张家口市
The wall gate that opened the tea road to Mongolia
Why this place
Zhangjiakou is where the Great Wall's gates let caravan traffic through to Inner Mongolia and on to Russia — it was the starting point of the tea road that moved brick tea north on camels for three centuries. It also hosted the snow events of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
What to see
- Dajing Gate, the Ming wall gateway into the grasslands, now a museum and street
- Chongli ski resorts, built up for the 2022 Games and still operating
- Bashang grasslands on the Inner Mongolia plateau, north of the city
What to eat
- Lamb — the area is sheep country; try the boiled mutton and blood sausage
- Oat noodles (youmian), a local staple on the plateau edge
Best time
June–September for grass, December–February for skiing
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