The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China's northwest is perhaps one of the country's least understood provinces. Sandwiched awkwardly between Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Gansu and Shaanxi provinces, the region evokes images of scorching dunes and desolate mountains. However, the opposite is also true: Here the Yellow River cuts through Ningxia's plains, creating fertile swathes of land that have nourished civilizations for thousands of years.

The best starting point for your trip is Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia. It was an important stop on the ancient Silk Road and today its architecture still sports Islamic influences – after all, a third of Yinchuan's population is ethnic Hui, many of whom are descendants of Muslim Silk Road traders. On the outskirts of town, the fluid form of MoCA Yinchuan resembles the layers of sediment left by the meandering Yellow River. It's the only contemporary art museum to focus on exchange between China and Muslim countries, and its much lauded biennale has brought in internationally acclaimed artists such as Anish Kapoor, Yoko Ono and Liam Gillick.

The reason Ningxia seems forbidding is due to the encroaching sands of China's 4th largest desert, the Tengger. Luckily, its dunes are dotted with oases such as the Shahu. During the months of April to June, Shahu's reeds become the nesting grounds of up to 1.5 million migratory birds like the gray heron and black swan. Strangely, the center of the lake is home to a small dune and being there gives you the surreal feeling of standing in a desert within a lake within a desert. It's all very "Inception".

Adventure seekers who want a real taste of the desert should head over to Shapotou. It sits at a bend in the Yellow River and is home to a vast expanse of sand dunes that's best experienced aboard one of Shapotou's modified 4x4s or amphibious vehicles. Make sure to strap yourself in and hold on tight as it'll be a roller coaster of a ride – some of the dunes feel like they're practically vertical!