Inner Mongolia
Grasslands, yurts and the endless Gobi sky
Inner Mongolia is the China most visitors do not expect — grassland to the horizon, herds of horses, and a Mongolian culture of yurts, long song and fermented mare's milk. The Xilamuren and Huitengxile grasslands are a three-hour drive from Beijing, which makes them the easiest real grassland to add to a capital itinerary.
Stay in a yurt camp, ride, watch a naadam-style horse show, and eat whole roast lamb outdoors. Further west the grass gives way to the Kubuqi desert, where camel trains and dune buggies run to the top of the singing sands.
Best from June to September, when the grass is green and the nights are warm enough to sit out. We tell you honestly what a grassland camp is and is not — this is comfort with character, not a five-star resort.
Places to see in Inner Mongolia
The highlights we build into almost every Inner Mongolia itinerary. Your own list can be longer, shorter, or somewhere else entirely.
Xilamuren Grassland
The closest real grassland to Beijing, three hours by road.
Yurt camp overnight
Sleep in a yurt, with a bonfire and Mongolian song in the evening.
Huitengxile Grassland
Wind farms, wildflowers and the cleanest horizon in the region.
Kubuqi Desert
Camel trains and dune buggies across the singing sands.
Dazhao Temple, Hohhot
The oldest temple in the city, with a silver Buddha and Ming murals.
Mongolian horse show
Naadam-style riding, wrestling and archery at a grassland camp.
More places in China
Tell us what you want to see in Inner Mongolia
We do not publish fixed packages or prices, because almost nothing about a good trip to China is fixed. Send us your dates and interests and a specialist will design an itinerary around them — with a clear, itemized quotation.
- Your own English-speaking guide and private vehicle
- Hotels chosen for location, not for commission
- Tickets and permits booked on your behalf, including timed entries
- Free revisions until the trip is right
We reply to every inquiry within one business day.