Must see attractions in Inner Mongolia

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This spectacular Tibetan Buddhist temple is the oldest and largest temple in the city. Also called 'Immeasurable Temple' (无量寺, Wúliàng Sì) in Chinese, the…

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Rising up at the rear of the Five Pagoda Temple, this striking, Indian-influenced, five-tiered pagoda was completed in 1732. Its main claim to fame is the…

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This superb museum affords a fascinating insight into Alashan and Mongolian culture. English captions are sporadic, which is a shame, but there's a wealth…

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This fabulous courtyard palace is the former home of the local prince, the Alashan Qin Wang. A well-restored, Qing-era complex of buildings and courtyards…

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This long wooden walkway winds its way along the north border of town with long panoramas over the Ergun River, running from where the horse rides starts…

The remote but stunning Badain Jaran Desert (the world's fourth-largest desert) is a mysterious 49,000-sq-km landscape of desert lakes, Buddhist temples…

This ruined Tangut city was built in 1032 and captured by Genghis Khan in 1226 (his last great battle). Khara Khoto continued to thrive under Mongol…

Located 130km south of Baotou in the middle of nowhere is the Genghis Khan Mausoleum, China’s tribute to the great Mongol warlord. Unfortunately, old…

Once one of the most magnificent monasteries in Inner Mongolia, Guǎngzōng Sì has a stunning setting in the Helanshan mountain foothills 38km south of…

Lying on the pilgrim route from Tibet to Outer Mongolia and established in 1749, at its height this handsome monastery was the largest monastery in Inner…

The remote, little-visited Cave Temple is one of the oldest monasteries in Inner Mongolia. Construction began in the mid-17th century and was expanded in…

The original Mongol town of Bayanhot was centred on this 18th-century temple. Completed in 1742, it once housed 200 lamas; around 30 are resident here now…

Its colossal halls capped in saffron tiles visible from a huge distance away, this massive temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin. The vast…

Surrounded by the Jinlianchuan Grasslands, there is not a huge amount to see of the palace remains. From the yurt where you buy your ticket, it’s another…

Half of town decamps to this high point at sunset for some astonishing views (if the weather obliges) and spectacular evening fountain shows. Beyond the…

East across the road from the Dà Zhào temple is this simple, peaceful monastery, which is also known as Xiǎo Zhào or Yanshou Temple (延寿寺, Yánshòu Sì). The…

This museum is very important to visit for the scale models that give a realistic impression of the sheer ambition of Shangdu, as well as for relics from…

For some rather tame borderland frisson and a closer look at Russia – the world's largest country – walk to the Friendship Bridge. Tourists can pose for…

This grassland area caters largely to the burgeoning domestic market, with dozens of faux concrete yurt camps and a commercialised feel in pockets that…

In the mid-1930s, during the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, this network of tunnels was constructed by the Japanese army in the grasslands north of…