In the heart of the Tengger Desert in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, stunning multicolored salt lakes have emerged as a summer sensation, drawing visitors from across the country to witness their splendor.
Amid the vast expanse of the Tengger Desert, where endless golden sands stretch for thousands of kilometers, few would expect to find 422 inland saline lakes tucked deep within the dunes. Among them, the most dazzling is Ulan Lake, known as the "Heart of the Earth."
In Mongolian, "Ulan" means red. During peak summer, algae in the salt lake release natural red pigments, turning the entire body of water a vivid, blood-like crimson. From a drone's bird's-eye view, the lake's shape uncannily resembles a human heart, with white salt crystals along the shoreline forming vein-like patterns, all cradled by layers of golden sand dunes.
During the summer holiday season, tourists take off-road vehicles specially chartered for desert excursions to venture deep into the dunes. By the lake shore, visitors can be seen flying drones and raising cameras, eager to capture the desert's unique shade of scarlet red.
"This is my first time here, and I find the environment beautiful in every way. What's especially amazing is that deep in the desert, you can still find a lake like Ulan Lake. It's really stunning and breathtaking," said Liu Huanhuan, a tourist from Tianjin.
Some five kilometers northwest of Ulan Lake lies another scenic highlight of Camel Lake. The lake gets its name from its distinctive shape, which resembles a camel resting on the sand when viewed from above.
The lake bed, rich in pink alkaline minerals, reflects a spectrum of strawberry pink, soft orange, and pale lavender rippling across the water's surface, while delicate white salt crystals encrust the shoreline.
Visitors touring Ulan Lake often make a stop also at Camel Lake to capture the dreamy combination of pink waters, golden dunes, and white salt flats, a quintessential desert panorama perfect for the camera lens.
Local tourism operators report a surge in visitors this summer, as the twin lakes' remarkable colors and photogenic landscapes continue to captivate travelers seeking a different side of the Gobi Desert.
Salt lakes in Tengger Desert draw tourists with mesmerizing colors
