Alxa, also Alashan, is a prefecture at the westernmost end of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region and neighbors Jiuquan, Zhangye and Wuwei in Gansu Province in the west. It is separated from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region by Helan Mountain in the east, sharing a 733.48 kilometers boundary with Mongolia. Bayanhot is the administrative center.
Facts of Alxa
Chinese Name: 阿拉善 (ā lā shàn)
Location: at the westernmost end of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region
Area: 267,574 square kilometers (103,311 square miles)
Population: 196,279
Nationalities: Mongol, Han
Administrative Division: Alashan Zuo Qi, Alashan You Qi, Ejina Qi
(Qi, refers to a special county-level administrative unit in Inner Mongolia)

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History of Alxa
Historically, Alxa was a beautiful place with many mellow waters and grass although there are many deserts in this area too. It has been shielded for hundreds of years from sparseness by the forests in Helan Mountain, Heihe River and oases. In the 17th Century, a tribe of Mongolians, the Tuerhute, after much difficulty contrived to come back and settle in this area from Volga River region. From then on, Alashan was inhabited over generations.

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What to see in Alxa?
Alxa is situated on the Inner Mongolian Plateau having an average altitude of 1000-1400 meters (3281-4593 feet) with its topography inclining from the higher north to the lower south. The Gobi Desert and desert grassland comprise the main landscape of this area. Here lists top attractions in Alxa.

Badain Jaran Desert	Tengger Desert	Helan Mountain National Reserve
Ejinan Populus Euphratica Forest	Juyan Lake	Heishui Ancient City

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When to visit Alxa?
Alxa has a typical continental climate for its location in the hinterland of Asia remote from the moisture of the sea. Wind blowing with sand, rare rain and dry air are the main features of its weather. The winter is chilly and the summer is parched.  Summer is the best time to explore the scenic spots of Alxa around Helan Mountain, while the poplar forest in Ejiana Qi tinged with autumn red is also fascinating.

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How to reach Alxa?
Buses are the main vehicles in Alxa League. Recently, visitors have been able to take buses directly between Alxa and other cities in Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, such as Hohhot, Lanzhou, and Yinchuan. In addition, visitors can also get in and out of the prefecture through the nearby airport. Alxa Right Banner is 520 kilometers (323 miles) from Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport, while Zuo Qi is only 110 kilometers (68 miles) from the Yinchuan Hedong Airport in Ningxia.

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Alxa Travel Tips
1. Apart from the tourist necessities, such as sunglasses, sunblock, and clothes with long sleeves, visitors should also pay attention that not to shelter from the wind behind the lee slope of a dune. The correct action is to stand in front the dune behind camels.

2. Special Local Products: cashmere, camel hair, curious stone carvings

3. Useful Telephone Numbers:
Tourist Complaints: 0483-8337204
Weather Forecast: 121
Zip Code Inquiry: 184
Bank of China: 0483-8331379

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