7 Days in Zhangjiakou

The 1644 gate opened the tea road to Kyakhta; the walled merchant quarter below began in 1429 — add the city museum and you have one full, compact day.

1. zhangjiakou dajingmen
2. zhangjiakou bao

About 30 km southeast, the Qingyuan bell tower of 1482 is called the second Yellow Crane Tower by locals; the Zhenshuo drum tower and the old town lanes sit a short walk away.

1. zhangjiakou xuanhua old city

Honest note — the post town lies in Huailai County, roughly an hour by road; founded under the Yuan and walled in the Ming, it is counted China's best-preserved ancient post station, with the odd-shaped Jiming Mountain beside it.

1. zhangjiakou jimingyi

Stay at Taizicheng by the HSR station; Genting hosted the 2022 freestyle and snowboard events, with the season running roughly late November into March.

1. zhangjiakou chongli genting

Ski Wanlong's longer runs, then look up at Snow Ruyi, the ski-jump shaped like a jade ruyi that anchored the 2022 Games; summer turns the same slopes into alpine meadow walks.

1. zhangjiakou chongli wanlong
2. zhangjiakou snow ruyi

Honest note — the ridge drive runs about 133 km above 1,300 m and needs the May-October window; the steppe beyond holds herder camps well into September.

1. zhangjiakou grassland sky road
2. zhangjiakou zhangbei grassland

Honest note — Yuxian County is a 2.5-hour drive southwest; the 500-year-old Tiehua throws molten iron above 1,600°C against the fort wall on weekends and holidays in season, before the evening run home.

1. zhangjiakou nuanquan town