Hulunbuir 呼伦贝尔 — The World's Best Grassland — Where Sky Meets Earth
Hulunbuir (呼伦贝尔), named after the two great lakes Hulun and Buir, is China's largest city by area at 253,000 square kilometers — roughly the size of the United Kingdom. Located in northeastern Inner Mongolia bordering Russia and Mongolia, it contains what many consider the world's finest grasslands. The region's vast, unbroken horizons of emerald steppe, crystal-clear rivers, and birch-covered hills have earned it the title "China's Most Beautiful Grassland" in multiple national surveys.
The diversity here is extraordinary for a single region. Within Hulunbuir's borders lie grasslands, forests, wetlands, lakes, and even desert. The Ergun River marks the China-Russia border for 900 kilometers, while the Greater Khingan Mountains (大兴安岭) form a dramatic forested backdrop. Manzhouli, the border city with Russia, offers a unique cultural blend of Chinese, Mongolian, and Russian influences visible in its architecture, cuisine, and bilingual street signs.
Hulunbuir is also home to several ethnic minority groups including the Ewenki reindeer herders, one of the world's last nomadic reindeer-herding cultures, and the Oroqen people, traditionally forest hunters. Visiting their communities near Genhe offers a rare glimpse into lifestyles that have barely changed in centuries. The region's short summer (June-August) explodes with wildflowers and is the best time for grassland visits, while September brings spectacular autumn foliage to the birch forests. Winters are harsh (-30°C) but offer unique experiences like ice fishing on Hulun Lake and the Harbin-style ice festival in Manzhouli.
Hulun Lake is Inner Mongolia's largest lake and one of China's five largest freshwater lakes, covering 2,339 square kilometers. Known as "Dalai Nur" (Ocean Lake) in Mongolian, it stretches 93km long and 41km wide — so vast it feels like an inland sea. The lake sits on the Hulunbuir Grassland at an elevation of 545 meters, with grasslands meeting water in a seamless horizon. Over 200 bird species nest here, including rare whooper swans, red-crowned cranes, and white storks. Summer brings fishing, boating, and spectacular sunsets. The lake is also famous for its seafood — especially white shrimp and carp. A scenic road circles the eastern shore with viewpoints at Muji and Arshan.
Info: 🕐 Hours: Open 24h
🎫 Admission: Free (activities charged)
📍 40km southwest of Manzhouli
The Manzhouli National Gate is China's largest land port gate and a symbol of Sino-Russian friendship. The current structure, standing 30 meters tall, was completed in 2008 and dominates the border landscape. Visitors can ascend to observation platforms for views across the border into Zabaikalsk, Russia. The glass-bottomed walkway section lets you look straight down at the railway tracks where the Trans-Siberian Railway crosses between the two countries — over 1,000 trains pass through annually. The surrounding square features red "No. 41 Boundary Marker" and Soviet-era military equipment displays. Evening illumination transforms the gate into a spectacular sight.
Info: 🕐 Hours: 9:00–17:30
🎫 Admission: ¥80
📍 Manzhouli City
Matryoshka (Matreshka) Square is one of the world's most whimsical landmarks — a massive plaza dominated by a 30-meter-tall Russian nesting doll, the largest in the world. The plaza features over 200 matryoshka dolls of varying sizes, painted with portraits of historical figures from China, Russia, Mongolia, and around the world. The surrounding buildings are designed in vibrant Russian architectural styles with colorful domes, onion-shaped towers, and elaborate facades. An indoor matryoshka museum displays rare antique nesting dolls from the 19th century. The square also hosts a Russian circus, European-style gardens, and evening light shows. It perfectly encapsulates Manzhouli's unique cultural fusion.
Info: 🕐 Hours: 8:00–20:00
🎫 Admission: ¥100
📍 Manzhouli City
The Ergun River, called the "Argun" in Russian, forms 900 kilometers of the China-Russia border and feeds one of Asia's largest wetland ecosystems. The Ergun Wetland Nature Reserve near Ergun City features a dramatic horseshoe-shaped wetland covering 126,000 hectares where the Ergun River braids through grasslands and forest. The wetland observation deck offers panoramic views of the meandering river system, especially stunning at sunrise when mist rises from the water. Over 300 bird species inhabit the wetland, making it a paradise for birdwatchers. The wetland turns golden in September as the surrounding birch forests change color, creating one of northern China's most photographed autumn landscapes.
Info: 🕐 Hours: 7:30–18:00
🎫 Admission: ¥65
📍 Ergun City, 130km from Hailar
Enhe Birch Forest (恩和) is one of China's largest and most accessible birch forest reserves, covering over 1,000 hectares of pure white birch trees. Located near Shiwei — a border town with significant Russian ethnic minority population — the forest creates a magical landscape of silver-white trunks and green foliage. The birch trees are considered sacred in local Russian culture, and many forest paths feature small Orthodox shrines and carved wooden crosses. September is the optimal viewing time when leaves turn gold, but summer offers cool shade and wild mushroom picking. Nearby Shiwei town provides Russian-style homestays where you can experience Russian architecture, food, and hospitality.
Info: 🕐 Hours: 8:00–17:00
🎫 Admission: ¥50
📍 Shiwei Town, Ergun City
The Morigele River (莫日格勒河) is one of the most photographed rivers in China, famous for its extraordinary meandering course through the Hulunbuir Grassland. Over just 319 kilometers of length, the river makes an estimated 5,000 bends, creating a stunning serpentine pattern visible from hilltop viewpoints. The river is fed by spring water from the Greater Khingan Mountains and never freezes, maintaining crystal-clear turquoise water year-round. The river's most dramatic section is near the Golden Horde Camp (金帐汗), where you can climb observation hills for panoramic views. Many Chinese travel photographers consider this location the definitive image of the Mongolian grassland.
Info: 🕐 Hours: Open 24h
🎫 Admission: Free
📍 38km east of Hailar
Deep in the Greater Khingan Mountains near Genhe City lives one of the world's last reindeer-herding communities. The Aoluguya Ewenki people maintain a semi-nomadic lifestyle, tending herds of around 700 reindeer in the subarctic forest. Visitors can interact with the gentle reindeer, feed them moss, and learn about Ewenki traditions in the village museum. The community's distinctive "cuoluo" (tent-like dwellings made of birch bark) and animist shamanic culture are unique within China. The village is about 200km from Hailar and requires a full-day excursion. The best time to visit is June when the Ewenki hold their traditional Midsummer celebrations.
Info: 🕐 Hours: 8:00–17:00
🎫 Admission: ¥80
📍 Genhe City, Greater Khingan Mountains