3 days and 2 nights desert tour in Zhongwei, Ningxia (lazy version guide).

In 2018, I accidentally discovered the Xipo homestay brand and fell in love with it. I followed it all the way from Qiandao Lake to Zhongwei and experienced different beautiful scenery. During the Dragon Boat Festival in 2019, I booked a three-day and two-night private customized itinerary package in Xipo Zhongwei, which cost 2,000 yuan per person, including two nights of accommodation and a local day tour. This was the first time in my history that I went out for fun without opening a taxi, map, or food app. The entire trip was clearly arranged by Xipo. 📍Location The B&B is located in Suji, a newly built area by the Yellow River. There are five B&Bs in Suji, including Dalezhiye, Nan'an, etc. Of course, I still prefer Xipo, haha. 🏡Environment Xipo is the only one of the five B&Bs that has a plank road along the Yellow River. Behind the B&B is an orchard with swings on the trees. The wooden plank road leads to the Yellow River, with reed marshes on both sides. The overall styles of the five homestays are similar. I walked around the entire park and felt that Xipo's house had the most sense of design. The outer walls were not straight and flat, but had patterns and ups and downs, much like the original earthen houses, with great attention to details. Keep walking into the park, at the end of the South Bank B&B, there is a sheep pen with many lambs in it. Sometimes they stroll outside, which is very cute. 🍽Restaurant The five B&Bs share a restaurant in the middle of the park. The restaurant sometimes has its own activities. We participated in a bonfire buffet dinner at a restaurant, 300 per person. Dinner is an outdoor buffet. When it is getting dark, a bonfire will be lit, and then everyone will be given fairy wands to set off fireworks. When it is dark, the boss will take everyone to the Yellow River to release wishing lanterns. It is very romantic. 🏜️Tengger Desert One-Day Tour We were picked up by a special driver, two people in one car, no carpooling, and taken to a camp in the Tengger Desert. After arriving in the desert, there was a special person to provide one-on-one service throughout the trip, including camel riding, sand sliding, desert surfing, and desert motorcycles. It was so much fun. In the evening when the sun is at its best, we will set up props for afternoon tea next to an artificial lake in the desert. Because of the strong wind and sand in the desert, we cannot have a real meal. The butler will give us real afternoon tea snacks before departure, which we will eat on the way, and use fake ones to take photos after arriving in the desert. This service seems to be only available in Xipo, because when we were doing other desert projects, there were guests from Daluezhiye traveling with us, but they did not have afternoon tea. At night, we will eat hot pot and barbecue in the desert. The barbecue skewers in the Northwest are really delicious, but no matter how you eat them, your mouth will be full of sand. After eating, we will light a bonfire and set off fireworks next to it. 🌄Route 66 check-in This was not included in the package, but I had seen photos of it before and told the Xipo steward that I wanted to go, so he helped me arrange the car and itinerary. This place is very similar to the US Route 66. It is a section of road on the way to an ancient village called North Long Beach. The scenery is very beautiful. The driver had received many guests who came to take photos before, and he was very considerate and told us where to take better photos. After checking in on the highway, I went to Beichangtan, an old village by the Yellow River. The village is full of left-behind elderly people. It is said that the village will be more beautiful during the Pear Blossom Festival.