Tongliao Travel Guide: Horqin Grassland, Daqinggou and Kulun's Monasteries
Tongliao, in the far east of Inner Mongolia, has more Mongolian residents than any other prefecture-level city in China, about 46 percent of its people. It sits on the West Liao River between the Horqin grasslands and the Horqin Sandy Land, and most of what is worth seeing is out in the banners: the Zhurihe grassland, the Daqinggou gorge (a forested ravine sunk into the sand) and the old Gelug monasteries of Kulun Banner. Come between June and September, hire a car for the countryside, and use the city for trains, beds and mutton. Fast trains reach Shenyang in about an hour and a half.
Getting in and where to stay
High-speed and fast trains link Tongliao with Shenyang (the fastest take about 1 hour 27 minutes in 2026 timetables) and with Beijing Chaoyang (about 4 hours 24 minutes). Tongliao Airport has domestic flights. City buses are fine in Horqin District, but the grasslands and Daqinggou are in different banners, each one to two hours or more away by road, so hire a driver or rent a car.
Stay in the city for reliable hotels. Grassland yurt camps open in summer and vary a lot; read recent reviews and confirm how you get back.
Places worth visiting
Zhurihe grassland
Zhurihe, in Horqin Left Middle Banner, is the nearest big stretch of Horqin grassland to the city. In summer it runs horse riding, archery and evening shows. Treat these as paid extras, agree prices before you get on a horse, and confirm the season's opening months. This is not to be confused with Zhurihe in Xilingol, the military training base far to the west. Horqin Left Middle Banner is also the birthplace of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, mother of the Shunzhi Emperor, and a Xiaozhuang park there tells her story; listings give it as open roughly 08:30–17:00.
Daqinggou
Daqinggou is a national nature reserve in Horqin Left Rear Banner. Two deep ravines, Daqinggou and Xiaoqinggou, cut through the middle of the Horqin Sandy Land, with streams at the bottom. Outside, wind and sand rule. Inside, the air is mild and the ravines are full of trees: the reserve counts 106 woody and 422 herbaceous plant species. Opened to visitors in 1982 and protected since 1988, it is the best walk in the prefecture. In 2026 it is open from 1 May to 15 October, with tickets listed from about ¥50.
Kulun's three monasteries
In the south, Kulun Banner has three Tibetan Buddhist monasteries of the Gelug school: Xingyuan, Xiangjiao and Fuyuan. Kulun was long a lama-ruled banner, and these temples are the reason to make the trip. The Yinshawan sand-dune park nearby offers sand sledging if you want a desert afternoon.
Tongliao city
Horqin District is a practical city of wide streets, best for food and an evening walk along the river. Andai, a Mongolian group dance with waving scarves, comes from this region and turns up at festivals.
Arriving by train
Tongliao is a rail junction for eastern Inner Mongolia. Check which station your train uses, and allow time for a taxi to your hotel.
When to come
June to September is the grassland season; late July and August are greenest, and Naadam-style fairs happen in some banners in summer. Nights are cool even in July. Autumn colour is brief, in September. Winters are long and harsh, and spring is windy and dusty.
Eating in Tongliao
Hand-torn mutton, Mongolian milk tea with fried millet, dairy snacks and buckwheat noodles are the staples. Eat well in the city after a dusty day on the road. If you visit a herder family, ask before photographing people.
How to arrange the route
- Day 1: arrive by train, dinner in Horqin District.
- Day 2: Zhurihe grassland and the Xiaozhuang park with a driver.
- Day 3: Daqinggou in the morning, then a train to Shenyang, or carry on to Chifeng to the west.
For forest and volcanic lakes, head north to Hinggan and Arxan; for the biggest open steppe, go to Hulunbuir.
What to cut if short on time
Keep one grassland day, or Daqinggou if it is a hot day. Kulun and Yinshawan are the first to drop. Do not come in winter expecting grassland.
Things to confirm before you go
- Opening months for Daqinggou and the grassland parks.
- Car and driver for the whole day, with the return time agreed.
- Event dates if you are after a Naadam fair.
- Current ticket prices on the official accounts.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Tongliao?
June to September. Daqinggou is open from 1 May to 15 October.
Do I need a car?
Yes, for the grasslands, Daqinggou and Kulun. City buses do not reach them conveniently.
Is Zhurihe in Tongliao the same as the military base?
No. The Zhurihe grassland in Tongliao is a tourist ranch; the training base of the same name is in Xilingol.
Sources
The facts in this article were checked against the following sources, retrieved September 18, 2026, and rechecked on October 21, 2026.
- Tongliao https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongliao
- 通辽市 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/通辽市
- 大青沟 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/大青沟
- 库伦三大寺 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/库伦三大寺
- Tongliao–Shenyang train times https://www.gaotie.com.cn/lieche/tongliao-shenyang.html
- Daqinggou 2026 season and tickets (Qunar) https://touch.travel.qunar.com/poi/10004511
- Tongliao attractions roundup (Tongliao Net, March 2026) https://www.tongliaowang.com/2026/03/25/99724715.html
Ticket prices and opening months are 2026 listings; check before you go.
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC licenses or public domain; re-use requires attribution.
- tongliao-zhurihe.jpg from File:Zhurihe Ranch, Tongliao.jpg
- tongliao-street.jpg from File:通辽街景 - Street View of Tongliao - 2011.07 - panoramio.jpg, by rheins, CC BY 3.0
- tongliao-station.jpg from File:Tongliao Railway Station.jpg, by Baycrest, CC BY-SA 2.5