Avoiding the crowds, I found a truly off-the-beaten-path small town

Originally planning to head straight to Shapotou, I was stopped in my tracks by a traditional architectural complex along the way—turns out the Great Northwest isn’t just about deserts, but also ancient architectural treasures hidden in time🏯 Spent 5 days with the kids unlocking both niche cultural experiences and wild desert fun, here’s the guide for you👇 💎 The mind-blowing "Zhongwei Gaomiao Temple" A three-story ancient building with symmetrical sides, shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings, with corners soaring as if about to take flight. Its compact, winding structure hides the ultimate aesthetics of Chinese ancient architecture, praised as a "classic ancient temple"! Every photo looks like a time travel scene, and the kids stared at the flying eaves saying, "It looks like a castle from a cartoon"~ 👨👩👧👦 Full parent-child play guide (culture + wild fun double win) ✔️ Immersive Western Xia culture experience: hands-on movable wooden type printing, exploring the Western Xia Mausoleum to uncover the "lost dynasty," giving kids a lively and interactive history lesson ✔️ Desert wild fun at its peak: sand sliding at Shapotou, crazy fun at the desert Disneyland, staying overnight at a star hotel with stargazing lectures—romance of the Milky Way falling on your eyelashes, who can understand! ✔️ Handmade crafts and food adventures: DIY wooden plank painting, learning to make Hui eight-treasure tea, dining on hand-pulled lamb at the Yellow River Courtyard (milky and not gamey! A must-try), kids seriously kneading dough with grandma~ ✔️ Poetic roads and the Yellow River: check in at "Zhongwei Route 66," drifting across the Yellow River on a sheepskin raft, listening to the boatman sing a Northwest folk song—the wind carries the taste of freedom~ 🗓️ 5 days 4 nights deep itinerary (off-peak + fully relaxed) Day 1: First encounter in Yinchuan · start with local life - Stay in a city hotel, night tour of Huaiyuan Night Market: grilled buns, spicy porridge, milk egg fermented rice wine, lamb is a must! So tender it bites your tongue~ Day 2: Western Xia secrets · from history to desert - Morning: 2-hour exploration of Western Xia Mausoleum, listening to stories of the rammed earth royal tombs among wild grass - Afternoon: experience wooden movable type printing → head to Zhongwei, stay at Yellow River Courtyard for "Great Desert Long River" afternoon tea, watch the sunset melt gold over the river Day 3: Shapotou marathon · desert Disneyland carnival - Morning: cross the Yellow River on a sheepskin raft, listen to the sound of water hitting wooden paddles - Afternoon: check in at the desert star hotel! Sand sliding, camel riding, UTV fun, evening gathering to listen to the stargazing teacher talk about constellations, kids holding telescopes refusing to sleep~ Day 4: Road chasing the wind · first experience of Hui culture - Early morning: chase the sunrise on the sand ridge line, watch the dunes dyed orange like tangerines - Morning: check in at Route 66, every road photo looks cinematic - Afternoon: visit Hui family to learn making fried dough twists and oil pastries, kids holding their own snacks smiling like little suns Day 5: Prehistoric exploration · surprise before departure - Choose between Shuidonggou Site or Helan Mountain Rock Paintings: the former shows the "cradle of Eastern prehistory," riding a donkey cart through the Ming Great Wall; the latter shows rock paintings from ten thousand years ago, kids say "the ancient people’s animal drawings look like cartoons"~ 📝 Hardcore Northwest travel tips for kids (key points!) 1. Transportation: recommend chartering a car for a custom tour, one booking one group with no rush, kids can nap anytime in the car, and the driver can act as a "half guide" 2. Wind and sand protection: Tengger Desert winds are strong enough to blow off hats! Bring windproof face masks, dustproof phone bags, and keep camera lens caps on at all times 3. Food: every meal features beef, mutton, and noodles; bring some small bread and yogurt for kids to balance flavors, those with weak stomachs should bring montmorillonite powder 4. Ultimate sun protection: hat + sunglasses + high SPF sunscreen (SPF50+), wear arm sleeves! The Northwest UV is an "invisible assassin," even cloudy days can sunburn your neck Avoiding the crowded Shapotou scenic area, I instead discovered the "gentle side of the Great Northwest" in a hidden corner—when the kids touched the Western Xia wooden movable type and said "so this is how characters were made," when they chased shooting stars in the desert, I realized the meaning of travel is never just about checking places off the list~ If you’re tired of crowds too, come here and let the Yellow River water, ancient flying eaves, and desert starry sky give you and your children a "warm Northwest dream"🌖