Top Places to Visit in Inner Mongolia
(Tips, Photos & Map)
(Tips, Photos & Map)
Inner Mongolia: Size and Neighbours
Plan your Inner Mongolia tour? Inner Mongolia, or officially named The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is the third largest provinces in China with a area of118.3 sq km, spanning 2400km from east to west, 1700km from north to south, resembling a flying eagle.It abuts Heilongjiang Province, Jilin Province and Liaoning Province to its east ; Hebei Province, Shanxi Province, Shaanxi Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to its south ; Gansu Province to its west. It also borders Mongolia and Russia to its north.
Inner Mongolia: Establishment and Jurisdiction
The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was established on May 01, 1947, the earliest minority autonomous religion in China. It now administrates 3 leagues, 9 prefecture-level cities, 11 county-level cities, 17 counties, 49 banners, 3 autonomous banners.Hohhot is the capital city of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Baotou is the largest the city in the region.
Inner Mongolia: Population
According to the results of the seventh national census on November 1, 2020., the permanent population of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was 2,40,49,155.Among them, the Han population is 1,895,537, accounting for 78.74%; the Mongolian population is 4247,815, accounting for 17.66%; The population of other ethnic minorities was 865,803, accounting for 3.60%.
There are 55 ethnic groups living in The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, including the Mongolian, Han, Manchu, Hui, Daur, Ewenki, Oroqen, Zhuang, Xibe, Tujia, Dongxiang and Miao.
How to Plan a Trip to Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia has rich natural resources with a plethora of of historic sites, a land teamed beautiful pastures.
Proper time to visit Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia belongs to temperate continental and monsoon climate. The best time to visit Inner Mongolia is summer from June to August. Even the weather in summer (from June to August) is more comfortable, the change of the temperature between days and nights can be great too. In the evening you are often advised to put on warm clothing when you travel on the grasslands even in summer time
September and early October are the best time for fall colours in Inner Mongolia.
The winter season from December to April are long and cold, not suitable for travelling. Winter is often accompanied with blizzards, the temperature often dips well below the freezing point at night.
Food in Inner Mongolia
You may have difficulty with the local food, which is focused on diary products, Lamp and cattle. Favorite dishes include Roast Lamb, Butter, Shaomai, Instant-Boiled Mutton, Cheese, Naked Oat Flour, Cooked Mutton, Sour Milk, Buckwheat Flour, Finger Mutton Milk Tea.
Mongolian milk tea is distinctive to this region and frequently served in hotels along with breakfast.
What to wear
Casual clothing and comfortable walking shoes are the must for your trip to Inner Mongolia. Make sure to take warm clothing as it is quite chilly and cold during the nights and early morning.
You are advised to take sun hats, sunglasses, water bottle, snacks on your trip, your personal medical kit, sun screen lotion, toilet paper, camera and all possible personal things such as necessary medicine, cosmetics etc. Very often you cannot find them during your trip to Inner Mongolia.
Travel Taboo
Taking care of livestock. When traveling by car or on foot in the grasslands or visiting a herdsman’s family, try to avoid directly encountering and frightening the animals. Frightened livestock will be anxious to run off and lose weight. Passing through the herd either by car or on foot is considered to be impolite to the host.
Home visit
If you visit the herdsmen homes by car, please notice whether the horses are tied to the Le Le carts by the yurts. If frightened, the horses will tear apart the reins and run away.
Entering the yurt or house, please don’t sit on the east side where your host sleeping area is located. You should sit in the west or north. But if you sit in the north, please don’t block the hanging image or the picture of the Buddha in the north area. Just sit on the ground, you don’t have to take off your shoes. Do not sit on the threshold.
Tea Ceremony
In the herdsmen homes or at tourist spots, the host or the waitress will offer you a bowl of milk tea first. You get up to take the bowl with the right hand or two hands. Taking the bowl with the left hand is considered impolite.
Then you should take liquor and then use the ring finger dip and point in the direction of heaven, earth, and fire stove showing the worship to Heaven, Earth, Vulcan. You are not forced to drink if you are able to drink. Just use your lips to touch the liquor indicating you have accepted pure friendship of the host.
Never bury garbage in sand
Never bury garbage in sand as it is constantly shifted by wind. Take it away with you.
More Travel reminders
1)Inner Mongolia is a landlocked region with relatively dry climate, so get ready for some lipstick and skin care cream, and drink more daily water.
2) Inner Mongolia is about 1,500 meters above sea level with strong direct sunlight from June to September, take sunscreen and sunglasses.
3) There are many Inner Mongolia customs and taboos, please listen to your tour guide or your escort.
4) Due to the big temperature difference between day and night as well the changeable grassland weather, please bring your own long-sleeved clothing.
5) In Inner Mongolia, the main tourist attractions is the desert and grasslands, it is appropriate to wear a T-shirt tourists, trousers, shoes.
6) Inner Mongolia food belongs to the north cuisine with heavier taste, the restaurants will try their best to make the local food adaptable to you.
7) Please bring your own drugs for diarrhea, fever, skin allergy drugs just for emergency.
8) If you bring children with you on the driving tour, take plenty of drinking water and medicine in case they get carsick. The temperature varies greatly between day and night, so bring warm clothing.
Top Places to Visit in Inner Mongolia
To visit Inner Mongolia, most first time travellers would like to have some advice on the question of the top places to visit in Inner Mongolia.One thing to keep in mind is that Inner Mongolia is huge in geographic size, three sizes of Japan. So don’t cram too much on your travel schedule on your single trip and do consider limiting your trip to one or two regions in Inner Mongolia.
Well, different people have their own version of the top places in mind. As a local Inner Mongolia tour operator, we are happy to present you our version of the top 10 list. Hopefully this top 10 below will be helpful in preparing your mesmerizing Inner Mongolia trip.
1. Hohhot（呼和浩特）
The Inner Mongolia’s capital city of Hohhot is usually your springboard to delve into its vast physical regions and the cultural overlay of human presence . If time allows, you can also pop up for a visit in Hohhot. |
Hohhot Side Trip Road Map (google)
Here we have a list of the top 10 attractions in Hohhot, which may be helpful for arranging your short trip to Hohhot.
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War chariot yurts on the Gegentala Grassland
Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China, lies between the Yinshan Mountain and the Yellow River. 36 ethnic groups and some 50 odd ancient temples make this grassland paradise particularly charming.
2. Hulunbuir or Hulun Buir (呼伦贝尔
） Hulunbuir ( or Hulunbeier ) is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Inner Mongolia. Hulunbuir was once a league until in October, 2001 when it was established as a prefecture-level city. Its local government is now seated in Hailar District which used to be known as the city of Hailar ( or Hailaer ). |
Hulunbuir Road Trip Map (google)
Check out Top 10 Attractions in Hulunbuir (Tips, Photos & Map) for more travel information.
Hulunbuir administrates 13 different county-level regions: one district, five county-level cities, four banners and three autonomous banners including Hailar District, Manzhouli City, Ergun City, New Barag Left Banner, Evenk Autonomous Banner and more. It has an area of 263,000 square km, the size of Jiangsu Province and Shandong Province in China.
3. Alxa League (阿拉善盟)
On the west of Inner Mongolia lies Alxa League, also known as Alashan League. It is one of the 12 prefecture-level divisions in the administrative area of Inner Mongolia. Alxa League is still a mysterious and massive place admired by many adventurous travellers. |
The major attraction map of Alxa League （Google）
Exploring Alxa League (Alashan League) is quite challenging due to its huge landscape of desert, lakes and hills, the size of 16 “Beijing”!
Check out Top 10 Attractions in Alxa League (Tips, Photos & Map) for more information.
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Stroll on the boardwalk for seeing the colors at Huyanglin Scenic Area
Unlike the grassland as the big draw in other places in Inner Mongolia, Alxa League is bestowed with unique natural landscapes – massive deserts, diversifolius poplar forest, lonely gobi, sapphire lakes, Helanshan virgin forest. Alxa League is also rife with historical relics and elements of ancient human civilizations.
4. Chifeng (赤峰)
In the boundless grassland there is a beautiful city of Chifeng (赤峰), where you will find appealing food, fresh cityscape, queer peaks and troves of ancient relics. |
Chifeng Major Attraction Road Map ( Google)
Of course, Chifeng’s administrative region is very large with an area of about 90,000 square km, the size of 5 “Beijing”.
Check out Top 10 Attractions in Chifeng (Tips, Photos & Map) for more information.
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Wulan Butong Grassland in fall colors
It is worth your exploration for 3-7 days. Chifeng is located in the Eastern Inner Mongolia, an important destination in Eastern Inner Mongolia Tour. Its city center is about 417km northeast of Beijing by road. Daily trains and flights easily bring you from Beijing to Chifeng.
Hassle-Free Inner Mongolia Guided Tours
If you don’t want go the daunting do-it-yourself-route and prefer an organized hassle-free private tour to visit Inner Mongolia, no worry and we have the following options:Inner Mongolia Tour
Mid-Inner Mongolia Tour (Hohhot, Baotou, Ordos)
East Inner Mongolia Tour (Xanadu,Wulan Butong, Xilinhot, Chifeng)
Northeast Inner Mongolia Tour (Hulunbuir)
West Inner Mongolia Tour (Alashan “Alxa” League)
Hohhot Tour
Hohhot Highlights & Grassland 3 Day Tour
Hohhot Highlights & Grassland 2 Day Tour
Questions & Answers:
Here is only for Questions and Answers. ( For anyone who wants to have an enquiry or customized tour, please email us to 
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