Sandwiched by the Tengger Desert in the north and the Yellow River in the south, Zhongwei City in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is one of the major stops along the Wuhai-Maqin Expressway.

Once noted for using straw "checkerboards" to stop desert encroachment decades ago, the city has become an internet-famous tourist site. From desert tourism to camping, Zhongwei has offered visitors a variety of activities to stay close to nature.