6-Days Helan Mountain & Desert Off-Road Tour
It all begins with an idea.
Day 1: First Encounter with Yinchuan, Savoring the Mellow Vibe of Helan Mountain
• Core Arrangements: Upon arrival in Yinchuan, check in at the hotel and change into elegant outfits. In the evening, head to a restaurant hidden in the ancient town, enjoy a landmark local-style dinner in the evening breeze, and taste the unique flavors of the eastern foot of Helan Mountain.
Day 2: Helan Mountain Rock Carvings & Silver Heights Winery
• Morning Itinerary: After breakfast, take a bus to Helan Mountain Rock Carvings with a dedicated VIP guide. Visit the rock carvings that record human life scenes such as herding, hunting, sacrificing, and dancing from ten thousand years ago, and experience the cultural charm of "Time is silent, but stones can speak".
• Afternoon Itinerary: After lunch, go to Silver Heights Winery to learn about the entire process from land cultivation to brewing world-renowned wines. If it happens to be the harvest season, you can watch the busy scenes of the winery staff and appreciate the hardships and interests behind winemaking.
• Accommodation Arrangement: Stay at Anmo Winery at Helan Mountain overnight, sleeping near the Jinshan Reclining Buddha.
Mountain Rock Carvings
Day 3: Western Xia Imperial Tombs, Hooke Trail
• Morning Itinerary: After breakfast, take a bus to the Western Xia Imperial Tombs to explore the mysterious and lost history of the Western Xia Dynasty. Learn about its unique architectural style that integrates elements of the Han nationality, Dangxiang nationality, and Buddhism (composed of tomb chambers, tomb passages, above-ground buildings, and mausoleums), and feel its historical, cultural, and artistic value as a symbol of the integration of China's diverse cultures.
• Afternoon Itinerary: After lunch, drive to Hooke Trail (Hooke Off-Road Sports Park) in Helan Mountain. Covering an area of 100 square kilometers, the park is characterized by Tuanshi Gorge and has the remains of the Han Dynasty Great Wall, Ming Dynasty Great Wall, and beacon towers. It is a venue integrating various outdoor sports such as 4x4 rock climbing, hiking, and trail running, and is known as one of the world's three major off-road sacred places together with Rubicon Trail and Moab in the United States.
• Featured Experience: You can enjoy off-road-related fun, experience the precipitous mountains and desolate natural scenery, and learn about its background as a filming location for many movies.
Crossing Desert
Day 4: Desert Off-Road, Desert Stargazing
• Morning Itinerary: After breakfast, depart from Yinchuan and head to Zuoqi to experience the three-lake crossing in the Tengger Desert. Take an off-road vehicle to cross the sea of sand and explore the colorful lakes formed by the convergence of snowmelt from Qilian Mountains and rainwater from Helan Mountain. These lakes, rich in minerals, attract halophilic bacteria, brine shrimp, and Dunaliella salina. Under the action of light and heat, these ancient organisms show brilliant colors, forming beautiful lakes in the desert.
• Evening & Accommodation: In the evening, go to Zhongwei Desert Star Hotel, enjoy the vast sea of stars in the golden desert, and stay at the hotel overnight.
Day 5: Desert Hiking, Staying by the Yellow River
• Morning Itinerary: In the early morning, hike 3 kilometers in the Tengger Desert, and then experience the sheepskin rafting and sand sliding at the Yellow River Homestay.
• Afternoon Itinerary: After lunch, go to the Yellow River Residence Cluster (China's most beautiful homestay cluster). Experience the characteristics of this ancient village nestled in the bend of the Yellow River, which integrates Chinese village civilization and natural aesthetics, and enjoy the rural romance and comfort brought by the courtyards with northwest architectural style.
• Evening Arrangement: In the evening, enjoy a sumptuous whole roasted lamb dinner, review the pleasant moments during the trip, and stay at the accommodation by the Yellow River overnight.
Day 6: Hiking the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, Return Journey
• Morning Itinerary: In the early morning, admire the beautiful scenery of the Yellow River shimmering under the morning sun and reeds swaying in the wind. After breakfast, put on comfortable shoes to hike the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, climb the beacon tower to enjoy the magnificent scene of the Yellow River winding northward, and then spend a leisurely time at the Yellow River Residence Cluster.
Final Arrangement: Conclude the trip and return to your warm home.
