Dragon Palace Ecotourism Area

Dragon Palace Ecotourism Area

Introduction The Dragon Palace Ecotourism Area is located on the edge of the Tengger Desert in the northern part of Zhongwei City, 10 kilometers from downtown Zhongwei, covering an area of 25,000 mu. The area features the largest Taoist temple in Ningxia — the Dragon Palace Temple. To the north of the temple, the ancient Great Wall meanders through the landscape, with millennia-old ruins still standing. The largest beacon tower on the ancient Great Wall of Ningxia — Sifangding — stands proudly here. On both the north and south sides of Sifangding, there are two well-preserved ancient city sites. Not far north of the Great Wall lies a natural freshwater lake called Xiaohu Lake, covering an area of about ten hectares, formed by underground spring water.

The lake water is crystal clear, with azure waves rippling, like a piece of jade embedded in the vast sea of sand. Dozens of species of waterfowl and migratory birds freely inhabit the lake. To the west and north, the lake is surrounded by golden sand dunes, forming a true desert lake.

The northern shore of Xiaohu Lake is home to the largest man-made forest in Zhongwei City. After fifty years of development by several generations, it has become an ecological forest spanning 15,000 mu. Walking into the forest, you are greeted by refreshing breezes, wildflowers, unusual trees, and breathtaking scenery — a rare oasis in the desert. To the north of the forest lies the boundless Tengger Desert. Here, you can watch the sunrise over the sand sea at dawn and admire the solitary smoke rising over the desert at dusk.

Zhongwei, Ningxia