The General Administration of Sport of China recently released 14 special outdoor sports routes throughout the country for the upcoming National Day holiday, with one of them from Zhongwei city in Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

The 450-kilometer route starts from the Shapotou Scenic Spot, passes through the Desert Star Hotel, Tonghu Grassland, Highway 66, Gaomiao Temple, Huangyang ancient village, a goji berry planting base and finally reaches Tiandu Mountain in Haiyuan county.

An overhead view of the extraordinary Shapotou Scenic Spot. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The whole route, with a recommended touring time of five days, boasts picturesque scenery and loads of fun, showcasing the charm of Ningxia's starry sky and desert resources to visitors.

At the Shapotou Scenic Spot, a national 5A-level tourist attraction, visitors can appreciate unique ecological wonders including desert, the Yellow River, mountains and an oasis.

They can also enjoy the romantic desert starry sky at night and experience camel riding, exploring the desert and hiking at Tonghu Grassland.

The Yellow River zipline allows visitors to view beautiful scenery and have an exciting time. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

During the five-day journey, visitors can participate in special sports such as desert off-road driving, rock climbing, sand racing, the Yellow River zipline, desert hiking and off-road desert challenges.

They can also dive right into sampling the local cuisine, such as whole roasted lamb and Haozi noodles.