The northwest is known as one of the best places for hiking and driving in China. The boundless landscape of stark mountains and dusty plains will give you a unique travel experience.

Find it on a sprawling map, Ningxia is long and narrow, situated in Northwest China, bordered by Gansu to the south, Shaanxi to the east, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region to the north.

This slice of China is small but beautiful, and it is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization. It's also a region rich in mountains, plains, lakes and desert. Ningxia' splendid cultural heritage is definitely worth exploring.

Here are some pictures taken from my September trip to this amazing place, as well as Alxa Left Banner in Inner Mongolia, 130 kilometers from Yinchuan, Ningxia's capital.