Ningxia
宁夏 · Níngxià
Western Xia Imperial Tombs · Photo: Thebrainchamber1 · CC BY-SA 4.0
1Cities
15Sights
Cities in Ningxia
2–3 daysYinchuan银川Western Xia royal tombs, Helan Mountain rock art and the Shapotou desert on the Yellow River.Top sights
西夏陵Western Xia Imperial TombsThe royal cemetery of the Tangut Western Xia kingdom (1038–1227): huge beehive-shaped earthen mounds scattered across the gravel plain below the Helan Mountains, with a museum at the entrance. UNESCO World Heritage since 2025.
贺兰山岩画Helan Mountain Rock CarvingsThousands of ancient carvings of animals, hunters and masks pecked into the boulders of the Helankou gorge, including the famous “Sun God” face; a rock-art museum stands at the entrance.
镇北堡西部影城Zhenbeibao Western Film StudioTwo crumbling Ming and Qing frontier forts turned into a film set by writer Zhang Xianliang; scenes from “Red Sorghum” and many other Chinese films were shot here, and you can wander the sets, old streets and props.
沙坡头旅游景区Shapotou (desert meets the Yellow River)Where the dunes of the Tengger Desert pour down to the Yellow River, near Zhongwei: sand sliding, camel rides, a zip line across the river and sheepskin rafts, plus the historic railway built across the sand.
沙湖旅游景区Sand Lake (Shahu)A broad reedy lake right next to sand dunes north of Yinchuan: boats through the reeds to the desert side, birdlife in spring and autumn, and sand activities.