Golden autumn and October are the best seasons to see the Populus euphratica forest in Ejina. In order to go there and wait for a date of 3,000 years, I made this 2,500-kilometer self-driving trip through the three provinces of Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu.

You only have one chance to make a pilgrimage to Ejina every year, which is just over ten days from the end of September to the first ten days of October. Because of the peerless beauty, it only blooms in golden autumn. When you are still hesitating whether to go or not, It has quietly withered, and once you miss it, you will have to wait another whole year for the next encounter.

The traffic from Beijing to Ejina is a big problem. There is no convenient railway and route. In the end, we chose to fly to Yinchuan, and then rent a car to drive by ourselves: Beijing→Yinchuan→Alxa Left Banner→Ejina→Jiayuguan→Zhangye→Jingtai→Zhongwei→Yinchuan→ Beijing 

Day 1 Beijing to Yinchuan Tengger Desert Moon Lake

The plane at 7:00 in the morning arrived at Yinchuan Airport at 9:00, and the car rental went smoothly. At around 10:00, we drove to the Moon Lake Tourist Resort in the Tengger Desert. Because I was afraid of traffic jams when I went out on the eleventh day, I kept praying along the way, and it worked. It may also be the reason why Ningxia is sparsely populated. There are not many cars on the road from Yinchuan to Moon Lake, but halfway. When we arrived at a car that spontaneously ignited, it was still blocked for a while. 

Alxa Left Banner in Inner Mongolia is one of the four Oirat tribes of Mongolia and the Shishuote Mongolian settlement. It is one of the cradles of northern nomadic culture and an important passage of the Northern Silk Road. The local Mongolians are the descendants of Genghis Khan's second brother Habutu Hasar, known as the "God of War". "Tenggri" means "sky" in Mongolian, "Dalai" means "sea", and "Tenggri Dalai" means that the Tengger Desert is as vast and boundless as the sky and as boundless as the sea. 

Moon Lake Tourist Resort is located in the territory of Alxa Left Banner. The sea that was once rippling in ancient times has formed today's Tengger Desert after long years of changes, and its undisappeared traces are still dotted around the more than 30,000 people here. In the desert of square kilometers, the blue Moon Lake is like the most eye-catching emerald, shining brightly in the vast desert.

To go to Moon Lake, you have to take an off-road vehicle at the entrance of the scenic spot. The locals call this desert surfing. With the roar of the four-wheel drive, the off-road vehicle sometimes rushes up the sand dunes at a very high speed, sometimes roars down, and sometimes circles between the sand dunes and peaks like a tightrope walker. We sat in the car, fastened our seat belts, and had to hold the handle tightly with both hands. Our hearts seemed to jump out of our throats at any time. The 20-minute drive felt like a century.

 The reeds swaying in the lake are emerald green, and the reed flowers are blooming on the shore of the lake. The lake is clear and quiet, like a desert oasis.

In the traditional impression, the desert is a forbidden area for life, and all we can imagine is its desolation and majesty. But this is far from the whole of the desert. Under the comfort of the sun, the undulating sand dunes are like golden waves, gorgeous and soft.

The sound of camel bells is an eternal theme in the desert.

Full of mysterious desert patterns, the lines are extremely beautiful and harmonious. It is formed by the wind blowing the sand dunes forward, and the difference in wind force causes the different displacements of the sand dunes.

Stay overnight in Wuhai.

Day 2 Aolon Prague Grand Canyon • Human Root Peak

Aolunbulag Grand Canyon is located in Aolunbulage Town, Alxa Left Banner, with a total length of 5 kilometers. The horizontal or gently dipping red strata of the Tertiary period, the Himalayan orogeny that began about 23 million years ago caused the rapid uplift of the Alxa area. Over the long years, the intermittent uplift has caused earth-shaking changes in the Alxa landform. , the rock formations have undergone weathering, water erosion, and gravity collapse, and finally formed a desert Gobi geological wonder that integrates Yadan and Danxia landforms.

The setting sun is light, and the Danxia landform covers the whole valley with a layer of mysterious reddish brown, while the Yardang landform dresses up a vicissitudes of life for it, which is majestic and magnificent from a distance. The canyon is criss-crossed, twists and turns, and the purple-red cliffs are magnificent and full of postures. It can be said that each step has a scene, and ten steps are different from the sky. Walking through it is like walking into a dreamy maze. (It's a bit far to walk in from the gate, you can rent a quad bike and drive in by yourself)

Rengenfeng Scenic Spot is located in the Wula Mountains, which is about 30 kilometers away from the Grand Canyon. A masculine reddish-brown natural weathered huge stone pillar rises from the mountainside, supporting the sky. This is the local totem belief. According to legend, the Mumen Caves of Rengen Peak and the Grand Canyon were left behind after Fuxi and Nuwa created human beings. They are used to pray for human reproduction and long-lasting descendants.

Yinshan Mountain, the Yinshan Mountain where Huma is not taught to cross the Yinshan Mountain, the Yinshan Mountain in the town of Aolunbulag, the Yinshan Mountain that the local shepherds call "Seven-colored God Mountain". The mountain is in red, yellow, gray, white and other colors. At the foot of the Yin mountain, the westerly wind suddenly blows, making it inexplicably desolate and strange.

I live in Dengkou County in Bayannaoer at night, which coincides with the sunset on the Changhe River.

Day 3 Dengkou Sand-piercing Highway • Heicheng Ruins and Strange Forest 

Depart from Dengkou to Ejina, the navigation shows that go north to Beijing-Tibet, then transfer to Jingxin, the whole journey is high-speed. However, we still choose to take the sand-piercing road X710 across Ulanbu and the hinterland of the desert, and go to the Beijing-Xinjiang Expressway via Aolunbulag Town. 

The sand-crossing highway is a road with multiple missions. In the desert, it must not only ensure traffic, but also undertake the task of planting trees and controlling sand, turning the sand sea into "sand gold" and making farmers and herdsmen along the way rich. The black road stretches into the distance in a yellow expanse, the vegetation planted along the road is dotted, and a little farther away is the endless Gobi. Driving on the sand-piercing road, the road is smooth, the vision is wide, and it is extremely heroic.

After getting on the Beijing New Expressway, there are more vehicles. From here, everyone is heading for the same goal, Ejina. I would like to mention here that the journey from Aolunbulag to Ejina is nearly 600 kilometers long, and the route is basically covered with Gobi and deserts. There are very few supplies, and some service areas cannot be refueled, so be sure to pay attention to the fuel tank. We passed through several service areas, and there was a long queue of refueling cars. We didn't want to delay our efforts, so we continued to travel westward until we felt that the fuel level was a little low, but we had to wait in a service area for nearly an hour. The team just refueled.

The car went to the exit of Ejina Expressway relatively smoothly. Instead of entering the town, we went directly to the ruins of the black city and the strange forest. Only then did I realize that all the high-speed vehicles had converged to Ejina, and the congestion became a mess. 

The Heicheng site is the most complete and largest ancient city site on the ancient Silk Road, located in the Juyan area. "Juyan" is the Hun language, which means "heaven". After Huo Qubing defeated the Xiongnu, the Han Dynasty stationed troops in Juyan and created the splendid Juyan civilization of the Han Dynasty in the Juyan area.

Heicheng was first built in Xixia in the ninth century A.D. In 1226 A.D., Genghis Khan’s Mongolian army broke through the Heicheng for the fourth time in their southern expedition. The transportation hub, Marco Polo came to the east along this ancient road. In 1372, Feng Sheng, the general of the Ming Dynasty conquered Heicheng, and then abandoned the area. Since then, Heicheng has been sleeping in the dusty history for nearly 700 years. In modern times, due to the serious desertification of the surrounding areas, quicksand eroded Heicheng from the east, west and north, and many ruins have been buried under the sand.

The Heicheng ruins and the strange forest are sold as a package. First take the ferry to Heicheng, and then go to the strange forest to watch the sunset. There are many people, and it takes a long time to queue for the shuttle bus.

Although hundreds of years of erosion have worn away many of its edges and corners, and more ruins have long been buried underground by wind and sand, it is still an amazing civilization.

Among the Turghut Mongols, the hero of returning to the east, such a story has been circulated to this day. According to legend, a long time ago, a Mongolian general named Haribaatar (black hero in Mongolian) built a town here, so the city was called Heicheng. The black general was brave and good at fighting, and won the favor of the emperor, so he betrothed his youngest daughter to him as Hadun (wife). Later, the black general became more and more powerful, and even coveted the imperial power in an attempt to rebel. The conspiracy was learned by the princess. She then reported the news of General Hei's conspiracy to usurp power to her father. In a rage, the emperor sent tens of thousands of troops to attack Heicheng. Finally, General Hei had to lead his troops to break through. Before leaving, he threw all the gold and silver treasures in the city into the dry well, and said to his two children: "You can do it!" Masters of the treasure!" and buried the two children, a boy and a girl alive, in the deep well. He also ordered the soldiers to dig through the city wall overnight, making a bloody road and breaking through.

Because of the refueling, traffic jam, and queuing in front, a lot of time was wasted. When I was waiting for the shuttle bus in Heicheng, I happened to encounter the scene of sunset in the desert.

It was already dark when the ferry arrived at the strange forest. The strange forest is a large dead Populus euphratica forest next to Heicheng. Under the bleak moonlight, the dead trees have strange postures, their branches stretching out into the dark night sky, and the biting west wind hums mournful songs, forming indescribably desolate and tragic scenes. view. It is said that hundreds of years ago, the black general led his soldiers out of the city, fighting all the way, and finally all died here. This large piece of dead Populus euphratica is where the unyielding souls of those soldiers lie. This is the grave of Populus euphratica and a monument to the god of death. . Walking through it makes people feel creepy.

On the way from the strange forest to Ejina, there was still a serious traffic jam, and it was very late in the town of Ejina.

The hotels in Ejina during the Golden Week were very tight and the room rates were extremely expensive. It is said that many people just slept in the car. We live in a small hotel like a simple shed, and it costs 600 oceans.

Day 4 Ejina Populus euphratica Forest

Someone once said: If you love someone, take him to see the autumn in Ejina, because it is a beautiful paradise; if you hate someone, take him to see the spring in Ejina, because it is hell. No one could have imagined that this is the birthplace of sandstorms, and sometimes there is only one step between heaven and hell. 

From the end of September to the first ten days of October, this short period of ten days is the best time to see the Populus euphratica forest in Ejina. The blue sky, the white clouds, the golden leaves dancing in the sunlight, the strong colors and the beautiful shadows make any description in words so pale. 

I couldn't sleep early in the morning, so I went to the entrance of the scenic spot to investigate first. I was startled when I saw it, there was already a long queue of cars waiting to enter the parking lot! Now I feel the benefits of a small hotel. It only takes ten minutes to walk to the gate of the scenic spot. You don't need to drive, you can walk. 

Populus euphratica is miraculous and strong. Because of its amazing ability to resist drought, wind and sand, and salt and alkali, it can survive and reproduce tenaciously in the desert, so it is praised as the "desert hero tree", and it is called Toklak in Uighur. , which means "the most beautiful tree". Its growth is always closely connected with the phoenix and blood, "you will live for a thousand years, you will not fall for a thousand years, and you will not die for a thousand years after you fall." Its charming demeanor, stubborn character, and ill-fated fate have inspired too many poetic and philosophical thoughts of human beings. Throughout the ages, Populus euphratica has become an unyielding spirit and is worshiped by the world.  

Along Ruoshui River and Juyan Seaside, Ejina Populus euphratica Forest is one of the only three remaining natural river Populus euphratica forests in the world, and it is the most magnificent, most ornamental and well-known among the four largest Populus euphratica forests in China. It is also an important barrier to prevent the Badain Jaran Desert from spreading northward, and it is a natural treasure house of ecology in western China. 

Ejina during the Golden Week is the most beautiful and the most crowded. There are huge crowds of people, and there are long queues for the shuttle buses in each scenic spot. The time of the day is very tight, we only watched a few important scenic spots. 

Erdaoqiao "Reflection Forest" is located on the east bank of the Ejina River. The golden Populus euphratica and the blue sky along the bank are reflected in the river, with brilliant colors, like entering a fairyland. We often say that the weak water is three thousand, just take a scoop to drink. The weak water is the Ejina River, also known as the Heihe River. Because the current is so fast that boats cannot cross it, it is called weak water. 

The "Hero Forest" of Sidaoqiao is the most distinctive feature of Ejina. The Populus euphratica here is all old trees, with rough and exaggerated shapes and strange shapes. This is the home of the Torghut heroes who returned to the motherland from the east of Russia in history, and it is also the location of the movie "Heroes".

Qidaoqiao is a forest of dreams. There are large swaths of wetland in the area. The sun shines down, and the boundary between the water surface and Populus euphratica cannot be distinguished, which is like a dream.

Friendly reminder, it is best to bring your own food and drink, the scenic spot is very large, and you will not find it when you need it.

Day 5 Jinta Populus euphratica Forest

Today, I went all the way south from Ejina, passing through Aerospace City to Jinta County.

Be especially careful about speeding, the space road is good, but there are many speed limit traps. I saw a lot of cars parked on the side of the road at an intersection, and I drove past it foolishly before I saw a sign saying "End of Speed ​​Test", but I don't remember where there is a sign of "Start".

Arrived at the Golden Pagoda at noon, went to the hotel to rest first, the large field of lavender in front of Jiamei Holiday Hotel is very beautiful.

Jinta County is located on the north side of the middle section of the ancient Silk Road. Jinta Populus euphratica Forest, also known as Chaohu Forest Farm, is part of the Three-North Shelterbelt System and the largest artificially planted forest in the Hexi Corridor. The golden Populus euphratica complements the wetland waterscape. It has been rated as one of the most beautiful places in autumn in Gansu Province.

Populus euphratica in the wetland is full of manners, colorful and well-proportioned, just like entering a dream.

 

Day 6 Jiayuguan • The First Pier of the Great Wall • Zhangye Colorful Danxia

Going south from Jinta County and going west via Jiuquan is Jiayuguan.

Entering Jiayuguan City, traffic jams started as soon as we approached Guancheng, and densely packed cars clogged the road. After finally finding a parking lot far away from Guancheng, I lost interest in squeezing in when I walked over and saw the crowded entrance. I took a few photos under Guancheng and drove to the first pier.

Jiayuguan is located at the western end of the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province. It is the first pass at the western end of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty and the traffic hub of the ancient "Silk Road". Jiayuguan Pass City is the most spectacular pass city along the Great Wall. It was built in 1372 in the Ming Dynasty. The Guancheng was built in the middle of the narrowest valley in Jiayuguan, on the highest Jiayu Mountain, and outside the pass is the endless Gobi Desert. 

On the way to the first pier, I found this good place overlooking Guancheng.

The first pier of the Great Wall, also known as the Qulaihe pier, is the southernmost pier of the Jiayuguan West Great Wall, and also the westernmost pier of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. Dragon head and tail. The first pier stands on the 56-meter-high cliff beside the Koolai River, with the Koolai River originating from the Qilian Mountains at its feet, the majestic Jiayuguan City to the east, the vast Gobi Desert to the west, and the majestic Gobi to the north. It is connected to Jiayuguan, and to the south is the rolling Qilian Snow Mountain. The scenery is desolate and heroic.

It is more than 200 kilometers from Jiayuguan to Zhangye, and it takes about 2 hours.

Zhangye, known as Ganzhou in ancient times, is located at the northern foot of Qilian Mountain. It is an important link on the ancient Silk Road and one of the four counties in Hexi. It has been the center of political, economic, cultural and diplomatic activities in Northwest China for the Central Plains dynasties of all dynasties. Zhang Qian, Ban Chao, Fa Xian, Tang Xuanzang, etc. all went to the Western Regions via Zhangye; Emperor Sui Yang summoned the envoys of 27 monarchs and envoys of the Western Regions in Zhangye in 609 and held the "Exposition of All Nations". Marco Polo was fascinated by it and stayed for as long as a year.

Zhangye Colorful Danxia is a typical representative of the unique colorful Danxia and window-shaped palace-style Danxia in China. It is mainly composed of red gravel, sandstone and mudstone. It has been rated as one of the 25 dream travel destinations in the world, according to National Geographic "One of the top ten magical geographical wonders in the world", many films use this place as an important location for location shooting.

Zhangye Danxia is rare in the world with its majestic momentum, spectacular scenes, peculiar shapes and colorful colors. Not only does she have the strangeness and danger of Danxia, ​​but what is more beautiful is her color. Within a radius of more than 10 square kilometers, thousands of cliffs and mountains all present bright red and reddish-brown colors. Various bright colors such as black, gray and white, decorate countless ravines and hills in a colorful manner, showing the wonderful style of "the color is like Odan, and the brightness is like a bright glow", which is dazzling.

It is very convenient to enter the scenic spot and take a shuttle bus to various viewing platforms.

1) Colorful Splendid Stand

The Colorful Splendid Viewing Platform is erected on a ridge as a whole. Climbing up the steps and walking along the plank road, it is like shuttling through the Danxia Gallery. The mountains on both sides are mainly composed of red, white and yellow ribbons, which are evenly distributed and look gorgeous. The silk is draped over the mountain without seeing the end. In addition, those blue-gray mountains are like Chinese ink and wash Danqing paintings, which further reflect the brilliance and vigor of the colorful Danxia. The Colorful Splendid Terrace mainly includes: Silk Road, Chibi Great Wall, Mazi Noodle House, Yugu Tassels and other scenic spots.

2) Colorful Cloud Terrace

The viewing platform is currently the largest viewing platform in the scenic area. It focuses on the distant view and achieves the effect of overlooking. It reflects a majestic and magnificent scene of colorful flood waves. The colorful cloud sea platform is all-encompassing and has a profound artistic conception. On the cloud platform, we will see the monks worshiping Buddha, colorful flying clouds, big scallops, monkeys watching the sea and other scenic spots.

3) Colorful Xiatai

The Rainbow Observation Deck is the most colorful part of the scenic spot, just like the colorful clouds falling on the hills. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, the colors are particularly gorgeous, and it is the best place to watch the sunset. The viewing platform mainly has scenic spots such as Shenlong Xihuo, Shengui Wentian, and Little Potala Palace. (The mountains are high and the roads are dangerous, crowded with people, and there will be a long queue)

Looking around, the scattered Danxia mountains are like a dazzling and magnificent picture album, just like entering a colorful fairy tale world.

At sunrise and sunset, the sun shines on the cliff from different directions, and the scenery is very different. If you want to fully record the beauty of the colorful Danxia, ​​you must come here in the morning and evening. The scenic spot is still very user-friendly. When you enter the park, ask the staff to help you stamp the admission stamp for the next day, and you can come in again for free the next morning.

Day 7 Yongtai Ancient City • Shapotou

Although Yongtai was once the gateway to the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor, it has been on the verge of extinction in recent decades. In the 1950s, there were more than 1,300 people with more than 30 surnames in the village. At that time, the grasslands and trees outside the city were still quite lush. However, in recent decades, the ecology around the ancient city has deteriorated seriously, water resources are scarce, and the land is desertified and salinized. , The forest coverage rate has declined sharply, and now it is the appearance of the barren desert and Gobi. The deteriorating environment forced the residents of the city to move to the outside world. Now the city is in ruins and there are not many houses in sight.

At a glance, the tiger mountain in the distant Qilian Mountains is vigorous and powerful, and the ancient city of Yongtai nearby has been baptized by time, making it even more old and lonely. There are still two Qing Dynasty dwellings in the city, with endless simplicity and sadness. The decline of civilization is always sighing and sentimental.

Zhongwei, referred to as "Wei", is located at the junction of Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu provinces. It is the first artesian irrigation city in the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River. Incorporate Zhongwei into the centralized territory. 

Shapotou is a typical aeolian landform, bordering the Tengger Desert in the north and the Yellow River in the south, at the head of the front set of the Yellow River. After the Yellow River went north from Lanzhou, it circled a circular arc at this place. From here, Shapotou is a collection of desert, Yellow River, high mountains and oasis. It has the majestic scenery of the northwest and the beautiful scenery of the south of the Yangtze River. This is the first national-level desert ecological nature reserve, and it is also the location of China's three major singing sands - Shapo Mingzhong.

"The lonely smoke in the desert is straight, and the long river is full of sun", this heroine, standing alone at Wang Wei's viewing platform, feels the poetic and picturesque feeling of the great poet in the desert and overlooking the Yellow River.

From the viewing platform, there will be a shuttle bus to send tourists to the depths of the desert. There will be various experience activities, and the boat of the desert is always my unchanging belief.

Day 8 Yinchuan to Beijing