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"title": "Badain Jaran – China’s Singing Desert",
"excerpt": "Our top case had cracked in the last episode, so we first stopped in Alxa Left Banner to get it repaired. Once everything was fixed, we continued our journey 400 kilometers west to Alxa Right Banner, where the Gobi Desert slowly begins to take over the landscape. Leaving Alxa Left Banner, we passed through vast […]",
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"publishedAt": "2025-11-15T15:34:09",
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Our top case had cracked in the last episode, so we first stopped in Alxa Left Banner to get it repaired. Once everything was fixed, we continued our journey 400 kilometers west to Alxa Right Banner, where the Gobi Desert slowly begins to take over the landscape. Leaving Alxa Left Banner, we passed through vast […]
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Our top case had cracked in the last episode, so we first stopped in Alxa Left Banner to get it repaired. Once everything was fixed, we continued our journey 400 kilometers west to Alxa Right Banner, where the Gobi Desert slowly begins to take over the landscape. Leaving Alxa Left Banner, we passed through vast areas of China’s desertification control projects — and it’s impressive how effective they’ve become, with the spread of desert shrinking significantly compared to just a few years ago.
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The ride through the desert was tough — hot at first, then suddenly overcast. Along the way we passed a tiny settlement called Bayannourigong Sumu, where we made a short stop and chatted with a few local farmers who stay there during the season. The village is incredibly remote, with almost nothing around and hardly any traffic on the road. After the break, we continued our long journey toward Alxa Right Banner and finally arrived late in the evening.
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Badain Jaran Desert
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The next day, we set off on our desert expedition into the Badain Jaran Desert (巴丹吉林沙漠). Badain Jaran feels almost otherworldly — home to the world’s highest stationary sand dunes, some rising more than 500 meters, and over 140 stunning lakes scattered between them. The name “Badain Jaran” actually comes from Mongolian and means “mysterious lakes.” Some of these lakes are freshwater, others are salty, and their origins are still not fully understood. Most likely, they’re fed by a combination of seasonal rainfall and underground water systems flowing from nearby mountain ranges such as the Qilian and Helan Mountains.
In the past, monks lived here in a small monastery beside one of the largest lakes. Marco Polo is also said to have crossed this desert — in his writings, he described the “ghosts of the desert,” referring to the eerie sounds of the singing dunes. The landscape truly feels unreal.
Today, the area has become quite well-known among domestic travelers. You can now stay in yurt camps deep inside the desert and enjoy an incredibly clear night sky filled with stars.
In order to travel to Badain Jaran, you will need to hire a driver with a car with fourwheeldrive. Usually, you can find them quite easily in Alxa Right Banner, however, it’s quite expensive. The entrance ticket for one person is 1000 RMB, and the driver charges another 1500 RMB at least for an overnight stay in the desert. Additionally, if you want to stay overnight calculate another 1000 RMB for the Yurt stay including dinner. Making it all together around 3500 RMB (490 USD) for this adventure for one person. There is no tour or hotel available to book in advance. Your best bet is to ask at the hotel in Alxa Right Banner to get you a driver.
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