2024 The Most Comprehensive Inner Mongolia Travel Guide! Personally tested (attractions + expenses + anti-trap) guide!

When it comes to the Inner Mongolia prairie, I can be considered quite outspoken. I have been there three times with different people, and each experience was different. At the beginning of this month, I went to Inner Mongolia once. The endless prairie, galloping steeds, and cattle and sheep all over the mountains are incomparably beautiful on earth! One must experience it in person in this lifetime. It is definitely a memory that will be unforgettable for several lifetimes! In fact, July – September is the best time to visit Inner Mongolia! However, Inner Mongolia is very large, the sceneries in different places are far apart, the driving distance is long, and the mobile phone signal coverage is incomplete. If you choose the wrong travel mode and don’t make a good route plan, the travel experience will be greatly reduced… It is recommended that you must make travel arrangements in advance!! Those who are more familiar with tourism in Inner Mongolia all know that Inner Mongolia is vast. For those who are not familiar with the various routes in Inner Mongolia, they will not recommend the way of self-driving. Instead, let the local tour guide plan the route and arrange all the contents such as food, accommodation, and play. You only need to buy the round-trip air tickets and enjoy the real travel. All three times I went to Inner Mongolia, I asked the tour guide to arrange it. She specializes in providing tourism services in Inner Mongolia and can provide free tourism consultation services in Inner Mongolia. She can arrange a one-stop service for tourism in Inner Mongolia, including food, accommodation, travel, and play. Moreover, the quality is very good and the price is very cost-effective. For about 5 days of playing in Inner Mongolia, the cost for two people is probably more than 1,000 yuan.

I. Common Questions from Taxi Drivers and Tourism Peak Season

Every time I take a taxi, the driver usually asks three questions: Where are you from? How many days will you stay? Have you been to the grassland? Although we were going to the desert, I understand why they ask these questions. After all, from July to October is the peak tourist season in Inner Mongolia. The sky is the bluest, the climate is the best, and the grassland is the most beautiful during this time. Every year at this time in Hulunbuir, in addition to cattle, sheep and horses, the most common sight on the grassland is children rolling around.

II. Air Ticket Prices

Unexpectedly, when I checked the air tickets, I was so shocked that I took three steps back. Throughout July, the round-trip air tickets between Hangzhou and Hailar are around 4,000 yuan. It’s a bit better from Shanghai, but the round-trip also costs about 3,000 yuan. In the past, this price was enough to fly to Europe.

III. Reasons for Writing the Guide

Since it’s so expensive to go to Hulunbuir in summer, I wondered if there are alternatives. Besides Hulunbuir, what else is fun to do in Inner Mongolia? I wanted to find solutions to these two questions, so I decided to write a comprehensive Inner Mongolia travel guide to help you plan your itinerary more effectively.

IV. Best Time to Travel

July – August is a great time to visit the grassland, with clear skies, abundant clouds, and lush water and grass, especially in the eastern part of Inner Mongolia (Hulunbuir, Xing’an League, Tongliao), where the scenery is the best. From September to October, autumn in Inner Mongolia is also very beautiful. You can go to the Greater Khingan Range to see the colorful forests and to Ejina Banner to see the poplar forests.
The grassland in autumn varies. My friend went to Hulunbuir in September and said the grassland colors were amazing. I went to Xilin Gol in late August, and there was no golden grassland. The grass was already bald. Probably the grassland in the scenic area is not mowed.

V. Divisions of Tourist Areas

Inner Mongolia, as the longest provincial-level administrative region in China, spans 3 time zones and over 2,400 kilometers from east to west. It is usually divided into three areas for tourism. Western Inner Mongolia (Ordos, Baotou, Alxa), Central Inner Mongolia (Hohhot, Xilin Gol, Ulanqab), and Eastern Inner Mongolia (Hulunbuir, Xing’an League, Tongliao).

VI. Important “Centers”

One is Hohhot, the economic and political center of Inner Mongolia. It is usually regarded as a transfer station to other cities in Inner Mongolia, and the air ticket price to Hohhot is often cheaper. If you think the air ticket to Hailar (Hulunbuir) during the peak season is too expensive, you might consider transferring in Hohhot.
The other is Xilin Gol, which is right on the boundary of Inner Mongolia’s landform landscapes. To the west of Xilin Gol, there are mostly desert and Gobi landscapes, and to the east are grassland and forest landscapes. If you want to see two kinds of natural scenery in one trip, you can take Xilin Gol as the “base camp”.

VII. Characteristics of Different Grasslands

Hulunbuir in the north has vast grasslands with crisscrossing rivers. The endless grassland is like the desktop background that comes with Windows, basically the standard template of the “big grassland” in your mind.
Further south, the grassland in Ulanqab region is next to the Yin Mountains, with undulating terrain, which is a typical mountainous grassland. Although it’s not as famous as Hulunbuir, I think the mountainous grassland is actually very photogenic.
Then there is Ordos Grassland. It is originally a desert and sandy land landscape, but because it is embraced by the Yellow River, there is also grassland with sufficient water vapor. So Ordos Grassland is a “hybrid” with grassland and sandy land interlaced, which is quite special.
Generally speaking, the grassland quality in eastern Inner Mongolia is relatively better. There is no doubt that Hulunbuir is the top 1 grassland in China. But if you think the cost performance of Hulunbuir during the peak season is not high, Xilin Gol Grassland (one of the four major grasslands in China), Ulagai Grassland (the grassland at the edge of the sky), and Horqin Grassland (national wetland, original ecology) are all good choices with beautiful scenery and fun in summer.

VIII. Summer Grassland Tour Routes

(I) Hulunbuir Loop

The most classic Hulunbuir grand loop starts and ends in Hailar and takes about 10 days to complete. If you don’t have such a long vacation budget, you can remove Arxan to shorten the trip to about 6 days. If you want to have an in-depth tour, you can split the grand loop into two small loops, north and south.
What can you see along the northern route? All kinds of unique towns and villages. Aoluguya in Genhe has been very popular in recent years. There is the only remaining hunting tribe of the Ewenki people here. In the past two years, scenic spots have been built and hotels have been constructed. Although you can’t see the original ecology, it’s convenient for us tourists to experience the local customs, and local residents can also increase their income. Tourism development is not necessarily a bad thing.
There are two Russian-style towns on the border. In Enhe, just by looking at the appearance of the locals, you can sense the exotic flavor, but when they open their mouths, it’s the Northeast dialect. The houses in the town are all typical Russian wooden houses “log cabins”, which are super cute. Even if you don’t stay overnight, you have to have a real Russian meal here before you leave.
Another one is Shiwei. The commercialization degree here is much higher than that in Enhe, and the prices are also relatively expensive. But I recommend Shiwei more. First, because the architecture here is really photogenic and people who like taking pictures can’t resist it. Another reason is that Shiwei is built next to the Erguna River, and Erguna has the largest and best ecological wetland in China. I heard from friends who have been there that it’s extremely beautiful in autumn, and it’s not bad in summer either. It not only has beautiful scenery but is also very cool and suitable for summer vacation.
The last one is Manzhouli. I’m sure you are very familiar with it. I have written a separate guide for Manzhouli before. This border town is not big, and one night is enough. The glittering night view at night is still very beautiful. The local Matryoshka Hotel is very characteristic, but the premium during the peak season is also quite serious, and the hardware is just so-so.
Speaking of the southern route of Hulunbuir, it’s all top-notch natural scenery in China. For the section of Erguna, the southern and northern routes overlap. Heishantou Town below Erguna is the regular stopover point. There aren’t many supporting facilities, but mainly because the sunrise and sunset times set it off so beautifully.
The southern route will also pass by the largest lake in Inner Mongolia, Hulun Lake. During the wet season, it’s as big as 36 West Lakes. This is very rare on the arid grassland. However, there is still a gap in appearance compared with plateau lakes, and its ecological significance is greater.
The highlight of the southern route is Arxan. It is recommended that you “waste” your time here as much as possible. The entire Arxan covers dozens of scenic spots. It’s no exaggeration to say that just one Arxan National Forest Park can charm you so much that you don’t want to leave. There is no best travel time for it. It’s beautiful all year round. Arxan has the largest volcanic crater lake group in China, with nearly 50 volcanic craters. The most famous ones are Tuo Fengling Tianchi, the unfrozen lake, and Wusulangzi Lake, all of which are lakes formed by the accumulation of water in volcanic craters, and the lake water is as clean and clear as a mirror. Where there are volcanoes, there are usually rich hot spring resources. You must take a hot spring bath before leaving Arxan. Although few people now travel to Arxan by train, you can still go to the train station to take a look. It has been there since 1937, and its shape is still quite stylish now. This stop in Arxan is worth staying for at least 3 days and 2 nights.

(II) Dada Line

This route is very famous in the self-driving circle. Its other name is “the most beautiful grassland highway in China”. However, most tourists are initially attracted by the fame of Hulunbuir, and the Dada Line is relatively more low-key.
The starting point of the Dada Line is Lake Dalinuoer, the “pearl of the grassland”. There are not many lakes on the grassland, and you have to stop and have a look every time you pass by one. The sunrise, sunset and starry sky of Lake Dalinuoer are the killers. The groups of photography enthusiasts usually spend a lot of time here.
The end point is the mysterious 阿斯哈图石林 (Asihatu Stone Forest). The landform of this stone forest is unique in the world. Other stone forests are vertical and look like they are cut by a knife, while the stone forest in Asihatu is stacked layer by layer like a thousand-layer cake.
The highlight of the Dada Line is that it will pass by 3 beautiful grasslands on the way, namely Xilin Gol Grassland, Gongger Grassland and West Ujimqin Grassland. Xilin Gol has been mentioned before. If we rank the grasslands, after Hulunbuir, it should be Xilin Gol. The scene of “the wind blowing and the grass low, revealing cattle and sheep” is really beautiful.
Gongger Grassland is only a “small grassland” in Inner Mongolia. Its characteristic is that there are many water sources. Besides the 标志性的贡格尔河 (the 标志性 Gongger River) that winds through the grassland, there are also many scattered lakes, so it looks the most “moist”.
West Ujimqin Grassland is a bit less known. You don’t need to bother remembering its name. Every year from June to August, a large sea of wolfsbane flowers will grow on the grassland in West Ujimqin. You can recognize it just by passing by, and it’s quite recognizable.
Besides the “scenic spots”, the scenery along the Dada Line is very beautiful. Although it is highly rated, the total length is actually only 135 kilometers. The scenery along the way is equivalent to condensing Inner Mongolia. It can also seamlessly connect with the Re’a Line and the Beijing-Tibet Xizhang Expressway. It’s very convenient to drive from Beijing.

(III) Zhangbei Grassland Sky Road

The destination of this road is the Ulan Butong Grassland, which is the closest to Beijing in Inner Mongolia. To be honest, I think the scenery along this route is a bit inferior to the first two self-driving routes, but this route is very suitable for Beijingers to take a short vacation during their busy schedule.
I have traveled this route in autumn. 3 days is okay, and 4 days is more spacious. It takes about 8 hours for a one-way drive. If you drive faster, you can arrive in 5 hours. Taking pictures and playing along the way, you won’t feel tired.
Ulan Butong is a scenic area that charges a unified entrance ticket, and there are several small scenic spots inside. In summer, I like Hama Dam the most. The cool green here is layered, and it’s the most obvious when you look through the camera viewfinder. It’s very idyllic.
There is also a General’s Paozi. From June to August every year, the grassland is fertile with water and lush grass, and the open lake is very suitable for taking reflections. The sunrise and sunset times are the most beautiful. The scenic area organizes the scene of thousands of horses galloping every day, attracting a large group of photography enthusiasts with long guns and short cannons to take pictures. The tourism experience in General’s Paozi will be a bit worse, but it’s really beautiful for taking pictures.
Ulan Butong can be regarded as a scenic area with a good balance between scenery and commercial development. There are (regular play items) in many small scenic spots, such as horseback riding, sand sliding, grass sliding, archery, etc. The charges vary in different places. Remember to ask clearly before playing.
The Lake Dalinuoer that you will pass by on this self-driving route is one of the four famous lakes in Inner Mongolia. It is recommended that you “abandon the car” and ride a bike. Like Qinghai Lake, many people ride bicycles to play around Lake Dalinuoer. The east bank is Gongger Grassland, the north bank has a young volcanic Zhazi Mountain, the west bank is a grassland pasture, and the south bank is the Hunshandake Sandy Land. The landscape along the way is very rich, but it’s okay to just ride for a while to feel it.
The Ulan Butong Grassland, the Bashang Grassland and the Saihanba National Forest Park are all adjacent to each other, but the scenic area tickets are separate. Although the Bashang Grassland is quite famous, it was developed early and has many routines. I still relatively prefer Ulan Butong.
Saihanba is very worth visiting. The light and dark green grassland and the forest sea are integrated. Although it’s sunny, the maximum temperature in summer rarely exceeds 25°C. It’s very suitable for summer vacation.

IX. Other Tourist Attractions Besides Grasslands

Inner Mongolia, which is as big as 11 Zhejiangs, is a super amazing natural museum. Just count casually, and it has the largest grassland in China (Hulunbuir), the largest forest in China (Greater Khingan Range), the largest wetland in China (Erguna), and the largest volcanic group in China (Arxan).
Generally speaking, we come to play on the grassland in summer and see the forest in autumn. However, the span of this forest is particularly large, located at both ends of Inner Mongolia. One is in Ejina Banner, Alxa. The 390,000 mu of poplar forests turn into a golden ocean in autumn. However, the “best taste period” is only about half a month, and tourists throughout the year are concentrated during this time. With high appearance but controversial, how can we make the trip to this “little Xinjiang” in Inner Mongolia worth it?
The other is the Greater Khingan Range (part of it is in Heilongjiang, and most of it is in Inner Mongolia). The primeval forest occupies more than 90% of the Greater Khingan Range. Every day, several green trains go deep into the hinterland of the primeval forest. There is no better place than the Greater Khingan Range to interpret the word “golden autumn”. This secret border area in the northeast has reached its most beautiful time of the year again!
The most famous deserts in Inner Mongolia are Badain Jaran, Tengger, and Kubuqi. Ranked according to my perception of their appearance, and Badain Jaran beats the latter two by a large margin.
The red salt lakes in Badain Jaran are all deserts made of sand. Badain Jaran is definitely the most beautiful one among the crowd, like the class beauty. Besides being the third largest desert in China, it is also the core area of the Alxa Desert World Geopark. The sand dunes are high and steep (1,100 – 1,800 meters above sea level), and there are also rare “thousand lakes in the desert” (exaggerated, actually 144). In the hinterland of the desert, there are also sacred springs and temples (Yinderitu Spring, Badain Jaran Temple). It’s a desert with many attractions.
The red salt lake in Badain Jaran.
To play in Badain Jaran, usually choose to cross by off-road vehicle; to play in Tengger and Kubuqi, you can choose to cross on foot. There are already very mature tourism products on the market, and the actual walking time is about 2 days. Scenery: Tengger > Kubuqi Difficulty: Tengger > Kubuqi In comparison, the difficulty of crossing the desert is proportional to the desert scenery, which is still very fair. Completing the desert crossing on foot is probably enough to brag about at the wine table for 5 years.
Inner Mongolia has vast desert and sandy land, but the desert is a bit special, and the supporting facilities are particularly crucial. Going into the no-man’s land alone and recklessly may even be life-threatening. At present, the Kubuqi Desert has relatively better supporting facilities in the Inner Mongolia desert. It is relatively closer to the city, and there are many camps of different sizes in the desert. Like the Xiangsha Bay we visited this time, it is actually a small scenic spot in Kubuqi.
Although I stayed in the desert for 3 days and it rained for 3 days this time, I don’t know if it’s good luck or not. But the supporting facilities and play items in Xiangsha Bay are really rich. If you want to take a not-so-tough vacation in the desert, Xiangsha Bay is a good choice. Xiangsha Bay repo.

Finally, every time I go to Inner Mongolia, it feels like I have come to the opposite side of urban life. Every day when I open my eyes, the scenery I see is as beautiful as a wallpaper. I just want to say goodbye to KPI and OKR. Come to Inner Mongolia to herd sheep and eat beef jerky quickly!