14 Days in Ordos
Two weeks runs the full Ordos loop and pushes west into Ningxia for two Yinchuan days — Xixia-era imperial tombs and a desert film studio — before the road home.
Quick Answer
Is 14 days enough for Ordos?
14 days lets you go beyond Ordos's core into neighborhoods, food markets, and one or two day trips at a relaxed pace.
Source: NihaoVisit Ordos guide
14-day Ordos itinerary at a glance
Use our full Ordos travel guide as the base and adapt it to 14 days. Keep the city's three signature attractions as the backbone; fill the rest with neighborhood walks, food markets, and an easy day trip.
Kangbashi squares & museums
Settle in with the 2011 museum's grassland galleries and an evening on the lakeside of this district of 2016.
- eerduosi kangbashi square
- eerduosi ordos museum
- eerduosi wulanmulun lake
Ejin Horo — the shrine of the keepers
About 45 kilometres south: a memorial shrine — the burial place is unrecorded — with caretaker families serving since 1227 and halls rebuilt in 1954.
- eerduosi genghis khan mausoleum
Xiangshawan sands
Cable car and humming sled runs 55 kilometres north of Dongsheng; overnight on the Dalad side.
- eerduosi xiangshawan
Seven-Star Lake in the deep desert
Seven lakes through the Kubuqi, China's seventh-largest desert at about 18,600 square kilometres; bird hides by day, stars by night.
- eerduosi qixing lake
Grassland day
Yurt camps and Nadam-style summer games on the Hanggin grassland.
- eerduosi ordos grassland
Arjai Grottoes — the long west run
An honest long-distance day, roughly 200 kilometres southwest: cliff caves on a red sandstone hill, painted across several eras.
- eerduosi arjai grottoes
North to Baotou — Wudang Lamasery
An honest neighbouring-city day about 100 kilometres north: the 1749 lamasery and Baotou's in-city Saihantala grassland; overnight in Baotou.
- eerduosi wudang monastery
- eerduosi saihantala grassland
Yellow River canyon & back
The Baozitawan bend in Zhungeer's canyon country, then the afternoon loop back to Kangbashi.
- eerduosi yellow river canyon
West to Yinchuan
An honest neighbouring-province day: about 380 kilometres of road to Yinchuan, some five hours; arrive for a first look at the Xixia imperial tombs beneath the Helan mountains.
- eerduosi xixia imperial tombs
Xixia tombs in depth
Nine imperial mounds from the Xixia kingdom of 1038-1227, inscribed by UNESCO in 2025; the site museum decodes the script before the shuttle loop.
- eerduosi xixia imperial tombs
Zhenbeipu studio & rock art
The desert film studio built on Ming and Qing fort ruins — Chinese classics shot here from 1987 on — pairs well with the petroglyphs of the Helan gorge.
- eerduosi zhenbeipu studio
Road back to Kangbashi
The long drive home with a stop anywhere along the Yellow River; the lakeside promenade loosens the legs in the evening.
- eerduosi wulanmulun lake
Qin Direct Road & Kangzhen
Sections of the Qin Direct Road near Dongsheng, begun in 212 BC as a military line of some 700 kilometres, then Kangzhen's lanes for the last dinner.
- eerduosi qin zhidao ruins
- eerduosi kangzhen
Departure
A last museum pass, then the train or flight out of Ordos.
- eerduosi ordos museum
Budget for 14 days in Ordos
| Tier | Per day | 14 days total |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | USD $50–$80 | USD $700–$1,120 |
| Mid-range | USD $100–$200 | USD $1,400–$2,800 |
| Luxury | USD $300+ | USD $4,200+ |
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Frequently asked questions
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See also: Ordos travel guide, China visa 2026, China trip cost.