Tengger desert & Tonghu grassland

cctv.com 11-11-2003 16:14

Baolan railway, China's first railroad passing through deserts, and a strategic east-west lifeline, cuts through the southern border of Tengger desert at Shapotou. The railway has been operating smoothly for about 50 years thanks to the Shapotou desert control program. The Shapotou Desert Research Station developed an effective method to contain the dessert by planting straw grids on the sand dunes. This method has won the Station an environmental Control Award from the United Nation.

At about 42,000 square kilometers, Tengger Dessert is the fourth largest desert in china. Located at Alashan plain in Inner Mongolia, it joins the border of Ningxia at Zhongwei county. The narrowest part of the desert is only a little over 20 kilometers, making it possible for a hike across the desert.

It takes about six hours to get to Tonghu grassland at Inner Mongolia from zhongwei shapotou riding a camel. When the weather is nice, you can get to appreciate gorgeous desert sunset along the way, and many other fantastic desert landscapes.

Of course driving is a more time-efficient way to cross the desert. There is a well-built desert highway connecting the two places, and it takes just about 40 minutes to get to Tonghu grassland.

Want to have more fun? Taking a detour in the desert and riding upon those rolling sand dunes, the desert is all yours, no traffic jam.

You won't miss the entrance of Tonghu grassland resort. Just follow The boisterous greeting songs.

Tonghu resort provides accommodation. But, camping outside on the sand dunes in the Tengger desert is a fun alternative. It's pretty safe to camp on the desert nearby the resort, no wild animals and dangerous sandstorms.

At night, join guests from everywhere inside a yurt for a typical Mongolian dinner party. Singing, drinking, and Mongolian barbecue, those are the three basic elements of A typical Mongolian dinner party. Definitely ask locals to sing Mongolian folksongs of their hometown, all of them are great singers.

Editor:Han Ling  Source:CCTV.com