Camel Trekking in the Mingsha Sand Dunes

By Sara Naumann, About.com Guide

Your camel trek will take you back along the dunes to the final stop on the agenda, the natural spring that creates the Crescent Moon Lake. The spring has been providing water to the tiny oasis for thousands of years and a pagoda has been built on the site. Most people view it from a distance, snapping photos and playing in the sand (see photo) but you can make the walk to the oasis and visit the pagoda.

You'll note that the sand around the lake looks wet and you'll be amazed at how the water does indeed form a perfect crescent moon shape. Let's just say nature has been helped out a bit. The spring is natural, the shape of the lake is somewhat...constructed.