Ningxia

Ningxia, officially the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region in Northwestern China. Formerly a province, Ningxia was incorporated into Gansu in 1954 but was later separated from Gansu in 1958 and reconstituted as an autonomous region for the Hui people, one of the 56 officially recognised nationalities of China. Twenty percent of China's Hui population lives in Ningxia. Ningxia is bounded by Shaanxi to the east, Gansu to the south and west and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north and has an area of around 66,400 square kilometres (25,600 sq mi). This sparsely settled, mostly desert region lies partially on the Loess Plateau and in the vast plain of the Yellow River and features the Great Wall of China along its northeastern boundary. Over about 2000 years, an extensive system of canals (with a total length of approximately 1397 kilometers) has been built from Qin dynasty. Extensive land reclamation and irrigation projects have made increased cultivation possible. The arid region of Xihaigu, which covers large parts of the province, suffers from severe water shortage, which the canals were intended to alleviate. Ningxia was the core area of the Western Xia in the 11th–13th centuries, established by the Tangut people; its name, "Peaceful Xia", derived from the Mongol conquest of the state. The Tanguts made significant achievements in literature, art, music, and architecture, and in particular, invented Tangut script. Long one of the country's poorest areas, a small winemaking industry has become economically important since the 1980s. Before the arrival of viticulture, Ningxia's 6.8 million people, 36 per cent of whom are Muslims from the Hui ethnic group, relied largely on animal grazing, subsistence agriculture and the cultivation of wolfberries used in traditional Chinese medicine. Since then, winemaking has become the premier specialty of Ningxia, and the province devotes almost 40,000 hectares to vineyards and producing 120 million bottles of wine in 2017 – a quarter of the entire nation's production.

One-Day Ningxia Tour Itinerary Recommendations

Theme:

Beyond the Great Wall + Western Xia Mysteries + Hui Culture

Suitable for:

Short trips to Yinchuan/Zhongwei/Wuzhong, optimal with chartered car/high-speed rail + taxi

Practical Tips

Seasonal Highlights:

Desert best Apr-Oct | Snow-covered mausoleums in winter

Ticket Prices:

Western Xia Mausoleums ¥68 | Shapotou ¥80 | Yellow River Tower ¥60

Must-Try Flavors:

Yinchuan: Lamb offal soup, hand-pulled noodles

Zhongwei: Wormwood noodles, stir-fried lagman

Wuzhong: Du Yousu lamb offal, boiled chicken

Optimization Tips:

Yinchuan alternative: Shuidonggou prehistoric site

Desert electronics need waterproof cases

Wuzhong combo: Qingtongxia Gorge (requires 2 days)

(Note: Compact attractions - high-speed rail + taxi recommended)

Option 1:

Yinchuan Historical Exploration

Best for:

Culture lovers, families

Transport:

City bus + tourist shuttle

08:00-10:00 Western Xia Mausoleums

"Oriental Pyramids" | 3D movie "Western Xia Romance"

10:30-12:30 China Western Film Studio

"A Chinese Odyssey" filming site | Rent Zixia fairy costumes

12:30-14:00 Helan Mountain Cuisine

Guoqiang Hand-Grabbed Lamb (ribs + eight-treasure tea)

14:30-17:00 Helan Mountain Rock Art

Sun God petroglyphs | Han Meilin Art Museum

18:00 Huaiyuan Night Market

Spicy hot pot + imperial crispy beef pies | Buy goji berries

Option 2:

Zhongwei Desert Adventure

Best for:

Thrill-seekers, young travelers

Transport:

1-hour high-speed rail from Yinchuan + chartered car

07:00-09:30 Shapotou Scenic Area

Yellow River zipline + sheepskin raft | Wangwei Viewpoint photos

10:00-12:00 Tengger Desert Camp

Camel trekking + dune buggy rides

12:30-14:00 Desert BBQ

Sand onion omelet + Yellow River carp (under starry tents)

14:30-17:00 Route 66 Scenic Drive

China's "Route 66" for western-style photos

18:00 Desert Glamping

Bonfire party + Milky Way viewing

Option 3:

Wuzhong Food & Culture

Best for:

Foodies, ethnic experience seekers

Transport:

20-min high-speed rail from Yinchuan + taxi

08:00-10:00 Dong Mansion

Late Qing architecture | "Ningxia's First Mansion"

10:30-12:30 Yellow River Tower

Panoramic river views | VR cultural experience

12:30-14:00 Halal Brunch

Xiangdingding Tea House (beef noodles + eight-treasure tea + fried bread)

14:30-17:00 Dongta Muslim Village

Hui family visit | Learn to make youxiang (fried cakes)

18:00 Guangyao Food Street

Hand-grabbed lamb + Hui-style stewed snacks | Traditional sugar cakes