Located within Zhongwei City, Shapotou is a tourist area with unique spectacles and is famous for its sand-control achievement. Baolan railway passes through this desert for six times. Shapotou Tourism Area is regarded as one of the five most beautiful deserts in China, and is widely recognized as the Capital of Sand. Standing on the sand hill, one can see the desert extending to the north, and to the south, a boundless oasis. Both the grandeur of the north of China and the elegance of the south come together in this lovely place.
In Shapotou, a tourist area with unique spectacles and features has been established.Driving southward for 150 km from Yinchuan City, in the middle of the vast sea of sand, a man-made oasis suddenly unfolds before your eyes.Here, the sky is blue, the cloud is white, the sand is yellow, and the water is clear. In spring, the flowers are in full bloom; while in summer and fall, the fruits are ripen. Tourists come in endless stream all the year round.Mounting a camel and crossing one ridge of sand after another, you can appreciate all the queer scenes. The extremely exciting experience of taking a sheepskin raft trip down the torrential Yellow River gives every tourist an impression he will never forget. On a warm and sunny day, when you climb up the high dune and then slip down with the quicksand conveniently, the tremendous roar is deafening. This is the marvellous spectacle of Shapo Tolling that enjoys worldwide reputation.
Yellow River Drift
Floating along the Yellow River on a sheepskin raft is absolutely something of a special thrill for tourists to take part in. Although it really requires great courage to finish the feat, yet the drift itself is safe enough. Experienced boatmen will do their best to make sure that you cannot only enjoy the thrill of the drift but also appreciate the fascinating landscapes along the way. The cultural sites such as the Ming Dynasty Great Wall (1368-1644) and the ancient water wheels are there to display the characteristic Yellow River culture.
Sand Slide
Shapotou International Sand Slide Center is the biggest natural sand slide field in China. It is also one of China's Four Sounding Sand Fields. It has a length of about 1000 meters (about 1094 yards), a height of over 100 meters (about 109 yards) and a slope of 60 degrees. When the weather is fine, people sliding down the sand hill can hear the sound of sand underneath them, for all the world like tolling bells. It is adventurous, breathtaking, strange and heady experience-not designed for the weak of heart.
Yellow River Cableway Slide
The Cableway in Shapotou is unique in China, in that it depends totally on gravity to set it in motion.
Besides, tourists can enjoy the beauty and mystery of the desert from the vantage point of a camel's back. Sunset on the Yellow River and sunrise in the desert are particularly memorable. One can spend an evening in a Mongolian camp or sit by a bonfire enjoying an ethnic-style performance or even take part in a dance. If one prefers a more gentle experience, one can take a yacht along the Yellow River and visit the show of local sand-controlling achievements.
* When a sheep is killed the locals will remove the skin and skillfully make a balloon out of it. A number of these balloons are strung together to form a buoyant base for a floor of bamboos. This sheepskin raft may look flimsy, but it is eminently safe.
Location:
22 mails away from Zhongwei city
Ticket Price:
RMB 65 in high season, RMB 50 in low season
Opening Time:
7:30am-17:00pm
How to get there:
At Zhongwei bus station, you may take a bus running on a special line to Shapotou. The bus leaves every half hour. The ticket is 3 RMB. It takes you about one hour to get there. You may also go there from Zhongwei by taxi. The fair is about 20 RMB one way.