Getting around
Fly into Hailar or Manzhouli, then explore by hired car or tour — there is no other practical way to cross the immense grassland. Roads are good but distances between sights are long.
Updated Apr 2026 All cities
A vast northern region (centred on Hailar) of some of the world’s finest grassland, winding rivers and forests — plus the Russian-flavored border town of Manzhouli.
⏱️ First 24 hours
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay and add a foreign card.
- Buy a local SIM or activate an eSIM.
- Plan a multi-day grassland road trip — the distances are huge.
- Visit in summer (Jun–Aug) when the grassland is green.
Explore the guide
Connectivity
Towns have good signal; the open grassland often has none. A local SIM and offline maps are essential for the road trip.
Updated Apr 2026Where to stay
Base in Hailar for transit, overnight in grassland yurt camps for the experience, and stay a night in Manzhouli for its illuminated Russian-style architecture.
Updated Apr 2026Eat & drink
Mongolian meat and dairy — roast lamb, hand-grabbed mutton and milk tea — plus Russian-influenced touches near the border, like dark “lieba” bread.
Updated Apr 2026Etiquette
On the grassland, accept offered milk tea with both hands and ask before entering a herder’s home. Respect the Ewenki and Oroqen reindeer-herding cultures of the north.
Updated Apr 2026Safety
Very safe. The season is short — summers are brief and lovely, winters brutally cold (−30°C and below). Sun and wind on the open steppe are strong.
Updated Apr 2026📜 History
The grasslands of Hulunbuir have nourished nomad empires for thousands of years.
Antiquity
Grazing grounds of the steppe nomads from whom the Mongols rose.
Qing
Garrisoned and traded as a frontier with Russia.
Early 20th c.
The railway opens the region; Manzhouli becomes a border port.
Today
Renowned for some of the world’s finest grassland.
Top attractions
Manzhouli 满洲里
Mǎnzhōulǐ
A border boomtown where China, Russia and Mongolia meet, lit up with onion-dome architecture.
Why it matters
A surreal, neon-lit blend of cultures — Russian matryoshka theme parks, trilingual signs, and trains rolling between three countries.
Good to know
- ✓Stunning when lit up at night.
- ✓See the giant matryoshka square.
- ✓A long way out — the far western tip of Hulunbuir.
Show to driver: 满洲里
Hulunbuir Grassland 呼伦贝尔草原
Hūlúnbèi’ěr Cǎoyuán
Some of the world’s finest unspoiled grassland, rolling green to the horizon.
Why it matters
The classic Mongolian steppe at its most pristine — herds, yurts, winding rivers and enormous skies. The summer drive across it is the whole point.
Good to know
- ✓Green only in summer (Jun–Aug).
- ✓Do it as a multi-day road trip.
- ✓Stay a night in a grassland camp.
Show to driver: 呼伦贝尔草原
Erguna Wetland 额尔古纳湿地
É’ěrgǔnà Shīdì
A vast riverine wetland of looping channels and islands, viewed from a hillside park.
Why it matters
One of Asia’s best-preserved wetlands — the silver river snaking through green meadows is the iconic Hulunbuir photo.
Good to know
- ✓Climb the viewing platform for the bends.
- ✓Best light at sunset.
- ✓Combine with the Russian-Ewenki town of Enhe.
Show to driver: 额尔古纳湿地
Hulun Lake 呼伦湖
Hūlún Hú
A huge steppe lake — one of China’s largest freshwater bodies — like an inland sea.
Why it matters
The lake that gives the region half its name; vast, windswept and ringed by grassland, a haven for birds.
Good to know
- ✓Combine with the grassland drive.
- ✓Windy and open — bring a layer.
- ✓Good for sunrise/sunset.
Show to driver: 呼伦湖
Don't want to go alone? Post on the board and find a travel buddy.
Find a buddy🍜 Must-eat dishes
What to eat in Hulunbuir
Lieba (Russian Bread) 列巴
Lièbā
A large, dense, crusty Russian-style sourdough loaf, a legacy of the border railway.
💡Great toasted with honey or with the local dairy; buy it in Manzhouli or Hailar.
Order this: 列巴
Roast Lamb Ribs 烤羊排
Kǎo yángpái
Grassland lamb ribs roasted until crisp outside and juicy within — the taste of the steppe.
💡The grass-fed Hulunbuir lamb is famously mild; eat it with your hands.
Order this: 烤羊排
Questions about Hulunbuir?
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