Ordos

The Ordos is Mongolian, which means “Numerous palaces”. It is located in the southwest of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in the hinterland of the Ordos Plateau, about a 2-hour drive from Baotou City. As a prefecture-level city with a population of more than 2.1 million, Ordos’s economic growth has continued to the No. 1 in Inner Mongolia for 15 years.

Kangbashi is a new residential zone of the Ordos, located on the north bank of the Wulan Mulun River, where its grand government buildings, a world-class museum, an opulent opera house, and a design-filled library. But what makes it more well-known is that it is frequently described as the “ghost city” by some Western reporters.

Because this zone was not designed for walking, it would need a little effort to find the people in Kangbashi District. If you merely walk around the most famous landmarks, you are liable to encounter very few people, but see the stream of cars will pass by. If you go over to where the middle school or the 400 stall food court, you will be set in a fully inhabited place. Electric taxis ply the streets here, there are buses full of people, and McDonald’s and other restaurants are packed with diners.

Useful information

Area: 87, 000 km²
Average annual temperature: 15 degrees
Geography: City-prefecture of the Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia in China
Population: 2,154,000 inhabitants.
Altitude: 1305 m

What to do in the Ordos?

Known as the best tourist city of ethnic customs in China, Ordos has many unique attractions.

Explore the Ordos grasslands to watch the herdsmen sing on horseback, and the girls dance gracefully; wander inside the Kubuqi desert to explore the masterpieces of nature, or take a camel to follow the footsteps of the ancient Mongolian folk customs; visit the Yellow River Grand Canyon in the Junggar Basin to appreciate the cliffs and historical traces on both sides of the strait; finally, pay homage to the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, sightseeing of the hometown of the “Hetao People”, to feel the vicissitudes of Ordos.

When to Visit Ordos?

The best time to travel in the Ordos is summer and autumn, when the average temperature does not exceed 24°C, making it a great place to escape the heat. Spring is prone to sandstorms, and winter is cold, but you can experience alternative winter activities such as skiing and snow spas.

How to get to the Ordos?

The new Ordos Ejin Horo International Airport has located about 13 km from the Kangbashi district, with 7 airlines operating here and 32 cities accessible, with direct flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Kunming, and other famous tourist cities.

Besides, Ordos Railway Station has high-speed train connections to 10 major cities including Kunming, Chengdu, Qiqihar, and Fuzhou.

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