Hinggan League travel guide
兴安盟
Hinggan League travel guide with a day by day itinerary, 4 places with tickets and opening hours, where to eat and stay, and how to get there.
4 places · In the guidebook: pages 1922–1926
Hinggan League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region · AI illustration for China Trip
Quick itinerary
Hinggan League in 3 days
- Day 1
- Horqin Grassland→
- Ulanhot City (accommodation)
- Day 2
- Ulanhot→
- Arxan National Forest Park→
- Arxan City
- Day 3
Things to see
★
Located on the southwestern foothills of the Greater Khingan Range, the park enjoys a distinctive climate with marked temperature differences between day and night, and offers the charm of northern scenery, making it a great summer retreat. Besides its rich wildlife and plant resources, the park features Tèermei Peak (1,378 m), the highest point in the Greater Khingan; Darbin Lake, the Greater Khingan's first lake; stone-pavement forests and crater lakes formed by lava flows during volcanic eruptions; the famous Nomonhan battlefield fortifications; the little-known Halha River, a Sino-Mongolian border river; the bottomless Cave of Wonders; and the magnificent Rose Peak. The park's mineral springs are exceptional. Its mineral spring clusters combine drinking, bathing and therapy, and are known as the 'world's most remarkable springs'.
1–2 days · Peak season ¥180; off-season ¥140; sightseeing shuttle ¥105
Horqin Grassland
Located in eastern Inner Mongolia at the northwestern end of the Songliao Plain, Horqin means 'famous archer' in Mongolian. The Horqin Grassland has a long history, and surviving sites include a Liao dynasty ancient city, Jin dynasty frontier ditches, the former site of the Horqin Ten Banners assembly, and several temples and pagodas. Han Mountain and the Horqin Grassland Wetland Nature Reserve also lie within the grassland. Water resources here are abundant, producing many freshwater fish. It is also a renowned natural pasture, chiefly producing Horqin Red Cattle and Xing'an fine-wool sheep.
1–2 days
Arxan Ski Resort
Arxan Ski Resort enjoys snow cover for up to six months each winter, with excellent snow quality. It is a high-standard resort that ranks among the best in China. The resort consists of two main parts: a competition training area and a ski recreation area. The competition training area is designed to international competition standards and is an ideal base for winter sports events, competitions and training. Besides skiing, the resort has snowmobile tracks and snow-disc areas, making it a playground for skiing, snow play and snow viewing.
3–5 hours · Weekdays: 2 hours ¥80; 4 hours ¥120; full day ¥150. Holidays: 2 hours ¥100; 4 hours ¥150; full day ¥180
Arxan Hot Springs
Located in Arxan City, Horqin Right Front Banner. Every midsummer, Mongolian families from near and far bring their own yurts to come here for recuperation. Green mountains surround the area, and spring water wells up across the land. There are 48 hot springs of varying sizes, divided into northern and southern groups. The southern group consists entirely of low-temperature springs, mainly radon springs with radioactivity. The northern group includes low-temperature, hot, high-temperature and very high-temperature springs, mainly bicarbonate-calcium springs.
0.5–1 day · ¥298; combo ticket ¥368 (includes swimming and swimwear)
Getting there & around
Air
Ulanhot Airport is located about 17 km northwest of the city, near Yilelite Town, and can handle small and medium-sized aircraft. Direct flights now operate from Ulanhot to Beijing, Hohhot and Hailar. Arxan also has Arxan Yirshi Airport, the second civil airport in Hinggan League.
Railway
Two non-intersecting railways, the Baicheng–Arxan Railway and the Tongliao–Huolin Gol Railway, cross Hinggan League and form an important link between eastern Inner Mongolia and the Northeast and North China. Ulanhot Station is the transport hub of Hinggan League, with departures to Beijing, Harbin, Dalian, Changchun, Baicheng and Hohhot.
Road
National Highway 111, running southwest to northeast, and National Highway 302, running east to west, intersect at Ulanhot. Together with Provincial Highway 0504, they form the backbone of road travel in the area. Provincial Highway 203, linking Ulanhot with the hot-spring resort of Arxan City, has now officially opened. The Tonghai Expressway (Tongliao–Hailar) also passes through Ulanhot.
Ulanhot Bus Station offers inter-provincial services to Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang, as well as local coaches to Hohhot, Tongliao and Baicheng. The bus station is not far from the railway station; a taxi costs about ¥5. Drivers often quote high fares, so be ready to bargain.
Ulanhot Railway Station
Railway- Address:
- Ulanhot West Street, Ulanhot City
Arxan Railway Station
Railway- Address:
- Near Xinglin Road, Arxan City
Eat & drink
Cuisine in Hinggan League reflects both Mongolian traditions and the eating habits of Northeast China. In the Mongolian communities at the heart of the Horqin Grassland, the diet is centred on Mongolian flavours, with meat and dairy foods forming the core of everyday meals. Famous local dishes include roast leg of lamb, hand-grabbed mutton (shoubarou), milk skin (naipizi) and cheese. Han, Manchu and other residents, influenced by Northeast China's eating habits, mostly rely on rice and wheat-based staples, and their food tends to be bolder in flavour. Grilled foods, dishes served with dipping sauces and stews are all popular everyday choices.
Local snacks in Hinggan League include Mongolian filled pies, buckwheat dried noodles and Wang Xiao'er dabing (large flatbread).
Where to stay
Visitors to Hinggan League can stay in Ulanhot or in the towns of the various banners and counties. Note, however, that the area's scenic spots are generally far from towns, so you may prefer to stay close to the sights you plan to visit.
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1922–1926. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version