Wuhai

A “City of Calligraphy” where the Yellow River runs through town and desert rings the lake: Wuhai Lake meets the Ulan Buh Desert, and the Genghis Khan statue on Gander Mountain overlooks river, lake and dunes.

Wuhai lies in western Inner Mongolia and is the first city the Yellow River passes after entering Inner Mongolia. It is backed by Zhuozi Mountain to the east, faces the Ulan Buh Desert to the west and borders Shizuishan in Ningxia to the south, comprising the three districts of Haibowan, Wuda and Hainan. Built on the coal industry, it is now turning to tourism as the “Sea in the Desert” and “China's City of Calligraphy.” Wuhai Lake formed after the Yellow River Haibowan Water Control Project was completed in 2014; on its west shore, sand dunes drop straight to the water's edge, Wuhai's most famous view. Sightseeing divides into three areas: Haibowan's urban area and the Wuhai Lake waterfront (the Genghis Khan statue on Gander Mountain, Wuhai Museum, the Calligraphy Art Museum and the lakeside at night); the north of the city (Jinshawan desert recreation area, Longyouwan Wetland, Hansen Winery and the Zhuozi Mountain petroglyphs); and Wuda west of the lake plus Hainan District to the south (the Ulan Buh Desert, Huyang Island and Manbalaseng Temple). The climate is dry with little rain; May–Jun and Sep–Oct are the best times to visit. Summer days are hot but mornings and evenings cool; spring is windy and sandy, and winter is cold with the lake frozen over. Getting there: Wuhai Airport has flights to Beijing, Hohhot and elsewhere; Wuhai Station on the Baotou–Lanzhou Railway has bullet-train links to Baotou and Yinchuan; and the Beijing–Tibet Expressway runs through the city. Sights are spread out, so driving or hiring a car is recommended. Allow 2 days, and consider combining with Alxa, Yinchuan and Sand Lake. Local specialties include desert wine, lamb and Yellow River fish.

Top sights

Itineraries