tour of Alxa League (Alashan Meng).

Alxa League is located in western Inner Mongolia, where "leagues" are administrative regions similar to prefecture-level cities. Alxa League has three banners (the equivalent of counties), Ejin Banner (Eji'na Qi), Alxa Left Banner (Alashan Zuo Qi) and Alxa Right Banner (Alashan You Qi), which are famous for magnificent deserts, such as the Gobi Desert.

The term "banner" evokes for me the image of an ancient Mongolian warrior tribe planting a flag to stake their claim on the land.

Today, the nomadic way of life that was once emblematic of Mongolian culture is becoming more rare, but the tourism industry in the area is growing, owing to the region's spectacular natural wonders.

Setting out on the road

Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, is a large city adjacent to Alxa, making it the ideal spot for tourists to begin their journey to this Inner Mongolian destination.

The autumn months of September and October are the most ideal time to travel to this area, as temperatures are pleasant, and the region's many Populus euphratica, a type of poplar tree specific to the region, turn a beautiful gold during the fall.

Given its vast geographic expanse, driving is the best way to tour Alxa. Because of the region's rugged terrain, renting an SUV is recommended as sedans and sports cars cannot stand up to the deserts that need to be traversed. Finding a car rental operation that provides SUVs in Alxa is nearly impossible, so it's best to rent one in Yinchuan. During China's upcoming National Day holiday, SUV demand is expected to be high, so be sure to book one in advance.

Most tourists choose to go straight to Ejin Banner, where they can explore one of the world's three remaining Populus euphratica forest reserves. But during the Golden Week, especially over the first few days, Ejin Banner is expected to be crowded with tourists. Visiting Alxa Left Banner first and taking Ejin Banner as your final destination could help prevent your vacation from being overrun by fellow tourists.

After I pulled out of downtown Yinchuan and made my way down the highway to Alxa Left Banner, the scenery on both sides of the road soon turned from green fields into desert. From Yinchuan, Alxa Left Banner is the nearest of Alxa League's three banners, and within two hours I had arrived at Bayanhot Town, the capital of Alxa League and the home base of my tour of this banner.

A night at the lake

China's fourth-largest desert, the Tengger Desert, is situated nearby. Hundreds of large and small lakes dot the massive desert, making for awe-inspiring vistas and surreal landscapes. The most famous lake in the Tengger, which means "sky" in Mongolian, is Moon Lake, about 60 kilometers away from Bayanhot Town. Tourism facilities surrounding the lake are quite sophisticated, and nearly all overnight accommodations are villas that can easily cost you 1,000 yuan ($158) per night.

 Shocked by such high prices, I sought alternative lake destinations that welcomed tourists. Swan Lake caught my attention as a low-budget option that boasted a pristine environment. It is located about 30 kilometers from Bayanhot Town, and lies roughly 13 kilometers inside the desert. As driving through the desert may be a bit of a challenge for most motorists, another option is to park your car in the service area at the edge of the desert and take a tour bus to the lake.

For those like me who crave a more rugged experience, the service area also has four-wheelers for rent. As soon as I saw these, I knew I had to go for this option, and I was not disappointed. While it was easy to get the spacious ride up to a good speed, it was a little challenging to climb up some of the bigger sand dunes. But don't worry, even rollovers can't really hurt you; the four-wheeler was not heavy, and the sand was soft.

Riders can avoid getting lost by simply following the tracks left behind by other vehicles. It was a very stimulating experience. Though the sun was beating down, it was worth it to fly across the endless desert so freely. After about a half hour of riding - if you do not roll over too much - the shining Swan Lake comes into view.

 There is only one house, simple and humble, beside the lake. The couple that lives there provides water and food to visitors, and they offer their guest room for 30 yuan per night. While their hospitality was tempting, I chose to get the most out of my surroundings by pitching a tent on a sand dune overlooking the lake.

 As the golden red sun began to set, the fresh, intoxicating air blew in gentle gusts from time to time. The surface of the lake dimpled beneath the breeze and shimmered in the haze. Birds living in the swamp along the lake went silent, and previously unseen beetles emerged from the sand, leaving a trail of tiny footprints.

 A sliver of moon entered the night sky, and the Milky Way glowed, casting a deep blue against the heavens. This feeling of standing in such immense wilderness reminded me of the words of Ramakrishna, a 19th-century Indian mystic, describing such moments: "Space disappears into nothingness, time is swallowed up in eternity, and causation becomes a dream of the past… Only existence is."

 A massive deluge of mosquitoes brought me back down to earth. During the day, they hid in the marsh, while undoubtedly the cool night air energized them. They bit every inch of my skin that was uncovered, forcing me to move my tent further away from the beautiful lake. Trust me - a veil, gloves, long sleeves and pants are must for an overnight stay at the lake.

 The sunrise in the desert the next morning was breathtaking. Soft light outlined the rippled mountains of sand, giving the landscape a dramatic appearance that seemed to recall ancient times. As the birds were waking up, I set out on my return journey, taking advantage of the cool temperature. If I did not have to return the rented four-wheeler, I would have gone back to the edge of the desert on foot. This route is a classic desert trek. It's said that the fastest record for the 13-kilometer journey is 2.5 hours. Challenge the record if you like, but remember to take enough water.

Golden forest, graveyard forest

Next on my list was a visit to the Populus euphratica forests in Ejin Banner, nearly 700 kilometers away. After I passed through Alxa Right Banner, the Badain Jaran Desert came into view, telling me I had arrived in Ejin Banner. As the Populus euphratica forest reserve lay on the other side of the desert, I finished my eight-hour drive by crossing yet another sandy expanse.

If you plan a trip to Alxa League during the National Day holiday, remember that most tourists will begin to head home around October 5. Exploring the wonders of the desert first can guarantee thinner crowds during your visit to the forests. Otherwise, you may see more tourists than trees. Also, the later in the season you see the forests, the better colors they will show you, as the trees turn a deep golden hue between October 5 and 15.

Dalain Hob, the seat of Ejin Banner, serves as a good base camp for a tour of the forests that surround the town, the densest of which are along the Ejin River. Eight bridges span the river, and the areas around the Second Bridge, Fourth Bridge, and Eighth Bridge are the best places to photograph the golden forests.

The Populus euphratica is a bushy, deciduous tree whose trunk is often twisted and crooked. It usually grows in desert oases. Though it prefers wet climates, it is resistant to drought, cold, salinity, wind and sandstorms. It is said that this tree is "born to live a thousand years, remains standing a thousand years after it dies, and though it may fall, decay will not set in for a thousand years more."

Though the Ejin River boasts a stunning view of these trees in their golden autumn cycle, the Weird Forest, about 28 kilometers southwest of Dalain Hob, is the best venue for absorbing just how remarkable these trees are. This forest has a vast patch of dried, dead, yet surprisingly sturdy, trees of this species. Naked, twisted trunks look like deranged demons, making for a spooky atmosphere.

As twilight descended, the mood in the Weird Forest became strangely melancholy. However, the sadness I felt was very likely tied to the knowledge that, although beautiful, the deathly grip on these trees is purely man-made.

Decades of water mismanagement upstream from this stretch of the Ejin River has led to an unprecedented drought, extreme enough to kill the trees said to be "born to live a thousand years."

Oases in Alxa are still shrinking. The sharp contrast between the vibrant golden forests and the lifeless Weird Forest tells the story of how human activity is changing the world.

It seems that few tourists paid attention to the trees' struggles, as empty water bottles, plastic bags, and even discarded auto parts littered the ground. Next time I go to Alxa, I will focus on collecting this garbage. Will you join me?