3 Days Badain Jaran Desert Tour: Yurt Camp & Jeep Safari
Tour Overview
Badain Jaran Desert, the third largest desert in China, boasts a spectacular Sing Sand area, star-studded lakes, pink seas, endless springs, mysterious desert temples, and so on. These strange and fascinating landscapes have made it an ideal place for desert exploration and photography What’s more surprising is that compared with other tropical deserts, the climate of Badain Jaran Desert is relatively cool.
On this 3-day Badain Jaran Desert tour, you will travel in a well-conditioned jeep through the sand dunes and deep into the heart of the desert in search of those mysterious lakes. You’ll have the opportunity to spend the night in a local traditional Mongolian yurt and witness the beautiful sunrise and sunset views from the sand dunes.
Travel destinations: Badain Jaran Town
Suitable for: Families, Photographers, Adventure Seekers
Tour type: Private
Highlights of this tour:
- Hop on a thrilling Jeep Safari into the heart of the Badain Jaran Desert for beautiful lakes, high sand dunes, and Buddhist temple.
- Stay overnight in a Mongol yurt camp in the desert.
- Learn about the geological wonders of Badain Jaran and visit the serene oases including Yinderitu Spring, Sumu Barun Jaran Lake & Barunyikeri.
- Get up early to capture the amazing sunrise over the vast expanse of the Badain Jaran Desert.
Day-by-day Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival in Zhangye - Badain Jaran Town
Badain Jaran Town is located in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the nearest airports to the town are in Zhangye and Jinchang, which are about 2 to 3 hours' drive away. Tourists can fly directly to Zhangye or Jinchang from many cities such as Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Lanzhou.
Upon arrival, our local private guide and driver will meet you at the airport or train station, holding a welcome sign with your name on it. Then they will escort you to Badain Jaran town, the base camp of this Badain Jaran Desert tour.
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: in Badain Jaran Town
- Day 2: Badain Jaran Desert TourEnjoy a Jeep Safari for Badain Jaran's Geology, Landscapes, Lakes & Buddhist Temple
After breakfast, your guide will pick you up and take you to visit the Badain Jaran Geopark Museum, which provides an in-depth introduction to the geological wonders of the region through words and pictures. Your knowledgeable guide will tell you how the exceptional Badain Jaran Desert was formed.
Next, you'll hop on a jeep and head into the heart of the Badain Jaran Desert. Traveling through the vast sand dunes, along the way we will visit some of the famous attractions such as Badain Lake and Genghis Khan Sand Carving. Badain Lake is the gateway to the Badain Jaran Desert and consists of a total of 13 lakes, one of which is a rare freshwater lake in the Badain Jaran Desert. The lake is like a shining pearl inlaid in the desert, so the Badain Jaran Lake is also called "Jewel Lake" by the locals.
Colorful Lakes in Badain Jaran Desert Continue your desert jeep tour to Yinderitu Spring, surrounded by towering sand dunes. It is a natural oasis dotted with grasses, trees, reeds and water birds. The most amazing thing about the lake is that there is a 3-square meter sized rock with 108 holes of spring that gush out sweet water. You will also enjoy a panoramic view of the desert from the viewpoint of Bilutu.
In the evening, you will reach the depths of the desert to visit the mysterious Badain Jaran Temple. This is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery that was built in 1755. You will spend the night in a Mongol yurt camp near here, a unique and unforgettable experience. Basic shower facilities are available at the yurt camp.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Badain Jaran Town
Badain Jaran Temple - Day 3: Departure from Badain JaranCatch Sunrise, Visit Lakes Showcasing Desert's Changing Landscapes
Today, you need to wake up early to catch the spectacular sunrise view over the vast Badain Jaran Desert. Later, return to the camp for breakfast.
After breakfast, continue your jeep safari. We will stop at Sumu Barun Jaran Lake. Take some time to admire the perfect blend of water and desert.
Sunrise over Badain Jaran Desert Next, you will visit Barunyikeri and Heavenly Lake (Tianchi), two other natural wonders of the Badain Jaran Desert. Barunyikeri is a seasonal freshwater lake. During the season of abundance, it is one of the most extensive lakes in the desert. In the spring and summer, a lot of water evaporates, and the freshwater lake splits in two, becoming two saltwater lakes that run east-west. In the autumn and winter, as the underground spring gradually gusher out, the two saltwater lakes will join together again and become a large freshwater lake. How amazing it is!
After the 3-day Badain Jaran Desert tour, you will be escorted to Jinchang Airport for your flight to your next destination.
Meal: Breakfast+Lunch
Accommodation: N/A
Tour Price Per Person
The price varies depending on the activity, number of people, travel date, and selected hotel. Please contact us for a specific price.
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