Shapotou

At Shapotou the southeastern edge of the Tengger desert comes down to the Yellow River, so dunes, green riverbank and water meet in a short distance. The site is also where Chinese researchers developed the straw checkerboard in the 1950s, laying wheat straw in a grid across the sand to break the wind at ground level and hold the surface until planted shrubs took, a method that protected the Baotou to Lanzhou railway and has since been used across northern China and exported abroad. Visitors slide the dunes on sledges, ride camels, cross the river on inflated sheepskin rafts and take a zip line to the far bank.

What you actually see

• The dune and river meeting - sand running down to the Yellow River.
• The straw checkerboards - the sand-fixing grids across the desert.
• The sheepskin rafts - traditional inflated-hide craft on the river.
• The dune sledging - slides and rides down the sand slopes.

When to go

April to October; summer is hot but the river activities suit it, and weekends are crowded. Winter is cold with reduced services. Sunset over the dunes is the best light.

Honest expectations

The site is a developed activity park, with most attractions charged individually on top of entry. Crowds are heavy in summer and at holidays. Quiet desert requires walking away from the facilities.

Nearby

Zhongwei lies east; Sand Lake is northeast.