内蒙古自治区

Why this place

Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region stretching across the top of China, and it is where the steppe begins. The grassland east of Hohhot, the deserts in Alxa and Ordos, and the forest of the Greater Khingan are all here, with Mongolian herding culture and Buddhist monasteries alongside.

What to see

• The Hulunbuir grassland — the best steppe scenery in China
• Hohhot's Dazhao and Five Pagoda temples, and the Inner Mongolia Museum
• Ordos: the Genghis Khan mausoleum and the Kubuqi desert
• Alxa's Badain Jaran dunes and the Ejina poplar forest in October
• The Greater Khingan forest at Arxan, in the far northeast

What to eat

• Hand-grabbed mutton and roast lamb; milk tea, milk skin and dried beef
• Koumiss in summer, and the local dairy products sold at every market

How to plan

A week for the grassland and desert; two weeks if you include Hulunbuir and the Khingan forest.

Best time

July–September for grassland; October for the Alxa poplars; December–February for ice and snow

Practical tips

• The distances are huge and public transport is thin — plan on a car and driver for the grassland

Cities 12

呼和浩特市 Hohhot包头市 Baotou乌海市 Wuhai赤峰市 Chifeng通辽市 Tongliao鄂尔多斯市 Ordos呼伦贝尔市 Hulunbuir巴彦淖尔市 Bayannur乌兰察布市 Ulanqab兴安盟 Hinggan League锡林郭勒盟 Xilingol League阿拉善盟 Alxa League