A Car Rental Journey through Hohhot and Baotou
Hohhot, which means 'Green City' in Mongolian, is the capital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and its political, economic, cultural, scientific, educational, and financial center. It is also known as Hushi, Guisui, Qingcheng, and China's Dairy Capital. Located in central Inner Mongolia, it lies on the Tumochuan Plain south of the Daqing Mountains and north of the Yellow River. It borders Ulanqab to the east, Baotou and Ordos to the west and south, and Shanxi Province to the southeast. Hohhot boasts a history of over 2,300 years of urban development and a splendid culture.
Baotou is located in western Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, bordering Mongolia to the north, the Yellow River to the south, and flanked by the Tumochuan Plain and Hetao Plain to the east and west, with the Yin Mountains traversing its center. It is an important hub connecting North and Northwest China. Baotou is also a modern industrial city, home to Inner Mongolia’s largest steel, aluminum, equipment manufacturing, and rare earth processing enterprises. It serves as a key national and regional base for energy, raw materials, rare earths, new coal chemicals, and equipment manufacturing.
In late September 2025, we took a high-speed train directly from Beijing to Hohhot East Station. Near the station, we rented a Trumpchi M8 and embarked on a 4-day journey through central Inner Mongolia.
Day 1: Inner Mongolia Museum – Zhaojun Museum – Saishang Old Street – Kuan Alley
Day 2: Meidaizhao Monastery – Genghis Khan Mausoleum – Whistling Dune Bay – Baotou Gold Street
Day 3: Nanhai Wetland – Zhaojun Ancient City – Wudangzhao Monastery – Xilamuren Grassland
Day 4: Hohhot – Beijing
The Inner Mongolia Museum is not only a national first-class museum but also one of the top ten most popular provincial museums online. Its exhibition 'Forging the Northern Frontier: Ancient History of Inner Mongolia' systematically displays the historical panorama created together by the various ethnic groups active in Inner Mongolia, from the Dayao Culture and Hongshan Culture to the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. As its concluding statement says: 'The future will view the present just as we now view the past. Throughout Inner Mongolia’s history, all ethnic groups have lived and thrived on this land, linked by blood, jointly creating a profound and continuous northern frontier culture, and offering their answer to the question of what makes China.'
Zhaojun Museum is located about 9 kilometers south of downtown Hohhot. Centered on the tomb mound, it includes the Xiongnu Culture Museum, the Chanyu Great Tent, the Harmonious Marriage Palace, and a memorial hall. It is now a national first-class museum, a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, and a national 4A-level scenic area.
A poetry stele inscribed by Dong Biwu.
The tomb of Wang Zhaojun is hailed as a 'historical memorial tower of ethnic friendship and unity'.
The Dazhao 'Wuliang Temple' houses the Silver Buddha, dragon carvings, and murals, known as the three unique treasures of the temple.
Saishang Old Street dates back to the Ming and Qing dynasties and flourished during the Republic of China era. Despite many vicissitudes, its ancient charm remains. It is the only well-preserved old street in Hohhot that embodies the historical appearance of Guisui.
Kuan Alley was formed during the Qing Dynasty and officially named in 1931, as it was once the widest alley in Hohhot (locally pronounced 'hàng'). Must-try local delicacies include shaomai, lamb offal soup, bei zi (baked bun), Wang’s sticky rice dumplings and yuanxiao, Ma’s bei zi mooncakes, Wanshengyong spiced beef, pan-fried buns, and dried fruit soup. After indulging in the feast, we stayed overnight in Kuan Alley.
In Mongolian, 'Meidai' means Maitreya, and 'zhao' means temple. Meidaizhao Monastery is a unique architectural complex that combines the functions of a castle, temple, and princely mansion. Its distinctive feature is 'a city-temple where humans and Buddhas dwell together.' It is not only a center for spreading Tibetan Buddhism but also witnessed the glorious history of the Tumote tribe during the Ming Dynasty.
The Mausoleum of Genghis Khan is a sacred place for commemorating and offering sacrifices to the great conqueror Genghis Khan. It is not the actual burial site but a symbol of his spirit and legacy. As the Mongols practiced secret burial, the true location of his tomb remains a mystery. The present-day mausoleum is a cenotaph primarily used for rituals. Originally, it was the 'Eight White Chambers' (eight white felt tents) that housed the soul and relics of Genghis Khan, movable to suit the nomadic lifestyle and allow worship anywhere. After relocations, it was moved from Ta'er Monastery in Qinghai back to Ejin Horo Banner in 1954, and the mausoleum complex was completed in 1956. Today it is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction, and the only world-renowned cultural tourism site centered on the intangible cultural heritage of Genghis Khan.
A saying: If you can lift it, don't complain about the weight; if you can walk there, don't complain about the distance.
In Mongolian, 'obo' means a heap or pile.
Xiangshawan (Whistling Dune Bay) is a 5A-level scenic area combining natural wonders and desert entertainment. It is named for its 'singing sands' (when dry sand slides down dunes or is rubbed between fingers, it produces a sound like singing; perhaps we missed the right conditions to experience it).
Baotou Gold Street is an immersive, Chinese-chic cultural and commercial street that blends historical context with modern vitality, perfectly recreating the bustling trade and Shanxi merchant culture of old Baotou. It stands on the former site of the Fushengxi Grain and Oil Workshop founded by the renowned Qiao family of Shanxi merchants, carrying deep historical and cultural significance.
The foods that left the deepest impression were shaomai and lamb offal soup.
There are many places named 'South Sea' in China, but in Inner Mongolia, 'Nanhai' comes from the Mongolian 'haizi' (meaning lake). Located south of Baotou's old town, it was historically known as Nanhaizi, a famous water port among the 'water and dry docks.' This wetland was formed by the Yellow River’s changing course. Now a national 4A-level scenic area, it is often praised as the 'West Lake beyond the Great Wall.'
Wudangzhao Monastery is a unique treasure that fuses Tibetan Buddhist culture, Mongolian history, and architectural art. It is often called the 'Potala Palace on the Grasslands' or 'Little Potala Palace.' It is one of the four major Tibetan Buddhist temples in China and the largest, most complete purely Tibetan-style religious complex in Inner Mongolia. Hallmarks include flat roofs, straight walls, small windows, and whitewashed walls. Buildings are irregularly scattered throughout a valley, without a unified axis or enclosing wall; each structure stands independently. The monastery climbs the hillside in tiers, from a distance resembling a pure white scroll embedded in the mountains. It also functions as a higher institution of Tibetan Buddhist learning.
Zhaojun Ancient City, despite its name, is actually a man-made scenic area on the verge of being abandoned.
Xilamuren Grassland is very close to Hohhot. On our return trip, we experienced horseback riding, roasted lamb leg, fried milk tea with cream, stayed in a yurt, watched the grassland sunset, and admired the moon—typical grassland activities, all novel and perfect.
Back in Hohhot, we strolled around the Yili Plaza, a popular check-in spot.
Returning to Beijing, we arrived right as the country celebrated its 76th birthday. At Tiananmen Square, we immersed ourselves in the National Day atmosphere, joining in the celebrations and wishing our motherland prosperity!
The food we ate the most and that left the deepest impression was still...
This trip through central Inner Mongolia lasted 5 days and covered over 1,000 kilometers by car. Inner Mongolia offers not only a profound historical and cultural heritage but also magnificent natural landscapes—truly captivating and unforgettable!
