Traces of snow still linger between the gigantic land forms towering above us and a light mist covers the low sun like a veil. The patches that have melted reveal lines of frozen droppings left by a camel caravan that had passed through who-knows how long ago. Usually a wind rushes through this city of rock producing a moaning whistle from which this place got its name: The Ghost City.

Thankfully there is no wind today, making this winter expedition bearable. There aren’t many places to take visitors in the dead of winter when it drops down to -26 Celsius regularly. Still, we had to try something, so when my family decided to visit us last month for the Christmas holidays we took them here and to my surprise it ended up being a memorable and beautiful trip.