The remote but stunning Badain Jaran Desert is a mysterious landscape of desert lakes, Buddhist temples and towering dunes. The dunes here are the tallest in the world, some topping 380m (the same height, incredibly, as the Empire State Building). The closest town in the region, Ālāshàn Yòuqí (阿拉善右旗), is a 30-minute drive from the dunes.
Badanjilin Travel Service , in town, organises camel treks (from ¥120 per hour) and tours with English-speaking guides from ¥1000. They can also organise a car to Khara Khoto for ¥1600 return. Chéngdū-based Navo Tours runs 4WD tours here (three days of which is in the desert) starting from Lánzhōu with English-speaking guides.
