2025 Minqin Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in April)

Hongyashan Reservoir was built in 1958. It is located in the northeast of the Hexi Corridor, between the Tengger and Badain Jaran Deserts. It is the largest desert reservoir in Asia and is known as the "Pearl of the Desert." The reservoir is a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery. The water is vast and glistening, and the sails of boats can be seen in the distance.

📍Su Wu Desert Scenic Area, Minqin County, Wuwei, Gansu 🎫Free An obelisk in the dunes A giant water drop in the sand A time-space gate on the sand dunes A whisperer looking at travelers A Silk Road traveler standing at the intersection... These giant sculptures appear in the same desert It feels like you have come to another civilization The day and night here Are two completely different styles In the daytime It feels like you are in a post-apocalyptic dune At night It feels like you have entered the world of The Three-Body Problem ▫️The scenic area is located next to Provincial Highway S235 in Minqin County, Wuwei City, at the southern end of the Tengger Desert. The sculptures in the scenic area are created by artists from all over the world and are full of futuristic colors. ▫️The giant sculptures standing in the desert during the day make you feel like you are in a dune. On a clear night, with the starry sky as the background 🌌, it feels like you have come to another planet. The surreal visual experience gives you a strong sense of separation. Friends with megalophobia may even be scared away ✖️. ▫️When we arrived by car, it was already close to 9 pm. The sky was getting dark, and the clouds were thick 🌫️. There was a strong wind. In order to take pictures of the starry sky, we walked into the scenic area against the strong wind. The sculptures were not lit at night, and it was pitch black all around. We couldn't see our friends two steps away, and we got separated on the way. Fortunately, we were lucky that night. At 2:30 am, the clouds cleared and the moon rose. The stars were all over the sky, 🌙 and the moon was like a high-wattage searchlight hanging in the air, giving a strong sense of science fiction. ▫️After taking pictures of the starry sky, it was already 4 am. My friend and I slept in the car that night and had a light sleep. 📷 The next day, we got up early and continued to explore and take pictures. It was another feeling during the day. It was very suitable for taking wasteland-style photos. The highest Chinese-style pavilion sculpture in the desert was very attractive and very suitable for taking Hanfu photos. ▪️If you are also on a trip to the Hexi Corridor or planning a trip to the northwest, interested in the desert, like science fiction, and love taking pictures of the starry sky, then don't miss this place 💁🏻‍♀️ How to get there❔: 🚙Self-driving/Charter Navigate to 🗺️"Su Wu Desert Scenic Area" 360 km from Lanzhou, 4.5 hours; 107 km from Wuwei, 2 hours; 34 km from Minqin County, about 40 minutes Self-driving recommended🔝The road is in good condition, and off-road vehicles, sedans, RVs, motorcycles, and bicycles can all reach the destination. 🚕Charter is recommended from Minqin County, as the distance is short and the cost is not high. 🏜️Scenic Area Conditions: Free entry 🎫 | Free parking 🅿️ | Sightseeing car fee 💰Round trip 20/r It is recommended to take a sightseeing car in summer, as the area is large, and it is hot and tiring to walk, which may be difficult to persist. There are toilets in the scenic area, but there is no electricity. If you need to use them at night, you need to bring your own light source. 🏠Accommodation recommendation: Minqin County | Sleep in the car or camp | Star Picking Town in the scenic area (expensive) 🍚Dining: The supermarket in the scenic area is only open during the day, so you can bring your own food.

Surf in the desert, see art sculptures, hike through the time corridor... Go to the Suwu Desert and feel its vastness and mystery. The starry sky is mysterious and profound, full of fantasy and yearning, but have you ever observed the starry sky carefully? Walk into the Star Picking Town in the Suwu Desert Scenic Area and experience the vast starry sky that is different from the city. The Suwu Desert Scenic Area is located in the Tengger Desert in Minqin County, Wuwei City. The endless desert is majestic and ancient, with camel bells blowing the quicksand and the setting sun reflecting the red smoke. Desert Sculpture International Creation Camp The 102 artistic masterpieces of different materials and styles standing in the Tengger Desert are like shining pearls falling into the vast ocean. Each sculpture has a different scene and each is a different color. They blend perfectly with the blue sky, white clouds and golden desert, highlighting the powerful impact of the combination of art and ecology. Star Town The vast sea of ​​sand and the shining stars, here is the most transparent atmosphere and the quietest night sky. Come to the Star Picking Town and start a fairy-tale-like wonderful journey. The independent buildings in the town are connected in series, and the overall architectural style presents a sci-fi style, just like an interstellar base in the vast space. Being in it, it feels like taking an interstellar tour in the Milky Way. The land under our feet is the vast sky. If we stretch out our hands, we can hold the star that belongs to us alone. Time Corridor Walking along the Time Corridor in the Minqin Suwu Scenic Area, you will see deserts, plank roads, folk houses, poplar trees, ancient wells... 2,000 years of history are condensed here. Looking back at the vicissitudes of Minqin, this is the birthplace of Shajing culture and the place where Su Wu grazed sheep more than 2,000 years ago. 🏜✨Starry sky camping: The desert is mostly sunny, so stargazing in the desert is an excellent choice. At around eight or nine o'clock in the evening, we can climb up the sand dunes in groups of three or five, sit or lie down, and look up at the stars; the starry sky here is bright, and the artistic atmosphere of the sculptures is very romantic. If you are lucky, you can even see shooting stars across the sky! 🌅Desert Sunset and Sunrise: A great place to enjoy the sunset and sunrise. The glow of the sunset and sunrise almost blends into the soft yellow curves of the sand dunes, which is very magnificent! 🐫Animal world in the desert: There are many animals living in the desert. These cute elves bring endless vitality to the desert and make the journey full of surprises and joy. You will see dung beetles crawling around, encounter various small lizards, cute jerboas, and the desert camels you’ve been looking forward to!

The scenic area is located in the Tengger Desert, 23 kilometers from Wuwei. Hundreds of art sculptures of different materials and styles stand in the desert, blending perfectly with the blue sky and white clouds or the starry night, exuding a vibe similar to the Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. Speaking of Wuwei, you might not be familiar with it, but its ancient name, 'Liangzhou,' is widely known. As early as the Tang Dynasty, Wuwei had already entered the realm of poetry, the most famous being Wang Han's verse: 'Grape wine in a luminous cup, about to drink, the pipa urges from horseback,' capturing the tenderness and heroism of Liangzhou. After the Lanzhou-Wuwei section of the Lanzhou high-speed railway opened, this low-key central city in the Hexi Corridor has re-entered the public eye. It takes less than two hours to travel from Lanzhou West Station to Wuwei East Station by high-speed rail. More importantly, during the height of summer, the average temperature in Liangzhou City is only 26°C, making it an ideal 'cool little city' for summer escape.

Hongyashan Reservoir is the largest desert reservoir in Asia. In 1979, it was listed as the "Best of China" by CCTV and is known as the "Pearl of the Desert." Hongyashan Reservoir is a national AAA-level tourist attraction, a national water conservancy scenic spot, a lifeline project for the people of the sandy region, a brilliant pearl deep in the desert, and a tourist destination for guests from all over the world. Hongyashan Reservoir is at an altitude of 1750 meters, with a relative height of 350 meters. From a distance, the mountain appears red, hence the name Hongyashan (Red Cliff Mountain). The reservoir supports the survival and development of the Minqin oasis, serving as the lifeline for the people of the sandy region and a treasure trove that "pours thousands of hectares of green waves and produces tens of thousands of loads of rice." The scenery here is beautiful, the climate is pleasant, the reservoir is full of fish, wild ducks play in the water, water birds shuttle back and forth, and black cranes sing loudly. There is a sand dune in the reservoir where birds rest, camels come to drink, tourists come to bathe, and the majestic camel peaks and the desert sky are all reflected in the shimmering water. "Julong Pavilion" is the essence of the reservoir's scenery, where one can look up at the towering Hongyashan, look out at the vast expanse of the reservoir, and see the water and sky merge into one. During the water release season, the river water rushes down from the water delivery tunnel with great momentum. Whether you are boating on the gentle waves, watching geese fly and ducks sing, or listening to the evening songs of frogs, you will be reluctant to leave.

Very good film! This time I went during the day, and if I have the chance I will definitely go at night to see what it looks like under the stars🌃 Note: I came from Xi'an, and it takes 11 hours to drive here, and it would take even longer if I had to rest along the way. So I chose to take the high-speed rail and then transfer to the train, which was not too expensive. I took the high-speed train to Lanzhou. During the break, I went to see the landmark of the Mother Yellow River and ate Qi Shi's Hand-Grabbed Tea. The taste was quite good. Their three-pao table was also very good. You can try it. It's just that their location is not easy to find, so I took a taxi directly there. It takes nearly 4 hours to take a train from Lanzhou Station to Wuwei Station. Be sure to buy a sleeper berth, sleeper berth, sleeper berth (important things should be said three times). When you arrive, there are buses to Minqin County, and you can also choose to share a seat. The temperature difference between morning, noon and evening is still a little big here, so you need to bring a coat when traveling. 🫡 Free admission, parking lot 🅿️, 5 yuan per time; 🫡 The toilet is at the entrance, and I don't think I found it inside 🫡 It is best to bring your own food and drinks, especially water. The park is not small and it is very tiring to walk around in the desert. 🔹 There are many sculptures and they are far apart. It takes at least 3 hours to see them all and take photos. 🔹 There are also sandboarding and desert off-road vehicles. Sandboards can be rented at the entrance for 20/vehicle. You can take them wherever you go. 🔹There is a shuttle bus at the door for 10 yuan Tips: ❗️Sunglasses🕶️Sunscreen and water are essential! ! ! ❗️The desert is like this. The weather is bad and the wind is strong. The weather is good and it is very sunny. There is no shelter at all.

The 7th day of the holiday, it's rare for the whole family to go out together. Location: Minqin County, Wuwei, Gansu, Suwu Desert Scenic Area. Summary: 1. The roads in Minqin County are easy to travel, with few people and wide roads; 2. The mutton is very delicious; 3. The honeydew melons are really sweet; 4. Accommodation is cheap; 5. There are many tourist attractions, worth staying for a few more days.

The Badain Jaran Desert is known for its 'curves drawn by God, and the magic created by the heavens.' It features numerous sand mountains and lakes, with towering dunes and sharp ridges, and crystal-clear blue lakes. Detailed address: The Badain Jaran Desert borders the Ejina Populus Euphratica Forest Scenic Area, with the entrance located in Badain Jaran Town, Alxa Right Banner. How to play: The Badain Jaran Desert has been developed into a safe and mature tourist area, where you can choose four-wheel drive vehicles or camels. There are various routes available, including panoramic one-day tours, two-day tours, three-day tours, crossing tours, camel crossing through the hinterland, and combinations of hiking + camel riding + off-road vehicle surfing. The most standard route is the 'Badain Jaran Desert Five Wonders Panoramic Two-Day Tour.' Itinerary: 1 The two-day desert tour, which actually covers the same sights as the one-day tour, allows you to avoid the hottest times of the day in the desert and experience the sunset and sunrise. 2 The two-day tour usually starts at 2 pm into the desert, overnight in the desert, and comes out at noon the next day. Most recommended attractions: The 'Five Wonders' of 'spectacular peaks, singing sands, lakes, magical springs, and ancient temples': Norbu Lake (the largest lake), Bilutu (the Everest of the desert), Yinderjit (viewing the magical spring), Badain Jaran Temple (worshipping the desert's Forbidden City), and Baoritaolegei (experiencing the singing sands). Transportation strategy: 1 Airplane: Alxa Right Banner has an airport, but currently, there are not many routes. The nearest airports to Alxa Right Banner: Jinchang Airport and Zhangye Airport, about 150 kilometers apart. Lanzhou Airport, about 500 kilometers apart. 2 Train: Jinchang Railway Station and Zhangye Railway Station, about 150 kilometers apart. Ejina Railway Station, about 480 kilometers apart. 3 Car: Drive from Lanzhou, Jinchang, or transfer from Alxa Left Banner by long-distance bus to Badain Jaran Town. Note: Regardless of the means of transportation you use to get to Badain Jaran, you will have to switch to an off-road vehicle to enter the hinterland of the desert. The Badain Jaran Desert off-road surfing is uniformly managed by the Badain Jaran Desert Tourism Development Company, with uniform pricing and routes. Best time to visit: August to October each year. Attention tips: 1 The temperature difference between day and night in the desert is significant, and it can be even colder when windy. Summer and spring/autumn clothing should be based on 0 degrees Celsius. 2 Visiting the desert depends on luck, and good weather is very important. Encountering strong winds not only reduces the attractiveness of the sights but also causes the desert sand to fly, so it's important to protect your camera and wear a windproof and sandproof jacket. 3 Desert touring is not just about enjoying the scenery; there's also 'desert surfing,' where off-road vehicles race to the top of sand dunes, which is too thrilling and fun to miss. 4 Before entering the desert, don't eat too much in the off-road vehicle to avoid vomiting. 5 The best seat in the car is the passenger seat, as it offers a better view, a stronger sense of excitement, and is less likely to cause motion sickness. 6 There are two types of accommodation: one is the fixed accommodation provided by travel agencies, mostly tents, and the other is homestays provided by herders, mostly adobe or brick houses. The desert is very cold at night, and adobe or brick houses are much warmer. You can negotiate with the driver to arrange to stay in a place with beautiful surroundings.

Gansu has many famous tourist destinations, but few people know that there is a sculpture park in the desert, in Minqin County, Gansu. The Desert Sculpture International Creation Camp has been held for five sessions since 2018, inviting domestic and foreign artists to carry out high-level and high-quality sculpture creation, interpreting the concepts of green environmental protection and harmonious coexistence of man and sand in the form of art. A total of 132 works that fit the desert environment and theme were placed in the desert. Each sculpture has a different scene and each sculpture has a different color, fully demonstrating the artistic charm of the sculptures. It is well worth seeing. The scenic area is not far from Minqin County, about 40 kilometers away, on the Tengger Desert. The entire walking tour takes about 2 hours. You can see various sculptures and stroll in the sea of ​​sand to see a different scene with every step.

The people in the Hexi Corridor are industrious and simple. In 1928, Yixian was named as Pure and Simple, People Are Hardworking. Minqin County is known as the before the Great Wall of Humanity, the first in the summer of literature. In history, the Shengwen of the Wenyun in Hexi is the cultural town of Gansu Province and a famous county for education. Minqin has the largest desert reservoir in Asia - Hongyashan Reservoir, like a bright pearl inlaid in the Bohai Sea; here is the most intact landlord manor in the west - Ryan Fort, majestic and magnificent, unique shape; There is a world-famous sand plant kingdom - Shasheng Botanical Garden. The technology and courage make this desert a resort for sand plants.

Ryan Fort is in Minqin County, Gansu Province. It is a county surrounded by the Tengger Desert and the Badain Jaran Desert. Driving, the Gobi and the desert seem to be everywhere, so the buildings here are also heavily confronted with the sand. Solid and firm. Ryan Fort is a large-scale hotel that integrates residential buildings and fortifications. Although the building is not far away, it is well known and is known as the Little Potala Palace in the northwest. It is said that during the construction of Ryan Fort, thousands of folk craftsmen are working every day, and the large number of vehicles carrying materials is endless. The scale and excitement of the project is no less than that of building a royal palace for the emperor. A name - "Little City". Two years later, this vast project was completed and it is said to cost 100,000 oceans. The wall of the fort is 10 meters high. There are turrets, dark passages, dark rooms, shooting holes, etc. The top of the wall is wide and can be used for sports cars. The fire prevention and attack facilities are complete and can be called solid soup. The structure of Ryan Fort is "Phoenix single wings", the main building is on the left side, the Wulou is the Phoenix Head, the wall of the Western Wall and the Wangyue Pavilion, the Observatory is the backbone of the Phoenix, the second door, the three door door The Chinese and Western style living room, embroidered building, Xiaoyao Palace and Jiaolou are the wings of the unfolding. Take the meaning of Dragonfly Phoenix, Birds and Birds Flying, which is called Phoenix Single Spreading Wings, that is, the Phoenix that will never fly, keep it. Good luck and wealth.

Minqin County, located at the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor in Gansu, is a desert oasis. It was once the only place to connect the Eastern and Western cultures of the Silk Road. Because of the long time of sunshine and the large temperature difference between morning and evening, it is very suitable for the development of agricultural green organic. Rural tourism can be described as alive and well. Visitors can not only enjoy the beautiful pastoral scenery, but also sleep in the big bandits and experience the farm life. Temporary city, return to the pastoral, in this desert oasis, the golden and dreamy green glow, the harvest season, let us go to the orchard to integrate into the harvest of the land, feel the joy of harvesting colorful. It is the season of ripening of plum and red, and the harvest is fruity. Yesterday, we came to the Taobao Modern Agriculture Demonstration Park in Minqin County, a rookie in rural tourism. In the greenhouse, we experienced the freshest way to eat a fruit that is ready to eat.