Xilin Gol Grassland lies in Xilinhot City of Inner Mongolia. It covers an area of 1,078,600 hectares. It was established in 1985, after being ratified by the People’s Government of Inner Mongolia and was accepted as a network member of the International Biosphere Reserves by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in 1987, and was then promoted to the national level in 1997. Notable features include its meadow steppes, sandy grassland and valley wetland ecosystems.

Xilin Gol Grassland is the most representative temperate steppe for Stipa grass and Chinese wildrye. It is the most complete wild grassland in the grassland subzone of East Asia in the Eurasian steppe region. The type of ecological environment in the conservation district is special, having basic characteristics of coenosis in the grassland, and fully reflecting the structure and ecological processes of typical grassland ecosystems in the Inner Mongolian Plateau. At present, there are 74 families, 299 genera and 658 species of seed plants, 73 species of bryophyte and 46 species of macro-fungi, including 426 species of medicinal plant and 116 species of fine pasture. Wildlife distributed in conservation district reflects the features of the Inner Mongolian Plateau Flora, including 33 species of mammals, such as Mongolian gazelle, wolf and fox, and 76 species of birds. Five of the bird species are under first class national protection, namely, Red-crowned crane, stork, bustard, haliaeetus leucoryphus; and 21 species of wildlife are under second class national protection: including whooper swans and Aquila rapax. This district is currently the nation’s largest natural reserve of the types of grassland and meadow ecosystems and it plays an important role in the international movement to protect biodiversity conservation of grassland creature

Best time to go:
July to September is the best time to go. In spring and autumn there may be sandstorms.

Transport:
Xilinhot Airport is situated in the western part of the city of Xilinhot, operating daily flights to Beijing, Hohhot and Halaer (center area of Hulunbeier City), as well as some provisional tourist flights to other big cities. 

Read the original in Chinese here

***

Related Links

Qilian Mountain Grassland 祁连山草原
Hulun Buir Grassland - Inner Mongolia
Hohhot City Guide--Your Guide to Hohhot Travel & Expat Life

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.