China's fourth largest desert -- the Tengger Desert -- is offering a rich variety of sporting activities to travelers trying to make the most of their eight-day vacation period, spanning the country's Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holidays.

One of the most popular options is to take a helicopter ride over the desert, which covers an area of about 43,000 square kilometers across north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
"It is the first time for me to take a helicopter. It felt great to enjoy the fabulous bird's eye view of the desert, including the sand dunes and lake," said He Tao, an eager tourist.
The diverse and colorful activities also include professional race car performances, kart racing, beach volleyball, and molten iron splashing performances.
Some men and boys are also finding joy in the traditional pastime of Mongolian wrestling.
On Sept 29, the first day of the holiday period lasting until Oct 6, China's railways handled some 20.1 million passenger trips, setting a new record for daily trip numbers and surpassing 20 million for the first time in history.
Analysts believe that this holiday period will usher in a new peak in travel, accelerating the rebound of China's tourism industry.