5 Days in Tongliao

The museum walks through the Horqin grasslands' deep past - pieces from the Hamin ruins are about 5,500 years old, and the Liao dynasty galleries cover the years 907-1125. Finish with an evening loop along the Liaohe park levees.

1. tongliao city museum
2. tongliao liaohe park

One banner, two stops. The rebuilt Darhan Prince's Mansion at Xiaozhuang Manor commemorates Empress Xiaozhuang (1613-1688), who left Horqin in 1625 to marry into the Qing court. Push on north to the Zhurihe grassland for yurt camps and horse displays.

1. tongliao xiaozhuang manor
2. tongliao zhurihe grassland

Honestly a full day out - the reserve sits about two and a half hours southwest. Two parallel forested gullies run roughly 24 km with walls near 100 m deep; boardwalks descend into the valley floor and the summer rafting float takes a couple of hours.

1. tongliao daqinggou

Southwest again, about two and a half hours to Kulun town. The three-temple compound grew from Xingyuan Temple, begun in 1649; Kulun holds factual exhibits on the Andai dance tradition born on these grasslands. Factual visiting applies inside the halls - quiet dress, no flash.

1. tongliao kulun three temples

A beef-jerky and dairy breakfast at the morning market, a last walk of the Liaohe banks, then the train or the airport road out.

1. tongliao city markets