In northern Shaanxi, there’s such a magical place — where rock patterns resemble solidified red waves, and the crisscrossing gullies seem to reveal traces of time’s passage, offering an extraordinary visual impact.
This isJingbian Wave Valley.
The Wave Valley was discovered in the 1980s at the border of Arizona and Utah in the United States. Its magical appearance and high scientific research value have made it one of the world’s eight great rock wonders. The Wave Valley in Jingbian also boasts red sandstone canyons that can rival those in the American Wave Valley. The difference between the two isn’t huge — both feature red sandstone landforms. However, Jingbian’s is much younger, only around 60 million years old, so much of the sand hasn’t yet solidified into rock..
Currently, Jingbian Wave Valley has not yet become a famous tourist attraction, nor is it as hard to get into as America’s The Wave.,Although there is a sign for the “Longzhou Danxia Landform Natural Landscape Photography Base,” the Wave Valley is actually completely undeveloped for tourism, with almost no surrounding tourist facilities. Despite the rough environment, it remains a genuinely untouched natural wonder.
The Wave Valley is located in Longzhou Township, Jingbian County, still some distance from the county town.Near the scenic area,there are no hotels,so you can only stay at local farmhouses.The scenic area alsohas no entrance fee, but a few staff members manage vehicle access. Once you’reinside the scenic area, though,you can only walk.
The area inside the scenic zone is quite large, with some sections fenced off, so the landscape is fairly well preserved. The deeper you go, the more spectacular the scenery becomes.
Deep in the scenic area, you candescend to the valley floor,,but the descentis quite challenging — there are no proper trails, and you have to slide down along the rock walls.. Actually,it’s not recommended that yougodown, because Danxia landforms are permanently damaged by any human interference, with no way to recover. With no investment in the area and no government protection, descending to the valley floor is itself an act of destruction.Some people scramble to climb up the rocks.，That’s even more inadvisable.。
Deep in the valley lies a place called “One-Line Sky.”When you get here, be careful—look upwards to the left. The path across the canyon is above you; there’s no way down, only a cliff face. It’s really not recommended to come here alone. It’s extremely dangerous, with no guardrails, signs, or supervision. It’s best to hire a local guide. It doesn’t cost much for a day, and having someone lead you makes it much safer.
Once you cross that canyon above,you’ll reachthe other side of the valley floor, where there’s a small flat area. From the small dock, you can take a boat to view the water-based Danxia landform.
A speedboat ride costs 40yuanper person,，but the viewing experience isn’t that great.However, if you don’t take this speedboat, you won’t be able to access the other half of the scenic area.
After finishing the water-based Danxia tour and getting back on shore, you’ll arrive atScenic Areas 2 and 3,which aren’t far apart—you can walk between them in under an hour.， these two sections are not far apart, and you can walk between them in under an hour at a leisurely pace.
Near the Wave Valley, there are also several lesser-known and off-the-beaten-path attractions such as Tongwan City and the Ming Great Wall. These sites aren’t very formalized either. If you have a car, you can combine them with a visit to the Wave Valley.
Nearby Attractions:
Tongwan City
Tongwan City is located in Bai Chengze Village, Hongdunjie Town, Jingbian County—about a hundred li north of Jingbian County—in the Mu Us Desert. It was the capital site of the “Great Xia Kingdom” established by Helian Bobo of the Xiongnu Tiefu tribe during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, commonly known as “White City.” By the Song Dynasty, the surrounding area had become covered in desert, reducing it to ruins. Tongwan City is the only capital site left behind by the Xiongnu people in China’s history, and later it became a settlement for northern ethnic minorities such as the Tangut Qiang. The site contains quite a rich array of relics, ranging from the Han and Tang Dynasties through to the Tang and Song Dynasties—including items like bronze seals, pictorial seals, bronze Buddha statues, stone carvings, building materials, and everyday utensils.
Address: Bai Chengze Village, Hongdunjie Town, Jingbian County, Yulin City
Ticket: 20–30 yuan for those driving in; no ticket required for pedestrians
Transportation: Take a bus from Yulin Long-Distance Bus Station to Jingbian—there are many departures, with a reference fare of 48 yuan. After arriving in Jingbian, take a local bus from the county bus station to Bai Chengze Village (near Tongwan City)—there are two daily buses at 7:00 and 13:30 (return buses leave Bai Chengze Village at the same times, with vehicles traveling in both directions). The trip takes about one and a half hours, with a reference fare of 12 yuan. After reaching Bai Chengze Village, Tongwan City is just 2 kilometers away and can be reached on foot.
Transportation: Take a bus from Yulin Long-Distance Bus Station to Jingbian—there are many departures, with a reference fare of 48 yuan. After arriving in Jingbian, take a local bus from the county bus station to Bai Chengze Village (near Tongwan City)—there are two daily buses at 7:00 and 13:30 (return buses leave Bai Chengze Village at the same times, with vehicles traveling in both directions). The trip takes about one and a half hours, with a reference fare of 12 yuan. After reaching Bai Chengze Village, Tongwan City is just 2 kilometers away and can be reached on foot.
Ming Great Wall
On the road from Jingbian to the Wave Valley, there are over ten kilometers of Ming Dynasty Great Wall running alongside the highway. The Great Wall spans the territory of Yulin City. It was built over three months by 40,000 soldiers led by Yu Zijun, the regional inspector of Yansui Garrison during the Ming Chenghua era. The Ming Great Wall stretches 880 kilometers from Qingshuiying (now northeast of Fugu County, Shaanxi) in the east to Huamachi (now northeast of Yanchi County, Ningxia) in the west. Within Yulin, the wall enters from the border wall near Gaobao Fort in Shenmu County, passes through Jian’an Fort, Shuangshan Fort, Changle Fort, and Baoning Fort, and exits via Boluo Fort in Hengshan County to the west, snaking over 100 kilometers with more than 210 beacon towers.
Address: Jingbian County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province
Ticket: None
On the road from Jingbian to the Wave Valley, there are over ten kilometers of Ming Dynasty Great Wall running alongside the highway. The Great Wall spans the territory of Yulin City. It was built over three months by 40,000 soldiers led by Yu Zijun, the regional inspector of Yansui Garrison during the Ming Chenghua era. The Ming Great Wall stretches 880 kilometers from Qingshuiying (now northeast of Fugu County, Shaanxi) in the east to Huamachi (now northeast of Yanchi County, Ningxia) in the west. Within Yulin, the wall enters from the border wall near Gaobao Fort in Shenmu County, passes through Jian’an Fort, Shuangshan Fort, Changle Fort, and Baoning Fort, and exits via Boluo Fort in Hengshan County to the west, snaking over 100 kilometers with more than 210 beacon towers.
Address: Jingbian County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province
Ticket: None
Zhenbei Tower
Perched atop a strategic high point, Zhenbei Tower guards the northern passage like a colossal lock securing a vital mountain pass. It stands as one of the largest surviving fortresses along the ancient Great Wall. Built during the Ming Dynasty, it earned the title "First Tower of the Great Wall" and served as an observation post within the Great Wall defense system, functioning as a key stronghold in the central section of the Ming-era wall. From the tower's summit, visitors can enjoy sweeping views of the frontier landscape spanning dozens of miles — including deserts, Gobi plains, grasslands, the Yellow River, and the Three-North Shelterbelt — as well as the nearby Hongshixia (Red Stone Gorge).As one of the most magnificent and imposing structures among the Ming Great Wall ruins, Zhenbei Tower is recognized as one of the Three Great Wonders of the Great Wall (Shanhaiguan in the east, Zhenbei Tower in the middle, and Jiayuguan in the west).
Address: On Hongshan Mountain, 4 km north of Yulin City, Shaanxi Province
Ticket: 20 RMB
Hongshixia (Red Stone Gorge)
The Hongshixia Gorge stretches approximately 350 meters in length, with cliffs on the eastern side about 11.5 meters high and those on the western side around 13 meters high, standing facing each other in a majestic display. The swift-flowing Yuxi River cuts through the gorge, heading straight to the western part of the city. Lush willow trees line both banks, creating picturesque scenery. In ancient times, literati and artists stationed in Yulin often visited Hongshixia to carve inscriptions, expressing their heroic sentiments about life on the frontier. As a result, the gorge has become a major treasure trove of Great Wall calligraphy art. It also boasts the largest group of cliff inscriptions in Shaanxi. The content of these inscriptions reflects Yulin’s historical status as one of the “Nine Key Frontier Towns.” Additionally, visitors can admire stone cave art from the Song and Yuan dynasties. If you’re lucky enough to stay until evening, don’t miss the “Sunset at Red Mountain,” where the gorge glows brilliantly under the setting sun like a sunset-colored tapestry.
Address: 3 km north of Yulin City, Shaanxi Province; 5 km from downtown Yulin
Ticket: 20 RMB
Transportation: Take a taxi from downtown Yulin (approximate fare: 10 RMB), or take Bus No. 3 to the Hongshixia stop. A tourist shuttle is also available.
Perched atop a strategic high point, Zhenbei Tower guards the northern passage like a colossal lock securing a vital mountain pass. It stands as one of the largest surviving fortresses along the ancient Great Wall. Built during the Ming Dynasty, it earned the title "First Tower of the Great Wall" and served as an observation post within the Great Wall defense system, functioning as a key stronghold in the central section of the Ming-era wall. From the tower's summit, visitors can enjoy sweeping views of the frontier landscape spanning dozens of miles — including deserts, Gobi plains, grasslands, the Yellow River, and the Three-North Shelterbelt — as well as the nearby Hongshixia (Red Stone Gorge).As one of the most magnificent and imposing structures among the Ming Great Wall ruins, Zhenbei Tower is recognized as one of the Three Great Wonders of the Great Wall (Shanhaiguan in the east, Zhenbei Tower in the middle, and Jiayuguan in the west).
Address: On Hongshan Mountain, 4 km north of Yulin City, Shaanxi Province
Ticket: 20 RMB
Hongshixia (Red Stone Gorge)
The Hongshixia Gorge stretches approximately 350 meters in length, with cliffs on the eastern side about 11.5 meters high and those on the western side around 13 meters high, standing facing each other in a majestic display. The swift-flowing Yuxi River cuts through the gorge, heading straight to the western part of the city. Lush willow trees line both banks, creating picturesque scenery. In ancient times, literati and artists stationed in Yulin often visited Hongshixia to carve inscriptions, expressing their heroic sentiments about life on the frontier. As a result, the gorge has become a major treasure trove of Great Wall calligraphy art. It also boasts the largest group of cliff inscriptions in Shaanxi. The content of these inscriptions reflects Yulin’s historical status as one of the “Nine Key Frontier Towns.” Additionally, visitors can admire stone cave art from the Song and Yuan dynasties. If you’re lucky enough to stay until evening, don’t miss the “Sunset at Red Mountain,” where the gorge glows brilliantly under the setting sun like a sunset-colored tapestry.
Address: 3 km north of Yulin City, Shaanxi Province; 5 km from downtown Yulin
Ticket: 20 RMB
Transportation: Take a taxi from downtown Yulin (approximate fare: 10 RMB), or take Bus No. 3 to the Hongshixia stop. A tourist shuttle is also available.
A visit to the Wave Valley usually takes half a day, and adding other scenic spots,1–2 days are sufficient, making it perfect for a weekend trip. Spring is just around the corner — why not plan a weekend getaway to Jingbian? !