Ulan Lake: The Red Lake "Heart of the Earth" in Inner Mongolia, China
- anywherechina020
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Imagine driving through the endless golden sand of the Tengger Desert, and suddenly seeing a bright red lake. This is Ulan Lake. People call it the "Heart of the Earth" or "Red Haizi."
In the Mongolian language, Ulan means "Red." If you fly a drone above it, the lake looks exactly like a real human heart. It has a big red main lake and a few smaller red lakes around it, and the lake edge looks just like the shape of a heart.
Why is it red? And how did it form?
It looks like something from another planet, but it is 100% natural. Here is the science behind it:
The Red Color: The water in Ulan Lake is very, very salty. Because of the high salt level, special tiny bugs and algae (small water plants) love to live here. They give off a special red color, which turns the whole lake into a deep, blood-red color.
The White "Veins": Because the lake is so salty, white salt crusts form on the water. These white lines cross through the red water, looking exactly like blood vessels in a heart.
The Heart Shape: Over a long time, the wind, weather, and desert ground shaped the lake edge into a perfect heart.
When is the best time to see this red lake?
The best time to visit is in July and August. The hot summer weather makes the water evaporate, which makes the lake even saltier and the red color much brighter.
What about other times of the year?
If you go during other months, the lake changes colors. It might look like light pink, orange, or even a shiny white salt field. It is still very beautiful, just different!
👇 Check out these amazing drone photos taken by our guest, Daniela, during her tour in July 2025! See Ulan Lake from close-up details to a spectacular wide view:👇
How to get there: The "Five Lakes Crossing" Tour
Ulan Lake is hidden deep in the desert. Normal cars cannot drive there. The best way to visit is to take a "Five Lakes Crossing" off-road tour.
What is the "Five Lakes Crossing" 1-Day Tour?
The "Five Lakes Crossing" (五湖穿越) is the most popular 1-day off-road adventure in the Tengger Desert.
On this tour, you will ride in a powerful 4x4 off-road car with a professional desert driver. You will drive up and down the giant golden sand dunes and visit 5 beautiful, hidden lakes deep inside the desert. Each lake has its own unique color, and Ulan Lake (the red heart) is the biggest highlight!
How the Day Looks:
Easy Start: We pick you up from Yinchuan or Zhongwei city in the morning.
Desert Safari: Enter the desert and experience a fun, roller-coaster-like ride over the sand dunes.
Free Drone Photography Included! You don't need to worry about how to take those amazing high-sky shots. We provide a free drone photography service for you! Our team will take beautiful aerial photos and videos of you with the "Heart of the Earth," just like Daniela's photos above.
Back to Hotel: After visiting all 5 secret lakes and taking wonderful photos, we will drive you back to your city hotel in the evening.
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