Wine Taste Through China's Wild Northwest Wine Region of Ningxia

4 days / 3 nights

Start & End in:

Yinchuan (INC)

Level 1: This is a relaxed trip with high-end accommodations and plenty of wine tasting.

The Essentials:

Discover China’s premier wine destination as we spend 4 days wine tasting our way through the wild northwest wine region of Ningxia. From exploring the area’s sprawling boutique vineyards situated against a rugged mountain backdrop, to enjoying copious amounts of lamb, beef, and noodles famous in the area, get ready for a delicious drink-filled adventure!

Price

From 8,900 RMB per adult based on double occupancy. Single occupancy fees from 1,200 RMB per person. Prices may change due to seasonality.

Group Size

Small groups of 4-10 guests per tour.

Hotels

Three nights at the Wanda Realm located in Central Yinchuan (or similar).

Activities

Wine tasting at 8 different wineries, visit Helan Mountain petroglyph canyon and art museum, visit the Xixia Imperial Tombs, interactive dinners with wine tastings.

Private Tours

We accept private tour requests for small groups of 2-12 people for any date – based on availability. Contact us if you are interested in this option.

Upcoming Join-In Tours & Booking:

We Prefer You Book & Pay by WeChat:

Check out our multi-day trip schedule for a full list of our other destinations.

Private tour requests are always accepted, based on availability.

Trip Overview:

We’ve personally designed this 4-day trip that visits 8 wineries and tries over 30 wines from a region that currently holds over 200 different wineries. Most of the wineries here belong to the boutique category with winemakers passionate about their craft. We’ll meet these winemakers, explore their vineyards, and taste their wines. From small-batch wineries that aren’t open to the public, to large estates with elaborate grounds, you’ll see and taste the best wines this region has to offer – making this trip an exclusive experience that you simply can’t do on your own.

But it’s not just all about wine. This tour will bring you to the capital city of Yinchuan, where almost half of Ningxia’s 6.8 million people live. One of five autonomous regions in China, Ningxia is home to the Hui (Muslim) minority group. This sparsely settled, mostly desert region was often at war with outsiders and was conquered by Genghis Khan and his Mongol army in the 11th century. We’ll see 10,000-year-old petroglyphs on canyon walls and visit 1,000-year-old burial complexes found dotted along the Helan mountain foothills.

These same mountains shield the area against arid winds from the Tengger desert to create prime grape-growing conditions. This unique ecosystem is one of the least studied regions in the world and has historically been one of the poorest regions in China – home to people who suffered through harsh seasons and relied almost entirely on animal grazing. To this day, most of the vineyard operations are carried out by hand, including burying the vines in winter to protect them from the brutal Siberian cold that lasts from November to March.

Inclusions:

3 nights accommodations.
Wine tasting at 8 different wineries. You’ll try 2-4 wines at each winery with gracious pours.
All meals, including soft drinks and beer, often served alongside more of our favorite local wine. Food (and wine) will be plentiful and varied!
Ticket/entrance fees to all activities and attractions.
Our own private ground transportation, provided each day, stocked with mineral water.
Local wine expert and level 3 WSET sommelier, born and raised in Ningxia.
English speaking Lost Plate trip leader.
Airport pick-up on day 1 and drop-off on day 4.
Shopping is available during your free time, but this is a no-shopping tour and is not part of our itinerary. Wine bottles will be available for purchase (can be shipped within China), and we’re happy to pass our discounted price on to you.
Online pre-trip briefing and Q&A hosted by Lost Plate one week prior to departure.

Where We'll Be:

Trip Highlights:

Visit 8 wineries and try over 30 of our favorite locally grown and produced wines, all researched and personally chosen by the team at Lost Plate.

Get exclusive access to our favorite wineries; a selection of large estates and small-batch boutiques that aren't open to the public.

Learn from local insider and level 3 WSET sommelier, a local wine expert born and raised in Ningxia.

Enjoy local Hui (Muslim) cuisine including whole roast lamb, savory hotpot, and oodles of noodles - alongside more wine from our favorite boutique wineries.

Take in the area's deep history while visiting the Xixia Mausoleums which hold over 250 tombs from the Western Xia dynasty.

Stroll through a mountain canyon and discover petroglyphs, known for their rich and concentrated subjects, that date back 10,000 years.

Day to Day Itinerary:

Airport pickups are available from Yinchuan (INC) airport. If you arrive early, the nearby Ningxia Museum is a great way to spend the afternoon.
For dinner, we’ll kick things off with a feast: an entire roast lamb with a selection of wine from one of our favorite nearby wineries.

Driving: Approx. 45 mins from the airport to the city center.

Hotel: Wanda Realm Hotel (or similar) located in central Yinchuan.

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Hotel Pool

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Whole Roast Lamb

After breakfast, we’ll head out to a Helan Mountain canyon where over 6,000 native petroglyphs have been documented. The engravings are between 3,000-10,000 years old and depict human figures, animals, and symbols.
The mountains are the heart of wine region, so we’ll grab lunch at a local homestay before our winery visits. Enjoy a selection of home-style dishes including wild veggies and stew.
This afternoon, we’ll visit three of the area’s most prominent wineries. Perhaps the most well-known Chinese wine among foreigners, Silver Heights is owned by Bordeaux-graduated Emma Gao who is known as a pioneer of Chinese fine wine. Receiving international acclaim and awards, Emma is the 2nd generation of this family business which started in 1997 when her father started cultivating grapes here.
Jade is a female-owned winery that consistently ranks as one of the best in China. Receiving over 200 international awards since 2013, their biggest achievement was being awarded the top 3 wines in China in 2020 – including their Vineyard Hyacinth Dry Red which won gold at the 2021 Berliner Wein Trophy!
Domaine Charme is an architect-owned winery built at the foot of a Helan Mountain peak shaped like a Buddha’s face. Everything here was built with a purpose – from their “pyramid of Charme” which faces the meridian and brings “pyramid energy” to communicate with heaven and earth – to their wine cellar designed with natural ventilation and air flow. But their wine, made with organic cultivation and natural gravity brewing, is really something special too.
For dinner, we’ll have lamb hotpot prepared with a special soup of ice cubes, local herbs, and red wine! To drink, we’ll enjoy wines from another favorite Ningxia winery.

Driving: About 45 minutes each way to/from our hotel and the wine region, with short drives between each destination.

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Petroglyph Mountain

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Silver Heights Barrels

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Tasting Booklet

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Jade Tower

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Jade View

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Jade Vineyard View

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Charme Cellar

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Charme Deck

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Charme View

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Hotpot Dinner

After a leisurely morning, we’ll head to a different grape growing region south of Yinchuan, and to our first winery of the day. Huahao Chateau is owned by a previous forestry engineer who combined his passion for plants with his love for wine. He grows a high-quality grape that you can taste in their Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Gernischt.
As the largest producer of quality wines in the region, Xige Estate is impressive down to every detail. Sitting on 1,300 hectares of land, they boast a wide range of varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc. Not only will we tour their facilities and try their wines, we’ll also enjoy lunch at their in-house organic restaurant.
The Xixia Imperial Tombs, located along the eastern slope of the Helan Mountains, are royal mausoleums of emperors from the Western Xia Dynasty (1038-1227). We’ll visit this 50 square kilometer area which includes 9 imperial mausoleums and 254 tombs, the best-preserved artifacts representing this ancient civilization.
Legacy Peak is hands-down one of our favorite wineries to visit. Unpretentious while still making large efforts, this family-run (and planted) vineyard boasts over 9 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Stroll through the vineyards and taste their wines on the patio while overlooking said vineyards – this is the heart of Ningxia’s wine country.
BBQ is a local staple, so for dinner we’ll visit a popular spot in town and enjoy copious amounts of meat (among other things of course). We’ll take a break from the wine tonight, but there’s always some local beer to quench your thirst!

Driving: Today’s wine region is a bit further, so you can expect approx. 1-hour drive to our first winery and 30 minute drives between each one thereafter, then a 45 minute drive back to town.

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Chateau

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Chateau Tasting

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Xige Barrels

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Bread Lunch

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Salad Lunch

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Xige Tasting

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Tomb Photo

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Legacy Peak Vineyard

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Legacy Peak Grapes

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Legacy Peak Tent

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Legacy Peak Tasting

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia BBQ grill

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Xixia Beer

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia BBQ Skewers

Elaborate in every way, Yuanshi Vineyard is a great example of how a Chinese winery displays their success. We’ll get a tour of this incredible facility and taste their wines in a one-of-a-kind tasting room that will transport you into a lodge with European vibes.
For lunch, we’ve got more local specialties including goji berry tea, local bread, savory hotpot, and wild veggies.
We daresay we’ve saved the best for last, but Domaine Pushang might just be. This small, boutique winery is the type of place you dream of stumbling upon. The winemaker is so passionate about making wine, he’s too focused on that to open to the public. But his small-batch, high-end wine is truly something special (especially his Marselan, which has consistently received gold and silver awards at the Decanter World Wine Awards every year) and he’ll let us in for a private tasting.
Since we have a full schedule today, flight departures should be scheduled at or after 7pm. We’ll head to the Yinchuan (INC) airport in the afternoon and will reach the airport by 5pm.

Driving: Approx. 45 minutes to the wine region, with short drives between each destination, and then 45 minutes back to the hotel to grab your bags before another 45 minute drive to the airport.

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Big Barrels

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Yuanshi Glass

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Yuanshi Tasting Room

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Pushang Pour

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Pushang Tasting

Wine Taste Through China's Wine Region of Ningxia Pushang Bottle

* This itinerary is subject to changes and adjustments based on seasonality and local operations.

Our Trip Leaders.

We personally select and train every guide that leads our trips. As the pioneers that curate each Lost Plate itinerary, and each bite, we know the ins and outs of every mile we travel. We work along-side local guides to create a perfectly balanced experience that no one else can offer.

Payment Terms
& Cancellation Policy:

Payment can be made by WeChat or Alipay. International credit cards are accepted with an additional 3% fee.
A deposit of 2000 RMB per person will be required to secure your spot. This deposit is non-refundable for any reason, including sickness, unless the trip is cancelled by Lost Plate due to the minimum number not being met. Full payment for the tour is required 7 days before the tour. If you need to cancel, your deposit and/or your full payment cannot be refunded.
Join-in trips require a minimum of 4 people to operate. You should only purchase your transportation to and from Yinchuan after you received the tour confirmation notice by Lost Plate.
Each guest should obtain their own health and/or travel insurance coverage.

A note about the price: You may have noticed that this trip is a bit more expensive than our other 4-day trips. Why? Because all wine tastings and drinks during meals are included in the price of the tour – and if you know anything about us, we like to go big! Wine in China, especially in this region, is not cheap. All wineries in Ningxia are labor-intensive; grapes are hand-picked, vines are hand-buried each winter for temperature protection, and many of the wineries we visit are small-batch boutiques with little staff. We will try wines that cost over 1,000 RMB per bottle. Your hosts are also experts in the local wine scene, and we have made great efforts to involve some of the area’s top experts and winemakers and their wine in our tour – sometimes requiring private reservations and appointments. We’re doing things that don’t exist for other tourists in the area, but it does come with a price tag.

Our Trip Reviews:

 5/5

Amazing Experience in Tibetan Yunnan!

“I took this trip immediately after Lost Plate’s other Yunnan adventure (Dali to Lijiang) and the two are very different, but both fabulous. Highlights included dinner at the winemaker’s house in Cizhong and of course Yubeng, which has views that simply cannot be beat. Even if you’re not a regular hiker (I’m not), consider doing the waterfall hike. When you add up the hotels and transport and tours and personal assistance (especially with those pesky Covid tests and health codes), never mind the unending food and drink, I can’t even believe what a value Lost Plate provides. Unless you are a fluent Chinese speaker, you’re not likely to have a more varied, fun, and delicious time in Tibetan Yunnan than by taking this tour.”

TheophaniaSeattle

August 2022

 5/5

Best Trip I've Ever Done in China!

“From food, wine, places to people who live there. Had such a great experience. Food, wine and scenery. The places visited were further apart so be prepared for three hours drive. Believe me the drives between each places are worth it because the views all around you are breathtaking.”

Internationalbabe001

August 2022

 5/5

A fun, memorable, and easy way to plan a Chinese vacation.

“What a memorable trip! I’m not usually one to book vacations with tour companies but Lost Plate has me a convert! Everything was so easy, all I had to do was show up! Especially as a parent traveling alone with 2 kids and my Chinese skills are less than proficient, this made our vacation a breeze. I will go on every trip that Lost Plates offers, if I can. From booking to accommodations, activities, tours, timing, transportation, our sweet and knowledgeable guide, Noble, EVERYTHING was spot on. Don’t look any further, just put your vacation in the hands of Lost Plate.”

JMBrooklyn

August 2022

 5/5

Perfect mix of sightseeing and eating!

“This is my second multi-day tour with Lost Plate and I hope it won’t be my last. I saw all the top sights and ate like a queen. I know most people come to Xi’an to see the terracotta warriors and while they are spectacular, there’s so much more to Xi’an and on this tour you’ll get to experience it. The food can be the true highlight in Xi’an, at least when you’re with Lost Plate. It’s hard to choose a favorite meal but I think the evening and morning food tours of the Muslim quarter were my personal favorites. The best part of being with a group is that you can order (and taste) far more dishes than if you were on your own or with just one other person. Plus they’ve done the advance legwork to find you the best places to eat. Highest possible recommendation for anyone who wants the convenience of a tour/guide but an alternative to a big bus tour.”

TheophaniaSeattle

April 2022

 5/5

A Truly Memorable Experience!

My partner and I loved every single moment of this tour. The itinerary took us through breathtaking scenery off the beaten path, it felt like we went on an adventure! Our guide was incredibly attentive and helpful, and we had a lot of fun spending time with her and the rest of the crew. The food was absolutely delicious and we all looked forward to our next meal despite being still full from the previous one! We’ll definitely join more Lost Plate tours while we live in China.

Ilaria C

April 2022

 5/5

This was a fabulous trip put on by a fabulous organization!

I had already been on their evening food tours in Chengdu and Xi’an, and these longer trips had come highly recommended by a friend. It absolutely lived up to her hype. This is an off-the-tourist-trail adventure for sure, which might not be for everyone, but was exactly what I was looking for. The food was always delicious and the travel and accommodations were as good as the areas allowed. I would strongly recommend Lost Plate for an uncommon adventure!

NStowell

March 2022

Frequently Asked Questions:

How much food and wine will I get?

If you know anything about Lost Plate, you know that you’ll never go hungry. All meals are included on this trip and offer a huge variety of dishes in large quantities.

We’ll visit 8 wineries during this trip, and gracious pours of a selection of wines will be provided at each one. Each dinner will also feature a selection of wines from another local winery. All in all, you’ll try over 30 wines, and they will certainly be the highlight of the trip.

Lunches and dinners also include beer. Non-alcoholic options such as tea, mineral water, and soft drinks will always be available. Drinks like soda water and cocktails will not be available at the restaurants we visit.

What if I’m vegetarian or have special dietary requests?

Yinchuan is a typical “small” northern city where cuisine preferences haven’t evolved like many other cities to the south and east. Meats (mostly lamb) and carbs are the go-to choices for every meal. There’s always going to be a lot of meat on the table, but as long as you are ok with that there will be some alternatives for those that don’t partake. Please keep in mind that vegetarian dishes will be heavy on the starches (like potatoes and noodles).

Please let us know when paying your deposit if you have any special dietary requirements.

How physically fit do I need to be to enjoy this trip?

We’ve rated this trip at a level of 1 out of 4, and there is no strenuous activity required during this trip. You should plan to be on and off your feet throughout the day as we sightsee and explore the wineries and vineyards.

Can children join this trip?

Children and teens under the drinking age are not recommended for this trip. Out of respect for our other guests, we strongly discourage children on this trip.

Due to limited capacities on our trips, discounts are not provided for children. Contact us with any questions or concerns and we will assess each situation individually.

Are flights to and from Yinchuan/Ningxia included?

Flights to and from Yinchuan are not included. This gives you the flexibility to arrive and depart when you would like, on the flights or trains of your choice.

Am I able to arrive early or stay late?

Yes! Feel free to arrive early or stay extra days. We are able to pass on our special hotel rates to you so you don’t need to switch hotels as well. Just let us know your dates and we will check rates and availability for you.

Please note that airport pickup and drop-offs to/from the airport/train station are not available for those that arrive before our itinerary starts or depart after it ends.

How many guests and staff will be on my tour?

The minimum number of guests for this trip is 4, and the maximum is 10-12. All of our trips guarantee a small, intimate group for your pleasure and enjoyment – no big busses and tour guides waving flags here.

Your trip will have one Lost Plate trip leader with you the entire time and one driver/vehicle that stays with us for the entire trip. In addition, you will be joined by a local sommelier.

All of our guides and trip leaders are employees of Lost Plate and trained by our founder. We do not outsource staff like other travel companies.

What is the weather like?

This trip is only offered seasonally, generally during spring and fall, due to extreme temperatures in the region. During those times, you’ll find comfortable high temperatures in the mid to upper 20s (celsius) with crisp evenings and mornings. The temperature can swing up to 15 degrees between day and night.

Ningxia enjoys more sunshine than almost anywhere else in China, logging over 3000 hours annually, and it is extremely dry. Summertime highs will reach around 35 degrees celsius, and winter can see temperatures as low as -15 celsius.

Do you offer this trip privately?

Yes! All of our trips are available for private groups, depending on date availability. Pricing will vary for groups under 8 people, but we always make sure they are reasonable. Groups of 8 or more can enjoy our published price for public tours. Contact us with your request and we’ll let you know specific details and pricing.

What is not included in the price of this trip?

Transportation / flight tickets to/from Ningxia.
Shopping and activities during your free time.
Each guest should obtain their own health and/or travel insurance coverage.

What is your cancellation policy?

Our trips are in high demand and have limited spots. Deposits are non-refundable for any reason, including sickness, unless the trip is cancelled by Lost Plate due to the minimum number of guests not being met. Full payment for the trip is required 7 days before arrival and is not refundable if you need to cancel.