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Zhongwei Travel Guide

Zhongwei Travel Guide 2024

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Zhongwei is a prefecture-level city in the western part of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Bordering by Gansu to the west and Inner Mongolia to the north, it had been a strategic trading center for thousands of years. Today, it is also a culturally diverse city home to many minorities, such as Hui, Mongol, Zhuang, Miao, Yao, Tibetan, etc. Many travelers are attracted by its desert fun – both scenery and activities. Located on the range of Tengger Desert and beside the Yellow River, Zhongwei is rather attractive with the wild nature and lots of exhilarating activities. Moreover, there are some sweet fruits as well.

Why Visit Zhongwei:

  • Wild Nature - Located between the sand dunes of the Tengger Desert to the north and the Yellow River to the south, Zhongwei has typical wild nature to appreciate. No matter walking into the desert land or watching the sunset over the Yellow River is a memorable experience in Zhongwei.
  • Diverse Activities - Tenger Desert is equipped with many exciting activities to delight and relax different visitors, including cable car, sheepskin raft, camel riding, desert crossing, desert football, beach volleyball, surfers, go-karts, jeeps, sand scooters.
  • Luxury Homestay Cluster - Suji Yellow River is the hottest cluster of boutique hotels located on the bank of the Yellow River. There are nine high-end resorts keeping a perfect balance between wilderness and luxury.
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Yinchuan to Zhongwei Tour

Top Zhongwei Attractions - What to See

In Zhongwei, there are different kinds of attractions to explore. Except for the most famous Shapotou, there are parks, golden sand resort, temples, etc.

Zhongwei
Shapotou Desert

It once was praised as one of the most beautiful deserts in China and one of the best places worth-visiting for foreign travelers. Here you can enjoy the amazing desert nature as well as take part in several screaming activities.

Zhongwei
Golden Sand Sea Tourist Resort

Golden Sand Sea Tourist Resort is a comprehensive desert game base with plenty of desert entertainment. The three-layer-tall Sea View House is fantastic place to take an bird’s-eye view of the surrounding desert.

Zhongwei
Golden Sand Island Scenic Area

Golden Sand Island Scenic Area is reputed as the "Pearl of Tengger Desert". The golden sands of the desert disappear here, while an ideal wetland park with lush plants, lovely birds and tranquil rivers open in from your eyes.

Zhongwei
Gaomiao Temple

Gaomiao Temple is a large group of ancient buildings where Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius are worshipped together. Visiting these buildings allows you to get a great insight into the old architectural features.

Zhongwei
Sizikou Scenic Area

Sizikou, known as North Sea in the ancient times, has a rich culture and unique nature. You can see the magnificent gorge view in the eastern part and the historical site of Suwu tending sheep in the western part.

Top Zhongwei Activities - What to Do

Zhongwei not only offers great things to do but great things to experience. Apart from the sightseeing in natural and cultural spots, you can also have some other activities to join in.

Zhongwei
Desert Activity

Shapotou is the greatest place to enjoy outdoor activities, including cable car experience, sheepskin rafting, camel riding, desert crossing, etc. The Golden Sand Sea Tourist Resort offers plenty of desert entertainments as well.

Zhongwei
Local Food

Zhongwei offers various kinds of noodles (such as Lamian Noddles, Haozi Noodles, cold noodles). Other recommended local dishes include Steamed Pigeon-shaped Fish in Clear Soup, Dough Lumps and Jiaozi Dumplings…

Zhongwei
Local Fruits

Want to taste some sweet fruits? Zhongwei is an ideal place. What you can’t miss are wolfberry and watermelon. As a famous fruit to preserve people’s health, wolfberries are always given to family of friends as a gift.

Zhongwei Weather - Best Time to Visit

Zhongwei City belongs to a typical Temperate Continental Monsoon Climate. Due to the influence of the desert, it has abundant sunshine and a large temperature gap between day and night. The hottest month in Zhongwei is July when the highest temperature reaches about 28°C, and the coldest months are December and January when the lowest temperature reaches below -10°C. We suggest you avoid visiting Zhongwei in winter because of the cold weather and fierce wind. August and July receive most rainfall with a precipitation count of 79.23mm. The best time to visit Zhongwei is May to October because of the comfortable weather. It is important to bring sunblock, sunglasses, hats, etc. to protect your skin from the strong sunlight.

Zhongwei Transportation - How to Get and Travel Around

Though Zhongwei is a small city, you can get there easily from some big cities. Taking a flight is the most effective way to get to Zhongwei City, and many travelers also prefer a train journey from Yinchuan after a Yinchuan exploration.

By Flight: It is available to take a flight to Zhongwei Shapotou Airport from Beijing (2.5 hours), Shanghai (5 hours), Xian (1.5 hours), Chongqing (2 hours), Hohhot, Urumqi (3 hours), Wuhan (2.5 hours), Guangzhou (3 hours), etc.

By train: There are 3 daily high speed trains running from Yinchuan Railway Station to Zhongwei South Railway Station, with duration of only about 1.5 hours. They also take a stop at Yinchuan Hedong International Airport. If you don’t mind the long duration, you can also take a normal train to Zhongwei Railway Station from Lanzhou (5 hours), Xining (8.5 hours), Beijing (11.5 hours), Xian (12.5 hours), Urumqi (18 hours), Chengdu (21 hours), Lhasa (29 hours), Shanghai (30.5 hours), Changchun (35 hours), Guangzhou (38 hours), etc.

Related Links: How to Get to & Get around Yinchuan | Yinchuan Airport and Flights to Yinchuan

Zhongwei Accommodation - Where to Stay

Honestly, the luxury starred hotels are rather limited in Zhongwei City, but you can still find some wonderful stays. Generally, the city area of Zhongwei offers more choices, but Suji Yellow River is also a superb place with amazing boutique hotels.

Downtown Area: Accommodating in the downtown area allows you to have quick access to the restaurants and shops. There are several luxurious hotels and some comfortable hotels for your choice. Recommended hotels include Zhongwei Jinmutu International Hotel (5 stars), Zhongwei Lanuo Hotel (4 stars), Zhongwei Hotel (3 stars)

Suji Yellow River: If you want several days’ stay far from the city and immerse yourself in the peaceful wild nature, don’t miss Suji Yellow River, which is a cluster of boutique hotels, including Nanan, Stray Birds, Hillside Village, Lost Villa and Xuli. In addition to five top-level guesthouses, there are restaurants, bookstores, art galleries, cafes, teahouses, and swimming pools as well. You can also take some nice shot on the resorted Great Wall.

Other Popular Destinations Ningxia

Usually, many travelers start a Zhongwei tour from the provincial capital – Yinchuan which is Ningxia’s tourist distribution and transfer hub with many attractions. If you have more time, you can also to go to Guyuan (Xumishan Grottoes), Shizuishan City (Sand Lake) and Wuzhong City (Qingtong Gorge).

Chinese Name: 中卫

Chinese Pinyin: zhōng wèi

Area: 17,442Square Kilometers

Population: 1,142,000

Language: Mandarin, local Dialect

Tel Code: (+86) 0955

Zip Code: 755000

Time Zone: (UTC+8)

How to Plan A Ningxia Tour with Zhongwei

In order to make full of your holiday, we suggest spending 6 ~ 7 days taking an in-depth Ningxia tour with a visit to Zhongwei. Yinchuan is a good starting point for a Ningxia tour, and you are recommended to visit all its highlights in 3 days. On your arrival day, you can enjoy a short view of the landmarks in the city area, such as Haibao Pagoda, Drum Tower, China-Arab Axis, etc. Then visit the essence of Yinchuan City - Western Xia Imperial Tombs and the Rock Painting of Helan Mountain. Of course, visiting one of the top wineries and tasting a cup of wine are recommended experiences, whether you are a wine-lover or not. On the third day, go to Ningxia Museum and Shuidong Cave before driving to Zhongwei. It takes 1 ~ 2 days to have desert fun in Shapotou Desert. Visiting Tengri Desert in one day is also recommended.

The following are our most popular Ningxia tours covering the best highlights, you can choose from a favorite one according to your schedule and interest or contact us to customize a Zhongwei tour.

Recommended Tours

Western Xia Imperial Tombs - Chinese Pyramid Listed in World Cultural Heritage Sites
3 Days Yinchuan History and Culture Tour

Yinchuan City and around

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