Barely 5 days after my trip to Jiuzhaigou with my sister, we embarked on another 8-day trip with Wing On Travel, this time to Inner Mongolia via Datong. 

Inner Mongolia 

Just the name “Inner Mongolia” promises untouched nature, vast landscapes, nomadic spirit and exotic adventure in the heart of China! It conjures up exciting imagery of horsemen thundering across grasslands and camels trudging across deserts. 

Although I couldn’t understand much of our local guide’s commentary in Mandarin, my eyes were fully engaged in wonderment by the views sweeping past me while DeepSeek filled me in with the facts. What’s amazing is that with the SIM card provided by Wing On and the excellent 5G coverage, I was able to access the internet even in remotest of areas! 

Inner Mongolia is such a vast region that going from one place to another requires a lengthy drive of between 2 and 4 hours. However, the drive on the pothole-free roads was always smooth, allowing for reading or a reposing nap!

It took about 4 hours to get from Datong to our first destination of Hohhot for lunch. Then it took nearly 2 hours to reach Xilamuren Grassland

Xilamuren Grassland

The Xilamuren Grassland is one of the most famous and accessible grasslands in Inner Mongolia. It’s about 90 kilometres north of Hohhot, the regional capital of Hohhot. Unfortunately, the grassland was far from lush.
We were treated to a display of horsemanship in a live performance of the legend of the south of the desert and…..

…. a ride on a horse-drawn carriage, well, it was more like a cart. 

Mongolian Yurt

One of the things I particularly looked forward to on this tour was to be able to stay in an authentic Mongolian yurt. It’s so novel and quaint ! The facilities were adequate, but one night was enough for the experience!

Xiangshawan

It’s a large desert tourist resort within the Kubuqi Desert.

We took the cable car up/down the dune. Before our ascent, we were provided with bright orange sand-proof shoe covers to keep sand out of the shoes. Simple and effective!

Once on the top, there’re numerous activities on offer, but my heart was set on camel-riding from the start and it was my highlight!

Dalad Zhenjin International Hotel

We stayed for 2 nights in this comfortable hotel in Dalad Banner.

Genghis Khan Mausoleum

It was a brilliant sunny day when we explored the attractions in Ordos.

First, we visited Genghis Khan Mausoleum. It occupies a vast area of 50,000 square metres. The 3 yurt-style halls with white walls, red windows, and golden glazed roofs looked absolutely magnificent under a bright blue sky!

Inside the mausoleum there’re paintings of Genghis Khan’s life and achievements, his seated statue, and relics, as well as Yuan Dynasty cultural relics. Alas, no photographs were allowed inside

Kangbashi New District 

Kangbashi in Ordos was mocked as a “ghost city” when it was completed in 2010 with only a tiny population and lots of empty buildings. 

Today, Kangbashi is known for its grandiose and often surreal architecture. It’s now referred to as a “garden-style” boutique city, with seven cultural buildings such as the Grand Theatre, Museum, and Library with unique designs

Dazhao Temple 

Just like it’s inevitable to visit churches in Europe, so it’s the same with temples in China! This temple in Hohhot is the oldest and largest temple in the city. 

Saishang Old Street

As with temples, there’re well preserved Old Street in many towns in China. This street was of special interest as it was our last chance to buy Mongolian products! 

Wulanhada Volcano Geological Park 

The volcanic group consists of more than dozens of volcanoes, distributed on the flat grassland. The last eruption was about 10,000 years ago so the only danger of ambling along to admire the views was swamps of midges hovering around, sticking to light coloured clothing!

 Inner Mongolia Museum 

This spanning new museum was only opened to the public on 20 June 2025! It’s huge and modern. It exhibits precious cultural relics of various ethnic groups in Inner Mongolia. It also houses the return capsule of Shenzhou V.

Liangcheng Mapao Hot Spring Hotel 

The last night of our stay in Inner Mongolia was spent in this modern, hot spring wellness hotel opened in 2023. It’s known for its natural mineral-rich hot springs, private pools, attentive service, and regional cuisine. None of these aspects disappointed! Indeed, the relaxing soak in the hot springs set us up for the long drive back to Datong the next day!

This was one of my most interesting, informative and fun-filled trips!