Itinerary · 5 days · active
Inner Mongolia Naadam Festival Circuit, 5 days
A focused grassland trip timed to coincide with Naadam festival — wrestling, horseracing, and archery competitions on the open steppe near Hohhot or Xilinhaote.
Naadam (那达慕, Nà dá mù) festivals take place across Inner Mongolia from late July through August, though the regional capital Hohhot hosts a major event in late July. The three traditional Mongolian sports — wrestling, horseracing, and archery — are staged on the grassland. This itinerary is built around attending at least one Naadam event while combining it with the grassland camps near Hohhot.
Day by day
Day 1 · hohhot
Arrival Hohhot, Mongolian cultural orientation
Arrive Hohhot. Inner Mongolia Museum for context on Mongolian nomadic culture, the grassland ecosystem, and the history of the Mongolian Empire. Mongolian restaurant dinner — huoshao (baked meat-filled pastry) and tsuivan noodles.
Stay in: Hohhot city centre.
Day 2 · hohhot
Transfer to grassland camp, horse training
Transfer to a grassland camp 80–120km north of Hohhot (Zhunge'er or Gegentala area). Afternoon horse riding introduction. Camp set-up watching. Mongolian throat-singing performance in the evening.
Stay in: Grassland yurt camp — full board included.
Day 3 · hohhot
Naadam — wrestling, horseracing, archery
Full day at Naadam games. Men's Mongolian wrestling (博克, bökh) — no weight categories; the match ends when any body part above the knee touches the ground. Horseracing across the steppe (children are jockeys). Women's archery. Spectators are expected to wander freely.
Stay in: Grassland yurt camp.
Day 4 · hohhot
Steppe riding, dairy products, evening in Hohhot
Morning ride across open grassland — this is genuinely open country, not a confined riding ring. Mongolian dairy tasting: airag (fermented mare's milk), suutei tsai (salted milk tea), aaruul (dried curd). Afternoon transfer back to Hohhot.
Stay in: Hohhot city centre.
Road transfer camp → Hohhot, 1.5–2h.
Day 5 · hohhot
Dazhao Temple, Hohhot Old Town, departure
Morning at Dazhao Lamasery and the Mongolian old quarter of Hohhot. Depart by flight or HSR to Beijing or onward connection.
HSR Hohhot → Beijing, 4h, ¥280; or flight HET → Beijing 1h, ¥400.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥2500 |
| Mid-range | ¥5500 |
| Comfortable | ¥10000 |
Per person 5 days. Grassland camp full-board package ¥500–900/night. Naadam event attendance free or small local charge. Internal travel by private vehicle ¥400–600 per transfer.
Cities covered