14 Days in Xilin Gol

Fly in from Beijing, about an hour. The lama temple was begun in 1742, and the 13-aobao hill behind it frames the sunset — an easy first evening at just under 1,000 m of altitude.

1. xilin gol beizi temple
2. xilin gol erdun aobao

Let the museum map two weeks of steppe history, then drift 15 km south where the Xilin River loops through the meadows; the light on the bends peaks an hour before dark.

1. xilin gol league museum
2. xilin gol xilin river bends

South along the highway, the Baiyinxile grassland reserve dates to 1985 and joined UNESCO's Man-and-Biosphere network in 1987; end the day at the flat basalt mesas of Pingdingshan for sunset.

1. xilin gol bayinhile grassland
2. xilin gol pingdingshan volcanoes

The 145-km drive east takes about two hours. Catch the afternoon program of wrestling, racing and archery at Mongol Khan City, then sleep in a yurt camp under a properly dark sky.

1. xilin gol mongol khan city

Morning on Banlashan's grassland cliff, then a slow afternoon — most camps arrange horse riding by the hour or a visit to a herder family for milk tea and dried curd; book it the evening before.

1. xilin gol banlashan

About three hours east into Chifeng's Hexigten Banner, Dali Nor is a steppe lake near 1,200 m, famous for net fishing under winter ice; the reed beds draw gulls and swans through summer. Sleep at Reshuitang's hot springs.

1. dalinor lake

Ninety minutes north of the lake, the granite stone forest offers four marked circuits; the road back south through Reshuitang's hot-spring valley is half the reward. Second night in the spa town.

1. asihatu stone forest

The return drive runs about four hours; arrive for a late lunch, then rest or stroll the banner seat — lamb here is the league's calling card, and dinner proves it.

1. xilin gol mongol khan city

A three-hour run northeast to the management district; the boardwalks above the river bends face west, so come for the golden hour and stay for the stars.

1. xilin gol ulagai nine bends

Wolves before 10 am, Bulin Spring's cold groves after lunch, then the bingtuan-era streets built for Wolf Totem (2015); continue about two hours west to East Ujimqin for the night.

1. xilin gol wolf valley
2. xilin gol bulin spring
3. xilin gol bingtuan town

Climb the granite domes north of town in the cool of the morning, then cover the roughly 250 km back to Xilinhot — three and a half hours of grassland highway.

1. xilin gol wuliyasitai mountain

The 180-km drive south takes about two and a half hours; walk the walls of Kublai's capital, founded in 1256 and UNESCO-listed in 2012, then the site museum on the Jinlianchuan grassland. Sleep in Shangdu town.

1. xilin gol yuan shangdu site
2. xilin gol shangdu museum
3. xilin gol jinlianchuan grassland

An hour and a half south, Duolun keeps the lake 16 km east of town, Huizong Temple from Kangxi's 1691 assembly and a Shanxi merchants' guild hall; overnight in the old county town.

1. xilin gol duolun lake
2. xilin gol huizong temple
3. xilin gol shanxi guild hall

Either drive back north to Xilinhot, about three hours, for an afternoon flight, or continue south past the Gongbaolage grassland toward Zhangjiakou — about four hours — for trains onward.

1. xilin gol gongbaolage grassland