What to do in Ningxia, China’s underrated desert and wine destination

NINGXIA – In north-west China lies the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a 66,400 sq km expanse where desert, river and mountains meet. It shares borders with Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

From a vantage point at Shapotou, a scenic stretch at the south-eastern edge of the Tengger Desert, three different landscapes converge within a single frame: the rolling sand dunes, the winding Yellow River and the rugged Xiangshan mountain ranges in the distance.

Within these vastly different terrains lies Ningxia’s storied past – one shaped by conquest, trade routes and navigating life at the edge of the desert.

According to the Yinchuan Municipal People’s Government, the city received 18.5 million tourists during its summer months from June to August in 2024, a roughly 21 per cent increase from 2023. The majority of visitors are domestic tourists. 

Currently, there are no direct flights from Singapore to Ningxia. This means travellers must transit in Chinese cities like Kunming, Shanghai or Beijing. Including transit time, it takes me nearly 10 hours to reach Ningxia for a four-day trip in May.  

But things might soon change. According to a Changi Airport Group spokesperson, the group is looking to establish connectivity with Ningxia in the second half of 2026. 

Over the course of my trip, I realise that to fully appreciate Ningxia is to understand its complexity. While the internet offers no shortage of information, my English-speaking tour guide Cecilia Wu brings the region’s history to life.

Ningxia was once the centre of the powerful Western Xia dynasty, established in 1038 by Li Yuanhao, leader of the Tangut people, a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group originating from western China. The Tanguts were known to be highly advanced, developing their own complex writing system while thriving through pastoralism, irrigated agriculture and trade along the Silk Road.

For nearly 200 years, the Western Xia kingdom prospered as a wealthy intermediary in Central Asian commerce before the kingdom was destroyed by Mongol forces in 1227 under warlord conqueror Genghis Khan. 

Following the empire’s collapse, most Tanguts assimilated into the Mongol, Tibetan and Han populations. Today, the Tanguts no longer exist as a distinct ethnic group and are considered culturally and linguistically extinct.

As Mongol influence waned in the 14th century, Turkic-speaking Muslims from the west began settling in the region. Over time, they integrated with Han, Mongol and Uighur communities, forming the ancestors of today’s Hui people, who make up roughly a third of Ningxia’s 7.2 million residents.

The Hui people primarily practise Islam, which shapes everyday life in Ningxia. For example, unlike in much of China, beef and mutton are the primary sources of meat here, rather than pork.

In 1958, China formally established the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in recognition of its unique cultural demographics. Today, its economy is driven largely by energy, coal, digital infrastructure, agriculture and tourism, with the latter growing steadily in recent years. 

Here are five highlights to include in your itinerary.

1. Go back in time at the Western Xia Mausoleums 

One of the most significant remnants of the Western Xia dynasty is the Western Xia Mausoleums, located at the foothills of the Helan Mountains near Yinchuan. 

The sprawling necropolis has nine imperial tombs and 271 subordinate tombs, spread over around 40 sq km of land. The larger and grander the scale of the tomb, the higher the rank of the person interred there.

The larger mausoleums rise more than 20m above ground, resembling giant earthen pyramids against the stark landscape. Much of the original structure has deteriorated over time, though certain sections have been reconstructed to preserve the site, says Ms Wu.  

The complex also houses a museum featuring cultural relics, stone tablets and statues from the Western Xia period. Most exhibits are labelled only in Chinese, making an English-speaking guide invaluable.

In July 2025, the imperial burial site was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. 

Visitors can buy tickets on travel booking platform Trip.com from $16.50 a person, which includes admission and access to its sightseeing bus that goes around the burial site. Entry is free on Mondays. 

2. Climb sand dunes and stargaze in the desert

Opened in 2019, the Desert Star Hotel in the city of Zhongwei is one of Ningxia’s most memorable stays.

The property sits within the desert, accessible only via a shuttle ride through narrow roads flanked by towering dunes. Guests can walk straight from their rooms into desert landscapes within minutes. 

At sunset, I join dozens of domestic tourists climbing the dunes for photographs. One guest suggests I try more dramatic poses and even offers a scarf so I can take advantage of the billowing desert winds to get a more photogenic shot. 

I realise I should have packed something long and flowy for the occasion. In the distance, children gleefully slide down dunes on sleds provided by the hotel. 

At night, the property’s stargazing deck becomes its centrepiece. Lie-flat lounge chairs face the sky, where the absence of light pollution makes constellations startlingly clear. 

Room rates in June on Trip.com start at $666 a night for a 35 sq m twin room with breakfast included. 

3. Visit Shapotou for desert and river activities

Shapotou, where the Yellow River meets the Tengger Desert, is regarded as one of China’s most beautiful desert landscapes.

The scenic area offers a wide range of activities, from sand sliding to camel rides to bungee jumping over the Yellow River. Admission costs $7.50.

At the Shapotou International Sand Slide Centre, I ride a sled ($7.50 for an adult) nearly 200m down a steep dune. The sled itself is simple to control, with hand brakes on each side, and the thrill comes from the dizzying 60-degree angle of descent. 

I also take a sheepskin raft down the Yellow River. Made using inflated sheep hides attached to a lightweight wooden frame, it sits low in the water. The raftman expertly rows us down the Yellow River and bursts into song midway. 

The rafting package, which includes a speedboat ride back to the starting point, costs $22.50. Activities can be booked via Trip.com’s Shapotou Scenic Area activity listings.

4. Go off-roading through the Helan Mountains

Hooke Trail spans roughly 100 sq km along the border of Ningxia and Inner Mongolia, where narrow dirt tracks cut deep into the Helan Mountains. 

Visitors can join a two-hour off-road tour, led by trained drivers, in rugged SUVs built for the terrain. It costs 1,499 yuan (S$282) a car, which can seat up to four people including the driver.

The drive is relentless. We are tossed from side to side across rocky roads, barely able to hear our driver above the engine and rattling vehicle. Yet, the chaos is part of the appeal. The experience feels like an endless theme park ride through dramatic mountain scenery.

Along the route, we pass grazing sheep, goats and horses scattered across the landscape.

Deeper within the range lies an accommodation area, where refurbished buses and geodesic dome tents have been transformed into glamping-style accommodation. Some buses are stacked atop one another or suspended dramatically against rocky cliff faces.

Guests can barbecue outdoors, dine at the on-site cafe or take along food to prepare their own meals. Rates start at about 1,000 yuan a night for tents and 2,000 yuan for the refurbished buses. For more information, go to hooketrail.com 

5. Visit award-winning wineries 

Ningxia has emerged as China’s leading wine-producing region, home to more than 200 wineries producing around 140 million bottles annually. 

The dry climate, high altitude and dramatic temperature differences between day and night have proven especially suitable for viticulture, particularly for bold red wines. 

Ms Wu estimates that around 80 per cent of the tours she conducts revolve around wineries, with many guests travelling from Europe. 

I am surprised not only by the scale of the wineries, but also by the quality of the wines. The Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux blends I try are rich and complex, while an unoaked Chardonnay becomes an unexpected favourite for its elegant crispness.

Several Ningxia wineries have gained international acclaim at competitions such as the Decanter World Wine Awards organised by Decanter, a London-based wine media brand, and Concours Mondial de Bruxelles organised by Vinopres, a Belgian communications and events agency. 

Most winery tours include walks through vineyards, cellar visits and guided tastings. At Helan Qingxue Vineyard, a two-hour tour with a single tasting costs 498 yuan a person, while Domaine Pushang charges 258 yuan and Domaine des Aromes Winery charges 398 yuan for a similar experience.

Travel tips

Airlines such as China Eastern and Air China fly from Beijing, Shanghai and Kunming to Ningxia’s Yinchuan Hedong International Airport in two to three hours. A round-trip flight from Singapore to Ningxia in June costs from $520, based on checks by The Straits Times.

Hiring an English-speaking guide or booking through a travel agency is highly recommended, as many attractions are spread far apart and public transport options can be limited. For English-language tour services, Ms Wu can be contacted via her profile on social media platform Xiaohongshu at str.sg/gEh2

Boutique agencies can tailor itineraries according to travellers’ interests, whether focused on wine, culture, history or desert experiences. A five-day Ningxia itinerary by Charlotte Travel, excluding flights, can cost from around $4,410 a person, though prices vary based on customisations.