10 Days in Xingan Meng

The Hanshan temple was finished in 1944; the hall beside the memorial was where Inner Mongolia's autonomous government was proclaimed on May 1, 1947 — an orientation afternoon.

1. xingan meng genghis khan temple
2. xingan meng wuyi site
3. xingan meng liberation memorial

The reservoir and its forest parkland sit half an hour north; then the 230-km run up the S203, about three and a half hours, ending at Arxan's 1937 station.

1. xingan meng chersen reservoir
2. xingan meng arxan station

Rose Peak's granite pinnacles stand about 25 km north on the border road; fill bottles at Wuli Spring coming back and give the evening to the hot springs.

1. xingan meng meigui feng
2. xingan meng wuli spring
3. xingan meng arxan hot springs

The gate is about 60 km from town — start by 7 am and sleep at the Tianchi service area; the round lake sits near 1,330 m and the gorge runs 3 km.

1. xingan meng arxan tianchi
2. xingan meng santan gorge
3. xingan meng shitang forest

Climb to the kidney-shaped Tuofengling lake early, then walk the lava-dammed shore of Dujuan — azaleas red along it in late May and June. Back to town for the night.

1. xingan meng tuofengling tianchi
2. xingan meng dujuan lake
3. xingan meng arxan grand canyon

Bailang Peak, 1,511 m, is half an hour south; take the summit view before noon, then let deer farms and timber lanes fill a slow afternoon in Baiwolf town.

1. xingan meng bailang peak
2. xingan meng bailang town

An honest neighbor day — the road crosses into Hulunbuir's New Barag Left Banner, about two hours north, where the museum documents the 1939 Nomonhan border conflict in plain factual exhibits. Start early; it is a long there-and-back.

1. xingan meng nomonhan museum

Break the 230-km drive down at Haosen Gou's forested valley in Front Horqin Banner's northern woods, then roll into Ulanhot for the night and a hotpot dinner.

1. xingan meng haosengou

About two hours southwest, the Qing-era Tushiyetu Prince's Mansion and the Daiqintala five-maple reserve pair court history with flaming groves — maples peak around mid-October, while the grass carries color from September.

1. xingan meng tushiyetu palace
2. xingan meng daiqintala maples

A last climb on Hanshan hill past the 1944 temple, the modest office where Ulanfu worked through the 1940s, and a milk-tea breakfast before the short hop to the airport.

1. xingan meng hanshan park
2. xingan meng ulanfu office