5 Days in Baotou

The 1950s steel-and-defense base shows its hardware at the weapons park; the Saihantala meadow keeps deer within the city edge.

1. baotou northern weapons city
2. baotou saihantala grassland

The Yinshan monastery founded in the early Qing, expanded in 1749 as Guangjue Temple and state-protected since 1996; Shimen's valley reservoir on the return.

1. baotou wudang lha monastery
2. baotou shimen scenic area

East into Tumed Right Banner for the 16th-century "city-monastery" — walls with corner towers enclosing halls and murals, its main gate dated 1606; the surrounding farmland still belongs to Mongolian and Han villages alike.

1. baotou meidaizhao

North to Guyang county, where stone-and-rammed-earth sections of the Qin wall — around 2,200 years old — run along the ridge lines; the road back passes toward Bayan Obo, the rare-earth mining town.

1. baotou guyang qin great wall

Horses, yurt milk tea and the Qing Puhui Temple on the steppe at about 1,700 m; evening return and the onward train.

1. baotou xilamuren grassland