Beijing Hotels     Beijing Train     Beijing Flight     Community     Blog     Home

Your Reliable Gateway Travel to Beijing China
200+ things to do in Beijing China. Book ahead - save time and money!
10 reasons to use a local travel Agency !

Home → China Tours → Silk Road Tours → Zhongwei Travel Guide

Zhongwei Travel Guide

Location: Zhongwei is in the Midwest part of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Area, on the crossing of Ningxia, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia.

Population: 1,041,821

Area: 16,986 sq km

Nationalities: Hui, Han, Inner Mongolia

History: Zhongwei has a long period of history traced bake to 30,000 years ago. In Spring and Autumn Age, Qiang and Rong nationalities resided here motleyly. After Qin Country combined the other six countries, Zhongwei was merged into the whole territory. From of old, Zhongwei was the town of battle.

Climate: The climate in Zhongwei features dry, strong-wind, sandy, and more sandstorm.

Transportation: Zhongwei has convenient communication. Xiangshan Airport scheduled flights to Beijing, Chongqing, Xian and so on at present.
Bao-Zhong railroad lines go through Zhongwei. Zhongwei is also a central railway station connecting the Northwest and the East. Trains bound for Beijng, Shanghai, Xining, Xian, etc.
As a transportation junction, Zhongwei not only plays an important role in the communication in Ningxia, but also enjoys an immovable place in the whole northwest region. Three state highways, GZ25、GZ35、GZ45, going through Zhongwei link up Xinjiang, Hexi Corridor and the eastern regions, and form an east-west transportation network that connects Zhongwei and its surrounding regions. While Yining highway, Zhongjing highway, 109 state highway, and Zhonghao expressway are also transportation ties joining Zhongwei and other areas.

Local Specialties: Xiangshui Pear, Bitter Buchwheat, Seabuckthorn, Yellow Wine

Local Food: Braised Beef in Brown Sauce, Hand pulled Saozi Noodles, Steamed Northern bronze gudgeon, Sauted Camel Hoof, Fried Tofu with Vegetable, Yanmianrourou (a kind of naked oats made snack)

Major Attractions:
Gao Temple - The temple was originally built in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). The present temple is a magnificent jumble of buildings and styles covering an area of about four thousand square meters. The temple is a structure that, like the Hanging Monastery near Datong, caters mainly to the three religions of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism (although the temple even goes so far as to celebrate Christianity and other religions that have tried to find their home in China). Statues of the Gautama Buddha, the Jade Emperor and the Holy Mother can still be seen here, under the roofs of the 250 temple rooms that make up the complex.



Shapotou - Shapotou Scenic Zone, 22 km west of Zhongwei County, is characterized by a cliff-like sand dune some 70 metres in height and 200 metres in width. It is also a landmark for the lTengger Desert. "Bell tolls at the Sandy Slope" is a famed scenery. The local people have managed to harness the desert by planting grass in chessboard pattern. Travellers may venture into the Tengger Desert by riding camels, or raft the Yellow River aboard sheepskin dinghies.



Travel Tips:
1. Zhongwei is located deeply in the inland China close to desert and so far away from the sea, hence, the weather features late spring, short summer and long winter. It is windy and there is lack of rain in this area. May to October may be the best time to visit here.

Questions & Answers: