Badanjilin Desert is famous for its high sand dunes and spectacular view. Bizarre peaks, echoing sand, mirror-like lakes and holy springs are regarded as four excellences of this desert. The highest sand dune throughout the world is discovered here with the relative height of 500 meters (547 yards), hence acknowledged as 'Desert Everest'.
Badanjilin Desert is located in Alashan, west of Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region with the total area of 47,000 square kilometers (18,147 square miles). It is ranked as the third largest in China and the fourth largest in the world. The sand dune averages about 200 meters in the hinterland. Overlooking the desert, the rolling sand dunes seem to be gilded with a film of silky gold.
Entering the desert, what firstly come into your eyes is the golden sand dunes. The road is uneven alternating between ascents and descents. When walking uphill, the camels have to take one step backward unintentionally while taking two steps forward. When they come to the descents, they only need to slide along the sand; one slide is about two steps' distance. The desert plants dot on the sand slopes. Some of the needle-like foliage is yellow-green, some are grey, and some are flaky. What is interesting is that the desert cicada has itself hidden in the foliage and keeps on singing. The tawny lizard peeps inquisitively far on the slope. When you approach it, it scampers away in fright leaving a line of the cute footprints.
When the wind blows, grains of sand are moved forward, that is exactly the way how the high sand dunes are accumulated little by little. It is a common phenomenon that one side of the slope is even, and the other side is steep, which is exquisitely arrayed by wind. It is really difficult to imagine how powerful the wind is to move the sand grains up to several hundred meters' top. There is often the case that one side of the sand is accumulated so high that it usually falls into a slide suddenly resulting in the long thunderous roar in the desert.
To your joy, the blue lakes can often be found deep in the desert, the local people call the lakes 'Haizi'. In Badanjilin Desert, the Haizi totals up to a hundred. Around each blue Haizi is an oasis filled with liveliness.
How delightful it is when the lonely traveler finds the oasis in the desert! The salty Haizi offers the agreeable environment for the artemia, who feed numerous wild ducks and water birds. The reed flowers are dancing and the willow are bending gracefully at the lakeside. Goats are eating the grass leisurely under the desert date tree, while camels are chewing the cud quietly. The high sand dunes and crystal Haizi contrast finely with each other, the water birds frolic mutually, the lake ripples when the breeze blows, all that seems to be integral of the Jiangnan Beauty. Apart from Haizi, you will find several springs gurgling out in sweetness, drinkable for humans and animals.
Entrance Fee: Free
Transportation: Take the long-distance bus from Youqi to Zuoqi, then transfer to local jeeps to the desert.
Tips:
A. The best time to the desert is from Aug. to Oct., when the average temperature is around 25 ℃ (77 ℉);
B. The temperatures are quite different between day time and night, so do not forget to take some warm clothes;
C. It is very dry, so please take enough water with you.
