| Journey to the wild, wild West | |||
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When the guide and I tried to ascend a particularly tricky high dune, a strong wind gust blinded me for a moment (my camel with double rows of extra-long thick lashes was okay), I got nervous. The camels were tackling the dune and I was fighting the sand in my eyes while tightly gripping the rocking saddle. When the blow was over, we shared a sand-filled, slightly worried laugh about the adventure that I won't forget for a long time. In the process of my camel encounter, I finally reconciled with the peculiar but admirable creature that never complained and was so perfectly suited for the environment so harsh on man and beast - a true desert hovercraft and indeed, a quite endearing creature. I kept my vow about horses and steered clear. Since the narrowest part of the Tengger is only a little over 20km, it's possible to hike across the sands. It takes around six hours on camelback to get to the other side of Shapotou, a highly touristy place, from Tonghu, which is somewhat less commercial. A walk takes eight to 10 hours. When the weather is nice, you can appreciate the gorgeous desert sunset and many fantastic desert landscapes. If you're adventurous enough or want more fun, take a detour into the desert - riding a camel across all those rolling dunes, the desert is all yours, no traffic jam. Although Tonghu resort provides accommodation, camping outside on the sand dunes in the Tengger is a fun alternative. It's pretty safe to camp on the desert near the resort; there are no wild animals and seldom a dangerous sandstorm. This is right on the border with the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, so at night, you can join guests from everywhere inside a yurt for a typical Mongolian dinner party. Singing, drinking, and Mongolian barbecue are basic. Definitely ask locals to sing Mongolian folk songs from their hometowns, all of them are great singers. |
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