Itinerary · 7 days · balanced
Inner Mongolia in winter — 7 days
Hohhot to Hailar to Manzhouli to Hulunbuir in winter — frozen lakes, reindeer sledding with Ewenki communities, the Russian-Chinese frontier at Manzhouli, and the Mongolian steppe under snow. For specialist visitors seeking winter wilderness and cultural depth over beach and city tourism.
Inner Mongolia in winter is not on the standard China tourist map, which is exactly the point. The Hulunbuir grasslands — the most verdant grassland region in China during summer — transform under winter into a vast frozen landscape where temperatures routinely drop below −30°C, the rivers freeze solid enough to drive vehicles across, and the Ewenki and Oroqen reindeer-herding communities continue the winter management of their herds in conditions that would shut down most of the country.
This itinerary is for serious travellers who are comfortable with cold, have appropriate gear, and want an experience of northern Inner Mongolia that the summer visitor season does not provide. The logistics require advance arrangement — the reindeer herding visits in particular need booking through a local Evenki community tourism operator. The cold is genuine: pack as for an Arctic expedition, not a temperate-winter holiday.
Day by day
Day 1 · hohhot
Arrive Hohhot — Inner Mongolia capital
Fly into Hohhot (Baita International Airport). Hohhot is the capital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region — Inner Mongolian in character but with a Han majority. Check in. Evening: the Hui Muslim district near the Great Mosque for dinner (lamb-based dishes throughout this trip). Hohhot is at 1,065 m and winter temperatures average −10°C to −20°C in January — confirm gear is adequate.
Day 2 · hohhot
Hohhot — Zhaojun Tomb and Mongolian exhibits
Morning: Inner Mongolia Museum — the best introduction to the region's history, Mongolian empire exhibits, and steppe ecology. One of China's better provincial natural-history collections. Afternoon: Zhaojun Tomb (Qingzhong) — the burial site of Wang Zhaojun, a Han dynasty concubine sent to marry a Xiongnu chieftain in a diplomatic marriage that became one of Chinese history's most retold stories. The surrounding snow-covered memorial park is particularly atmospheric in winter.
Day 3 · hohhot
Fly to Hailar — Hulunbuir gateway
Morning flight Hohhot to Hailar (Hulunbuir Hailar Airport) — approximately 1.5 hours. Hailar is the main city of the Hulunbuir area in far northeastern Inner Mongolia. Check in. Afternoon: the Hailar Fortress (Japanese WWII underground fortification complex, historical site). Evening: Mongolian restaurant in Hailar city — the local lamb hotpot is excellent.
Day 4 · hulunbuir
Ewenki reindeer community — winter visit
Full-day excursion to an Ewenki reindeer-herding community in the forested area north of Hailar. The Ewenki (鄂温克族) are one of Inner Mongolia's smaller ethnic minorities, with a reindeer-herding tradition distinct from the Mongolian horse-herding culture. In winter, the reindeer are in or near the forest camps. Activities typically include: reindeer feeding, short sled rides, traditional yurt lunch with the community, observation of winter herding practices. Arrange through a licensed operator — Hailar city tourism offices can recommend current partners. Return to Hailar by evening.
Attractions: hulunbuir-grasslands
Day 5 · manzhouli
Drive to Manzhouli — Russo-Chinese frontier
Private car Hailar to Manzhouli (approximately 2 hours west across the frozen steppe). The road crosses open grassland that in summer is green and in winter is white and treeless — the horizon unbroken for 30 km at a stretch. Manzhouli is the Russo-Chinese border city famous for its matryoshka installations and cross-border trade. Check in. Afternoon: Matryoshka Square and the border viewing area at Guomenwan. Dinner at a Russian-Chinese hybrid restaurant.
Attractions: manzhouli-border-area
Day 6 · hulunbuir
Hulun Lake frozen — Manzhouli return
Morning excursion to Hulun Lake (Dalai Lake), 40 km south of Manzhouli — the fifth-largest lake in China, frozen solid in winter. Vehicles drive on the lake surface; ice fishing is practiced in drilled holes. The flat white expanse with the steppe horizon is visually extreme. Afternoon return to Manzhouli. Final dinner with Russian-style bread, smoked meats, and Mongolian dairy products from the market.
Attractions: hulun-lake
Day 7 · hohhot
Return to Hailar — fly out
Return to Hailar by private car (2 hours). Fly Hailar to Hohhot or directly to Beijing or Shanghai. A direct Hailar to Beijing flight of approximately 2.5 hours exists seasonally. Alternatively, connect via Hohhot for broader onward options.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥600 |
| Mid-range | ¥1800 |
| Comfortable | ¥4000 |
Winter logistics in this region require private vehicles — public transport connections between Hailar and Manzhouli exist but are infrequent in winter. Private car hire for the Hailar area: approximately ¥500–800/day. Ewenki community visit: ¥200–500 per person depending on operator and activities. Essential gear: rated to −40°C sleeping bag (for emergencies), layered insulated clothing, waterproof outer layer, quality winter boots. Gear rental is not reliably available in Hailar — bring your own or source in Beijing before departure.
Cities covered
Other itineraries visiting Hohhot
- Inner Mongolia Naadam Festival Circuit, 5 days
5d · A focused grassland trip timed to coincide with Naadam festival — wrestling, horseracing, and archery competitions on the open steppe near Hohhot or Xilinhaote.
- Inner Mongolia Grasslands — Hohhot to Hulunbuir, 7 days
7d · From Hohhot's Mongolian temples and lamb hotpot to the Sea of Grass at Hulunbuir near the Russian border — Inner Mongolia's full grassland sweep.
- Beijing to Inner Mongolia by Rail, 10 days
10d · Overnight train from Beijing north through Zhangjiakou and Hohhot to the Mongolian steppe — combining Great Wall railway heritage, Inner Mongolia grasslands, and the ruined Xanadu of Kublai Khan.