Badain Jaran

Badain Jaran

Badain Jaran

The Badain Jaran Desert covers a total area of 47,000 square kilometers, situated at the junction of Ejin Banner and Right Alxa Banner. It extends eastward to the Bayan Ula and Yabrai Mountains, west to the Mazong Mountains, south to the North Mountains, and north to the Zongnai Mountains. It is the third largest desert in China and the fourth largest in the world, with an area within our banner of 35,000 square kilometers. The Badain Jaran Desert is famed for its "Five Wonders": striking sand peaks, singing sands, lakes, sacred springs, and ancient temples. With elevations generally ranging from 1,100 to over 1,600 meters, the relative height of sand dunes varies between 200 and —

500 meters. Towering sand mountains account for 61% of the entire desert area. In the heart of the desert, there are vast, regularly arranged compound sand dunes that stretch continuously, with towering peaks resembling massive waves stirred up by a tsunami—an awe-inspiring spectacle. The summits of the sand dunes feature winding ridges as sharp as blades, crisscrossed sand gullies, and sheer sand walls. The highest sand peak, Bilutu Peak, stands at an elevation of 1,617 meters with a relative height of over 500 meters, making it the tallest sand dune in the world—over 70 meters higher than the highest peak in the Sahara Desert—and is commonly known as the "Everest of the Desert." The Badain Jaran Desert is the world’s largest area of singing sand, with the central region covered by singing sand dunes, each with a relative height of 200–500 meters. The sound of the shifting sands is thunder-like, resembling the roar of a formation of fighter jets—deep, resonant, and audible from over ten kilometers away. It has earned the title "Kingdom of Singing Sands."

The Badain Jaran Desert receives less than 40 millimeters of rainfall per year, yet it surprisingly contains over 100 lakes. A total of 113 lakes have been identified here, often referred to as the "Thousand Lakes of the Desert." These lakes vary in shape and scenery. Around the lakes, tree-lined shores are dotted with blooming flowers, fluttering butterflies, and buzzing bees. Within the lakes, fresh springs flow gently, creating rippling blue waters where fish and shrimp play. Some lakes are interconnected, others reflect both sand and water, and some blend into the sky, forming unique desert landscapes praised as the "Jiangnan of the Desert." The largest lake, Nuoritu Haizi, covers an area of 2,205 mu (approximately 147 hectares) and reaches a depth of 28 meters. Among the many sweet springs in the Badain Jaran lakes, the one at Yinderti is the most famous. Historical records tell of the Alxa Prince traveling great distances by camel to bring back this water for drinking, hence it's honored as the "Sacred Spring." Located in the center of the lake, the spring emerges from the rocks. On a small island of less than 3 square meters, there are 108 springs. The water is cool, refreshing, and of excellent quality. According to analysis by German experts, the "Sacred Spring" contains over ten essential trace elements needed by the human body, offering benefits such as invigoration, longevity, and treatment of various ailments.

The Badain Jaran Desert has a long history. Archaeologists have discovered pottery shards from the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods in the desert’s interior, indicating that humans have lived here for 3,000 to 5,000 years. Throughout the changes of time, the Badain Jaran Desert has always captivated people’s souls and spirits with its majestic and mystical presence. The numerous ancient and mysterious legends passed down through generations add a dreamlike aura to this land, sparking boundless imagination and wonder. The renowned Sumin Jilin Temple is one of the oldest and most famous historical and cultural landmarks in Alxa. Built in 1755, the temple has two floors with a total area of nearly 300 square meters. Legend has it that every brick, tile, stone, and piece of timber used in its construction was transported here manually.

The Badain Jaran Desert boasts abundant flora and fauna as well as mineral resources. Its lakes are rich in microorganisms such as brine shrimp, while the shores are home to dozens of wild animal species and birds, including swans, wild ducks, argali, and goitered gazelles. The desert also holds substantial mineral deposits such as alkali, salt, and mirabilite. In addition, it produces wild medicinal herbs like licorice, ephedra, Cynomorium, and Cistanche. The wealth of animal and plant life, along with abundant minerals such as silicon, aluminum, iron, and calcium, dispels the notion of the Badain Jaran Desert being a barren "no-man's land" or "sea of death." Instead, it is a prosperous "treasure basin" with immense development potential.

The development and construction of the Badain Jaran Desert as a world-class adventure tourism base have attracted increasing attention both domestically and internationally. In 1998, it was the only site from the Badain Jaran Desert selected among the adventure tourism projects presented by the Chinese government at the International Adventure Tourism Expo. It has also been listed as one of the second batch of key projects in Inner Mongolia’s recent focus on tourism development.

Key Features: The Badain Jaran Desert covers a total area of 47,000 square kilometers, making it the third largest desert in China and the fourth largest in the world, with 35,000 square kilometers lying within our banner. It is famed for its "Five Wonders": striking sand peaks, singing sands, lakes, sacred springs, and ancient temples. Elevations generally range from 1,100 to over 1,600 meters, with sand dune heights between 200 and —

500 meters. Towering sand dunes make up 61% of the total desert area. In the desert’s core, vast, regularly aligned compound sand dunes extend continuously with densely packed peaks, resembling colossal waves from a tsunami—creating a truly spectacular sight. The crests of the dunes feature winding, blade-like ridges, intricate sand gullies, and sheer cliffs.