Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia, China

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March 27th 2013

Published: March 27th 2013

In October 2012, Becky and I landed in Ningxia Autonomous Region and traveled to Zuoqi, Inner Mongolia to find the Gobi Desert. The area is absolutely superb with rocky deserts, isolated temples, sand dunes, salty lakes, camels, sheep everywhere (amazing meat for every meal!). We then rode a bus for 15 hours north to Ejina Qi, at the border with Mongolia to hike around a desert of poplar trees. In... Read Full Entry

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Jeremy Chiron

Jeremyaroundtheworld

I am a 36-year old language teacher, currently working in Beijing. I was born in France but China has been my home for many years. I taught French and English in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, for 6 years. I never thought I would stay in China for such a long time but it’s been an amazing experience! Professionally speaking, teaching Chinese students is extremely rewarding. They are so hard-working and eager to learn new things. And then China… there aren’t enough words to describe this intricate (hence fascinating) country. “China is not to be liked or disliked: i... full info

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Poplar trees, around Ejina Qi

Every October, numerous photography lovers trek into the desert on the western edge of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to see the autumn hues of the poplar forests. Some 60 kilometers near the China-Mongolia border, the forests contain the only trees that can survive the arid weather and sterile soil. They mostly grow by the Heihe River, a desert oasis, on a 115,000-square-kilometer area where 10,000 people reside.

At night the dead poplars come to life

Poplar trees, around Ejina Qi

Will never be forgotten

Speechless

Diversifolious poplar trees have been dubbed as one of the earth's few "living fossils." Locals describe their longevity by saying that the poplar trees can live for 1,000 years and after they die, they will stand for another thousand years before falling; yet, it takes another thousand years for their trunks to decompose.

Poplar trees, around Ejina Qi

Anything is possible

The sleeping forest of Poplars

Tourists going home after sunset

decomposing slowly

I'm just a man... boy...

Some of you might laugh. Others might shake their heads... I didn't have enough ammunition to write "was there." I'm not very proud of it. Do I need to apologize?

Sleeping forest of Poplars at Ejina

At nightfall

nightfall over Poplars

Poplar trees, around Ejina Qi

Now this is the reason why we traveled all this way: to see poplars in autumn.

Poplar trees, around Ejina Qi

The Euphrates poplar tree (populus euphratica), which grows in clumps along riverbanks, is important for botanical research because it is able to survive under extreme weather and environmental conditions. Botanists study it to help other woody plants survive under heat stress.

Poplar trees, around Ejina Qi

Magnificent poplars

And believe me or not, we got rained on in the desert!!!! They get 4 days of rain a year and we got rained on!!!!!

making friends

Poplar trees, around Ejina Qi

Beauty!

The forest in Inner Mongolia is one of the world's three remaining areas of diversifolious poplars, which makes it very popular among Chinese naturalists, photographers and tourists.

31st March 2013

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Yes we want to follow your journey.
The path you have chosen to bike sounds fascinating. I do hope you will write more about your experiences. Can't wait for the next blog.

1st April 2013

Jeremyaroundtheworld
Jeremy Chiron

More coming soon!
i will try to share my experience as well as more pics of China. Have you been?

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Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia, China

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