At Qingtongxia, the Yellow River cuts through a canyon section before spreading back out into the broader floodplain to the north. The gorge walls here are steep enough to give the river a different character from the flat, agricultural stretches most visible from Yinchuan — the water moves faster, and the scale of the landscape is more dramatic. Boat trips on this section of the river are offered from a jetty near the dagobas site, running downstream through the canyon and back.
The combination of the gorge views with the 108 Dagobas hillside makes an afternoon here distinctly Ningxian in texture: water, desert, and religious monument all within a single panorama. The boat trips take about 40 minutes and cost around 30 yuan per person. For those with their own transport, the road along the western bank of the river gives good elevated views of the canyon section.