Hailar & Hulunbuir Grassland

The central city of Hulunbuir, with the grasslands, including the winding Morigele River, the "Number One Meandering River Under Heaven," right outside town.

Hailar is the central urban district of Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia. It lies on the western foothills of the Greater Khingan Range, where the Hailar and Yimin rivers meet, and it is the starting point and transport hub for visiting the Hulunbuir Grassland. This destination uses Hailar as the base and covers the area within about 50 km. To the north are the Morigele River, the "Number One Meandering River Under Heaven," in Chen Barag Banner, and the Golden Khan Mongol Camp. To the west, along National Highway G301, are the Barag Mongol camps and the grassland lake of Huhenuoer. To the south are Bayan Huxu, the "First Aobao in China," in the Evenki Autonomous Banner, and the Evenki Museum. In the city itself are the Hailar Fortress site, the Hulunbuir Ethnic Museum, Genghis Khan Square, Hulunbuir Ancient City and the Xishan Mongolian pine forest. Manzhouli and Hulun Lake, the Ergun Wetland, Shiwei and Moerdaoga, and Arxan are covered as separate destinations and are often combined into loops from here. The best season is June–August, when the grassland is greenest and wildflowers bloom, and when the most Naadam festivals and folk events take place. It starts to turn yellow in early September, with cold mornings and evenings. December–February is bitterly cold (it can fall below -30°C), but features such as the winter Naadam and winter nomadic activities are held; many grassland attractions close in winter or open only some activities.

Getting there: Hailar Dongshan Airport has flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Harbin and other cities; trains run to Harbin and Manzhouli. There is no convenient public transport between the grassland sights, so hiring a car with a driver or self-driving is recommended; allow 2–3 days. Notes: the grassland has large day–night temperature swings and strong UV, so bring a jacket and sun protection; do not drive off the road and crush the pasture; choose a reputable stable for horseback riding; respect aobao customs and do not step over or climb them. Many sites operate seasonally, so prices and hours are subject to local announcements.

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