Inner Mongolia is situated on China's northernmost tip boarding Russia for 4200 KM, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is largely inhabited by the Mongolians, with grasslands, deserts, forests, and the Yellow River. Its long history and unique culture provide a rich resource for local tourism industry which boasts pastureland, nationalfolklore,horse and camel riding,adventures on foot etc. Apart from Tibet, Inner Mongolia may be another exotic place in China. You can find the vast grasslands, the Gobi desert, spectacular Naadam festival and the Mongolian way of life.
Proper time to tour Inner Mongolia:
The best time to visit Inner Mogolia is summer from June to September. The other five monthes from December to April are long and cold, not suitable for travelling. Accompanied with blizzards, the temperature often dips below the freezing point at night. Maybe the weather in summer (from June August) is more comfortabel, the change of the temperature between days and nights can be great. Warm clothing is necessary when you travel this region even in summer time..
Hohhot:
Hohhot is the capital city of Inner Mongolia. The city is now actually modern city. It has some historical and cultural sites worth visiting. The Five-Pagoda Temple:
The Five-Pagoda Temple or locally called Wuta Si in Chinese has a blend of architectural style with five multi-tier Chinese style pagodas built on a square-shaped Indian style structure. It is decorated with about 563 carvings of Buddha on its outside walls and the stone-carved Mongolian map of cosmos based on Buddhism. Dazhao Monastery:
Dazhao Monastery is the largest Gelukpa (Yellow Hat Sect) Temple in town, which holds many interesting artifacts. Wang Zhaojun Tomb:
This tomb is located on a 100 feet hill, was constructed in memory of a Han beauty who married a Xiongnu emperor (33 BC). She was believed to have made contribution to the good relationship between the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu Empire and kept the two countries peaceful and from war for about 60 years. Suiyuan City at Jiangjun Yashu:
Suiyuan City at Jiangjun Yashu is located west of Huhhot. The building of the city was to consolidate the northwest border during 17th century. During the reign of Emperor Yongzheng (1723-1735) of Qing dynasty, the new city was built 2.5 km northeast of Hohhot old city. The city was to hold the officers and soldiers to safeguard the border. Later the city was named Suiyuan City. It covers an area of 15,000 square meters, a historic house of cultural relics in Inner Mongolian area of China.
Apart from cultural relics, Hohhot features Inner Mongolia's grasslands. You can have three choices for the grasslands: Xilamuren pasture or Gegentala or Huitengxile grasslands. The grassland tour programs usually xcover a trip to a local herdsman's family and overnight stays in a Mongolian yurt. The best time to travel the grassland is summer (from May to September) when the grass had turned green. This is also the time for Naadam festival. The festival is celebrated both in Inner Mongolia and Outer Mongolia. It features a various traditional games, sport competitions and cultural performances. Winners of the competitions can have the chance to get gifts in form of livestock such as goats, camels and horses. The event is held annually between July and August. Saishanglaojie, the 400-year old street with the characteristics of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Gegentala Grassland: Gegentala means "a place for spending summer" in Mongolian. Gegentala Grassland Tourist Spot lies in Siziwang Banner, the Ulanqub League north of the Daqing Mountain. 138 kilometers from Hohhot, this spot offers people a place to appreciate the beautiful scenery of the grassland, go to the herdsman's family as guests and learn the customs and manners of the Mongolian people living on the grassland north of the Great Wall. The visitors have an opportunity to run on the horseback or go slowly on the back of camels. In addition, visitors can take the ox carts, practice archery and watch the Mongolian-style wrestling and horse racing. In the evening, they can attend the bonfire evening party, singing and dancing with the local performers.
Baotou:
The city of Baotou is located fifty kilometres west of Hohhot. It is actually an industrial city of Baotou. The town offers an easy access for travellers who want to travel the Gobi desert. The nearest and most accessible part of the Gobi is a sand dune filled gorge called Resonant Sand Gorge, about 60 kilometres south of Baotou. Other important culturalsites are Wudangzhao Monastery and Genghis Khan's Mausoleum. Wudangzhao Monastery is a big 18th century religious compound constructed in a unique Tibetan style of white wall and flat roof. Circled by lavish green hills, the 20-hectare temple was once a living place of over 1,200 Buddhist monks of the Yellow Hat Sect (Gelukpa). Now there is no monk living in the monastery, Wudangzhao is home to a big crange of Buddhist art in the lamasery such as sculptures and mural paintings. It is also the only Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Inner Mongolia well preserved. Genghis Khan's Mausoleum is a mausoleum constructed in commemoration of Genghis Khan, a Mongolian king (13th century) who once spreaded his empire from south China to the Caspian Sea. It is loacted about 50 kilometres southwest of Baotou, the main part of the tomb consists of three connecting Yurt structures that hold the show of a white jade statue of Genghis Khan, mural paintings that tells his life and replica.
The Five-Pagoda Temple:
Wang Zhaojun Tomb:
historic house of cultural relics in Inner Mongolian area of China.
Gegentala means "a place for spending summer" in Mongolian. Gegentala Grassland Tourist Spot lies in Siziwang Banner, the Ulanqub League north of the Daqing Mountain. 138 kilometers from Hohhot, this spot offers people a place to appreciate the beautiful scenery of the grassland, go to the herdsman's family as guests and learn the customs and manners of the Mongolian people living on the grassland north of the Great Wall. The visitors have an opportunity to run on the horseback or go slowly on the back of camels. In addition, visitors can take the ox carts, practice archery and watch the Mongolian-style wrestling and horse racing. In the evening, they can attend the bonfire evening party, singing and dancing with the local performers.
Other important culturalsites are Wudangzhao Monastery and Genghis Khan's Mausoleum. Wudangzhao Monastery is a big 18th century religious compound constructed in a unique Tibetan style of white wall and flat roof. Circled by lavish green hills, the 20-hectare temple was once a living place of over 1,200 Buddhist monks of the Yellow Hat Sect (Gelukpa). Now there is no monk living in the monastery, Wudangzhao is home to a big crange of Buddhist art in the lamasery such as sculptures and mural paintings. It is also the only Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Inner Mongolia well preserved. Genghis Khan's Mausoleum is a mausoleum constructed in commemoration of Genghis Khan, a Mongolian king (13th century) who once spreaded his empire from south China to the Caspian Sea. It is loacted about 50 kilometres southwest of Baotou, the main part of the tomb consists of three connecting Yurt structures that hold the show of a white jade statue of Genghis Khan, mural paintings that tells his life and replica.
