Zhongwei Travel Guide

Basic information Area code: 0955 Emergency phone: 110, 120, 119 Zhongwei Tourism Bureau Tel: 0955-7012620 Travel information Surfers in the desert are at risk. Tourists suffering from heart disease, hypertension, etc. should not to try to avoid sudden illness. Zhongwei […]

Basic information

Area code: 0955
Emergency phone: 110, 120, 119
Zhongwei Tourism Bureau Tel: 0955-7012620

Travel information

• Surfers in the desert are at risk. Tourists suffering from heart disease, hypertension, etc. should not to try to avoid sudden illness.
• Zhongwei City is strong in sunshine. It is recommended to prepare high-density sunscreens and sunhats in advance. The dust in the desert is large. You can prepare a scarf to cover the sand.
• The climate here is dry, and the specialty foods are mainly mutton and beef. Therefore, drink plenty of water and eat more fruits and vegetables on the way to supplement body water.
• Zhongwei’s Jinsha Island and Shabotou Scenic Spots all have self-paid projects such as desert surfing. When signing an exemption contract, they must carefully read the terms and confirm whether the seat belts are remembered after getting on the car to avoid accidents when the vehicle is flying at high speed.

Destination overview

Destination sketch

Zhongwei City lies in west-central Ningxia Province, bordered by Gansu Province to the west and Inner Mongolia to the north. Wuzhong City and Guyuan City are respectively situated east and south of it.

Local life

Shapotou District and Zhongning and Haiyuan counties have a permanent population of about 1.10 million. There are many ethnic minorities in the region, and there are as many as 20 ethnic groups such as Han, Hui, and Manchu, among which Hui population is about 34.6%.

Beliefs and taboos

Hui People in Xinjiang Food and Food Culture:
The cuisine is diverse and varies from region to region. If you visit them, you will be served a wide variety of distinctive food. Hui people living in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region prefer food with flour; in Gansu and Qinghai, they favor wheat, barley, and potatoes. Gaiwan Tea contains not only with tea, but also many other nutritious ingredients such as longan, jujube, sesame, sugar candy, and medlar. Pigeons are considered a ‘divine bird’ that may be eaten only under certain Circumstances. For example, a pigeon are fed to the sick as a tonic, but only after it is approved by the Imam. They are generally forbidden to eat the meat of pigs, dogs, horses, donkeys, mules as well as the blood of Animals. Moreover, if people of other nationalities use a pot or dish to hold pork, then they will not use or touch the dish.

Local festival

Bairam (End of Ramadan)

During the entire ninth month of to the Hui calendar, men older than 12 and women older than 9 will fast, which means they cannot eat anything from sunrise to sunset. Lesser Bairam is celebrated on the first day of the tenth month and lasts three days. Relatives and friends are served choice beef and mutton, and fired cakes which are their favorite food.

Best Travel season

Zhongwei is located deep in inland China, close to the desert and far away from the sea; hence, it enjoys a semi-arid continental monsoon climate accompanied by desert climate. Zhongwei weather features a late spring, a short summer and a long winter. It is windy and there is a lack of rain in this area. June to August is the period during which the majority of a year’s rainfall is gathered. May to October are best time for sightseeing,

Consumption level

Travelling in Zhongwei, tickets and transportation expenses are the main expenses. The city’s traffic mainly depends on self-driving or chartered vehicles. Each attraction has a long distance between each other, The average daily cost is about 500 yuan.

Practical information

Zhongwei Tourism Bureau
Address: Southeast of Gulou South Street, Zhongwei City
Tel: 0955-7012620

Shapotou Tourist Attractions Visitor Center
Address: Shapotou District, Zhongwei City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Intercity traffic

Aircraft

Zhongwei Shapotou Airport,ZHY
Address: Yaoshui Village, Yingshui Bridge, Zhongwei City
Tel: 0955-7073229

Train

Zhongwei Railway Station
Address: Gulou North Street, Zhongwei City
Tel: 0955-7095222

Long distance bus

Zhongwei Bus Station
Address: 1 Yingbin Avenue, Shapotou District, Zhongwei City
Tel: 0955-7012775

Traffic in the city

Taxi

Zhongwei’s taxis are based on different types of vehicles. Starting prices are 5 yuan and 6 yuan. The prices for various scenic spots are relatively fixed. The driver can discuss the prices before boarding the bus and do not need to play the table.

Attractions

High Temple (Gao Miao)

Located in Northern Zhongwei County, High Temple represents a unique amalgamation of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Construction was completed during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and was subsequently repaired in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). The present structure is composed of Of the Baoan and High Temples. Baoan is a Buddhist Temple. It has a mountain gate facing south and rooms on each side similar to a phoenix spreading its wings. The Hall of Mahavira stands in the front.
The High Temple can be reached by ascending 24 stairs. Visitors will see archways, Southern Heavenly Gate, Wuyue Hall, Yuhuang (Jade Emperor) Hall, and Shengmu (Heavenly Mother) Hall in succession. On the two sides of the temple lie the symmetrically Shaped Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Lingguan Hall, Wen (Literary) Tower and Wu (Military) Tower. These compact structures all feature Taoist architecture. There is anong an outlined sound and light show under the temple’s platform conveying what hell must be like. Startlingly vivid presentation is frightening, but is also intended to be educational.
Address: No. 47, Gulou North Street, Shapotou District, Zhongwei City. How to get there: 800 walk from Zhongwei Railway Station
Opening hours: Summer 7:30-18:00, Winter 8:00-17:30
Tickets: 30 yuan
Tel: 0955-7012164

Shapotou

Shapotou, situated in Zhongwei County, lies on the north bank of the Yellow River where it crosses the southeastern border of the Tengger Desert. Administratively it falls under Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region-some 150 km (93 miles) south of Yinchuan City. 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. The grandeur of the north of China and the elegance of the south come together in this lovely place.
Address: Beside 201 Provincial Road, Shapotou District, Zhongwei City
Arrival method: Shapotou Railway Station has a direct shuttle to the scenic area, starting at 6:00 every half hour
Opening hours: 8:30-17:30
Tickets: 100 yuan from April to November (donated on the desert escalator), from December to March 65 in the following year
Tel: 0955-7689333
Www.spttour.com

Shikong Giant Buddha Temple

The Shikong Temple was re-examined and restored its function as a religious site. Every year around the 8th of April in the lunar calendar, there will be a grand temple fair in Shikong Temple. Here you can see some traditional temple fairs. Shikong Temple is known as a grotto in ancient times. It has a total of 13 caves and is divided into three groups of upper, middle, and lower caves. It is sometimes called “three temples.” At present, the biggest attraction of the Shikong Temple is the architectural complex, overlooking the Shikong Temple in the distance, and the entire building complex is like being cut into a cliff and it is spectacular.
Address: Zhangjinsha Village, Yuding Township, Zhongning City, Zhongwei City
Arrival method: Transfer from Gulou South Street to Provincial Highway 201 and drive for 37 km
Opening hours: 8:00-17:00
Tickets: Free

Golden Sand Island

Ningxia Zhongwei Golden Sand Island Leisure Resort is located on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert in China’s fourth largest desert. It is a unique tourist resort mixed with frontier culture, desert culture and military Culture. The main projects are Camel sand surfing, karting, self-driving buggy, balance car, sand therapy, solarium and so on.
Address: Northwest of Tengger Desert Wetland Tourism Zone, Zhongwei City (7 km west of Shapotou Airport) How to get there: 17 km from Zhongwei Drum Tower, 20 to 25 minutes by taxi
Opening hours: 9:00-18:00
Tickets: 60 yuan
Tel: 0955-7666536

Si Kouzi Scenic Area

SiKouzi has a rich cultural landscape and unique natural scenery. It is known as the “History Museum.” There are two scenic spots in the east and west of the temple, while the eastern area is called the Saishang Qixia scenic area. The most famous landscape is the rocky landscape. It is one of the most magical and beautiful canyons in the northwest. The West area is known as the Danya Cliff Buddhism Scenic Area. The mountains are steep and the cultural landscape is rich.
Address: Sikou Scenic Area, Xuanhe Town, Shapotou District, Zhongwei City
Opening hours: 8:00-17:00
Tickets: 80 yuan

Activity

Rock climbing
Si Kouzi Scenic Area is the only natural climbing site in Ningxia.

Itinerary

Desert Oasis Gold Route

The Zhongwei to Zhongning line is the golden route of the desert oasis tour. In the long-distance trains and the Baolan railway trains, you can closely watch the Great Wall of Saibei. This section of the city wall is represented by Shengjinguan and is one of the best-preserved Ming Great Wall sections in Ningxia.
Zhongwei Gaomiao is the first place to go after arriving in Zhongwei. The next day it mainly visits Shapotou scenic spot. On the third day, it visits the Shikong Giant Buddha Temple.
Route: Zhongwei Gaomiao-Shapotou-Shikong Giant Buddha Temple

Food

There are a number of budget restaurants near Gaomiao Temple for you to choose from, some of which may look awful but serve reasonable food. Zhongwei is a Muslim city so pork is hard to find. Also, most people eat noodles instead of rice.

Accommodation

Zhongwei city is not big, only two 5-star hotels, the price is about 300 yuan. General 3, 4 star hotel is about 150 yuan, complete supporting facilities, Shapotou scenic area has many theme inn, simple decoration, most have 24-hour hot water and wireless network coverage, one night at 100 yuan, like Visitors who want to experience the atmosphere of the desert can try it.

Shopping

watermelon, pear, apple, medlar, yellow wine, golden thread jujube