Tengger Desert

Indulge yourself in Tengger Desert! Have a picnic, go camping, ride a camel or feel its crescent desert springs! Travel tips on Tengger Desert. 

First of all, get to know Tengger Desert. It is the fourth largest desert in China, and it is located within the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and joins the border of Ningxia at Zhongwei City. 

Covering an area of 42,700 sq.km. (16,486 sq. mi.), it has rich variety of landscapes scattered in such as the lake basins, the grasslands, highland, sand dunes and plains with the area of sand accounting for 71% of its total area.

Tengger Desert is dominated by migratory dunes which usually move from east to south and take the shape of a trellis or crescent with a height of 10 – 20 m. (33 – 66 ft.), making it extremely difficult for travelers to go hiking across the desert.

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It is formed by strong wind and serious drought combined with unlimited disafforestation. Southwest wind prevails all year round in the desert with relatively small amount of rainfall and abundant sunlight.

Apart from the spectacular desert view, another feature that makes Tengger Desert so attractive is the lakes.

There are now 422 lakes of all sizes distributed in the desert with various kinds of vegetation growing there making it a natural pasture.

The most brilliant of all is the moon lake which looks very much like the map of China and the reeds growing in it serves as a natural boundary and seem to point out each provinces of the country.

What may also surprise you is that the lake is actually composed of a freshwater lake and a salty water lake containing around ten valuable trace elements. The lake has a strong capability of purifying water and and that explains why the lake doesn’t dry for hundreds of years.

Besides, the rare black sand beach which extends one kilometer long and about a hundred meter wide makes a natural bathing beach that can be compared to an international health institution which provide heathful medicated bath.

Final travel tips for you: bring your skin care products with you; wear outdoor scarf if you can as windy days in desert region can mess up your hair and cast dust into your eyes.

You are in Tenggar Desert, why not go picnicking, camping, riding a camel to experience the special desert tour or just sit down in the desert to appreciate the gorgeous sunset view.

Ticket price for it is 90 RMB (15 USD). Since Tengger Desert ends at Shapotou by the Yellow river, you can also visit the nearby Great Place to Have Fun – Shapotou.