Save this! Complete guide to the 6 popular banners and counties in Xilingol!
🌏️Spring is approaching, and everything is about to revive. This vibrant season is perfect for planning a new trip!
🗺️China is vast and rich in resources. After seeing the bustling cities, why not explore the vast grasslands of central Inner Mongolia—Xilingol—to discover the grandeur of the grasslands, rich culture, and abundant cuisine!
✈️Here is a list of the 6 popular banners and counties in Xilingol League with must-visit attractions and travel tips. Save it!
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Xilinhot City
📸Must-visit attractions and highlights
✔️Beizi Temple: A century-old ancient temple with grand architecture, housing numerous Buddha statues and murals. Behind Beizi Temple is Eerdun Aobao Mountain, where you can hike and participate in Aobao worship.
✔️Xilingol League Museum: Rich collections of metalware, jade, stoneware, pottery, porcelain, lacquerware, silk textiles, rock paintings, and more, offering insights into grassland history and folk culture.
✔️Phoenix Horse Ranch: Learn basic horse riding skills, understand Mongolian horse culture, watch horse taming, experience riding, and participate in horseback photography.
✔️Pingdingshan Volcano Geological Park: More than ten volcanoes located on the vast Bekeli Pasture, each with a flat summit like a knife-cut, creating a unique landscape.
✔️Madu Nightless City: Full of lively atmosphere, the snack street offers authentic local food, cultural and creative shops feature intangible cultural heritage crafts, and the amusement park has family-friendly activities—great for exploring!
🥢Recommended restaurants
Eerdun Shuanfu, Saiyidemon Restaurant, Lvda Building Hotel, etc., are must-visit places for authentic Xilingol lamb.
🛏️Recommended accommodations
Ruyuanhe Jianguo Hotel, Binhe Hotel, etc., with convenient transportation and easy access.
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Xiwuzhumuqin Banner
📸Must-visit attractions and highlights
✔️Ulan Wutai: Combines grassland scenery and Buddhist culture, featuring huge Aobao and prayer towers. The Aobao worship day is on the 13th day of the 5th lunar month, with wrestling and horse racing events.
✔️Mongol Khan City: A nomadic tribe scenic area with over 200 Mongolian yurts of various sizes, offering lodging, dining, nomadic life experiences, Nadam performances, horse riding, and archery.
✔️Genghis Khan Lookout Mountain: Hiking here offers broad views of continuous mountains and vast grasslands.
🥢Food recommendations
Wuzhumuqin lamb: A Chinese geographical indication product, known for its fresh, tender, juicy, and flavorful meat without any gamey taste. Delicious in stews, braises, simmered dishes, hot pot, and barbecue!
🛏️Recommended accommodations
Hotels/guesthouses in Balagargole Town, the banner government seat; Batu Homestay and Buyuan Homestay, among other unique lodgings.
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Taibus Banner
📸Must-visit attractions and highlights
✔️Taibus Imperial Horse Garden Tourist Area: Visit the Imperial Horse Culture Museum, watch equestrian shows, tour Gongbolage Grassland, join bonfire parties, and taste authentic Mongolian cuisine.
✔️Shitiao Mountain: Formed by volcanic lava, it features unique volcanic rock pillars and has been featured on the cover of National Geographic magazine.
✔️Bianqiang Folk Village: A newly popular village with beautiful pastoral scenery, folk courtyards, folk culture exhibitions, delicious food, and unique homestays.
🥢Food recommendations
Whole roasted lamb, hand-held meat, milk tea, beef buns, blood sausage, and other distinctive Mongolian dishes.
🛏️Recommended accommodations
Homestays in Bianqiang Village and hotels in the Imperial Horse Garden.
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Duolun County
📸Must-visit attractions and highlights
✔️Duolun Lake Scenic Area: Experience 3D photo spots on Whale Island/Fishing Island; take speedboats and cruises at Yak Lake Pier; enjoy water activities and sand play on West Ring Sand Island; learn about various crops at the farming-themed estate. The area also features a lakeside road and viewing platforms for driving, cycling, and hiking.
✔️Wentanghe Village, Luanyuan Town: Home to an intangible cultural heritage experience center with rich exhibits.
✔️Baiyin Tribe Scenic Area: Located by Duolun Lake, it combines grasslands, rivers, forests, and sandy landscapes, hosting bonfire parties at night.
🥢Food recommendations
Whole fish feast: Made from fresh freshwater fish from Duolun Lake, prepared in various ways such as roasting, grilling, cooking, boiling, frying, and stewing, offering rich flavors. Also try Inner Mongolia morning tea, hand-held meat, and whole roasted lamb.
🛏️Recommended accommodations
Duolun Jingbei Grassland Tianhu Holiday Hotel; homestays in Wentanghe Village, Luanyuan Town.
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Sunite Left Banner
📸Must-visit attractions and highlights
✔️Sunite Museum: Learn about the long history and culture of the grasslands and the past and present of Sunite.
✔️Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Hall: Discover local intangible cultural heritage projects and recent preservation achievements.
✔️Ethnic Unity and Progress Education Base: Learn about Sunite sheep in the "Sheep" exhibition hall.
✔️Mao Ritu Pasture: Stay in Mongolian yurts, experience authentic grassland culture, and learn about unique local agricultural and livestock products.
✔️Baodeer Stone Forest: A natural stone forest with bizarre rock formations.
🥢Food recommendations
Sunite lamb is a Chinese geographical indication product, tender, juicy, free of gamey taste, with thick and compact meat layers, known as the "ginseng of meat," perfect for hot pot!
🛏️Recommended accommodations
Mongolian yurts at Mao Ritu Pasture.
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Ulagai Administrative District
📸Must-visit attractions and highlights
✔️Bulin Spring Scenic Area: One of the filming locations of "Wolf Totem," featuring unique Mongolian yurts and authentic Mongolian cuisine. There is a sightseeing road for touring the grassland by car, and you can also try horse riding and archery.
✔️Bingtuan Town: Former headquarters of the Bingtuan Corps and another filming location of "Wolf Totem," preserving historical buildings and movie scenes full of era atmosphere.
✔️Jiuqu Bay Scenic Area: Admire the stunning scenery of the winding grassland rivers.
✔️Wild Wolf Valley Scenic Area: Another filming location of "Wolf Totem," where you can take sightseeing cars to look for and feed wolves, and join bonfire parties at night.
✔️Peony Valley: From late June to early July, the hills are covered with blooming peonies, creating a beautiful scene.
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🥢Food recommendations
Ulagai Guesthouse is a must-visit for authentic Xilingol lamb and special Mongolian cuisine.
🛏️Recommended accommodations
Bingtuan Town Bingtuan specialty hotels; Wild Wolf Valley Rainbow Room homestays, etc.
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🗓️Save this guide and put your Xilingol trip on the schedule. Be ready to set off anytime and explore the vast northern land!
Xilinhot · Xilingol League
The Seas of Grass - Xilingol Cultural Tourism