Xilamuren Grassland in Baotou

Xilamuren Grassland in Hohhot

Xilamuren Grassland is 90 kilometers away from Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia. Xilamuren Grassland covers an area of 1,000 square kilometers, with an altitude of 1,700 meters. Meaning "yellow river" in Mongolian, and some people would like to call it "Zhao River". Xilamuren Grassland is the earliest grassland to have been developed as a tourism attraction in Inner Mongolia.It is a typical plateau of grassland with a chain of undulating hills around it.

Why is Xilamuren Grassland so special?

It’s famous not only for its vast green grassland, also known as "Zhaohe" because there is a Puhui Temple near the Xilamuren River. Puhui Temple is a lamasery built in the 34th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign (1769 in the Qing Dynasty), which served as the temporary abode where the Six Living Buddhas at Xilituozhao Palace would spend their summers in meditation. Now it is a complex of three halls with carved ceilings and painted beams. The beautiful Xilamuren River surrounds the temple, presenting a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

How to Get to Xilamuren Grassland?

Travel with China Dragon Tours (top recommended)

If you want to get rid of hustle of transportation and troublesome navigation, you can book a private tour package which covers visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local tour guide and driver will escort you to Xilamuren Grassland with speed and convenience, and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on travel.

Independent Travel

Take a bus to Maoqi from Hohhot Coach Station, which is next to Hohhot Railway Station, and get off at Xilamuren.

The distance is about 90 kilometers from Xilamuren Grassland to the downtown area of Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia. It takes you no more than 1.5 hours' drive if you take the express highway.

Useful Travel Tips

What to Pack

Xilamuren Grassland is at an altitude of 1700 meters with strong ultraviolet and changeable weather. You should wear casual cloth and comfortable shoes, pack sunhat, sunglasses, sun cream and light jacket. As there is such a great temperature difference between daytime and night-time, you'd better take your coat and trousers with you when you visit the grassland. At the same time, owning to its changing climate, you'd better get a raincoat ready.

Best Time to Visit Xilamuren Grassland

The best time to visit Xilamuren Grassland is from June to September. When the grassland is green, weather is comfortable with an average temperature of 18℃-21℃.

Festival

Naadam Festival is held in July and August of every year, which shows off the brilliant Mongolian culture in the following aspects: singing and dancing, sports, athletics, dresses and diets. Naadam Festival means games and entertainment in Mongolian. During the festival, the whole grassland is throbbing with excitement and full of activities. Enjoy Three Skills of Men - archery, horse racing and wrestling.The fair finishes with a bonfire party during the night when the local Mongolian sing and dance

Food

The recommended specialties include Kumiss, Mongolian Roast Lamb, Cooked Mutton, Mongolia Milk Tea, Finger Mutton, Butter, Sour Milk, Shaomai, Buckwheat Flour etc.

Attention

You should follow some rules when you riding a horse to ensure your own safety: When get on/off the horse, don’t touch their crupper; Don’t follow other horses closely and stay in a safe distance; The grassland is vast and follow the route to do horse riding; When the horse is out of control, please catch and tense the rein and yell "Yu, Yu".

Nearby Attractions

• Great Mosque in Hohhot
• Five-Pagoda Temple in Hohhot
• Inner Mongolia Museum
• Dazhao Temple in Hohhot
• Zhaojun Tomb in Hohhot
• Hasuhai Lake in Hohhot

Edited by Winnie/张赢