Inner Mongolia Grasslands: Top 10 Prairies in Inner Mongolia

• Location: Xinbalhu Left Banner, Hulunbuir City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区呼伦贝尔市新巴尔虎左旗), flights from Beijing (2.5 hrs), Hohhot (2.5 hrs), Harbin (1.5 hrs), etc.

• Best Time to Visit: June ~ September for the lush grassland scenery and Naadam Festival, December for the winter Naadam Festival (the best period of time to visit it may vary according to the precipitation of the year.)

Hulunbuir gets its name of two lakes: Hulun Lake and Buir Lake, which just like two jade belts spreading the grassland area. Covering an area of 11.2667 million hectares, Hulunbuir Grassland is One of the Four Largest Grasslands in the World. Besides the vast grassland area, it also boasts over 3,000 rivers and 500 lakes. Due to its rich types of grass and well-preserved natural environment, Hulunbuir Grassland is also praised as "The Purest Prairie" and "The Kingdom of Grass".

Expanses of open grassland dotted with Inner Mongolians and their tiny yurts and grazing flocks and herds highlight a trip to this boundless green land. The rich types of activities, like horse riding, watch wrestling and horse racing and attend bonfire, make it more appealing. Located in the northeast of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region closing to China’s border with Russia and Mongolia, Hulunbuir Grassland also has a strong exotic flavor!

☛ 5 Days Best Hulunbuir Tour

☛ 6 Days Inner Mongolia Best Desert & Grassland Tour

• Location: Chahar Right Middle Banner, Wulanchabu City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区乌兰察布市察哈尔右翼中旗), 135km and about 3 hours’ drive from Hohhot or 2 hours from Beijing by bullet train plus 1.5 hours from Ulanqab by car

• Best Time to Visit: June ~ September (the best period of time to visit it may vary according to the precipitation of the year.)

Huitengxile, as its name "cold plateau" in Mongolia implies, is a rare alpine mountain meadow, with an altitude of over 1,800 meters. It is located in Ulanqab, 110 km and 2 hours around away from Hohhot by car. There are 99 natural lakes dotted, adding more vigorousness to the grassland. The biggest highlight of Huitengxile Grassland is the gorgeous landscape carped with beautiful wildflowers in red, yellow, blue, red and more colors, with the gigantic Wind Power Plants as the backdrop. And the scenery at Yellow Flowers Valley on the west side of the grassland is the best. The valley also boasts a splendid Geological Park with strange stones of different shapes and distributions.

Try some hare’s milk wine or a camel ride and take in a gorgeous landscape carpeted with wildflowers in the warm months.

☛ 5 Days Classic Inner Mongolia Tour

☛ 3 Days Hohhot Grassland Landscape Tour

• Location: Daerhammao Ming Union Banner, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区包头市达尔罕茂明安联合旗), 93 km and 2 hours from Hohhot by car

• Best Time to Visit: June ~ September (the best period of time to visit it may vary according to the precipitation of the year.)

Xilamuren Grassland is the most popular grassland due to its proximity to Hohhot and the large number and high-quality of grassland. Xilamure, which means “Yellow Water” in Mongolia, is also known as ZhaoHe because of an old Lama Temple along the Xilamuren riverside.

Traditional Mongolia culture can be found throughout the grassland. Travelers could enjoy a range of cultural pursuits, such as visit of herdsman house, the Mongolian traditional welcome ceremony, sumptuous Mongolian cuisine, Mongolia wrestling. A variety of outdoor activities including camel riding, sand skating and sand sculpture, are also available. The best time to visit the Xilamuren Grassland is in summer and early autumn. What’s more, during the Nadam Fair held every summer, you can even take part in some of the competitions that you are interested in.

☛ 4 Days In-depth Hohhot Xilamuren Tour with Grassland Activities

• Location: Wulanchabu City Siziwang Banner (乌兰察布市四子王旗) , about 140km and 2 hours’ drive from Hohhot

• Best Time to Visit: June ~ September (the best period of time to visit it may vary according to the precipitation of the year.)

Gegentala Grassland in Mongolian means "a summer resort" or "the place of grazing summer". It is the largest and unique Mongolia scenic spot bearing the Mongolia ethnical features of China. Besides, it is also the Cradle of Naadam Festival, the grandest festival in Inner Mongolia.

Here, you’ll be truly astonished by the remarkable beauty of the natural scenery of the grassland and be warmly welcomed by the enthusiastic herdsmen and their families, invited to taste traditional Mongolian food, take part in local activities like listen to the melodious toasting songs or appreciating traditional Mongolian dances. Moreover, you can have a good time horseback riding or experiencing a pleasure trip on a camel. Don’t miss the attractive Naadam Fair held on Gegentala Grassland every summer.

• Location: Xilinhot City, Xilingol League (锡林郭勒盟锡林浩特市), about 1 hour from Hohhot or 1.5 hours from Beijing by flight

• Best Time to Visit: June ~ September for the lush grassy view and Naadam Festival, December for the white winter view and exciting winter Naadam festival (the best period of time to visit it may vary according to the precipitation of the year.)

Xilingol Grassland is located in the central and eastern part of Inner Mongolia and the region about 423 kilometers (direct distance) north of Beijing. If you ride a flight, you can get to the nearby airport - Xilinhot Airport from Beijing in 1.5 hours or from Hohhot in 1 hour.

Xilingol Grassland is One of China’s Four Largest Grasslands and One of China’s Six Most Beautiful Grasslands. The endless grassland, zigzag Xili River and leisurely horses and sheep always welcome visitors from all over the world. You shouldn’t miss Ujumuqin Grassland, the most beautiful area of Xilingol Grassland and the firming spot of The Wolf Totem, a famous Chinese movie.

☛ 5 Days Primitive Inner Mongolia Tour to Xilingol

• Location: Hexigten Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区赤峰市克什克腾旗), about 450 kilometers and 7 hours from Beijing by car

• Best Time to Visit: September and October for the picturesque golden landscape, June ~ August for the green vista, November ~ March of next year for the white view with snow

Ulan Butong Grassland was once one part of Mulan Paddock, which was a royal hunting garden in Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). Every autumn, the emperor and his princes, ministers and elite soldiers came here for hunting and touring. You can trace that period of royal hunting history from many famous Chinses TV series like Princess Pearl, Kangxi Dynasty, etc. All these popular TV dramas are filmed at Ulan Butong Grassland.

Nowadays, everyone is allowed to visit Ulan Butong Grassland. The grasslands, lakes, deserts, wetlands and forests there welcome nature lovers, photography enthusiasts, history fans and all other visitors. With so rich and beautiful landscapes, there is always one kind of beauty catching your eyes or your shutter. Apart from the grassland scenery, you can also indulge in many activities to blend into the history and daily life of local nomads, like try the horse milk wine, take grassland trekking, enjoy horse riding etc.

☛ 4 Days Bashang Grassland Unparalleled Landscape Tour

☛ 5 Days Classic Hexigten Scenic Tour with Wulan Butong Grassland

• Location: East Wuzhumuqin Banner, Xilin Gol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区锡林郭勒盟东乌珠穆沁旗), about 1.5 hours from Beijing by flight plus 1 hour by car

• Best Time to Visit: June ~ September (the best period of time to visit it may vary according to the precipitation of the year.)

Ulagai Prairie, or called Wulagai Grassland, is named after the Ulagai River. Located at the junction of Xilingol League, Hinggan League and Tongliao City, Ulgai Prairie is rich in species of animals and plants. It is also one of the best preserved natural grasslands in the world and has a reputation of "The Horizon Grassland". Whenever and wherever you press your photo button at this vast land, you get fantastic desktop wallpapers. It is said that the story told in the film The Wolf Totem just happened there, adding more mysterious color of the grassland.

• Location: Horqin Left Wing Right Banner, Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, (内蒙古通辽市), about 1.5 hour from Tongliao City by car

• Best Time to Visit: June ~ September

Horqin is the hometown of Empress Xiaozhuang (1613-1688), a famous virtuous queen in China’s Qing Dynasty who has fostered two generations of emperors. In the hinterland of Horqin Grassland lies Zhurihe Grassland, a beautiful area with a variety of natural landscape, valleys, forests as well as Mongolian yurts.

Now, with the help of high speed railway, tourists can reach Tongliao City from Beijing in 4 hours. And from Tongliao City, you can get to the Zhurihe Grassland in 1.5 hours around by car. On the way, you can make a stop at the Cultural Tourism Zone of Empress Xiaozhuang and visit the former residence, museum, military camp to trace the wonderful life of this famous empress.

• Location: Hexigten Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区赤峰市克什克腾旗), about 293 kilometers and 3 hours away from Chifeng City by car

• Best Time to Visit: June ~ September

Gongal Grassland is about one hour south of Xilingol Grassland by car. It is mostly famed for the Darinore Lake, one of the Four Famous Lakes in Inner Mongolia. The lake view is as broad as facing a sea, which is extremely amazing. And the water of the lake guarantees the grass of this region a steady stream of vitality, and thus attracts continuous of visitors to come. In the northeast of the grassland is a rare red spruce forest, which is one of the only two remaining red spruce forests in the world. Every autumn, shutterbugs will gather and create stunning photos.

• Location: Hangjin Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区鄂尔多斯市杭锦旗), about 2 hours from Ordos by car

• Best Time to Visit: June ~ September

Different from any other grassland, visitors heading to Ordos Grassland are not for the green carpet-like view but for the colorful entertainment projects and performances. Here, visitors can customize their own trip from the tons of activities, like kart racing, golf game, archery, maze and so forth. Popular shows include The Ordos Wedding, Live Equestrian Drama, etc. It you are looking for somewhere to create happy memories with your kids, the Ordos Grassland is a good choice.