Ordos top tourist attractions and sightseeing

Ordos is a city known for its coal industry and cashmere products, as well as its rich history and cultural heritage. Popular tourist attractions include the Genghis Khan Mausoleum, the Ordos Museum, the Xiangshawan Desert, and many others. Visitors can also enjoy local cuisine, traditional music and dance performances, and a variety of outdoor activities such as horseback riding and sandboarding in the desert.

Top 1: Mausoleum of Genghis Khan

The Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, originally known as the Eight White Yurts, is a cultural and historical attraction that commemorates the life and legacy of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. It serves as a sacred site where Mongolians honor the spirit of Genghis Khan, not his actual burial place. After his death, his body was secretly interred, and the exact location remains unknown to this day.

The mausoleum dates back to 1227 and stands as an important symbol of Mongolian history and culture. The entire complex resembles a giant traditional yurt, blending harmoniously with the vast grasslands and showcasing the unique architectural style of the Mongolian people. Inside, visitors will find portraits, ceremonial items, and cultural relics dedicated to Genghis Khan, while the towering central structure serves as the site’s iconic landmark.

Each year, on the lunar dates March 21, May 15, August 12, and October 3, grand sacrificial ceremonies are held here. These events attract visitors from across China and around the world, who come to pay tribute and remember the great leader who shaped the course of Eurasian history.

• Address: Ordos Grassland, Ejin Horo Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
• Open Hours: 07:30-18:30
• Distance from city center and drive time: 35km, 40minutes
• Tour Length: 1-3 hours

Top 2: Kubuqi Desert

Kubuqi Desert is the seventh-largest desert in China, known for its naturally fine, smooth sand and spectacular landforms shaped by chains of dunes and grid-like dune patterns. One of its most remarkable highlights is Xiangshawan, a desert area located about 50 kilometers from Ordos. It is a natural wonder famous for its magical “singing sands,” where the dunes produce a deep humming sound as you slide across them. The area offers unique desert scenery and a wide range of outdoor activities, including off-road desert driving, sandboarding, camel riding, and watching breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. Visitors can experience the mysterious phenomenon of the singing sands and explore the timeless charm of Xiangshawan, a place shaped by nature over centuries.

The desert’s eastern and central areas receive more rainfall and feature seasonal channels that create scattered fertile oases with mild microclimates. In contrast, the western region is much drier, with almost no surface water except the Sharimorin River, which disappears into the sands. At the desert’s western and northern edges, groundwater influenced by the Yellow River provides better water conditions within the irrigation zone.

• Address: Wokuotai Tourist Scenic Area, Zhanbanzhao Township, Dalat Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
• Open Hours: All day
• Distance from city center and drive time: 120km 2hours
• Tour Length: One day

Top 3: Ordos Grassland

Ordos Grassland, one of the signature attractions of Ordos, lies in the southwestern part of Inner Mongolia, where the Loess Plateau meets the Ordos Plateau at an average elevation of around 1300 meters. The grassland stretches endlessly, covered in lush green meadows dotted with grazing cattle and sheep.

Compared with other popular grassland destinations, the Ordos Grassland preserves a more untouched and authentic natural landscape. Far from large-scale commercial development, it remains a peaceful haven where wildlife and native plants coexist in harmony. From June to September, rainfall is abundant and temperatures are mild, making it the golden season when wildflowers bloom across the plains. Visitors can truly feel the vastness and beauty of the steppe and experience the simple, time-honored lifestyle of local herders. It is also a wonderful place to enjoy Mongolian cultural activities such as horse riding, archery, and traditional folk music.

Every summer, Ordos hosts the grand Nadam Festival, during which traditional Mongolian sports like wrestling, horse racing, and archery take center stage, creating a lively and festive atmosphere. Grassland music festivals, stargazing camps, and other seasonal events further attract young travelers from all over the country, making the Ordos Grassland a vibrant and unforgettable destination.

• Address: 9 kilometers southwest of Xini Town, Hangjin Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
• Open Hours: All day
• Distance from city center and drive time: 150km, 2.5hours
• Tour Length: One day

Top 4: Ordos Museum

The Ordos Museum is a modern and interactive cultural landmark that showcases the rich history and diverse heritage of the Ordos region, from ancient nomadic traditions to its remarkable contemporary urban development. Its futuristic exterior, resembling a stone from the future, makes it an architectural icon of the city.

Inside, the museum features seven exhibition halls with a total area of 14,000 square meters. It houses 18,681 cultural relics, including 936 precious artifacts. Highlights include the museum’s star treasures such as the Warring States–period gold crown shaped like an eagle and the silver plaque depicting a tiger biting a deer, along with other invaluable pieces like woolly rhinoceros fossils and Ordos bronzes.

With its impressive collections and immersive displays, the Ordos Museum offers visitors a fascinating journey through time and a deeper appreciation of the region’s unique cultural identity.

• Address: No. 5, Cultural West Road, Kangbashi District, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
• Open Hours: 9:00~17:30
• Tour Length: 1-2 hours

Top 5: Wulan Living Buddha Mansion

The Wulan Living Buddha Palace is located in the Beishan Botanical Garden area northwest of Ejin Horo Banner. Covering a construction area of 27,000 square meters, the complex is embraced by five natural hills from the west to the north, as if resting in the palm of the mythical Five-Finger Mountain. Encircling the site is a 1.5-kilometer circular outer wall fitted with 999 prayer wheels, symbolizing the Mongolian reverence for nature and the harmonious balance between heaven and earth.

This magnificent complex blends Mongolian, Tibetan, and Han architectural traditions, creating a grand and serene spiritual landmark. It is features golden roofs, intricately painted beams, and Tibetan-style prayer halls that inspire a deep sense of reverence. As an important site of Tibetan Buddhism, it was built for a place for the 12th Wulan Living Buddha to study, meditate, and teach, while also serving as a center for monks and Buddhist followers to learn and practice their faith. Highlights include the Main Assembly Hall, adorned with exquisite thangkas, sacred statues, and vibrant murals, and the Stupa Courtyard, where beautifully crafted stupas symbolize wisdom and enlightenment. Peaceful meditation rooms, corridors lined with spinning prayer wheels, and elevated viewpoints overlooking the surrounding hills further, making the Wulan Living Buddha Palace a serene and culturally rich destination that showcases both artistic beauty and the quiet strength of Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

• Address: Yihe Ecological and Cultural Expo Park, Hengsan Road, Ejin Horo Banner, Ordos City
• Open Hours: 09:00-17:30
• Distance from city center and drive time: 10km, 15minutes
• Tour Length: 1-2hours

Top 6: Zhunge’er Yellow River Grand Canyon

Recognized as one of China’s ten most beautiful canyons, the Zhunge’er Yellow River Grand Canyon is celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes that combine elegance, mystery, and grandeur. Stretching over 80 kilometers, it showcases some of the most distinctive canyon landforms along the Yellow River. The scenic area features an impressive variety of attractions, including karst scenic, the traditional village of Cuijiazhai, the Yellow River Culture Museum, Leopard Look-Back Observation Deck, Taiji Bay, Baozi Tower Peak, the Wanjiazhai Water Control Project, a suspension bridge known for its thrilling views, a cantilevered glass platform, and speedboat and boat tours.

Among these, Taiji Bay stands out as a truly remarkable natural wonder. Here, the Yellow River makes two nearly 360-degree turns in the Zhunge’er section, creating a naturally occurring “Taiji diagram.” This extraordinary landscape earned the canyon a place among National Geographic’s ranking of China’s most beautiful canyons and the nickname “Yellow River Taiji Bay.”

Together, these remarkable landscapes and cultural relics make the Zhunge’er Yellow River Grand Canyon an unforgettable destination for nature lovers, photographers, and history enthusiasts alike.

• Address: 201 Provincial Road, Jungar Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
• Open Hours: 09:00-17:00
• Distance from city center and drive time: 150km, 2hours
• Tour Length: Half Day

Top 7: Salawusu Scenic Area

The Salawusu Scenic Area is located in Uxin Banner of Ordos, Inner Mongolia. It is a rare landscape where canyons, streams, grasslands, and desert coexist. Hidden deep within the Maowusu Desert flows the ancient Salawusu River, which winds through a 34-kilometer U-shaped valley to form the Salawusu Grand Canyon—China’s largest desert canyon. Known as one of the country’s most significant prehistoric heritage sites, it is also the birthplace of the renowned Salawusu Culture, where ancient human fossils and Paleolithic artifacts were first unearthed.

The scenic area features major highlights such as the Salawusu Grand Canyon, the Fossil Site Museum, and elevated viewpoints offering dramatic vistas of the river’s curves and towering canyon walls. Visitors can explore archaeological sites, follow cliffside trails, and gain insight into the ancient communities that once thrived here, making Salawusu a destination that blends natural spectacle with deep historical significance.

• Address: Wokuotai Tourist Scenic Area, Zhanbanzhao Township, Dalat Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
• Open Hours: All day
• Distance from city center and drive time: 250km, 3.5hours
• Tour Length: One day

Top 8：Qixinghu (Seven-Star Lake) Desert Tourism Area

Qixinghu (Seven-Star Lake) Desert Tourism Area is located in Hanggin Banner, deep in the heart of the vast Kubuqi Desert in Ordos. It is a rare oasis in the golden dunes, formed by seven lakes arranged in a pattern resembling the Big Dipper—hence the name “Seven-Star Lake.” Among them, Zahan Daotu, Dong Daotu, and Daotu Lakes—collectively known as the Daotu Lake Group—are like three shimmering pearls set amid the sweeping desert. Fed by naturally emerging groundwater from the southern bend of the Yellow River, these lakes maintain crystal-clear water and lush aquatic vegetation, surrounded by soft, towering sand dunes. The unique landscape supports reeds, cattails, and a variety of migratory birds such as egrets, wild ducks, and swans.

The scenic area offers a blend of desert adventure, natural beauty, and ecological conservation. Visitors can ride camels across rolling dunes, camp by the lakes under star-filled skies, or take part in meaningful desert-greening projects that help restore the fragile ecosystem. With its serene waters, thriving wildlife, and striking contrast between blue lakes and golden sands, Qixinghu is one of the most enchanting and memorable destinations in the Kubuqi Desert.

• Address: Wokuotai Tourist Scenic Area, Zhanbanzhao Township, Dalat Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
• Open Hours: 08:00-18:00
• Distance from city center and drive time: 180km, 2.5hours
• Tour Length: Half Day

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