# Xilingol travel guide (锡林郭勒) Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region · North China, China · 8 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/inner-mongolia/xilingol ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Xilinhot → Beizi Temple → Pingdingshan Hill → Xilingol Grassland (overnight) - **Day 2:** Xilingol Grassland → Jinlian Chuan → Site of Xanadu (Yuan Shangdu) → Duolun Lake → Xilinhot - **Day 3:** Xilinhot → Baiyin Gol Grassland (or Ujimqin Grassland, or Mongol Khan City) ## The feel of the place Xilingol is a Mongolian name meaning “river across the vast grassland.” The Xilingol Grassland is one of the world's four great grasslands. Located in the central-eastern part of the Inner Mongolia Plateau, it has diverse grassland types and is one of China's most representative and typical temperate grasslands. It is also a national-level grassland nature reserve and the only reserve in China included by UNESCO in its international biosphere monitoring network. ### Xilingol and Xilinhot The administrative seat of Xilingol League is Xilinhot City. ### Eight Scenic Highlights of Xilingol Huiteng Liang Grassland, Xilin Jiuqu (Nine Bends), Sunset on the Platform, Shahai Shulin (Sandy Sea and Sparse Forest), Ancient Beizi Temple, Folk Haote (Mongolian Encampment), Chagan Ovoo, and Xilin Yuyun (Lingering Charm of Xilin). ### Quick Tips Airport enquiries: - phone: 0479-2290000 ### Buses to the Grassland Buses run from Xilinhot to the Xilingol Grassland. ### Getting Around the City Xilinhot has several bus routes, including Lines 1, 2 and 3, with tiered fares and departures every 6 to 8 minutes. The city also runs one-day tour routes to attractions around the outskirts. Xilinhot taxis are mainly Xialis. The flag fall is ¥6 for the first 2.5 km; at night it is ¥9 for the first 2.5 km, and ¥1.5 per km thereafter. ### Local Activities Activities in Xilingol include horseback riding, camel rides, rides in Mongolian ox carts (leleche), lassoing and taming horses, herding sheep, hunting, Ovoo worship, Naadam festivals, health and wellness retreats, rafting, sand sliding, and car, motorcycle and bicycle rallies. ### Preparation & Information ### Climate & Travel Seasons This area has a typical mid-temperate semi-arid continental monsoon climate: cold, windy, and dry. Spring and autumn are short, summers are not hot, and winters are long. In most areas the annual average temperature is 0 to 3°C. Apart from July, daily minimum temperatures can fall below 0°C throughout the year. In recent years, dust storms have been frequent in spring and autumn, so it is best to avoid visiting the grassland on days with blowing dust. The best time to visit is summer. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There ### By Air Xilinhot Airport is located in the western part of the city. Flights connect daily with Beijing, Hohhot, Hailar, Tianjin, Shanghai and other cities. ### By Train The main railway lines are the Jining–Erenhot line, the Jining–Tongliao line, the Xilinhot–Sanggendalai line, and the Guerben–Chagannur line. Trains now run from Xilinhot to Hohhot, so you can reach Hohhot in a single day. ### By Road Three national highways pass through Xilinhot: National Highways 207, 208 and 303. The Xilinhot long-distance bus station operates provincial services to Chifeng and Hohhot, as well as interprovincial services to Beijing and other destinations. ## Eat & drink Xilinhot's food is still dominated by Mongolian flavours. Roast whole lamb, hand-held mutton, hot-pot lamb slices and milk tea are must-try delicacies for every grassland visitor. ## Where to stay Xilinhot has good accommodation, with many hotels and guesthouses to choose from. To visit the Ruins of the Yuan Shangdu, you can stay in the Jinlianchuan Hotel or the Lanyou Hotel in Dunda Haote Town, Zhenglan Banner. You can also stay at nearby Kublai Khan's Summer Palace, where each yurt sleeps 3 to 5 people. ### Best Birdwatching Spot In 2008, National Geographic China, when describing birdwatching spots in “Greater Beijing,” featured the little-known Hunshandake Sandy Land. It is one of China's ten major deserts. It has many shrubby desert plants and many depressions where bird activity is often visible, and its overall ecology is well preserved. To get there, you can hire a car from Duolun County town. ## Things to see - **Xilingol Grassland** (★★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xilingol-grassland - **Ujimqin Grassland and Mongol Khan City** (★★★★★): Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/ujimqin-grassland-and-mongol-khan-city - **Ulagai Grassland** (★★★★): Opening hours All day; Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/ulagai-grassland - **Beizi Temple** (★★★): Admission ¥20; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 0.5–1 hour(s) — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/beizi-temple - **Site of Xanadu (Yuan Shangdu)** (★★★★★): Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/site-of-xanadu-yuan-shangdu - **Pingdingshan Volcano Cluster** (★★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/pingdingshan-volcano-cluster - **Duolun Lake** (★★★): Admission ¥40; Opening hours 8：30—18：00; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/duolun-lake - **Erenhot** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/erenhot --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1880–1887. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.