Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake)
Located in the southwest of Gongger Grassland, this is one of the four major inland lakes of Inner Mongolia. Together with Poyang Lake and Bayanbulak Lake,…
Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake), Chifeng
Key facts
- Admission
- South shore ¥120; north shore ¥90. Horseback riding by the lake about ¥40/hour
- Time needed
- 4–5 hours
- Getting there
- By bus: from Beijing, take the Xizhang Highway. By train: from Beijing North Station to Chifeng Station, then transfer to a long-distance bus; the trip to Dalinor takes about 5 hours. You can also take a long-distance bus from Chifeng to Keshiketeng Banner and hire a car around the Keshiketeng bus station to reach Dalinor.
- Guidebook rating
- 4 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 1890. Open in Google Maps
About Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake)
Located in the southwest of Gongger Grassland, this is one of the four major inland lakes of Inner Mongolia. Together with Poyang Lake and Bayanbulak Lake, it is counted as one of China's three great swan lakes. "Dalinor" means "a lake as broad and beautiful as the sea," and green grass surrounds its shores. The lake area is also famous for its crucian carp and the local huazi fish (Chinese Ya-type bream, locally known as huazi), prized for their fresh, tender meat.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake) cost?
Admission to Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake) is South shore ¥120; north shore ¥90. Horseback riding by the lake about ¥40/hour, as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
How do I get to Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake)?
By bus: from Beijing, take the Xizhang Highway. By train: from Beijing North Station to Chifeng Station, then transfer to a long-distance bus; the trip to Dalinor takes about 5 hours. You can also take a long-distance bus from Chifeng to Keshiketeng Banner and hire a car around the Keshiketeng bus station to reach Dalinor.
How long should I spend at Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake)?
Plan on 4–5 hours for Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake).
Where is Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake)?
Dalinor Lake (Dali Lake) is in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in the North China of China.
More places in Chifeng
Gongger Grassland
Gongger Grassland is the grassland closest to Beijing. It hosts a wide variety of plant species, earning it the nickname "Natural Garden." July and August are the best months for sightseeing, summer retreats and photography.
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Ulan Butong Grassland
This area is world-famous for the battle in which the Kangxi Emperor defeated Galdan. The land is vast, the mountains stretch on, and dense forests and grasslands together create a scene of enchanting beauty. Many film and television productions, including *The Legend of Zhen Huan*, *Kangxi Dynasty* and *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, have been filmed here, earning it the reputation of "the grassland movie city."
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Yulong Sand Lake Resort
This is where the "First Dragon of China," famous at home and abroad, was unearthed. Yulong Sand Lake is best known for its desert, sand lake and sand pine landscapes, and is known as the "800-li Sea of Sand." At the edge of the vast desert, a rocky mountain rises abruptly from the flat ground, its summit covered with oddly shaped boulders in a range of forms. The Huanghua and Dahei mountains beside the desert also have many peaks and strange rocks.
¥80; individual attractions charged separately · 0.5–1 day(s)
Arshihaty Stone Forest (Asihatu)
Its unique geographical location, combined with the artistry of nature, has sculpted the area into a beautiful picture scroll. The Keshiketeng Stone Array is a rare landform found nowhere else in the world. It currently comprises five scenic areas: the Grassland Stone Forest, Grassland Pillars of Heaven, Grassland Kun-Peng (the mythical fish and bird), Grassland Stone City and Grassland Stone Fortress. Shaped by the meticulous carving of the Quaternary glacial periods, together with magmatic activity, ice-sheet unloading, climate change, wind erosion and human activity, these forms produced the stone array we see today.
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Daqinggou Nature Reserve
What makes Daqinggou so remarkable is the diversity of its landscape, which encompasses forests, grasslands, sand dunes, lakes and rivers. Activities such as kayak rafting and horseback riding are particularly enjoyable.
Admission ¥50; rafting ¥20 per 2 hours; boat rental ¥10 per hour; horseback riding ¥45 per person per hour · 1 day
Jiangjun Paozi (General's Lake)
The lake here has an open expanse of water, surrounded on all sides by mountains, making it an ideal spot for photographing sunset glow. Every day just after 6:00 p.m., a large herd of horses gallops to the lake to drink, and the splashes as they enter the water are stunning. When night falls, spend a night in a yurt beside the lake, sit around a campfire, and listen to the stirring, rising and falling strains of Mongolian long-song. It is an unforgettable experience.
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