Plan at a glance
Lake, sand and city views
Wuhai Lake (乌海湖) formed after water was impounded at the Haibowan Water Conservancy Hub on the Yellow River. Visitors can see the lake, dunes, mountains and the city skyline. The lakeside viewpoints, boat routes and desert camp on the opposite bank are separate areas; “lake and desert” describes the landscape where the water meets the sand.
Transport to the desert camp and its activities are charged separately. There is no single pass covering every ride and activity. Boat routes and transfers vary by date.
Tickets and timing
A round trip by boat from Wuhai Lake Pier No. 1 (乌海湖一号码头) is listed as a reference price of RMB 99–129 per person; the fare varies by vessel and date. The September 26, 2026 reopening notice listed the pier ticket window and Changyou Wuhai (畅游乌海) mini program as sales channels, and gave 0473-2885155 for enquiries. Rides in the camp, including camp sightseeing shuttles (叮叮车), big-wheel off-road vehicles (大脚车), camel rides and sandboarding, may cost extra. Check each ticket for its boarding point, return coverage and inclusions.
A short walking route takes about 2–3 hours. Routes that include camp transport, photos and longer stops commonly take about 3–4 hours. Holiday queues can be long, and tickets for popular activities may stop selling in the afternoon. Allow extra time for operating changes or sunset; arrange your return trip or overnight stay before joining an evening event.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
Choose your visit
Kushutan (枯树滩, Dead Tree Flats), the desert road and the dunes
Kushutan has a dead-tree installation and swings, making it a place to stop for photos. The desert road is best photographed from a safe viewpoint, while the higher dunes look out over the sand, lake, mountains and city. The Genghis Khan Statue can be seen in the distance; the cable-car entrance is at a different scenic area.
This area suits visitors who want lake-and-desert views, are comfortable walking on sand, or want to try desert activities. Reaching the ridges involves climbing. If you want to walk less, check which camp vehicle routes and stops are operating that day.
A daytime visit or an overnight stay
For a day visit, choose where to spend time among Kushutan, the desert road and the lake-and-sand viewpoints; desert activities require separate tickets. Visitors who want to see the sunset or join evening activities can consider staying overnight at the camp. It works for couples, families with children and groups of friends. Check accommodation, meals, activities and return transport as separate arrangements.
For the separate cable-car ascent to the statue and summit views, see Gande'er Mountain Ecological Scenic Area.
For a separate Wuhai visit centred on dune rides and desert activities, see Jinshawan Ecotourism Area.
Build your day
Short walking route | About 2–3 hours
Take a boat from Wuhai Lake Pier No. 1 to the desert camp, walk to Kushutan, then follow the open trail over the dunes to the desert road. After taking photos, return to the boarding point by the same route and take a return boat to Pier No. 1. This estimate excludes holiday waits and queues; check the day’s last return boat before setting out.
Signs are limited in the sand area. At junctions, stay on open scenic-area routes; do not cross barriers or enter closed areas to shorten the walk. Take photos around the desert road only from designated stopping points, and stay off the roadway.
A route with less walking on sand | About 3–4 hours
After taking a boat from Pier No. 1 to the camp, use a camp vehicle to replace some of the walking, depending on the activities operating that day, and link Kushutan with the desert road. Different products use camp sightseeing shuttles, big-wheel off-road vehicles and bamboo rafts on different sections. Before buying, check the required order and boarding and drop-off points. If bamboo rafting is operating, it returns you to the camp; you still need return transport to Pier No. 1.
At the end of the visit, return to the designated pier and take a boat back to Pier No. 1. For a big-wheel off-road vehicle or camp sightseeing shuttle, check whether the price is per person or per vehicle and whether it includes the return trip. If vehicles are suspended or visitor numbers are restricted, use the route published by the ticket office that day.
Sunset, evening events and an overnight stay
If you want to watch the sunset over the lake and sand, plan camp activities for the afternoon and reach an approved viewpoint before sunset. Evening performances, bonfires, fireworks and molten-iron spark displays depend on the event date; check the current schedule.
If no return transport is available after an evening event, you can stay in a camp yurt or capsule-style cabin. Availability depends on the booking date. Check the room listing for air conditioning, a private bathroom, breakfast and activity inclusions, and arrange your departure from the camp the next day.
Get there
Travel to and from Pier No. 1
If driving, search for “Wuhai Lake Pier No. 1” or 乌海湖一号码头 in your map app. The pier has parking, ticket sales and boarding areas. The scenic area announced that boat services resumed on September 26, 2026, while the temporary land shuttle was suspended; ordinary visitors travel by boat from Pier No. 1 to the camp on the opposite bank. Boat services remain subject to weather and water levels, so check whether boats are operating on your travel date.
Check current bus routes and schedules to Pier No. 1. If you are not driving, arrange transport between the pier and the city in advance. A camp boat ticket or desert shuttle ticket does not include ground transport from the pier back to the city.
The North Gate land entrance
The North Gate was previously used as a land-transfer point for entering the desert area; it is separate from the boat route from Pier No. 1. When boat services resumed on September 26, 2026, the temporary land shuttle was suspended, and ordinary visitors were directed to depart from Pier No. 1.
Know before you go
Ticket types, service suspensions and the last return boat
On September 13, 2026, the scenic area suspended boat services because of reservoir water diversion and sediment discharge, and temporarily opened a land shuttle. On September 26, it announced that boats had resumed and temporary land transport had been suspended. The reopening date does not establish the schedule for later days; check whether boats are operating and the last return boat on your travel date. The 5:30 p.m. time in a 2026 holiday notice was a usual last-boat reference for that notice period, not a fixed daily departure.
Evening events may finish after the last return boat, and their end times vary by date. Check ordinary round-trip boat tickets, camp activity bundles and accommodation products separately. If a listing does not explain evening transport or how to leave the camp the next day, ask the ticket seller.
Walking, sun protection and supplies
Walking on sand takes effort, and signs and places to buy supplies are limited. Bring enough drinking water, wear closed shoes that keep sand out, and use sun protection. Strong winds, sandstorms, rain and changing water levels can affect boats and desert activities. If the scenic area announces replacement transfers, use only the route specified in the notice; do not cross the desert on your own.
Food at the camp and food at the pier are available in different locations. Check whether breakfast or another meal is included in your accommodation or bundle. Back in the city, options include Sude Mongolian-Style Hot Pot (苏德蒙式火锅) for milk-curd cakes, or Sijifu Northwest Cuisine (四季福西北菜) for clay-pot braised camel meat; check current opening hours and menus.