Inner Mongolia is not one trip. It is a huge set of grassland, desert, forest, Yellow River, border-port, museum and food routes. Decide first whether you want Hulunbuir grassland and forest, Xilingol grassland and Xanadu, Hohhot museums and temples, Alxa deserts and Ejina poplars, Chifeng geoparks and Ulan Butong, Baotou and Ordos city-desert routes, or Tongliao and Hinggan League for Horqin grassland, Arxan forest and volcanic hot springs.
How To Divide The Region
For the classic grassland trip, use Hailar, Chen Barag Grassland, Morigele River, Erguna Wetland, Enhe, Shiwei, Heishantou, Manzhouli and Hulun Lake. For central Inner Mongolia, use Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Museum, Dazhao Temple, Saishang Old Street, Chilechuan Grassland, Baotou, Saihantala, Wudangzhao, Ordos, Xiangshawan and the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan. For the eastern and southern line, use Chifeng, Keshiketeng, Asihatu Stone Forest, Dalinor Lake and Ulan Butong.
Western Inner Mongolia is another trip: Alxa Left Banner, Tengger Desert, Badain Jaran Desert, Ejina Populus Euphratica Forest, Juyan Lake and Ceke Port. Xilingol gives Xilinhot, Beizi Temple, Xilin Nine Bends, Xanadu Site, Duolun, Ulagai and Erenhot. Hinggan League adds Ulanhot, Arxan National Forest Park, Tuofengling Tianchi, Dujuan Lake and Ulan Mod Grassland.
Safety and Planning
The big checks are grassland fire prevention, border rules, desert operators, long-distance fuel, wind, sand, winter cold, heating and cancellation terms. Do not drive into grassland or dunes without legal access. Keep offline maps, warm clothing, water and backup transport. Inner Mongolia rewards slow regional planning: choose one or two regions per trip and leave the rest for another season.